It was more than a cakewalk--it was a leisurely stroll in the park. Fynbos, the Kingda Ka-Mahali four-year-old filly trained by Pesi Shroff posted a smashing victory in the Villoo C Poonawalla Indian Oaks (Gr 1) at the Mahalaxmi racetrack on Saturday. Fynbos was given a copybook ride by jockey Vivek G, who settled her in mid-bunch for most of the mile-and-a-half trip, as stablemate Azalea (PS Kaviraj up) hit the front, followed by Namiri (P Trevor up). Rounding the final turn, the property of KN & ZK Dhunjibhoy, Vispi R Patel, Ms Anosha Meyers and Ms Anita J Captain, improved effortlessly, and passing the two-furlong marker, Fynbos quickly opened a four-length gap over the front runners. Thereafter, she sailed away in solitary splendour, crossing the wire about half a dozen lengths ahead of her nearest rival, Kings Gambit (Yash Narredu up), also trained by Shroff. Super Shroff This was the sixth straight Oaks victory for trainer Pesi Shroff; who eclipsed his own earlier record of five-Oaks-winners-on-the-trot (between 2015-19). In fact, such is the stranglehold of trainer Shroff over this race that since his first season as trainer (2006-07) he has won the Indian Oaks a record 14 times in 19 seasons! For jockey Vivek G, who opened his Group 1 account with the Pune Derby last year, this was the third success. In the Ramniwas Ramnarain Ruia Gold Cup, one of the two Gr 3 races on the card, Baychimo (French Navy - Lady Sargeant), trained by Adhirajsingh, set a new course record of 1 minute 59.252 seconds for the trip of 2000m, vindicating his status as the best colt in training. Fynbos and Baychimo, the champion filly and champion colt, are expected to lock horns in the Villoo C Poonawalla Indian Derby (Gr 1) to be run on Sunday, Feb 1, at the same racetrack. The other Gr 3 race, the Gool S Poonawalla Million, was won by the Behram Cama-trained Nebula (Sanus Per Aquam - Apparition) in a close finish from Lady Scarlet. Nebula was ridden with vigour by jockey TS Jodha, who turned out to be the star professional of Saturday, as he additionally rode a fine double for trainer Ms Nazzak Chenoy (Skandha & Appalachian), ending up with a treble on the card.
11 January,2026 09:36 AM IST | Mumbai | Prakash GosaviTwo-time Olympic medal-winning javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra on Saturday announced an end to his partnership with Czech coach Jan Zelezny after just one season, which the Indian said was marked by “progress, respect, and a shared love for the sport.” Chopra did not specify the reason for ending the stint with Zelezny, a bonafide legend of the sport who holds the world record for the longest throw (98.48m) and under whose tutelage the Haryana-lad breached the 90m mark last year. Reflecting on their work, Chopra said to learn directly from an athlete he had admired since childhood was a dream come true and gave him a completely new “toolbox of exercises, technical ideas, and fresh perspectives”. Jan Zelezny “Working with Jan opened my eyes to so many new ideas. The way he thinks about technique, rhythm, and movement is incredible, and I learned a lot from every single session we had together,” Chopra said. “What I’m most proud about is the friendship I’ve built with someone who has been my idol all my life. Jan is not only the best javelin thrower of all time, but also one of the best human beings I have ever met,” he added. The 59-year-old Zelezny also reflected warmly on the partnership and the progress they made together. “Working with an athlete like Neeraj was a great experience. I’m glad we met and were able to work together, that I got him to break the 90-metre barrier for the first time. “Apart from the World Championships, he finished at worst second and that is not a bad record. Unfortunately, the back injury 12 days before Tokyo significantly affected his chances,” he said in a press release. Looking ahead, Chopra said he plans to take the lead in shaping his own coaching direction. “I’m looking forward to what 2026 has in store. I started my preparation in early November. As always, the goal is to stay healthy, and I am already excited to be competing again soon,” Chopra said. “At the same time, I’m especially looking ahead to the year with the World Championships in 2027, and the big goal beyond that is the Olympic Games in 2028,” he added. Highlights of the Chopra-Zelezny partnership . Chopra breached the coveted 90m mark (90.23m) — only the 25th person to do so — for the first time at the Doha Diamond League in May 2025. India’s ace javelin thrower won the Paris Diamond League in June 2025 (88.16m), beating Weber after losing to him in the previous two events. Chopra won the Ostrava Golden Spike meet in Czechia (85.29m). The Indian won the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic in July, the nation’s first international javelin event, with a throw of 86.16m. Finished second at the Diamond League Final in Zurich (85.01m) This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
