Barely 48 hours before they are supposed to be on a plane to Albania, 12 wrestlers, selected for the World Championships, are sitting outside the residence of Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, desperately seeking his intervention to resolve the issue following withdrawal of Indian teams from the prestigious tournament. Also Read: 'Sold integrity to sell her book': Babita Phogat calls out Sakshi Malik over controversial remarks The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) was on Thursday forced to pull all three Indian teams out of the championships after wrestler Satyawart Kadian, husband of Sakshi Malik, approached the court against federation’s decision to conduct trials for the U23 and senior Worlds, saying the sports body was committing a contempt of court which had reinstated the mandate of IOA ad-hoc panel to manage the routine affairs. 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
26 October,2024 07:06 AM IST | Mumbai | PTIIndia colts displayed remarkable composure to finish their round-robin stage with a thrilling 3-3 draw against New Zealand at the Sultan of Johor Cup here on Friday. Gurjot Singh (6’), Rohit (17’) and Talem Priyobarta (60’) put their names on the scoresheet, while drag-flicker Jonty Elmes (17’, 32’, 45’) scored a hat-trick for New Zealand. While India continue to lead the points table with 10 points, their fate to make the final will be determined by Great Britain and Australia’s matches against Japan and Malaysia respectively later in the day. 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
26 October,2024 07:04 AM IST | Johor Bahru | PTILewis Hamilton will hand over his Mercedes to 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli for the first practice session at the Mexico City Grand Prix on Friday, expressing confidence in the young Italian despite a crash during his practice debut at Monza in August. Antonelli, who will replace Hamilton next season alongside George Russell, crashed heavily in Russell’s car in Italy, but Hamilton believes the young driver will be better prepared this time around. “Kimi is young and he’s learning from his first outing in Monza,” Hamilton was quoted by F1 as saying. Kimi Antonelli “I think what’s key is, and as I spoke to him, he doesn’t have to set the world alight on the first lap, just build into it, enjoy. I told him the track is really dirty early on, and whatever we’re faced with we’ll handle, but I don’t think he’ll have any problems at all.” Also Read: ‘Emotional’ Lewis Hamilton unveils new Mercedes car Antonelli’s practice debut in Monza was marred by a high-speed crash, but Hamilton emphasised that the learning process for young drivers is crucial. As Antonelli prepares for his second practice outing, this time in Hamilton’s car, he carries the hopes of a team that has seen Hamilton win two of his seven world championships in Mexico. With Antonelli taking on more responsibility within the team and Hamilton looking to bounce back from a tough weekend, all eyes will be on the young Italian as he navigates one of Formula 1’s most iconic circuits under the guidance of a former world champion. 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
26 October,2024 07:04 AM IST | Mexico City | AP | PTIAarush Khanna of Nita Mukesh Ambani International (Bandra) beat his twin brother Aadvik Khanna 9-7 in a thrilling final to win the boys U-14 title of the MSSA inter-school lawn tennis tournament at Bombay Gymkhana on Friday. Aadvik seemed to be cruising at the start as he ran into a 4-1 lead in the one-set encounter. However, Aarush, who is elder to Aadvik by a minute, fought back well to tie things at 4-4. Aadvik once again had the advantage with three championship points in hand, but faltered and Aarush took the match into the tie-break. Also Read: Dhairya, Ahaan make MSSA U-16 tennis final It was the same story here too with Aadvik taking the lead at 5-2 before Aarush drew level at 5-5 and then 7-7. Eventually, a couple of cool drop shots in the end sealed the tie in Aarush’s favour. “I was not expecting this win. Last night, we were discussing who will win this final and couldn’t come to a conclusion. I’m happy to be the champion,” Aarush told mid-day. In the girls U-14 final, Vritika Shah of Bombay Scottish (Mahim) emerged champion, beating Maitrie Sharma of Juggilal Podar Academy 6-1.
