Maharashtra reaffirmed its dominance in youth sports by clinching its third consecutive Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) title, concluding the 2025 edition in spectacular fashion with an astonishing total of 158 medals. The state secured 58 golds, 47 silvers, and 53 bronzes, asserting its supremacy in the under-18 multi-sport competition that concluded on Thursday. Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Raksha Nikhil Khadse, was among the dignitaries present at the vibrant closing ceremony, which celebrated 12 days of high-octane performances across 27 sporting disciplines. खेलो इंडिया यूथ गेम्स 2025 में महाराष्ट्र का दबदबा! 💥🏆महाराष्ट्र 158 मेडल के साथ पदक तालिका में शीर्ष स्थान पर कायम। इसमें 58 स्वर्ण, 47 रजत और 53 कांस्य पदक शामिल हैं। #KheloIndia2025 #Maharashtra #MedalTally #KheloIndiaYouthGames #KIYG2025 #KheloIndiaOnDD@IndiaSports… pic.twitter.com/lMdWQ2SkhT — Doordarshan Sports (@ddsportschannel) May 15, 2025 Maharashtra’s gold medals were spread across 14 sports, with standout performances in athletics (10 golds), swimming (7), gymnastics (7), archery (6), and weightlifting (5). Their consistent performances across track, pool, and gymnasium underlined the breadth of talent within the state’s sporting ecosystem. Haryana secured second place with 39 gold medals, showcasing its traditional strength in combat and speed events. Wrestlers and boxers led the charge with eight golds each, while fencing contributed seven and athletics added six to the overall tally. Karnataka finished third with 17 gold medals, edging past Delhi, which secured 16. Tamil Nadu, last year’s host, ended sixth with 15 golds. This year’s host, Bihar, emerged as one of the most improved contingents, leaping to 15th position from 21st in the previous edition. Bihar’s athletes won a total of 36 medals, including seven golds. Events during KIYG 2025 were held across five cities in Bihar, reflecting the state's growing infrastructure and readiness to host national-level competitions. Commending the successful organisation, Minister Khadse remarked: "With the grand success of the Khelo India Youth Games 2025, Bihar has showcased its capability to host national sporting events with excellence and enthusiasm, setting a new benchmark for the future." She further expressed optimism about the Games’ impact, adding: "I am confident that numerous youngsters in Bihar and across India will feel inspired by the efforts of the athletes in the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 Bihar and will take up some sport or other to contribute to India's sporting ecosystem." A major objective of KIYG remains talent identification for global competitions, especially with India eyeing a bid for the 2036 Olympic Games. At this year’s Games, 186 athletes supported by the Khelo India program were among the 5,071 participants, nearly half of them girls. Out of the 26 records shattered in the 2025 edition, eight were set by female athletes. Notably, five of these were national youth records in weightlifting, a promising sign for India’s medal hopes in international competitions.
15 May,2025 08:48 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentReigning world champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra on Thursday addressed the often-discussed topic of his equation with Pakistani Olympic medallist Arshad Nadeem, saying that the two do not share a 'very strong relationship'. Speaking at a pre-event press conference ahead of the Doha Diamond League 2025, Chopra sought to set the record straight. "First of all, I really want to clear that I don't have a very strong relationship. I mean we have to talk...I have good friends in the athletics community all around the the world. But if somebody talks to me respectfully, I always like to talk to him respectfully. It's good that all javelin throwers are...because it's a very small community, everyone competes for their country, everybody wants to give their best," he said. He further noted that given the recent escalation in India-Pakistan tensions, especially following the Pahalgam terror attack, the dynamics are unlikely to remain the same. "Because of this (cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan) I don't think so, it will be not like something like before. If somebody gives me respect, I will give him the same," he added. Chopra is currently in Doha, where he will headline India's challenge at the Diamond League. The event is scheduled for Friday at the Qatar Sports Club, according to Olympics.com. Doha has been a familiar and successful venue for the 27-year-old. In 2023, he claimed victory at the Diamond League’s Doha leg and followed it up with a runner-up finish in 2024. For the past few years, he has chosen the Doha meet as the starting point of his athletic season. The upcoming event will mark Chopra’s second appearance of the year, following his season-opening win at the Potch Invitational Meet in Potchefstroom, South Africa, in April. There, he registered a solid throw of 84.52 meters to clinch the top spot. As Chopra returns to Doha, the focus will also be on whether he can surpass the elusive 90-meter mark, a milestone that continues to elude him despite consistently world-class performances. He currently holds the Indian national record with a personal best of 89.94 meters. (With ANI inputs)
15 May,2025 08:15 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentStar Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will kickstart his Diamond League campaign with an aim of defending his world championship crown. Chopra will clash against two-time world champion and 2024 Olympics bronze-winner Anderson Peters of Grenada, Jakub Vadlejch of Czechia, who won here in 2024, the German duo of Julian Weber and Max Dehning, Kenya's Julius Yego and Roderick Genki Dean of Japan. The 27-year-old athlete has been competing with these names in major events for a while now. The Paris Olympics 2024 winner, Arshad Nadeem, is the only notable absentee among the big names. Neeraj's fellow countryman, Kishore Jena, will also be one of the 11 competitors. Also Read: "A quick volley?": Jannik Sinner asks Pope Leo XIV Jena (Personal Best: 87.54m) competed here in 2024 as well, finishing ninth with a throw of 76.31m. Vadlejch won here with a best throw of 88.38m while Chopra was 2cm behind with 88.36m. Peters was third with 86.62m. Previously, Neeraj Chopra first made his appearance in the Doha Diamond League in 2018, where he finished fourth with an effort of 87.43m. Later, after winning the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, the veteran clinched the DL titles in 2023 (88.67m) and finished second in 2024 (88.36m). The star Indian athlete will yet again aim for the title in the Doha Diamond League. "I'm always overwhelmed by the support I get from the Indian people in Qatar - there aren't enough words to thank them," said the 27-year-old who is now coached by world record-holder and multiple-time Olympic champion Jan Zelezny of Czechia. Chopra, who has a personal best of 89.94m, is looking to hit the 90m mark, something that Zelezny did for fun in his prime, with the best being a jaw-dropping 98.48m. Ahead of the league, Chopra opened up on his strengths by saying consistency is more important to him than chasing the number. "I know the fans expect big things from me when I compete here, and with good conditions and a great atmosphere that's definitely possible - but I pride myself on my consistency, which I believe is one of my greatest strengths. For me, that's more important than just chasing a number," he concluded. (With PTI Inputs)
15 May,2025 01:55 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner visited the new Pope Leo XIV and gifted him a racket, asking him to play on an off day at the Italian Open. Leo is an enthusiastic tennis player and fan. Earlier, the 69-year-old said that he would be up for a charity tennis match when a journalist suggested him. Joking about the Italian star at the time, Leo said, "We can't invite Sinner". During the interaction with the Pope, Sinner said, "It's an honour for him" in Italian. Later, the 23-year-old suggested Leo for a quick volley, but the head of the Catholic Church looked at the antiques around them and said, "Better not". Leo, a 69-year-old from Chicago, then appeared to joke about his white cassock and its appropriateness for Wimbledon, perhaps a reference to the All England Club's all-white clothing rule. Also Read: In Photos | IPL 2025: Will RCB be able to clinch their first-ever title? When asked about his Italian Open campaign, Sinner said, "Now I'm in the game. At the beginning of the tournament, it was a bit difficult". On Thursday, Jannik Sinner will have a quarterfinal match after a three-month ban for doping that was judged to be an accidental contamination. He will next face freshly crowned Madrid champion Casper Ruud. Sinner is attempting to become the first Italian man to win the Rome title since Adriano Panatta in 1976. During the audience, Angelo Binaghi, the head of the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation, gave Leo an honorary federation card. "We all felt the passion that Leo XIV has for our sport, and this filled us with pride. We hope to embrace the Holy Father again soon, maybe on a tennis court," Binaghi said in a statement. Later, Pope and Jannik Sinner posed for the photo in front of the Davis Cup trophy that the 23-year-old helped Italy win last year. Also on display in the room was the Billie Jean King Cup trophy won by Italy in 2024, the biggest women's team event in tennis. (With AP Inputs)
15 May,2025 12:55 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentStar Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will compete in the 71st ORLEN Janusz Kusocinski Memorial event in Chorzów, Poland, on May 23 following the postponement of next week’s Neeraj Chopra (NC) Classic in Bangalore. Also Read: Sinner preys on! Chopra was slated to compete in the eponymously named NC Classic on May 24, but the event was postponed in the wake of the military confrontation between India and Pakistan. In Chorzow, Chopra will be up against two-time world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada, Germany’s Julian Weber and Poland’s Marcin Krukowski. 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
15 May,2025 08:50 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIJannik Sinner came through the first true test of his comeback from a three-month doping ban with a straight-set win over Francisco Cerundolo on Tuesday. Sinner bested his 17th seeded Argentine opponent 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 in a match which was delayed by a couple of hours due to a torrential downpour. The victory took the World No.1 into the Italian Open quarter-finals where he will face either Madrid Open winner Casper Ruud or Spain’s Jaume Munar. Cerundolo knocked out Sinner in the Round-of-16 the last time they played here in 2023, but that was before the 23-year-old had became the tournament-winning machine he is today. Also Read: Thailand Open: Sen stunned in Rd 1, Treesa-Gayatri advance The Italian is finding his feet in Rome, his first tournament since the end of a three-month suspension accepted in February from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) following two positive tests for traces of clostebol in March last year. His true target is the French Open which follows his home event and he showed some signs of rediscovering the form which has won him three Grand Slams and last year’s ATP Finals. “He’s a very tough competitor, it was a great challenge for me. I’m very happy because today I felt that I raised my level. Game-wise I felt a little bit better,” he said. “I’m happy to be back. I was three months out so, you know, every situation for me I feel very fortunate to be here,” he added. Sinner had to battle through the first set against a spirited Cerundolo, but once he prevailed in the tie-break, he built up an unassailable lead by winning four games in a row in the second. The packed centre court stands hailed their hero — now on a 24-match winning streak — after he took the win at the fourth time of asking to continue his bid for a first Rome title. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, World No.3 Carlos Alcaraz punched his ticket to the semi-finals by defeating Jack Draper 6-4, 6-4. 24No. of matches since Jannik Sinner’s last defeat 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
15 May,2025 08:45 AM IST | Rome | AFPIndia’s ace shuttler Lakshya Sen crashed out in the opening round of the Thailand Open, while the women’s duo Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand advanced to the second round of the Super 500 tournament here on Wednesday. Sen fell to Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen in a tense three-game battle, losing 18-21, 21-9, 17-21. Also Read: Superbet Classic: Pragg holds joint lead, Gukesh loses again After dropping the first game, the Indian found his rhythm in the second, dominating with aggressive rallies. However, Nguyen held his nerve in the decider, edging ahead at 17-13 before sealing the win. Meanwhile, the World No.10 ranked women’s duo of Jolly and Gopichand made a positive start to their campaign, progressing with a 21-15, 21-13 win over the Malaysian pair of Ong Xin Yee and Carmen Ting. In the women’s singles, Unnati Hooda fought her way through to the next round, registering a gritty 21-14, 18-21, 23-21 victory over Thailand’s Thamonwan Nithiittikrai. 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
15 May,2025 08:42 AM IST | Bangkok | PTIIndian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa played out a draw with Duda Jan-Krzysztof of Poland to maintain a joint lead with 3.5 points, but compatriot D Gukesh lost a tense battle against Alireza Firouzja of France in the sixth round of Superbet Chess Classic here. Playing the black side of an English opening, Praggnanandhaa was subjected to some strong advances by Duda, but held his ground. Also Read: Forest’s Awoniyi in induced coma after injury The Polish Grandmaster showed his intent with a queen sacrifice for a rook and minor piece in the middle game forcing Praggnanandhaa to realise that his chances were slim. The draw was a fitting result as neither player could make much progress thereafter. Meanwhile, Gukesh suffered his second loss in the event. The game should have ended as a draw if not for the Indian’s blunder during the endgame with a rook, a bishop and a pawn each on the board. Alireza, Fabiano Caruana (USA), Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France) and Praggnanandhaa share the lead. Caruana tried hard to break through with a piece sacrifice against local hero Deac Bogdan-Daniel, but eventually settled for a draw. Vachier-Lagrave could do little with his white pieces either as he drew with Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan. 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
15 May,2025 08:40 AM IST | Bucharest (Romania) | PTIAmerican sensation Coco Gauff breezed past world number seven Mirra Andreeva to confirm her berth in the semi-finals of the Italian Open on Wednesday. In the quarter-finals clash, Gauff overwhelmed Russia's Andreeva in straight sets by 6-4, 7-6(7-5) to set up a mouth-watering semi-final in the women's singles against the winner of the top seed Aryna Sabalenka and Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen. The 21-year-old, who stormed into the last eight after dominating Emma Raducanu, nullified the Russian's serve with her strong backline game. Despite Gauff's bold play, Andreeva maintained the parity by using the court to her advantage. With the scoreboard reading 5-4 in the first set, Gauff had the opportunity to break Andreeva's serve, but she fluffed it after her forehand went straight into the net. However, she bounced back and secured two consecutive points to seal the first set in her favour. The second set was yet again a back-and-forth affair with both tennis stars pushing each other to their limits. The second set went to a tie-break, and Coco took an early 3-1 advantage to take a step closer to the semi-finals. Andreeva retaliated perfectly with a ferocious smash that stayed out of Gauff's reach to make it 3-2. Gauff mixed up her forehand and backhand play while trying to restore her two-point advantage and created an opening after a lacklustre reply from Andreeva. She waited for the ball but smashed it past the line, allowing Andreeva to restore parity at 3-3. Gauff sent Andreeva the wrong way to claim the next point, but the Russian brought it level to 5-5 by disguising her dropshot with pinpoint precision. Gauff wrapped up the fixture by securing two points on the trot and stormed into the semi-finals. "I'm feeling really good -- and I feel I have a lot to improve on, too. When you're winning matches and you still feel like you have a whole ceiling to reach, it just makes you feel good," Gauff, who is still looking for her first title of the season, said as quoted from Olympics.com.
14 May,2025 10:30 PM IST | Rome | mid-day online correspondentIndia’s premier cyclist Esow Alban narrowly escaped serious harm after being struck from behind by two motorcyclists during a training session near the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex on Wednesday. The incident occurred while the 24-year-old was on a routine road ride, when two bikers, reportedly speeding at over 100 km/h, collided with him from the rear. Esow, who hails from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, currently trains and resides at the SAI Cycling Academy, home to a state-of-the-art velodrome that holds official recognition from the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the world governing body for cycling. Taking to Instagram after the incident, Esow shared his experience: “Today, I was hit from behind by two bikers during my training ride. They were speeding at over 100 km/h. I was in my lane. Focused. Disciplined. Yet they blamed me and showed no regret,” he wrote. “I’m grateful to be safe, with only a few scratches.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Esow Alban (@esowalbanofficial) The collision left him with bruises on his hands and buttocks, while the rear wheel of his bicycle was severely damaged due to the force of the impact. Expressing his frustration and concern for fellow athletes, Esow emphasized the importance of road safety and awareness. “This could’ve been worse, not just for me, but for any cyclist on the road. To everyone out there: We cyclists are not in your way. We are humans. We are athletes. We represent our nation,” he said. “Respect cyclists. Give us space. Give us safety.” He also extended his gratitude to those who supported him immediately after the accident. “Thank you to my coach, team coach, and the officer who stood by me and are helping with the investigation,” he added. Cycling Federation of India Secretary General Maninder Pal Singh described the incident as 'minor', confirming that Esow had received medical attention and was recovering well. “He (Esow) has been given first aid and he is fine now. It was a minor accident and he is at his room. He should be able to train again tomorrow,” Singh told PTI. Providing additional details, Singh noted, “He was on a routine training ride on the road (near IG Sports Complex). He was behind a bus and then hit by a bike.” Esow made history as the first Indian cyclist to win an individual medal at the world level, claiming silver in the keirin event at the 2018 Junior Track World Championships. He followed it up with a silver in sprint and a bronze in keirin in the 2019 edition.
14 May,2025 10:18 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentOlympic champion and India’s foremost javelin thrower, Neeraj Chopra, has been bestowed with the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army. The official recognition was published in The Gazette of India, dated May 9, with the rank effective from April 16, 2025. According to the notification issued by Major General GS Choudhry, Joint Secretary, Department of Military Affairs, the appointment was made under Para-31 of the Territorial Army Regulations, 1948. “No 3 (E) dated 9th May 2025 in exercise of the powers conferred by Para -31 of the Territorial Army Regulations, 1948, the president is pleased to confer on Ex- Sub Maj Neeraj Chopra, PVSM, Padma Shri, VSM, Village & Post Office Khandra, Panipat, Haryana with effect from 16 April, 2025,” the statement read. The official recognition published in The Gazette of India Chopra has previously served in the Indian Army, having been inducted as a Junior Commissioned Officer (Naib Subedar) on August 26, 2016. Chopra made history by becoming the first Indian to win an Olympic gold medal in any track and field discipline during the Tokyo Olympics. He followed this feat with a silver medal at the Paris Games, finishing behind his Pakistani rival Arshad Nadeem. In 2023, he further cemented his legacy by becoming the first Indian to win gold at the World Athletics Championships, having earned silver in the previous edition. Following a strong start to the 2025 season, Chopra is now preparing for a rigorous competition schedule. After securing a win at the Potch Invitational Track Meet in South Africa with an 84.52m throw on April 16, he is set to return to action at the prestigious Doha Diamond League on May 16. He had claimed the title in Doha in 2023 with a throw of 88.67m and finished runner-up in 2024 at 88.36m. Chopra will then travel to Chorzów, Poland, for the 71st ORLEN Janusz Kusociński Memorial on May 23, one of Europe’s oldest and most esteemed athletics competitions. The Polish event is classified as a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver level meet and features a lineup including two-time world champion Anderson Peters (Grenada), Julian Weber (Germany), and Polish record-holder Marcin Krukowski. Chopra was also scheduled to host and compete in the NC Classic in Bengaluru on May 24, alongside global stars such as Thomas Röhler and Julius Yego. However, the event was postponed amid escalating military tensions between India and Pakistan. Looking ahead, Chopra is expected to compete at the Golden Spike meet in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on June 24, an event he previously had to miss twice due to injury but hopes to contest successfully this year. (With PTI inputs)
14 May,2025 08:16 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