11 January,2026 09:16 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIAce Indian shuttler P V Sindhu’s promising run at the season-opening Malaysia Open Super 1000 came to an end after she suffered a straight-game defeat to China’s world number two Wang Zhiyi in the women’s singles semifinals here on Saturday. Returning to competitive action after recovering from a foot injury that had kept her out since October last year, the two-time Olympic medallist struggled to maintain consistency against the higher-ranked Chinese opponent and went down 16-21, 15-21, bringing curtains down on India’s campaign in the tournament. Sindhu, however, showed glimpses of her fighting spirit, especially in the second game where she squandered an 11-6 lead after the mid-game interval. Reflecting on the match, the 30-year-old admitted that small lapses at crucial moments proved costly. “I think at 11-6, after the break, I should have taken two or three points. Even when you’re leading, you can’t expect it to be easy. These things happen in a match,” Sindhu said. The Indian shuttler started the opening game aggressively, using her height and reach to good effect and unleashing trademark cross-court smashes to take an early 5-2 lead. Wang, however, relied on her deft net play and defensive solidity to claw her way back. After both players were locked at 13-13, Wang stepped up the pressure with a series of attacking shots and well-placed lifts, racing to an 18-14 lead before closing out the game. In the second game, Sindhu regrouped after falling behind early and controlled the rallies to build a comfortable 11-6 lead at the interval. Wang once again mounted a strong comeback as Sindhu committed a series of unforced errors, allowing the Chinese shuttler to draw level at 13-13 and then seize control. Wang earned five match points and sealed the contest when Sindhu pushed a shot wide. Despite the loss, Sindhu described the tournament as a positive start to her season. “It was a good tournament for me. Coming back after an injury, this performance gives me confidence and motivation. Now it’s important to rest and get ready for the India Open,” she said. Sindhu will next compete at the India Open Super 750 tournament in New Delhi next week.
10 January,2026 01:46 PM IST | Kuala Lumpur | mid-day online correspondentTop-ranked Aryna Sabalenka defeated Karolina Muchová 6-3, 6-4 Saturday to advance to the Brisbane International final. Sabalenka, the defending Brisbane champion, clinched the semifinal at Pat Rafter Arena on her fourth match point to advance to Sunday's final against the winner of a later semifinal between fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula and Marta Kostyuk. On Friday, in a rematch of last year's Australian Open final, Sabalenka broke Madison Keys' in five straight service games on the way to a 6-3, 6-3 win. Last year at Melbourne Park, Keys beat Sabalenka for her first Grand Slam singles title. The Brisbane International is a tuneup event for this year's Australian Open, which begins Jan. 18. In the men's tournament at Brisbane, top-seeded Daniil Medvedev will play Alex Michelsen of the United States in a later semifinal. Two Americans feature in the other semi, with Aleksandar Kovacevic playing Brandon Nakashima. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
10 January,2026 01:20 PM IST | Brisbane | APTwo-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu advanced to the semi-finals of Malaysia Open after her opponent Akane Yamaguchi of Japan retired due to injury, while India’s ace men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty bowed out of the Super 1000 badminton tournament in the quarter-finals here on Friday. Pitted against third-seed Yamaguchi in the quarter-finals, Sindhu took the opening game 21-11 before the three-time world champion from Japan, who was wearing a knee brace, decided to pull out of the match. Sindhu will face second seed Wang Zhiyi of China in the semi-finals. Later, India’s two-time world championships bronze-medallist men’s doubles pair of Satwik and Chirag lost to lower-ranked Fajar Alfain and Muhammad Fikri of Indonesia 10-21, 21-23 in 47 minutes. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 January,2026 09:04 AM IST | Kuala Lumpur | PTITop-ranked women’s singles player Aryna Sabalenka is all set to serve up some style at the Australian Open, which begins on January 12 (main draw commences six days later) as she fondly displayed the new kit she will be sporting at the first Grand Slam of the year. Taking to Instagram, the Belarusian posted a video wearing a stunning orange, pink, and black coloured outfit, while doing a little jig for her four million followers. The 27-year-old accompanied the post with a caption describing the inspiration behind her Nike-designed ensemble. “A little commotion for my @australianopen kit… inspired by the surf.” Australia’s pristine beaches are a world-renowned destination for surfers. Sabalenka, wearing her bright, new kit, will be hoping to recapture the Australian Open crown, which she surrendered last season to USA’s Madison Keys. Prior to that, she had won the tournament in 2023 and 2024. Recently, the World No. 1 featured in a ‘Battle of the Sexes’ exhibition match against Australian Nick Kyrgios. She ended up losing 3-6, 3-6, even as the match itself raised a lot of eyebrows with many claiming it promoted unnecessary and unfair comparisons between men’s and women’s players. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 January,2026 09:04 AM IST | Australia | AgenciesThe Pesi Shroff-trained Fynbos will have to be at her very best in the hands of her new partner (Vivek G) in the Villoo C Poonawalla Indian Oaks (Gr 1), the feature event of the Saturday card. The main threat to her may come from stablemate Namiri who, despite being short on experience, ran a mighty race in the 2000 Guineas; and if, instead of going with the pace, she is ridden with restraint, Namiri could unleash a decent turn of foot in the final two furlongs of the mile-and-a-half trip, and may give jockey Trevor Patel a chance to have the last laugh. The Prasanna Kumar-trained Ravishing Beauty, winner of two races from three starts, is also expected to run a big race. Fynbos is nominated as first choice; but as first favourite, she may not hold value as a bet. First race at 1 pm. Selections: Isn't She Special Trophy (Class III; 1600m)Miracle Of Hanukah 1, Break Point 2, Treat 3. Potential Champion Trophy (Class I; 1600m)Pride's Prince 1, El Greco 2, Chagall 3. Pleasure Hunt Trophy (Class II; 1000m)Fighton 1, Esperanza 2, Social Butterfly 3. Tricumdas Dwarkadas Trophy - Div I (Class IV; 1200m)Interceptor 1, Skandha 2, Juracan 3. Gool S Poonawalla Million - Gr 3 (For 3y; 1200m)Starlight Serenade 1, Nebula 2, Lady Scarlet 3. Ramniwas Ramnarain Ruia Gold Cup - Gr 3 (For 4y; 2000m)Baychimo 2, Red Bishop 2, Zacharias 3. Villoo C Poonawalla Indian Oaks - Gr 1 (For 4y Fillies; 2400m)Fynbos 1, Namiri 2, Ravishing Beauty 3. Tricumdas Dwarkadas Trophy - Div II (Class IV; 1200m)Machiavelian 1, Gold Bar 2, Aeon Flux 3. Marchetta Trophy (Class V; 1400m)Ministry Of Time 1, Algonquin 2, Maratha Admiral 3. RecommendationsBest bet: Baychimo (6-1)Upsets: Cellini (3-3), El Moran (4-1) & Remy Red (8-7) Today's poolsSuper jackpot pool: 4,5,6,7,8,9Jackpot pool: I - 2,3,4,5,6; II - 5,6,7,8,9Treble pool: I - 3,4,5; II - 6,7,8; III - 7,8,9.Tanala pool: All races
10 January,2026 09:04 AM IST | Mumbai | Prakash GosaviThere is excitement and anticipation in the air ahead of Saturday's Villoo C Poonawalla Indian Oaks (Grade 1), where champion filly Fynbos aims to redeem her reputation after a Guineas debacle that left tongues wagging. Trained by Pesi Shroff, Fynbos was the darling of the turf until she faltered in the Indian 1000 Guineas, losing to trainer MK Jadhav's Kavya, ridden by David Allan. The defeat came laced with drama, prompting inquiry, and jockey Trevor Patel copped a fine and suspension for his ride. Now, in a twist juicier than a soap opera, Trevor swaps saddles to partner Shroff's other contender, Namiri, sporting the same Dhunjibhoy silks as Fynbos, fulfilling his retainer duties, while Vivek G, Shroff's other preferred rider, has been asked to ride Fynbos. Will the filly forgive the jockey merry-go-round and gallop to glory as the likely hot favourite in the Oaks? That's the question on everyone's mind which will be answered on Saturday afternoon. Interestingly, of the eight four-year-old fillies in the Oaks line up, four hail from Pesi Shroff's yard: Fynbos, Namiri, Kings Gambit and Azalea. Of the remaining four, Ravishing Beauty, trained by Prasanna Kumar who missed the Indian 1000 Guineas on account of precautionary Glanders rules, is worth a serious look as she has kept herself fit by participating in two mock races, and must be looking to crash the party now that she has set her foot in the door. To add to the complexity of the Oaks, jockey David Allan, who had a hand in Fynbos' 1000 Guineas defeat when he gave a perfect ride to Kavya, will be riding MK Jadhav's Dreamer; and Sandesh will steer Golden Dancer, trained by Dallas Todywalla. The Villoo C Poonawalla Indian Oaks on Saturday at Mahalaxmi racecourse surely promises more drama than a Bollywood climax!