26 October,2024 06:51 AM IST | Mumbai | Rufus VedanayagamEngland, Germany, Holland, and the United States will be among 24 nations participating in the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup scheduled from January 13-19 at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Stadium, the national federation announced on Friday. The championship will witness a diverse array of participating nations: from the African continent, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda will showcase their talent. Asia will be represented by hosts India alongside Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, South Korea and Sri Lanka. Europe will have participants like England, Germany, the Netherlands, and Poland while North America will be represented by Canada and the United States of America. South America will feature Brazil and Peru while Australia and New Zealand will carry the banner for Oceania. Also Read: Gallery collapse during Kho-Kho match leaves 15 injured in Vasai The tournament structure will feature both men's and women's divisions, with 16 teams competing in each category. This format ensures an intense competition that will showcase the speed, strategy, and sporting excellence that Kho Kho is all about. In the men's category, the competition will feature a strong African presence with Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. "This historic championship represents a massive leap for Kho Kho, transforming it from a beloved local sport to a global phenomenon. With India leading this sporting revolution, the 2025 World Cup promises to be the big step that will take Kho Kho to the next stage in the global sports ecosystem," KKFI president Sudhanshu Mittal was quoted as saying in a media statement. KKFI General Secretary MS Tyagi added, "The participation of 24 nations is a testament to Kho Kho's growing international appeal. Our vision is to make this traditional Indian sport a truly global game, and this World Cup will serve as a milestone in achieving that goal." 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
25 October,2024 02:23 PM IST | New Delhi | PTISkipper Harmanpreet Singh and Sukhjeet Singh scored a brace each to hand India a 5-3 win over world champions Germany in the second hockey Test but the hosts lost the two-match series via shoot-out at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium here on Thursday. Elian Mazkour (7th, 57th minute) scored twice for Germany, who took the early lead, while Henrik Mertgens (60th) was the other goal getter for the visitors. But India turned the table in the second half, with goals from Sukhjeet Singh (34th and 48th min), skipper Harmanpreet Singh (42nd and 43rd min) and Abhishek (45th) to level the two-match series. Also Read: Fab four for India! Germany had won the first Test 2-0 on Wednesday. In the shoot-out, which India lost 1-3, Harmanpreet, Abhishek and Mohammed Raheel missed while Aditya was the lone scorer. India custodian Krishan Bahadur Pathak made two fine saves, but couldn’t save his side from losing in the shoot-out. Meanwhile, former Indian women’s hockey team captain Rani Rampal announced her retirement on Thursday. 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
25 October,2024 06:36 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesMysha Perwez of Billabong High International School and Ahaan Kataruka of Nita Ambani Junior School emerged champions, winning the girls U-14 and boys U-10 titles respectively in the MSSA inter-school chess tournament at St Sebastian High School (Chembur) recently. Also Read: Kids make right moves as MSSA chess begins with record entries Aashrita Guttula of Ryan International School finished second while Ananya Khandelwal of JBCN International School stood third in the girls U-14 category. In the boys U10 segment. Aiden Lasrado of LR and SM Vissanji Academy emerged runner-up while Vihan Pandey of Podar International finished third.
25 October,2024 06:27 AM IST | Mumbai | Rufus VedanayagamFormer Indian women's hockey team captain Rani Rampal hung her boots by ending 1 16-year-long career. From beating poverty to making the cut in the national team, Rani Rampal has become an inspiration for many. Her father used to work as a cart-puller in Haryana. Rani Rampal is one of the most decorated Indian hockey players after leading the women's team to its best-ever Olympic campaign, Tokyo Olympics 2021, in which Team India finished in fourth place. "It's been an outstanding journey. I never thought I will play for so long for India. I have seen a lot of poverty from childhood but focus was always to do something, represent the country," she told reporters here. From making her debut in 2008 as a 14-year-old, Rani Rampal finished her international career with 205 goals in 254 outings for India. She was honoured with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2020 and was also a recipient of the Padma Shri, the country's fourth-highest civilian award, in the same year. Rani Rampal was recently appointed as the national coach for the sub-junior women's team. She will also act as the mentor of Soorma Hockey Club by representing Haryana and Punjab in the revamped Hockey India League. Also Read: IND vs NZ 2nd Test: Lack of water bottles leaves fans angry during the match at MCA in Pune The player from Shahabad considered a cradle of Indian hockey, rose from abject poverty to make the national team. Her father Ram Pal, who has been her guiding force, earned a mere Rs 80 per day and could not afford to even buy her a hockey stick. She was rejected by a district-level coach for being malnourished as a child but continued to practice with a broken hockey stick that she stumbled upon in a field. Despite the many obstacles, including initial opposition from her conservative family, Rani made the local team as a six-year-old before becoming the youngest hockey player to turn up for India as a 14-year-old. "It was a tough to take this decision, especially when you have played 15-16 years for the country. But after much thought I felt it was the right time. Already, I have started my new innings as a mentor for the Delhi team in the women's HIL," said the forward, who has also faced some challenging fitness issues in the last couple of years. "It was tough but finally I thought that it's time. I have no regrets in my life. But I still feel proud I got the honour to represent the country for so many years." Rani was happy with the way her career progressed. Under Rani Rampal's captaincy, India qualified for the quarterfinals of the 2018 World Cup and in the same year, the side won a silver medal in the Asian Games. She also led the team to victory in the 2019 FIH Series Finals and was a key contributor in the Indian team's