by Abhishek Shukla

Royals Secure Adam Frazier with One-Year Deal, Eyeing Versatility and Experience

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Royals have bolstered their roster by signing veteran infielder Adam Frazier to a one-year contract, with a mutual option for extending the partnership through 2025. In adherence to the club’s policy, the financial details of the agreement remain under wraps. The Royals will be making a corresponding roster move later today to accommodate this new addition.

Frazier, 32, brings a wealth of experience from his eight years in the Major Leagues, having played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, and most recently, the Baltimore Orioles. His career peaked in 2021 when he was honored as a National League All-Star, showcasing his talent with career highs in batting average (.305), doubles (36), and runs (83).

Known for his exemplary hustle and heart on the field, Frazier has earned the Heart and Hustle Award twice, in 2017 and 2021. His defensive skills have also been recognized, with two nominations for the Rawlings Gold Glove Award at second base during his tenure with Pittsburgh in 2019 and 2020.

Frazier’s versatility is a significant asset, having played six different positions throughout his MLB career. Yet, it’s his remarkable tenure at second base that stands out; since 2019, he has led Major League Baseball in games played at the position, showcasing an impressive .989 fielding percentage, tied for the best in the majors with Ozzie Albies and Marcus Semien.

In his 2023 season with the AL East champion Orioles, Frazier hit a personal best of 13 home runs and 60 RBIs. He also made an appearance in two of the three American League Division Series games against the World Series champion Texas Rangers, further proving his value in high-stakes situations.

Frazier’s ability to make contact and avoid strikeouts has placed him ninth among all qualified hitters in plate appearances per strikeout over the last five seasons. His performance at Kauffman Stadium, with a .290 batting average and an .888 OPS over 10 games, suggests he’s well-suited to his new home.

As the Royals gear up for the upcoming season, Adam Frazier’s addition is a strategic move aimed at strengthening their infield and adding a proven performer to their lineup. His experience, versatility, and consistent performance at the plate and in the field are expected to be key contributors to Kansas City’s ambitions in the MLB landscape.

by Abhishek Shukla

Galaxy Bolster Attack with Brazilian Winger Gabriel Pec

In a significant move to enhance their offensive lineup, the LA Galaxy announced the acquisition of Brazilian winger Gabriel Pec from Vasco da Gama, securing his talents through the 2028 MLS season. The 22-year-old, who has made a name for himself in Brazil’s top-flight and on the international youth stage, fills a crucial Designated Player slot left vacant by the departures of Chicharito and Douglas Costa.

Pec’s transfer, valued at $10 million plus incentives, sets a new benchmark for the Galaxy, exceeding the previous record fee paid for Chicharito in 2020. His status as a Young Designated Player affords the Galaxy greater flexibility in roster management, a strategic advantage as they continue to build a competitive squad.

Will Kuntz, LA Galaxy’s General Manager, expressed excitement over Pec’s decision to join the club, citing his impressive performance in Brazil’s Série A and his potential to contribute significantly to the Galaxy. Kuntz highlighted Pec’s attacking skills, work rate, and international experience as key assets that he brings to the team.

Throughout his tenure at Vasco da Gama, Pec has been prolific, with 26 goals and 14 assists in 178 appearances, showcasing his capability as a versatile forward. His arrival at the Galaxy is seen as a pivotal development in the club’s offensive strategy, where he is expected to play a central role alongside Riqui Puig, Diego Fagundez, and Dejan Joveljić.

Head coach Greg Vanney lauded Pec’s qualities as a dynamic winger, emphasizing his eagerness to integrate him into the squad. With the 2024 season on the horizon, the Galaxy aim to make a strong comeback in the MLS, targeting a spot in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs after a disappointing 13th-place finish in the Western Conference last season.

The Galaxy’s journey to reclaiming their status as MLS champions begins on February 25, when they host Inter Miami CF, marking the start of what promises to be a transformative season for the club.

by Abhishek Shukla

Puneri Paltan thrash Telugu Titans by 31 points, Super 10 for Akash Shinde and High 5 for Mohammadreza Chiyaneh Shadloui

30th January, Patna: Puneri Paltan bounced back to winning ways and soared to the top of the standings as they handed Telugu Titans a 60-29 drubbing in the Pro Kabaddi League match at the Patliputra Indoor Stadium in Patna on Tuesday. Akash Shinde (11 raid points), Mohammadreza Chiyaneh Shadloui (7 points) and Abinesh Nadarajan (5 tackle points) were the key players for Puneri Paltan in their comprehensive win.

Puneri Paltan came into the game on the back of 2 consecutive ties and were eager to claim all points available from this game. They spared no time in getting started as they led from the very first raid and needed just 6 minutes to inflict an ALL OUT and storm to an 11-2 lead. Puneri Paltan’s three-man raiding unit of Aslam Inamdar, Mohit Goyat and Akash ensured their team seized complete control of the match as they powered them to a 2nd ALL OUT in the 14th minute.

The Telugu Titans hardly put up a fight as they trailed by 16 points at 22-6. It only got worse for them as they did not garner a single point for the remainder of the 1st half and Puneri Paltan went into the break with a massive lead at 29-6.

Puneri Paltan inflicted an ALL OUT within a minute of the restart to open up an enormous 25-point lead. Telugu Titans captain Pawan Sehrawat, who was off the mat for 10 minutes in the 1st half, endured a poor outing as he wasn’t able to rescue his side. Akash produced a superb 3-point SUPER RAID that reduced the opposition to 3 men and eventually led to yet another ALL OUT in the 28th minute. The scoreline read 45-11 in Puneri Paltan’s favour, with both Abinesh Nadarajan and Shadloui completing High 5s.

Telugu Titans did well in the final 5 minutes of the game as Sanjeevi came up with a SUPER RAID and they went on to inflict an ALL OUT, but it made no difference to the outcome of the match as Puneri Paltan won by 31 points.

Please see below the PKL Season 10 match on 31st January

Game 1 – Patna Pirates vs Bengaluru Bulls- 8 pm

Game 2- Jaipur Pink Panthers vs Tamil Thalaivas- 9 pm

Venue: Patna

Season 10 of the Pro Kabaddi League will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network and for free on Disney+ Hotstar.

by Abhishek Shukla

Preview 5th FIL EBERSPÄCHER Luge World Cup: Second half of the World Cup season starts after the World Championships

Altenberg (FIL) After the 52nd FIL Luge World Championships is before the EBERSPAECHER Luge World Cup. The team led by OC head Jens Morgenstern  welcomes the luge elite once again to the 5th EBERSPAECHER World Cup this  weekend on the SachsenEnergie Eiskanal in Altenberg. From February 2 to 4, 2024,  World Cup points will be at stake on the challenging artificial ice track in Altenberg’s  Kohlgrund.  

95 sleds from 18 nations will compete in Altenberg. There are 29 women’s and 32  men’s singles as well as 13 women’s and 21 men’s doubles. 

In addition to the World Cup races, the fourth of six team relays as part of the  EBERSPAECHER Team Relay World Cup presented by BMW is on the agenda on  Sunday. 

„Having an EBERSPAECHER Luge World Cup directly after the World  Championships is not a problem for us from an organizational point of view, because  the infrastructure is in place and we can build on it,“ Jens Morgenstern, Head of OC  and Managing Director of Wintersport Altenberg (Osterzgebirge) GmbH, explains.  „Two years ago, we were in a situation where we first organized a Bobsleigh &  Skeleton World Cup, then the Luge World Cup and then another Bobsleigh &  Skeleton World Cup the week after. That was awful, and we as well as the  international federations have learned from it. We have a team of around 150 people,  including many volunteers who have been supporting us at the events for many  years. Whether it’s the World Championships or the World Cup – it makes no  difference to the motivation and commitment of our volunteers, and I’m very grateful  for that.“ Together with his team, he has organized three World Championships in the  last five years. 

In order to gain some distance after two weeks in Altenberg, many teams used the  two training-free days for excursions. Some explored the Saxon capital of Dresden,  while others such as Team Ukraine, Sweden, Argentina, Italy, USA and some  Austrians spent their free time in the Czech capital of Prague.

 

Austria most successful World Championship nation 

More than 160 athletes from 21 nations competed at the 52nd FIL Luge World  Championships in Altenberg. Nine World Championship titles were awarded, as well  as four U23 World Championship titles. Six nations won precious metal at the World  Championships. The most successful nation was Austria with four gold, three silver  and two bronze medals, their best ever World Championship result. The German  team won a total of seven World Championship medals: three gold, two silver and  two bronze. Latvia and Italy each won another World Championship title. Athletes  from the USA also won one silver and one bronze medal and Switzerland won a  silver medal in the Women’s Sprint with Natalie Maag. 

In the U23 classification, most of the medals went to Germany – two out of four  possible World Championship titles and one bronze medal were won by Norbert  Loch’s team. He was responsible for the luge world championships as German head  coach the last time. 

Taubitz, Langenhan, Degenhardt/Rosenthal and Steu/Kindl lead the overall  World Cup standings 

The upcoming races mark the halfway point in this year’s FIL EBERSPÄCHER Luge  World Cup. After the races in Altenberg, there are still two World Cups in Oberhof  (GER) and Sigulda (LAT) each on the season calendar. The World Cup races so far,  as well as the World Championships, have shown that the international world elite  has moved closer together and that the season remains exciting. After five of twelve  World Cup races in the World Championship winter, it is worth taking a look at the  overall World Cup standings. Julia Taubitz, Max Langenhan and the women’s  doubles Jessica Degenhardt/Cheyenne Rosenthal (all Germany) as well as the  doubles Thomas Steu/Wolfgang Kindl are currently leading the World Cup standings. 

Julia Taubitz, sprint and team World Champion and Vice World Champion in singles  2024, is the most consistent female luge athlete in singles in this World Cup season,  with two victories and three second places. After the successful home World  Championships, the 27-year-old from Saxony is concentrating on winning her third  overall World Cup in a row. Team-mate Max Langenhan, World Champion in men’s  singles and with the team as well as Vice World Champion in the sprint, is this  season’s top performer and is aiming for his first overall World Cup victory. The 24- year-old from Thuringia is the only one who has finished on the podium in all races,  four of them at the top. The men’s doubles are particularly exciting, with five different winners in five World Cup races. In addition to World Championship bronze medalists Wendl/Arlt, who have finished on the podium four times so far, Vice World  Champions Thomas Steu/Wolfgang Kindl (AUT) have also impressed with one World  Cup victory and three second places. After the disappointing World Championships,  Jessica Degenhardt/Cheyenne Rosenthal (GER) want to show that they can do  better in the World Cup on Jessica’s home track. They have won the last three World  Cups, each time ahead of sprint World Champion Andrea Voetter/Marion Oberhofer  (ITA). 

World Cup standings short: 

Women’s Singles: 

1) Julia Taubitz (GER), 455 

2) Madeleine Egle (AUT), 415 

3) Ashley Farquharson (USA), 301 

Men’s Singles: 

1) Max Langenhan (GER), 470 

2) Jonas Mueller (AUT), 380 

3) Nico Gleirscher (AUT), 331 

Women’s Doubles: 

1) Jessica Degenhardt/Cheyenne Rosenthal (GER), 410  

2) Andrea Voetter/Marion Oberhofer (ITA), 370 

3) Selina Egle/Lara Kipp (AUT), 364 

Men’s Doubles: 

1) Thomas Steu/ Wolfgang Kindl (AUT), 401 

2) Tobias Wendl/Tobias Arlt (GER), 380 

3) Martins Bots/Roberts Plume (LAT), 350 

Team-Relay 

1) Team Germany, 285 

2) Team Austria, 270 

3) Team USA, 200

 

 

Quotes: 

Andrea Vötter (ITA): „We went to Prague for a day after the World Championships  to come down and refocus. When you see that we now have still so many World  Cups but only three tracks left, it’s honestly pretty boring. It’s a shame because there  are so many tracks that aren’t used for the World Cup. Of course, the double World  Cups in Oberhof and Sigulda theoretically eliminate the hassle of traveling, but many  nations still go home in between, when it is not so far away. You can’t speak of a real  World Cup calendar. If you look at the IBSF calendar for bobsleigh and skeleton, who  are using tracks all over the world this year, it’s a real shame that we don’t have that.  The first two weeks in Altenberg with the ITW and World Championships went by  pretty quickly, but after the World Championships we were exhausted for a short  while and it’s more difficult to get motivated for the next World Cup.“ 

Natalie Maag (SUI): „Silver medal in the sprint at the World Championships. It’s  unbelievable and is only slowly sinking in. It was a tough week for me at the World  Championships. I knew I could race fast here, as I would have won with my time at  the German Championships in December. Last week was really tough with the  weather and I almost crashed in the sprint qualifying. That’s why I thought I’d just go  for it and take the run for Sunday. Ending up with a medal is just mega. The race  calendar after the World Championships is rather boring for us, but for me there are  only cool tracks left. I’m looking forward to it. I was in Oberhof after the ITW until the  World Championships to briefly escape. After the World Championships I went to Prague with the Austrians. That won’t give rise to cabin fever. Two weeks in Oberhof  is good for me, as I have my own room there, and I’m really looking forward to it.“

 

Kristers Aparjods (LAT): „In my head I’m always going for gold, but sometimes it  doesn’t go the way I want it to. I had a pretty good run in the World Championship  sprint despite some minor mistakes in the upper part of the track, but that’s the sport  of luge. You have to be very stable, consistent and clean in every run to get a perfect  run and be at the top. It wasn’t a perfect run in the team relay, but I’m happy with the  

third place and the World Championship medal. Altenberg and I have a special  relationship. I competed in one of my first World Cup races here. I love this track. It’s  long, difficult and you have to stay focused in every turn and yet relaxed all the way  to the finish line. The weather at the World Championships wasn’t so good, but I’m  looking forward to the World Cup and hope to finish on the podium again.“ 

Zane Kaluma (LAT): „The World Championships were great for us. We’re a  completely new team, we’ve only been competing together since December. It’s just  crazy. Now we’re here and we’ve won two World Championship silver medals in  doubles! However, we won’t take part in the World Cup in Altenberg because I’m  going to the Junior World Championships in Lillehammer (NOR) to compete there in  the singles. That means Anda now has three weeks off, because we won’t be  competing again until the home World Cup in Sigulda.“ 

David Gleirscher (AUT): „I seem to be the man for the big races. My team-mates  told me in the lead-up to the World Championships that things weren’t going so well  for me in the World Cup, but that I would be back at the World Championships. It  worked out really well in the sprint. I really like the track in Altenberg, I was  celebrating my first and so far only World Cup victory here. I always feel extremely  comfortable here on the sled. Three weeks in Altenberg is quite a long time on the  same track, but generally I wouldn’t mind doing another race here.“ 

Thomas Steu (AUT): „Losing to a team-mate hurts less. It hardly hurts at all. I  always get a bit upset when I make mistakes which don’t happen in training. But  that’s competitive sport. We’ve won silver at the World Championships twice, and  when team-mates win, it’s just awesome. We went home after the World  Championships and are now motivated for the weekend – after all, the overall World  Cup is at stake for us.“ 

Wolfgang Kindl (AUT): „My foot is feeling better, I was able to block out the pain  quite well in the doubles race. We could have done better, but the lower part of the  second run was very uneven, which hurts a bit, but a double victory for Austria in 

 

Altenberg on a German track – that’s brilliant. It’s of course a bit of a shame that the  World Cup is almost only held on German tracks and is less international. We’ll take  it as it is. Oberhof is a track on which we can perform well, we’ll see about Sigulda,  but we’ve got our sled set-up so well under control that we’ll manage it this time. We  are currently leading the overall World Cup and that is obviously our next goal.“ 

Sam Edney, High Performance Director Luge Canada: „We are competing in the  World Cup with a very young team and have decided to skip the World Cup in  Altenberg. We’re going to Oberhof instead to complete a few more training runs  there. Some of my athletes don’t even know the Oberhof track yet, so it’s important  for us to gain experience there in an unhurried manner and gain competition  hardness for the two World Cups in Oberhof. We will then take part in the first World  Cup in Sigulda before flying back to Canada.“ 

Lubomir Mick, Head coach Team USA: „The World Championships were a success  for us. We are very happy about the medals in the team relay, the women’s doubles  and the two doubles competitions at the U23 World Championships. Being in  Altenberg for three weeks is quite a long time, but we are looking forward to the  World Cup because this track is always good for surprises. As we saw at the World  Championships, the track is very demanding. While some coaches went home for a  short time, we sent our athletes to Prague on the two days off so that they could clear  their heads and start the next few weeks with renewed energy.“ 

Schedule & TV coverage 

  1. EBERSPÄCHER Luge World Cup, Altenberg (GER) 

Local start time (CET/MEZ) 

Friday, February 02, 2024 

09:00 Nations Cup 

14:30 Training seeded group 

Saturday, February 03, 2024 

08:40 Men’s Doubles, 1st run 

09:55 Men’s Doubles, 2nd run 

11:15 Men’s Singles, 1st run  

12:55 Men’s Singles, 2nd run 

14:30 Women’s Doubles, 1st run 

15:30 Women’s Doubles, 2nd run  

Sunday, February 04, 2024 

08:25 Uhr Women’s Singles, 1st run 

09:50 Uhr Women’s Singles, 2nd run 

12:00 Uhr Team Relay 

Subject to change without notice! 

Live TV-Broadcast: fil-luge.org/de/ergebnisse/eberspaecher-weltcup-31

by Abhishek Shukla

Maharashtra Swimmer Palak Joshi lowers her own senior national mark to win 200m backstroke gold