09 January,2026 09:16 AM IST | Mumbai | Prakash GosaviOlympic champion Zheng Qinwen announced on Thursday that she was withdrawing from the Australian Open later this month due to a lack of physical conditioning. “After careful evaluation by my team and following medical advice, I will be withdrawing from the Australian Open,” Zheng wrote on Instagram.” Picture Courtesy/Zheng Qinwen's Instagram account She underwent elbow surgery after a first-round loss at Wimbledon in July, and later withdrew from the third round of the China Open in September, admitting she had rushed her return. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 January,2026 09:14 AM IST | Paris | AFPStar shuttler PV Sindhu produced an impressive performance, defeating Japan’s Tomoka Miyazaki to book her spot in the women’s singles quarter-finals at the Malaysia Open Super 1000 badminton tournament here on Thursday. Sindhu, returning after a long injury lay-off, defeated Miyazaki 21-8, 21-13. Reflecting on her win, Sindhu said, “Today I was prepared for long rallies and her shots as well. Overall, it was important for me to be alert all the time and give my 100 per cent because it’s my first tournament of the season.” Sindhu had not participated in any tournament since October due to a foot injury, and opted to give herself a longer period of time to recover. Meanwhile, the Indian men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also advanced to the last-eight by downing Malaysia’s Junaidi Arif and Roy King Yap 21-18, 21-12. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 January,2026 08:31 AM IST | Kuala Lumpur | PTIIn the All India Inter-University Baseball Tournament, Mumbai University's team has managed to claim a bronze medal. The tournament was organised at the Savitribai Phule Pune University from January 2 to 6. A total of 64 students across the country participated in the event. The Mumbai University team performed well and managed to clinch a medal after many years in the baseball event. The side registered victories by 10-0 against LMCT Bhopal, 10-0 against Jalgaon, 4-1 against Amravati University, and 5-1 against Nanded. In the qualifying matches, the Mumbaikars delivered a top performance and secured a 2-0 victory to seal the berth in the final four stage. They clinched a bronze medal by handing a defeat by 3-2 to Delhi University. Coach Nandan Parab played a crucial role in the team's success in the All India Inter-University Baseball Championship. Mumbai University players also showcased immense determination and skills throughout the tournament. The team consisted of the likes of Chaitanya Bhamale, Tushar Lalwani, Chirag Sonawane, Ajay Khedkar, Shantanu Surve, Gaurav Lalwani, Ashish Pandey, Surya Kaunder, Vaibhav Khatikmare, Anish More, Asrar Sheikh, Mehul Tate, Mihir Khuman, Prathamesh Shinde, Ritik Yadav and Vedant Naik. Satish Rajguru was the team manager. Following the success in the tournament, Mumbai University's Vice Chancellor Prof. Ravindra Kulkarni, Pro-Vice Chancellor Principal Dr Ajay Bhamre, Registrar Dr Prasad Karande and Director of Sports and Physical Education Dr Manoj Reddy congratulated the players and extended their good wishes.
08 January,2026 03:01 PM IST | Mumbai | Aditi AlurkarADVERTISEMENT
-1768032028907_d.png "P V Sindhu. (Pic/AFP)")
-1768030328324_d.png "Aryna Sabalenka defeated Karolina Muchová 6-3, 6-4. (Pic/AFP)")