back-to-back appearance in the Olympics. "I had a wonderful career. There were plenty of high moments as well as lows. But Rani as a seven-year-old had never thought of playing for the country for so many years, the journey would be so glorious."Seriously I have never thought I will play 254 games for the country and score 200 goals. All these moments will always remain with me. There was struggle too because my childhood was not that good but the passion never died. Country always came first for me." Rani Rampal thanked her family, especially father, for supporting her in her career after she stood her ground to pursue hockey. "There are plenty of people who supported me in my career. The family comes first. My family has seen a lot of poverty, had to struggle a lot. My father was poor but his thinking was very rich. He gave me the opportunity to play and make my name. "My coach Baldev (Singh) sir has a big role to play in my life. I got a very good teacher. I am lucky to have a coach like Baldev sir. He guided and taught me life lessons also besides hockey. Her only unfulfilled dream is an Olympic podium finish. "There are plenty of changes happening in women's hockey. We never thought there will be a league for women's hockey. Girls will good exposure and financial help as well," she said. "What I want is to see the Indian women's hockey team at the Olympic podium. I tried a lot but came very close to it. I will very happy the day Indian women's team finishes on Olympic podium and we have that capability." (With PTI Inputs)
24 October,2024 06:16 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIndian Olympic Association president PT Usha feels the axing of medal-yielding sports such as wrestling, hockey and badminton from the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games programme is "disappointing" for the country but the approach to reduce cost would ensure that the event continues to find hosts in future. The 23rd edition of the Games is scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 2, marking the Scottish capital's return as host after 12 years. Most of the National Sports Federations have been critical of Glasgow's decision to exclude hockey, badminton, wrestling, cricket, shooting, TT, and squash from the roster and have even questioned the relevance of the Games after this move. But Usha said the reasons can't be completely ignored. Also Read: India 16/1 at stumps on day one of second Test, trail New Zealand by 243 runs "The reduction in the sports programme for the 2026 Commonwealth Games is disappointing, but I am sure that you will understand that 2026 games serve as a bridge to the future of the CWG," Usha read out a written statement to PTI Videos on Wednesday. Glasgow stepped in to save the Games after original host Victoria (Australia) backed out citing ballooning cost. It has less than two years to complete preparations and the organisers said they have tried to ensure that financial and operational risks are reduced by their conservative approach. While India would lose out on a lot of medals, Usha backed the idea of reduced cost and lower environmental impact due to a pruned schedule of 10 events to be conducted at four venues within an eight-mile radius. "The approach aims to reduce costs, lower environmental impact, and increase social benefits, such progressive and sustainable model is very exciting as it will enable more countries to host the Games in future," she explained. "Given the limited time-frame and financial constraints, focus of CGF has been to deliver a high-quality Games in a financially responsible way, with emphasis on minimising risks and prioritising athletes and sports," said one of India's greatest athlete. Usha said CWG grew from being a 10-sport event up until 1998 and can go back to expanding itself in future once a stable model of hosting the event is figured going forward. "Historically, CWG featured around 10 sports and since 1998, programme has expanded to include 15 to 20 sports, and flexibility in future will be crucial for hosts," she added. "I have had discussion with CGF president and he has assured me that exclusion of certain sports from the 2026 programme doesn't set a precedent for future games, and all CWG sports remain important to CGF, with opportunity to return in future editions," she said. The sports programme will include Athletics and Para Athletics (Track & Field), Swimming and Para Swimming, Artistic Gymnastics, Track Cycling and Para Track Cycling, Netball, Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting, Boxing, Judo, Bowls and Para Bowls, and 3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Wheelchair Basketball. 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
24 October,2024 05:02 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIRio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik detailed her wrestling journey, highlighting the struggles of being a woman in a male-dominated sport, recounting an incident in 2012 when she endured harassment from Brij Bhushan Singh, the then-president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Also Read: Neeraj Chopra pleas to lay down Mondotrack in Patiala “I wanted to write a book for a long time, especially after the Olympics. I wanted my story to be told. I wanted it to inspire and inform many girls because of my struggles. I wanted everyone to know. In 2012, I had an accident when then-president Brij Bhushan Singh harassed me. I knew that this was wrong and I said straightforward no to it, I have also told the story in my book, that time was really difficult for me,” said Sakshi. 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
24 October,2024 08:02 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSIn a meeting to discuss the draft of the National Sports Governance Bill on Wednesday, ace Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra had an additional plea for the government — to fast-track the process of laying down the currently in-vogue ‘Mondotrack’ at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala. Also Read: Younger twin Rheea towers over ‘big sister’ Anaya Mondotrack is a new surface being used for track events and it is believed to enhance performance and reduce the chance of injury. The track events at the Paris Olympics and the Diamond League finale in Brussels were held on this track, which has been hailed by several top international stars. “Neeraj attended the discussion virtually and said that he had been speaking about a Mondotrack at Patiala since 2018-19; facilities at the grassroots was another thing,” he said. 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
24 October,2024 07:58 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIADVERTISEMENT
