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Tag: india sports

  • Biggest medal haul, longest listing of awardees

    The unprecedented medal haul by Indian sportspersons at this yr’s Olympics and Paralympics has resulted in a highest-ever variety of suggestions for the Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards.
    Tokyo Olympics javelin throw champion Neeraj Chopra, silver medallist wrestler Ravi Dahiya, bronze-winning boxer Lovlina Borgohain and hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh are amongst 11 names chosen for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, the nation’s highest sporting honour.
    India had its greatest medal haul on the Tokyo Olympics with one gold, two silver and 4 bronze medals. The different three medallists – wrestler Bajrang Punia, shuttler PV Sindhu and weightlifter Mirabai Chanu – have already been conferred with the Khel Ratna.
    The 23-year-old Chopra grew to become solely the second Indian to win a person Olympic gold medallist after Abhinav Bindra within the 10m air rifle capturing occasion on the 2008 Beijing Olympics. India had despatched its biggest-ever Olympic contingent to Tokyo this yr.
    All 5 gold medallists from the Tokyo Paralympics had been additionally shortlisted for the Khel Ratna on Wednesday. They are Avani Lekhara (capturing), Manish Narwal (capturing), Sumit Antil (athletics), Pramod Bhagat (badminton) and Krishna Nagar (badminton).
    India returned with 19 medals – together with 5 gold, eight silver and 6 bronze – from the Paralympics.
    In addition, the choice committee additionally named footballer Sunil Chhetri and girls’s Test cricket captain Mithali Raj within the listing, which can now be despatched to the union sports activities ministry for approval.
    The announcement of the nationwide sports activities awards was delayed in order that performances on the Paralympics is also thought of.
    The panel additionally named as many as 35 athletes for the Arjuna Award, together with cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, para desk tennis participant Bhavina Patel, para shuttler Suhas Yathiraj and excessive jumper Nishad Kumar.
    Others chosen by the panel for the Arjuna Award embrace all of Sreejesh’s bronze-winning teammates, ladies’s hockey gamers Vandana Katariya and Monika, fencer Bhavani Devi, boxer Simranjit Kaur, wrestler Deepak Punia, pistol shooter Abhishek Verma, boxer Simranjit Kaur, kabaddi participant Sandeep Narwal and girls’s tennis participant Ankita Raina.
    Mallakhamb participant Himani Uttam Parab and Arpinder Singh (triple soar, athletics) are additionally amongst these getting the nod for the honour.
    Five athletes had been chosen for the Khel Ratna final yr whereas 4 acquired it after the 2016 Rio Games. The variety of names shortlisted for the Arjuna Award final yr was 27.
    Former sports activities minister Kiren Rijiju had sought to clarify the big variety of awardees arguing that India’s efficiency at worldwide competitions had improved significantly in current occasions and the awards ought to recognise and honour these achievements.
    Not too way back, there was once not multiple Khel Ratna awardee in a yr, and typically nobody was conferred the honour if the committee didn’t deem anybody worthy of it.
    Meanwhile, para athlete Sumit Antil, who received a gold medal in javelin throw in Tokyo, mentioned he’ll apply for the Arjuna Award in future regardless of being chosen for the upper honour.
    “Though I had applied for the Arjuna Award, I am happy that the committee found me suitable for this award (Khel Ratna). I am honoured to receive this award. But in future I shall apply for the Arjuna Award too, as since childhood I had dreamt to be an Arjuna Awardee. And if people think that it is for money, I announce that I will give the award money of the Arjuna Award, if I win, to charity,” Antil mentioned in a press release.
    Also, athletics coaches Radhakrishna Nair and TP Ouseph in addition to hockey coach Sandeep Sangwan are amongst these chosen for the Dronacharya award. The Khel Ratna awardees obtain Rs 25 lakh and a quotation, whereas the Arjuna award carries a prize purse of Rs 15 lakh every and a quotation.

  • Gavit pushes the boundaries to compete with ready bodied athletes

    Teenager Dalip Gavit has taken half in just one para-athletics match in his nascent profession. The 18-year-old, whose proper arm is amputated from beneath the elbow, feels the extent of competitors in para championships isn’t as much as his requirements.
    “It’s too easy for me. There’s no thrill in winning there,” Gavit places it plainly. It could sound like Gavit is an over-confident teen however that’s removed from true. The Maharashtra athlete firmly believes this sort of confidence and resilience is required to compete in opposition to non-disabled athletes in open occasions.
    At the 400m nationals in Delhi, Gavit reached the U20 finals ending second in his warmth with 49.89s on the clock. He was sorely upset on ending fifth within the U 20 race clocking, 49.85s. “My finish wasn’t good. The moment I go home, I will watch my video and ask my coach how to improve my pace in the last 100m,” says Gavit, who led the pack for the primary 200m of the race on Tuesday.
    Gavit, who has 4 national-level medals in open competitions, was concentrating on to complete inside 48s. If he had, the Maharashtra runner would have walked away with the gold round his neck. “He is capable. He’s really talented, and I know he will achieve the mark soon,” says his coach and guardian, Vaijnath Kale.
    Gavit says his proper arm needed to be amputated when he was round 4 after he bought injured after falling off a tree. “My parents took me to an ayurvedic practitioner instead of a proper hospital. They just applied some medication and bandaged my arm,” he says.

    But issues bought worse because the wound bought additional contaminated and septic, and by the point skilled assist was lastly sought it was too late. “If my parents had gone to a proper doctor in the first place, they could have saved my arm,” says Gavit whereas shaking his head.
    Steady beginnings
    Gavit, all the time fascinated with operating, began participating in school-level occasions and step by step progressed. Nasik-based coach Vaijnath noticed younger Gavit at a neighborhood meet about six years again. “I’ll be honest. It wasn’t like that he was a great runner at that time nor did I see something special in him. I just wanted the young child to have a fair chance at the sport, and that could happen only with good formal coaching,” says coach Kale.
    When coach Kale approached Gavit’s mother and father, they’d only one situation. “They asked me if I could take care of all his expenses, then I could train him. I agreed,” says Kale, who has “adopted” Gavit.
    Gavit now stays with coach Kale’s household in Nasik. “My sir has two children and now I am like the eldest son. Coach sir is everything to me. I trust him blindly. If he asks me to leave running and try jumping, I will do it without asking a question,” says Gavit, who will get somewhat emotional whereas speaking about his mentor.
    Coach Kale, a former company worker, trains round 25 kids at his academy in Nasik. Gavit is the one athlete that stays with him at his residence. “I do this out of the love I have for the sport. I wish I had someone who would have guided me when I was an athlete,” says Kale.
    For Gavit, who doesn’t personal a cell phone, has no social media accounts, dislikes watching TV, life revolves round athletics. He says he received’t relaxation till he baggage a Paralympic medal for the nation. But will he proceed to take part in open competitions?

    “Of course. This is where the real fun is. I don’t consider myself disabled. In fact, I am in no way inferior to the other athletes,” says Gavit.
    Gavit’s run even caught 400m chief coach Galina Bukharina’s consideration. “I had a runner in America like him. He got an implant (with a prosthetic hand) and his timings improved massively. If this boy can find a sponsor who can help him with that, trust me, he will run much faster,” stated the seasoned coach.

  • Missing pole vault equipment at JLN forcing budding athletes to think about quitting sport

    The nation’s premier athletics venue, Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, has been with out a everlasting pole vault equipment for over six months. This has compelled athletes to coach within the lengthy bounce pit, the makeshift association answerable for a number of twisted ankles and knees. Just a few of the Capital’s pole vaulters are considering quitting the game, others are coping with a sudden drop in efficiency.
    Devraj, a 2019 Delhi state medallist, couldn’t land a single authorized bounce finally month’s Open Nationals in Warangal. “I could do 4.80m earlier but now I can’t even make a proper jump. With great difficulty, I have been able to procure poles but what will I do without a pit? I am considering selling them off,” says Devraj.
    The SAI, in a press release to The Indian Express, stated that the pole vault self-discipline was “moved” to Bangalore in December the place the NCOE (National Centre of Excellence) will operate. “Pole vault equipment integral to Pole vault NCOE (National Centre of Excellence) have moved to a new location in Dec 2020 and all facilities wrt pole vault are available at Bangalore,” the assertion learn.

    Vaulters compelled to apply on the bounce pit in JLN pic.twitter.com/WBMItBTIdj
    — Express Sports (@IExpressSports) October 6, 2021
    Stadium authorities have locked up the prevailing “unfit” pits within the storeroom. For the latest under-23 National Championships, the Indian Army got here to the rescue making certain the pole vault occasion wasn’t scrapped as was the case on the Delhi state meet organised a number of weeks again on the similar venue.
    “The Rajputana Rifles lent us the pole vault pits. They brought it in their Army trucks and took it back after the event,” says an official.
    SAI additional said that “the issue of new pits” for competitions is being “deliberated”. That signifies that the ordeal of pole vaulters on the stadium is unlikely to finish quickly.

    “We don’t have a pit for over six months now. I am tired of running after stadium officials. What hurts me more than the absence of the pit is the condescending tone in which certain administrators talk to us. Do you want to know why India doesn’t win as many medals as it should? It’s because of administrators like these,” a dejected Delhi state medallist stated.
    On Monday, a bunch of annoyed pole vaulters reached administrator Satyadev Prasad’s workplace in search of an replace on the matter, solely to be instructed that “he couldn’t do much.” Prasad refused to touch upon the difficulty.
    Athletes say that transferring the power to Bangalore wouldn’t assist them.

    “I have just started. How can you expect me to leave my home and go to Bangalore? I am not even part of the NCOE. What will Delhi’s young vaulters do? You can’t expect everyone to move to a new city,” says 17-year-old Rahul (identify modified).
    Rahul got here to JLN with excessive hopes. Back in his college, utilizing a bamboo stick as a pole and haystacks as a pit, he managed to cross the 3m mark. He thought that at JLN he would be capable of attempt his hand at an precise pit for the primary time, however was left dejected. “I cannot believe that the country’s best stadium does not have a pole vault pit. I still can’t,” says Rahul.
    Those who’re presently coaching within the lengthy bounce pit concern accidents. “Our knees hurt and a few days back my ankle got twisted. But what can we do? Our performances have gone down as well. If things don’t change, I will have to quit,” says a younger vaulter on situation of anonymity.

  • Shooting star: Delhi lady Naamya, 14, turns into junior world champ

    After clinching the gold medal within the 25m pistol occasion on the Junior World Championship in Lima (Peru), 14-year-old Naamya Kapoor referred to as her mother and father Praveen and Gunjan.
    It was an apt time for the mom to recall how Naamya took up taking pictures.
    “Before she started shooting at the age of nine, Naamya would never take anything seriously. She would easily get bored. When she started shooting, we thought she would leave this too. But after some time, she urged her father to get her a new pistol,” Gunjan informed The Indian Express.
    On Monday within the Peruvian capital, the teen made the finals in sixth spot with a rating of 584 as compatriot Manu Bhaker topped the qualification with a rating of 587. Naamya shot a rating of 288 in precision stage adopted by 292 in speedy stage, together with 99 out of 100 within the first collection of the latter. In the ultimate, Naamya solely misplaced the lead as soon as within the elimination stage earlier than coming again within the lead, bouncing again to win the gold medal.
    Naamya (centre) after profitable the gold medal (Express pic)
    A younger Naamya was launched to the game after seeing her elder sister Khushi pursuing it at Delhi’s Manav Sthali School. It was on the insistence of coach Sabir Khan on the Sports Craft Academy that Naamya would begin competing in 10m pistol in 2016 and the teen would shoot a rating of 373 out of 400 within the Delhi State Shooting Championship inside three years. Khan was impressed by the focus and muscle power of the chubby child. “We initially started dry practice without the pistol in sitting position and once she started shooting with pistol, her scores were impressive for her age. We also worked on making her shoot with focus on sights and not on the target paper,” remembers Khan.
    With the minimal age of shooters competing in nationwide championships set at 12 years, it was solely in 2019 that Naamya bought her likelihood to compete in Bhopal. It was additionally the yr when she made a swap to coach below coach Ankit Sharma at Aim Shooting Academy in Faridabad. The teen would end twenty eighth within the senior class of the 25m pistol occasion out of a complete of 151 shooters and twelfth amongst juniors with a rating of 566, lacking the ultimate by a single shot.
    Shifting to coach below Sharma would additionally imply that Naamya would journey greater than 40 Kms to Faridabad each day from her residence at Bali Nagar in Delhi, aside from travelling to the Karni Singh Shooting Ranges for practising for the 25m occasion.
    Rapid progress
    After managing a rating of 566 on the 2019 nationals, she would quickly shoot scores within the vary of 575-585 in follow. “The main difference between 10m air pistol and 25m pistol events is the adjustment to the commands and the rapid duelling format. So, we worked first on getting Naamya adjusted to the timing of three seconds per shot and her lifting technique at a 45-degree angle. To make her adjust to the five successive shots required in the format, a lot of fine-tuning in her training – including trigger movement – was required. But all this happened with consistent focus on the precision stage too,” says Sharma.
    An earlier image of Naamya (left) at Delhi State Shooting Meet (Express pic)
    The Delhi teen, whose father is a maternal cousin of famend shooter Sanjeev Rajput, and the Olympian has additionally aided Naamya’s growth. She had met Rajput on September 15. He has been holding a watch on Naamya’s taking pictures profession for the reason that begin, and has been liberal with suggestions. “Both Naamya and elder sister Khushi have very good concentration. Initially, I would tell Naamya about various mental conditioning techniques required for match practice and actual matches. I also told her to play some brain simulation video games to develop the right and left- brain movements apart from meditation. Seeing her do well also motivates me but adjusting to the senior level will be the main challenge for her,” says Rajput.
    Prior to the Junior World Championships, the Delhi teen shot a rating of 583 to be positioned second behind Bhaker within the trials for the match.
    “Naamya was shooting scores close to 290 in precision and close to 292-293 in rapid stage in practice and she recovered well after a score of 288 in precision. Her biggest strength has been shooting without any fear and that’s what worked for her in the final, which included much experienced shooters like Manu Bhaker,” says Sharma.
    Mother Gunjan is aware of how India’s youngest junior world champion in taking pictures unwinds herself after the finals, holding away from the game for a while. Irrespective of outcomes, she at all times retains a stage head and by no means loses perspective. “Whatever happens in shooting, she never complains or becomes emotional,” she says.

  • Once a medical school aspirant, Sherin is now lengthy soar champion

    When 20-year-old Sherin Abdul Gaffoor took up lengthy soar she didn’t harbour desires of constructing it large within the sport. She hoped medals would higher her possibilities of getting admission in a medical school by the sports activities quota. But Sherin didn’t know at the moment her tryst with athletics would change the course of her future, together with plans to change into a physician.
    The Chennai jumper bagged gold on the Under 23 National Championship in Delhi on Tuesday with a formidable leap of 6.45m to complete forward of Sandra Babu (6.29m) and Pooja Saini (6.22m).
    Sherin acquired so concerned within the sport that she felt taking over a demanding course like MBBS might hamper her athletics profession. She satisfied her mother and father to permit her to change to engineering as an alternative.

    Chennai jumper Sherin Abdul Gaffoor bagged gold on the Under 23 National Championship in Delhi on Tuesday with a formidable leap of 6.45m pic.twitter.com/DiWK3cQa7O
    — Express Sports (@IExpressSports) September 29, 2021
    “When I told my parents they were really unhappy. After lots of arguments they were finally okay with ‘at least’ an engineering degree,” Sherin says.But only one week into her engineering course, Sherin realised that she must make one other course correction.The packed school schedule hampered her coaching routine. Sherin’s priorities had been clear. The shiny pupil determined to stop only one week into her course to take up sociology at M.O.P Vaishnav College in Chennai.
    But her mother and father initially stated ‘nothing doing’.
    “My parents wouldn’t let me settle for an arts course. I had to literally beg. I am not kidding, my father is right there and you can ask (Father nods). I said please allow me to quit engineering and focus on my sport. It took a while but they realised how desperately I wanted this and finally agreed but reluctantly,” Sherin says.
    Sherin’s mother and father have all the time had excessive expectations from her over-achieving daughter. Before discovering her real love in athletics, at her mother and father’ insistence, she tried her palms on the piano, drums, violin, guitar and even Bharatnatyam.

    “Long jump is an emotion,” Sherin places it poetically. “When you stand at the start of the runway it’s like a mental battle between you and the pit. During the jump I go into a different zone, I forget about everything around me for a while. The feeling is surreal,” Sherin says.
    Long soar, which began off as a method to enhance her greater training prospects, has become a ardour. “I am not a great jumper right now. I have a lot of areas to improve on. The biggest hindrance at the moment is not having a full-time coach to guide me. It makes a lot of difference,” she says.
    Sherin used to coach at an academy run by coach P Nagarajan, who’s now arrested following sexual harassment allegations by a few of his trainees.
    Friends off the sphere
    Sherin has been taking steering from her seniors on the JLN Stadium in Chennai. For the Delhi meet she travelled together with her mates and fellow trainees Nandhini and Aishwarya, who bagged the 100m hurdles silver and triple soar bronze respectively.

    During Sherin’s remaining, Nandhini and Aishwarya had been sending jump-by-jump clips to their seniors in Chennai and relayed the suggestions to their buddy.
    “Our seniors from Chennai told us what changes to make and then we explained it to Sherin, that helped her a lot,” says Nandhini. On Wednesday, throughout Aishwarya’s triple soar finals, Sherin took over the digicam.
    “We are really close and have each others’ back all the time. We not only train together but also go to the same college,” says Nandhini.
    Sherin, who can be a gifted dancer, was actually happy to see coach Bobby George together with his wards on the meet. But the teen says she hasn’t been in a position to muster the braveness to go up and have a chat with Bobby who had coached Anju to the 2003 World Championships bronze medal.
    “He’s such a big coach, I feel very nervous to approach him. He has been on the circuit for so long and there is nothing that he doesn’t know about jumps. I was just about to say hello to him but he got busy with something,” Sherin says.
    When Sherin was informed Bobby had one thing to say about her, she was eager to know what he had stated. “She’s very consistent,” Bobby had stated. That was sufficient to convey a shiny smile to Sherin’s face.

  • My allegation in opposition to TOPS is that they straight oversee coaching choices: WFI’s Brij Bhushan

    Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), mentioned he needs to make an instance of wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who was served a show-cause for allegedly refusing to stick with the Indian group on the Tokyo Olympics and never sporting the group’s official uniform for her bouts.
    Singh additionally demanded a much bigger say within the planning for the Paris Olympics whereas accusing the Target Olympic Podium Scheme in addition to personal our bodies just like the Olympic Gold Quest and JSW Sports for sidelining the federation. Excerpts from an interview:
    Has there been additional progress on the difficulty associated to Vinesh?
    We have referred it to our disciplinary committee, which can name Vinesh, Sonam and Divya Kakran. It’s straightforward to say ‘I’ve made mistake’. But what made you commit that mistake, and why? These are senior wrestlers. Vinesh has replied by her lawyer and mentioned she didn’t stick with the Indian group for the betterment of the opposite wrestlers in order that they don’t get uncovered to the virus. Okay, possibly it was for others’ good. But then why didn’t she put on the costume? Because of that mistake, she has to know what all I needed to bear, what occurred to me.
    What occurred to you?
    After Deepak Punia’s incident occurred, when his coach beat up one official, I needed to seem earlier than a fee that had members from the United World Wrestling and International Olympic Committee. I had to make sure the group didn’t get debarred. I instructed them there has by no means been a case the place our wrestlers have flouted any guidelines and expressed remorse however they questioned me, ‘how do you run the federation. Your wrestler isn’t sporting the (official) costume’. She may have misplaced a medal had she received. This isn’t a small incident. I needed to beg and plead.
    READ | WFI received its numbers flawed for coaches, physios
    Do you suppose that is additionally a difficulty of gender equality? There was only one coach for 4 girls wrestlers however seven coaches and assist workers for 3 male wrestlers.
    The Indian Olympic Association had set a restrict on what number of coaches and physios may go.
    But as federation president, do you suppose it was proper for 4 girls to get only one coach?
    This you’ll be able to ask (assistant secretary Vinod) Tomar ji [Tomar: “We had one chief coach and common freestyle coaches for both teams.”] And if you’re coming to the difficulty of Vinesh not having her private physio on the Olympics, she didn’t inform the federation who her physio was. How are we purported to know except she tells us?
    Vinesh has written a number of emails to the federation with all particulars.
    She gave these proposals to TOPS, by no means to us straight. She ought to have given it to us.
    There are emails…
    It has by no means occurred that Vinesh approached the federation. This is my allegation in opposition to TOPS. They are straight overseeing points like the place the athlete ought to go for coaching.
    So the difficulty shouldn’t be planning per se however simply that Vinesh, in keeping with you, despatched the proposal to TOPS and to not WFI?
    If it was our plan then I may have despatched my complete group. Bajrang and Vinesh had been two very senior wrestlers. Their rating was first-class going into the Olympics. They thought a sure plan was higher for his or her future in order that they instructed TOPS, who then instructed us.
    READ | Vinesh Phogat’s predicament factors to a sports activities tradition that exhibits little equanimity, in victory or in defeat
    About planning, the federation had held only one nationwide camp for ladies wrestlers since April.
    Tell me, is there some other federation aside from mine that carried out nationals throughout a pandemic?
    That’s a unique matter. Between April and July, there was only one nationwide camp for ladies that lasted for lower than two weeks.
    I don’t bear in mind precisely. Anshu (Malik) went to some nation for coaching after nationwide camp, Poland I believe and after that both Russia or Belarus. I had despatched your entire group. Vinesh was coaching in Hungary earlier than that. I don’t have any drawback with them coaching overseas however neither the India coach nor federation was taken into confidence. They took TOPS into confidence.
    At the Tokyo Olympics, a males’s coach (Rajiv Tomar) had gone as girls’s group coach.
    No, he didn’t go as girls’s coach however he was made the ladies’s coach quickly for some motive.
    What was the explanation?
    That Tomarji will let you know. [Tomar: He was there at the pre-departure camp in Sonepat. Since there is no difference in men’s and women’s freestyle wrestling, we had common coaches for both teams and he was one of them.]
    Vinesh has had a string of fine performances. Is banning an athlete from the world championships a simply punishment?
    I’m not her enemy and I’ve nothing private in opposition to her. But IOC ke saamne jo jaleel aur beijjat hona pada… how may she put on a unique costume? She is senior sufficient to grasp there’s a correct costume for each match. We have to have a look at different wrestlers too. India’s wrestling isn’t depending on one wrestler. We have to ensure nobody makes such errors sooner or later.
    READ | Vinesh Phogat breaks silence, says everybody exterior is treating me like I’m a lifeless factor… One medal (misplaced) and the whole lot is completed
    But then, WFI too has made errors prior to now.
    What mistake has the WFI made? WFI has by no means made a mistake in life. No one can level out even one mistake now we have ever made.
    One instance is in the course of the Olympic qualifier earlier this yr. The girls’s group reached hours earlier than their bout, needed to reduce weight at an airport terminal, couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat…
    This, when the programme is made, when a group has to achieve their vacation spot, these are small issues. What can I do about this?
    There was one other occasion just a few years in the past the place in a qualifier for the Rio Olympics, a physio needed to compete in a bout as a result of India didn’t have sufficient representatives.
    I don’t have sufficient paperwork throughout this time. But if WFI is making errors, then you need to know that each different federation within the nation is making 10 instances extra errors.
    Do you need TOPS to be concerned in wrestling?
    Yes, they’re wanted. But no matter programme they make, chief coach and federation ought to be taken into confidence.
    How do you see the function of OGQ, JSW, and so on.
    We don’t want OGQ and JSW. They have spoilt three wrestlers, I received’t title them. When the Indian authorities is able to spend on the athletes, then why do we’d like them? They can assist junior and cadet wrestlers who really want assist. Not simply those that are near successful an enormous medal. They aren’t spending as a lot as the federal government, which has spent near Rs 85 crore on the wrestlers. My largest drawback is that they don’t inform me who they’re sending as sparring companions.
    If a wrestler is related to any of those, what’s their future?
    Bilkul nahi khelne doonga (Won’t permit them to play).
    Not even somebody like (Tokyo silver medalist) Ravi Dahiya…
    Even I’m giving Ravi Rs 1 lakh per 30 days. From what number of locations will you’re taking cash? We are prepared to provide you the whole lot. If they nonetheless wish to be concerned, they need to share a replica of their settlement with the gamers and think about our views.
    Vinesh Phogat suffered a quarter-final defeat within the Tokyo Olympics. (File)
    ‘Several emails were sent by Vinesh to WFI detailing plans’
    While JSW Sports didn’t remark, OGQ responded to allegations from WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan, stating that they had a strong junior program and weren’t claiming undue credit score. They additionally clarified that Vinesh Phogat had despatched a bunch of emails to WFI informing them of her plans and protecting them within the loop.
    OGQ response:
    OGQ has been supporting wrestlers Ravi Kumar Dahiya and Deepak Punia for the final 6 years since they had been 17 and 16 years previous respectively, properly earlier than they each got here into the limelight.
    OGQ has been working a reasonably large Junior Program within the nation the place we assist the coaching of extra that 100 junior athletes within the age group of 11-19 years throughout numerous sports activities. In reality, inside wrestling itself, of the 32 wrestlers we presently assist, 23 are junior wrestlers within the age group of 13-19 years throughout 7 totally different academies in Haryana and Maharashtra. We have been supporting PV Sindhu since she was 14 years previous and Lakshya Sen since he was 10 years previous.
    The Government and SAI are undoubtedly the largest and most essential stakeholders in Olympic sport. We have mentioned again and again that the Government, SAI and TOPS are doing an excellent job particularly within the final 5 years in the course of the Tokyo Olympic cycle. They have wonderful bureaucrats and leaders like Sandeep Pradhan, DG, SAI and Cdr. Rajagopalan, CEO, TOPS.
    One of the standout options of the final 5 years throughout this whole Tokyo Olympic cycle has been the teamwork between all stakeholders concerned in Indian sport. The Sports Authority of India (SAI), the National Sports Federations and Non-Profits like OGQ have labored in shut cooperation with one another to make sure that the athletes get the very best assist, all gaps are coated and there’s no overlapping of assist. For instance, within the case of Mirabai Chanu, SAI, Weightlifting Federation of India and OGQ labored in shut cooperation to ship her twice to St. Louis, USA to coach within the lead as much as the Tokyo Olympics.
    To our data, a number of emails had been despatched within the final 10 months by Vinesh herself to WFI and TOPS. These emails had detailed info on the coaching plans for Tokyo, the coach and assist workers and sparring companions for Vinesh.
    Finally, in the identical spirit of teamwork and cooperation talked about earlier, we despatched a proposal to WFI on twenty fourth March 2021 to work on 3 primary elements – Junior and Cadet wrestlers for the long run protecting Los Angeles 2028 Olympics in thoughts, Sports science and Coaches.

  • India U-18 compound archers shatter two qualifying world data

    The Indian compound women and blended workforce on Tuesday broke two Under-18 world data throughout their rating spherical of the World Youth Championships right here.
    The women workforce of Priya Gurjar, Parneet Kaur and Ridhu Senthilkumar mixed for a complete of 2067 to raised the earlier report by 22 factors.
    Priya shot 696 to take the person pole, whereas Parneet Kaur (third) and Ridhu Varshini Senthilkumar (fourth) have been the following greatest Indians.
    American trio of Keane Sanchiko, Breanna Theodore and Savannah Vanderwier had the earlier report of 2045 registered in Rosario in 2017.
    Priya additionally mixed with Kushal Dalal (705) for a blended pair tally of 1401 to interrupt the earlier mark held by Danish duo of Natacha Stutz and Mathias Fullerton (1387) on the Madrid World Youth Championships in 2019.
    “I’m really happy but I can shoot even more than I did today. I have to shoot proper shots and try my best, then I can get even better results. My goal is to become world champion and I will do my best,” 17-year-old Priya stated.
    The compound U-18 workforce took the second place with Dalal taking the third place within the particular person rating spherical.
    Reigning U-18 recurve world champion Komalika Bari, who’s returning to the Under-21 age group of juniors, ranked sixth with 656 factors because the Indian girls’s workforce took the fifth place with a mixed tally of 1905.
    The recurve U-21 males’s workforce, then again, took the second place with Parth Salunkhe (663) main the Indian problem with a seventh place rating within the particular person part.
    The males’s workforce totalled 1977 factors to take the second seed behind Russia.

  • IOA drops package sponsor of Tokyo-bound contingent

    Claiming that they have been ‘respecting the sentiments of the people of the country’, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) stated they’ve withdrawn from their ‘existing contract with an apparel sponsor’ and that the Tokyo-bound contingent will likely be sporting ‘unbranded apparel’ in the course of the Games subsequent month.
    In a joint assertion issued on Tuesday, IOA president Narinder Batra and secretary common Rajeev Mehta didn’t specify the identify of the attire sponsor. However, in the course of the unveiling of India’s sporting and ceremonial kits final Thursday, within the presence of sports activities minister Kiren Rijiju, it was introduced that the official sports activities attire sponsor was Chinese model Li Ning.
    In their assertion, Batra and Mehta kept away from mentioning Li Ning. “We are aware of the emotions of our fans and we in the IOA have decided that we will withdraw from our existing contract with an apparel sponsor. Our athletes, coaches and support staff, will wear unbranded apparel,” the assertion stated.
    When requested particularly if the attire sponsor referred to within the assertion was Li Ning, Batra and Mehta didn’t reply.The two IOA officers added within the assertion that the choice was taken so the athletes might concentrate on coaching as an alternative of ‘answering questions in regards to the attire model.
    “We are thankful for guidance by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in making this decision. We would like our athletes to be able to train and compete without having to answer questions about the apparel brand. As it is, they have all been challenged by the pandemic over the past year and a quarter and we want them to be not distracted,” the assertion stated.
    The Chinese large was the sponsor of India’s kits on the Rio Olympics as properly. The nation’s athletes have additionally worn Li Ning’s uniforms on the Commonwealth and Asian Games in 2018. But after the clamour to ban Chinese merchandise in India grew following the border dispute final yr, the IOA had stated it was reconsidering its sponsorship cope with Li Ning.
    “Our association (with Li Ning) is till the Tokyo Olympics but we will take up the issue in our general body meeting. For us, the country comes first,” Mehta had stated final June. The organisation, nonetheless, continued their partnership with the corporate.
    On June 3, after unveiling the package, the IOA stated in a media launch: “Li-Ning designed the official sports kit inspired by India’s national colours and integrated unique graphics to emote the energy and pride of the Indian Olympic Team.”
    The firm was to provide sports activities apparel, travelling and enjoying kits together with luggage for the athletes headed to Tokyo. So far, 99Indian athletes (55 male and 44 feminine) have certified for the Olympics, which will likely be held from July 23 to August 8.

  • Pooja Rani strikes gold; silver for Mary Kom, 2 others at Asian Boxing Championships

    Defending champion Pooja Rani (75kg) was the lone Indian girl boxer to strike gold on the Asian Championships whereas three others, together with six-time world champion M C Mary Kom (51kg), signed off with silver medals right here on Sunday.
    The Olympic-bound Pooja (75 kg), who was competing in her first bout of the match after getting a bye and a walkover earlier, dismantled Mavluda Movlonova of Uzbekistan with a scientific efficiency.
    She additionally earned USD 10,000 for her marvellous one-bout present by which Movlonova was merely out of types, unable to maintain tempo with the Indian’s depth.
    However, six-time world champion Mary Kom (51kg), and match debutants Lalbuatsaihi (64kg) and Anupama (81+kg) ended with second place finishes.
    All three misplaced tightly-contested bouts and fetched themselves a prize cash of USD 5,000 together with the silver medals.
    The Olympic-bound Mary Kom went down in a break up 2-3 verdict to Nazym Kyzaibay of Kazakhstan.
    It was the Manipuri celebrity’s seventh medal within the match, the primary being a gold that got here method again within the 2003 version. Her match report now stands at 5 gold and two silver medals.
    Lalbuatsaihi misplaced 2-3 as effectively however after giving her Kazakh rival Milana Safronova a combat to recollect.
    Lalbuatsaihi got here into the Indian workforce as a late alternative for the seasoned Pwilao Basumatary, whose passport had expired. The Mizo boxer exhausted her rival together with her counter-attacks however misplaced momentum within the closing spherical to finish second greatest.
    Anupama was the final to take the ring in opposition to former world champion Lazzat Kungeibayeva of Kazakhstan.
    She managed to carry her personal in a bout marred by extreme holding and clinching, however it was Kungeibayeva, who linked higher for a 3-2 win.
    Earlier, up in opposition to an opponent 11 years youthful to her, the 38-year-old Mary Kom made a powerful begin and clinched the opening spherical comfortably by counting on her sharp counter-attacks.
    The tempo picked up within the second spherical and each the boxers confirmed aggressive intent. The Kazakh drew degree at this level together with her jabs touchdown completely.
    Mary Kom fought again within the closing three minutes however that was not sufficient to get the judges’ nod.
    Kyzaibay is a two-time world champion and a six-time nationwide champion. All gold-winners received prize cash of USD 10,000 every.
    On Monday, Amit Panghal (52kg), Shiva Thapa (64kg) and Sanjeet (91kg) will combat it out within the males’s finals.
    Panghal will sq. off in opposition to reigning Olympic and world champion Shakhobidin Zoirov of Uzbekistan. It will likely be a repeat of the 2019 world championship closing by which the Indian had misplaced to accept silver.
    Thapa will likely be up in opposition to Mongolia’s Baatarsukh Chinzorig, who’s the Asian Games silver-medallist.
    Sanjeet will tackle Kazakh legend Vassiliy Levit, who’s chasing his fourth gold on the continental showpiece.
    Eight different Indians — the Olympic-bound trio of Simranjit Kaur (60kg), Vikas Krishan (69kg), and Lovlina Borgohain (69kg), and Jaismine (57kg), Sakshi Chaudhary (64kg), Monika (48kg), Saweety (81kg) and Varinder Singh (60kg) — secured bronze medals after semifinal losses.
    They additionally received a prize cash of USD 2,500 every for his or her third-place finishes.

  • Learnt virtually all the things from Rio Olympics: Mirabai Chanu forward of Tokyo Games

    India’s world file holder weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has realized her classes from the in Rio meltdown 5 years in the past and is now assured of doing properly on the Tokyo Olympics.
    Last month, Mirabai had revealed that she was “completely broken” after the failure on the 2016 Rio Olympics and speaking to a psychologist helped her get again on observe.
    She mentioned she has developed as a weightlifter because the final Olympics, altering and tweaking methods.
    “I learned a lot by participating in the Rio Olympics. In fact, I have learned everything from Rio — from my weaknesses to how to rectify them, how to improve myself in terms of training and performance in competition,” Mirabai mentioned in a video posted by Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Monday.
    Mirabai had put up a extremely disappointing efficiency on the Rio Games as she couldn’t get an total complete in ladies’s 48kg after failing to raise the burden in any of her three makes an attempt in clear & jerk part.
    But since then, she has gained the gold medal within the World Championship and Commonwealth Games, and issues are trying brilliant for the 26-year-old Manipuri athlete.
    Asked about deriving inspiration, it was no shock when she talked about the title of Kunjarani Devi, the primary famous person of Indian weightlifting.
    “I might look as much as Kunjarani madam quite a bit, she was a prime participant, and from Manipur. I might additionally assume that I’ve to be like madam, win a lot of medals like her.
    “Whenever I am in any doubt or under any sort of pressure, I look at my videos and try to motivate myself,” Mirabai mentioned.
    Among others, Kunjarani, 53, gained seven world championships silver medals and two Asian Games bronze throughout a adorned profession.
    When requested about her message to fellow Tokyo-bound athletes, Padma ShriMirabai mentioned, “I wish all the luck to all athletes who have qualified for the Olympics. We all must strive to give our best for India and the country on top.”
    The Tokyo Olympics are scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 8.