Chennai, Jan 30: Maharashtra swimmer Palak Joshi improved on her 200m backstroke national mark while Tamil Nadu weightlifter R P Keerthana won the girls 81kg category by breaking Snatch and overall National Youth records on the penultimate day of the Khelo India Youth Games 2023 here on Tuesday.
Joshi, who had represented India at the 2022 Asian Games, was miles ahead of competition as she stopped the clock at 2:18.59s, setting a timing lower than her senior national mark of 2:18.90s set at the National Aquatics championships in Hyderabad last July.
The Swimming Federation of India will recognise it as the ‘Best Indian Performance’ as SFI only consider best performances in the National Games as National Records.
Telangana’s Sri Nithya Sagi won the silver with a time of 2:25.83s while Karnataka’s Naisha took home the bronze with a time of 2:25.83s.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu weightlifter R P
Keerthana broke the National Youth record in Snatch, Clean & Jerk and overall to clinch the gold in girls 81kg category. Keerthana lifted a total of 188 kgs, including 85kg in snatch and 103kg in Clean & Jerk to finish ahead of state-mate Oviya K (184kg) with Uttar Pradesh’s Santushti Choudhary taking home the bronze with a total lift of 162kg.
The earlier record in Snatch (81kg), Clean & Jerk (104kg) and overall (185kg) were held by Ch. Srilakshmi of Andhra Pradesh.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra added nine more gold medals to their tally to cross half-century of gold medals.
World champion and 2022 Asian Games bronze medallist Aditi Gopichand Swami led Maharashtra charge at the archery venue in Nehru Park, winning the compound girls and mixed team gold medals while Pruthviraj Ghadge and Sharvani Shende won the recurve mixed team final.
Shende also won the silver medal in girls recurve category while Tejal Salve won the silver medal in compound girls and Mihir Apar took home the bronze from boy’s compound event.
In Madurai, Maharashtra Kho-kho team lived up to their favourite tag to clinch both the gold medals. The boys defeated Delhi 40-10 while the girls got the bette of Odisha 33-24.
Taarini Suri and Shravani Walekar then took Maharashtra to 50 gold medals when they defeated Odisha’s Pragati Parida and Vishakha Toppo 21-13, 20-22, 21-16 in the girls doubles final at the TNPESU badminton hall.
In shooting, Telangana’s Yuvek Battula and Venkat Lakku bagged the mixed team gold with Madhya Pradesh’s Vanshika Tiwari and Udyaman Rathore bagging the silver and Punjab’s Zorawar Bedi and Risham Guron taking home the bronze.
Photo Caption 1: Maharashtra Archers striking a pose at Nehru Park, Chennai, celebrating their multiple medal victories at the ongoing KIYG 2023
Photo Caption 2: Tamil Nadu’s G P Vinayakram & Swastik M clinch Gold in Badminton Doubles at TNPESU on Tuesday
RESULTS
ARCHERY
Girls:
Recurve: Gold – Avani (Har); Silver – Sharvari Shende (Mah); Bronze – Jannat (Har)
Compound: Gold – Aditi Gopichand Swami (Mah); Silver – Tejal Salve (Mah); Bronze – Kumud Saini (Del)
Boys:
Recurve: Gold – Shubham Kumar (Bih); Silver – Laishram Nelson (Man); Bronze – Atharva Sharma (Raj)
Compound: Gold – Sukhmandeep Singh (Pun); Silver – Harsh Kumar (Chd); Bronze – Mihir Apar (Mah)
Mixed team recurve: Gold – Pruthviraj Ghadge/Sharvari Shende (Mah); Silver – Agastay Singh/Avani (Har), Bronze – Atharva Sharma/Pranjal Tholiya (Raj)
Mixed team compound: Gold – Manav Jadhao/Aditi Swami (Mah); Silver – Pendyala Trinath Chowdary/Kengam Saranya (AP); Bronze – Aryan Yadav/Kumud Saini (Del)
BADMINTON
Girls:
Singles: Gold medal match – T Surya Charishma (AP) bt Aesha Gandhi (Guj) 21-14, 21-14
Bronze – Rujula Ramu
Doubles: Gold medal match – Taarini Suri/Shravani Walekar (Mah) bt Pragati Parida/Vishakha Toppo (Odi) 21-13, 20-22, 21-16; Bronze – Gayatri Rawat/Mansa Rawat (Utr)
Boys:
Singles: Gold medal match – Laksh Chengappa MA (Kar) bt Ansh Negi (Utr) 21-17, 21-13; Bronze – R Mithesh (TN)
Doubles: Gold medal match – GP Vinayakram/Swastik M (TN) bt Bhavya Chabra/Param Choudhary (Del) 21-18, 21-18; Bronze – Bhargav Ram Arigala/Viswa Tej Gobburu (AP)
FOOTBALL
Girls: Gold medal match – Manipur bt West Bengal 0-0 (8-7); Bronze —
KHO-KHO
Girls: Gold medal match –Maharashtra bt Odisha 33-24; Bronze – Gujarat, Delhi
Boys: Gold medal match – Maharashtra bt Delhi – 40-10; Bronze – Gujarat, Karnataka
SHOOTING
Mixed team: Gold – Yuvek Battula/Venkat Lakku (Tel) 39+8; Silver – Vanshika Tiwari/Udyaman Rathore (MP) 39+6; Bronze – Zorawar Bedi/Risham Guron (Pun)
SWIMMING
Girls:
200m medley: Gold – Shreenithi Natesan (TN) 2:26.78s; Silver – Saanvi Deshwal (Mah) 2:27.64s; Bronze – Subhranshini Priyadarshini (Asm) 2:31.60s
200m backstroke: Gold – Palak Joshi (Mah) 2:18.59s; Silver – Sri Nithya Sagi (Tel) 2:25.83s; Bronze – Naisha (Kar) 2:25.83s
4x100m medley: Gold – Karnataka 4:32.66s; Silver – Maharashtra 4:34.30s; Bronze – Tamil Nadu 4:41.21s
Boys:
200m medley: Gold – Yug Chelani (Raj) 2:10.73s; Silver – Siddhanth Singh Jadon (MP) 2:12.29s; Bronze – Saswata Roy (WB) 2:13.50s
200m Backstroke: Gold – Nithik Nathella (TN) 2:04.60s; Silver – Rishabh Das (Mah) 2:05.19s; Bronze – Akash Mani (Kar) 2:07.25s
800m Freestyle: Gold – Mongam Theerdu Samadev (AP) 8:29.77s; Silver – Gotteti Sampath Kumar Yadav (AP) 8:29.86s; Bronze – Darshan S (Kar) 8:39.89
TENNIS
Girls doubles: Gold medal match – Maaya Rajeshwari/Lakshmi Prabha (TN) bt Suhitha Maruri/Sreenidhi Balaji (Kar) 6-2, 6-1;
Bronze: Ruma Gaikawari/Asmi Adkar (Mah), Sonal Patil/Aishwarya Dayanand (Mah)
Boys doubles: Gold medal match — Pranav & K.Mahalimgam (TN) bt C S Warik & T M Jhadav (Mah) 6-3, 6-1
WEIGHTLIFTING
Girls
81kg: Gold – R P Keerthana (TN) 188kg; Silver – Oviya K (TN) 184kg; Bronze – Santushti Choudhary (UP) 162kg.
81+kg: Gold – Amritha P Suni (Ker) 181kg; Silver – Aditi (UP) 173kg; Bronze – Y Chaitna Kumari (AP) 169kg.
Boys
102+kg: Gold – Suvansh Thakur (HP) 280kg; Silver – David Zohmingmawla (Miz) 266kg; Bronze – Sarth Jadhav (Mah) 264
WRESTLING
Girls:
53kg: Gold – Ekta Kumari (Raj); Silver – Sanika Patil (Mah); Bronze – Riya Kumari (Jha), Priya (Har)
65kg: Gold – Siksha (Del); Silver – Prerna Mehta (HP); Bronze – Tannu (Har), Apeksha Patil (Mah)
Boys
55kg FS: Gold – Anuj Kumar Vishnoi (Raj); Silver – Khazamainuddin Malagi (Kar); Bronze – Abhishek Yadav (UP), Yogesh Phalswal (Del)
80kg FS: Gold – Arjun Gadekar (Mah); Silver – Neeraj (Del); Bronze – Saurabh Yadav (UP), Yadvinder Singh (HP)
92kg GR: Gold – Shivam Yadav (UP); Silver – Umesh (Har); Bronze – Vansh Dabas (Del), Konewale Gajanand Singh (Tel)
by Abhishek Shukla

MLS Announces TSN and RDS Broadcast Schedules for the 2024 Regular Season

NEW YORK (Tuesday, January 30,2024) – Major League Soccer today announced the 2024 broadcast schedules for television partners TSN and RDS in Canada, which includes MLS regular season matches featuring CF Montréal, Toronto FC, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Viewers can access the slate of matches in English on TSN and in French on RDS.

The full 2024 MLS regular season schedule is available here.

TSN and RDS’s coverage kicks off on Saturday, February 24 with CF Montréal and new head coach Laurent Courtois traveling to Inter&Co Stadium to face Orlando City SC (7:30 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS), as well as Toronto FC taking on 2023 Supporters’ Shield winner FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium on Sunday, February 25 (2:30 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS Info). Vancouver Whitecaps FC will play their season opener at home in BC Place against Charlotte FC on Saturday, March 2 live on TSN and RDS Info at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Leagues Cup 2023 champion Inter Miami CF and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi will travel to face CF Montréal at Stade Saputo on Saturday, May 11 (7:30 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS).
The defending MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew will take on Montréal in home and away matches airing on Saturday, April 27 and Wednesday, May 15. Toronto FC will also face off against the Crew on Saturday, July 6. All three contests will air at 7:30 p.m. ET on TSN and RDS, respectively.

In an anticipated rivalry matchup, the second Canadian Classique of 2024 will take place on Saturday, July 20 when Montréal hosts Toronto at Stade Saputo (7:30 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS). Four Cascadia Cup rivalry games featuring the Portland Timbers, Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Seattle Sounders FC will also air as a part of the networks’ schedules.

For the second consecutive year, TSN and RDS will be the television broadcast homes in Canada for select Leagues Cup matches, which kick off on Friday, July 26. Game dates and times for Leagues Cup 2024 will be announced at a later time.

Additional key MLS matchups on the TSN and RDS broadcast schedules include:

  • Seattle Sounders FC at Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday, May 18 (10:30 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS)
  • Atlanta United at CF Montréal on Saturday, July 13 (7:30 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS)
  • Portland Timbers at Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday, September 28 (10:30 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS)

TSN and RDS will wrap up their regular season coverage on MLS Decision Day 2024 as CF Montréal host New York City FC (6 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS2). Eight MLS Cup Playoffs matches and MLS Cup will also air on TSN and RDS throughout the 2024 MLS postseason. Broadcast details for the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs will be announced at a later time.

by Abhishek Shukla

U19 CWC 2024, Super Six Day 1 Round-up: India, Pakistan and West Indies begin Super Six stage with wins

India continued their dominance with a massive win over New Zealand while West Indies and Pakistan also battled to victories in their first Super Six encounters at the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024.

Musheer Khan’s second century in the tournament was the highlight of the first day of the Super Six games as India thumped New Zealand with a massive 214-run victory.

Pakistan maintained their unbeaten streak with a hard fought win over a spirited Ireland side in Potchefstroom, edging over the line thanks to another impressive bowling display and heroics from their middle order.

In Kimberley, West Indies emerged victorious in a game that swung back and forth. Sri Lanka’s bowlers took the game to the final over, but were unable to overturn another gritty fightback from the West Indies lineup.

India beat New Zealand by 214 runs in Bloemfontein

India 295/8 (50 overs) v New Zealand 81 (28.1 overs)

Musheer Khan hit his second century of the U19 Men’s CWC 2024 as India continued to excel batting first in the tournament. New Zealand won the toss and opted to field, enjoying early success as Mason Clarke claimed Arshin Kulkarni’s wicket in the fifth over.

After the bright start, the young Blackcaps became more subdued as Musheer settled in alongside opener Adarsh Singh. The duo scored at a brisk pace forcing New Zealand into regular bowling changes in the hope of producing a breakthrough.

Adarsh brought up his second half-century in the tournament, but fell soon after to Zac Cumming, slicing a catch to backward point for 52.

Captain Uday Saharan and Musheer took over from there in another fine partnership as the latter grew in stature in the company of the solid skipper. The duo added 87 runs together before Oliver Tewatiya sent back Saharan for 34.

Musheer’s innings was characterised by innovative and controlled strokeplay, and he completed his century in the 43rd over, raising his bat after 109 balls. The milestone allowed him to free his arms and he raced to 131 before Mason Clarke returned to dismiss him in the 48th over. India couldn’t find too many runs from the lower order as they finished on 295, the last 10 overs yielding 89 runs.

Clarke was impressive albeit expensive, returning figures of four for 62 from his eight overs.

Raj Limbani started the second innings with a bang, sending back Tom Jones with a brilliant inswinger off the very first ball. The unstoppable Limbani added a second in the same over when he had Snehith Reddy trapped in front with another full delivery that swung in sharply.

Saumy Pandey made it 13 for three in the sixth over when he had Lachlan Stackpole bowled from around the wicket with a delivery that beat the left-hander’s outside edge and hit the stumps. The spinner struck again moments later, trapping James Nelson in front for 10 as New Zealand ended the Powerplay four wickets down.

Captain Oscar Jackson once again led New Zealand’s fightback, but his stay at the crease was short lived, falling to Musheer’s accurate spin bowling shortly after Naman Tiwari had removed Tewatiya.

The lower order added a few runs, but India, led again by Pandey with the ball, were clinical, as the Blackcaps folded for 81, losing by 214 runs.

Indian skipper Uday Saharan was delighted with his team’s performance in the tournament, with three back-to-back 200-plus run victories.

“I thought we executed our plans very well. Musheer was exceptional as usual and Raj [Limbani] bowled very well upfront. I don’t think I need to motivate the guys, we’re all in a good frame of mind.”

West Indies beat Sri Lanka by three wickets in Kimberley

Sri Lanka 231 (50 overs) v West Indies 232/7 (49.3 overs)

Opting to bat first in Kimberley, Sri Lanka were dealt an early blow when Nathan Edward, Player of the Match in the previous game, had opener Vishen Halambage dismissed for a golden duck in the opening over.

No.3 Sineth Jayawardena too fell soon after to Edward as the left-arm quick continued from where he left off against England in their final group match. Pulindu Perera and Supun Waduge started the rebuild, but couldn’t get far as Raneico Smith came into the attack and trapped Perera in front in his first over.

Dinura Kalupahana held his end up with some solid defensive strokes as Waduge tried to up the run-rate. The partnership, though, was broken just as it was gaining momentum when a deflection off Nathan Sealy’s fingertips hit the stumps at the non-striker’s end with Waduge short of the crease.

The unfortunate dismissal saw Sri Lanka slip to 85 for four with their key batter back in the hut. Kalupahana took on the responsibility of marshalling the innings, but he struggled to find partners as West Indies kept striking regularly.

Malsha Tharupathi stuck around at No.8 and the duo stitched together a half-century stand before Kalupahana, who made 53, cut Sealy straight to the fielder.

Tharupathi added useful lower-order runs with the tail before Smith cleaned him up. Sri Lanka finished on 231 in 50 overs, a total that appeared unlikely at the half-way mark. Smith was the pick of West Indian bowlers with figures of four for 47.

West Indies got off to a flier in the chase with skipper Stephan Pascal leading the charge. The opener raced to 33 with five fours and a six, after which Kalupahana had him caught at point.

Steve Wedderburn carried on positively, but West Indies lost Joshua Dorne to Vishwa Lahiru just after the Powerplay.

Jordan Johnson and Wedderburn, however, continued doing what West Indies have done well this tournament: transferring the pressure onto their opponents with quick runs. The 86-run partnership between the duo came at nearly run-a-ball as West Indies put themselves well ahead in the chase.

Sri Lanka struck back in the middle overs, first sending back Wedderburn and then Johnson next over to break the stand that was threatening to finish the game quickly. Vihas Thewmika’s off-spin accounted for Johnson, who made 39, but Mavendra Dindyal and Edward shaved off a few more runs from the target as West Indies edged closer.

Two quick wickets, that of Dindyal and Edward, gave Sri Lanka a bit of hope. It increased further when the dangerous Jewel Andrew was trapped in front by Kalupahana with the Windies still 26 runs from the target.

However, Sealy came to their rescue, yet again staying calm under pressure to get West Indies close. Despite a few nervy moments, Sealy remained unbeaten on 27 to steer his side home with three balls to spare.

West Indies skipper Stephan Pascal reflected on familiar conditions in his post-match reaction.

“The pitch wasn’t too different to what we have in the Caribbean Islands. I thought it was easy for the guys to adapt and play freely. To be honest, I was looking to bowl them out for around 150, but that partnership between Kalupahana and Tharupathi propelled them to that score. Even then we were very confident of chasing it down. We need to work on closing out games in an easier way, but we don’t want to curb our natural flair.”

Pakistan beat Ireland by three wickets in Potchefstroom

Ireland 181 (48.4 overs) v Pakistan 182/7 (43.4 overs)

Pakistan’s pacers made merry at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom after skipper Saad Baig opted to bowl first against Ireland. Ubaid Shah, who leads the wickets chart in the tournament so far, had Jordan Neill caught and bowled in the sixth over after the Irish openers were watchful early on with the new ball.

Ali Raza came in as first-change bowler to send back Ryan Hunter after his 28-ball stay for 10 runs. Ahmad Hassan, though, broke the back of Ireland’s top-order with the wickets of Gavin Roulston and skipper Philippe le Roux in quick succession.

Amir Hassan returned for a second spell to snare the big wicket of Kian Hilton and Ireland were left on their haunches at 39 for five.

Scott MacBeth and John McNally put together a promising partnership to lift Irish hopes, but Baig threw the ball back to Ubaid to break the stand and he delivered. In the first ball of his second over on return, Ubaid had MacBeth caught out for 16 and Ireland lost their sixth wicket.

Harry Dyer hung around with McNally to resist a lower-order collapse and Ireland got to the three-figure mark in the 32nd over. The stand between the two was broken a few overs later when Dyer fell for a 41-ball 31, holing out from off-spinner Haroon Arshad.

McNally completed his half-century thereafter and Ireland pushed themselves close to the 200-run mark. Ali Raza had McNally bowled in the 45th over, which dented Ireland’s chances of a final push in the death overs.

Raza finished with economical figures of two for 18 in 10 overs while Ubaid Shah took three for 31 in his 10. Amir and Ahmad Hassan also shared two wickets apiece as Pakistan’s bowling restricted Ireland to 181.

In reply, Ireland managed to do something few teams have managed against Pakistan this far this tournament: dismiss the openers cheaply. Reuben Wilson and Oliver Riley struck inside the first six overs to send back the dangerous duo of Shahzaib Khan and Shamyl Hussain.

With the middle-order left to do the heavy lifting for arguably the first time in the tournament, Pakistan struggled to adapt. Azan Awais and skipper Baig got starts but couldn’t go past the 20s. Promoted up the order, Ubaid too fell for a single-digit score as Ireland sensed a way into the contest with Pakistan at 96 for five.

However, Ahmed Hassan and Arshad eased the nerves by making 39 runs off the next six overs to push back the Irish bowlers. The duo stayed unbeaten till the score crossed 150, after which Arshad was bowled by Neill for 25.

Arafat Minhas was sent back by Dyer late in the game, but Pakistan were almost home by that point. Hassan completed his half-century as Pakistan registered a victory that, while not too convincing, helped them maintain vital momentum at a crucial stage in the tournament.

Skipper Saad Baig was impressed with the bowling unit and commended them for another good performance.

“It was a good bowling performance. I’d say the way we bowled, Ubaid, and especially Ali Raza, was brilliant. The big positive was taking early wickets. With the bat, I thought Ahmad Hassan produced a very good knock.”

by Abhishek Shukla

Squash: Farag and ElShorbagy Set for Early Windy City Open Clash as Draws Released

Men’s World No.1 Ali Farag and World No.10 Marwan ElShorbagy will meet in the second round of the Windy City Open presented by the Walter Family as the world’s best players descend upon Chicago for the 40th anniversary of the PSA World Tour Platinum tournament.

The event, which will be held at the University Club of Chicago, will take place between February 21-28 and be available to watch live on SQUASHTV.

Farag and ElShorbagy, who have won a combined 50 PSA Tour titles throughout their careers, will meet in the last 32 after receiving first-round byes, in what is a tricky start to the event for both players. Farag, the No.1 seed, will be looking to pick up his second Windy City Open title after coming away victorious from the 2020 edition.

Defending champion Paul Coll is seeded at No.3 and will play either Youssef Ibrahim or Yahya Elnawasany in the second round. The New Zealander, who has already captured Platinum titles at the U.S. Open and the Hong Kong Open this season, is then seeded to face Baptiste Masotti and Tarek Momen in round three and the quarter-finals, respectively.

No.2 seed Diego Elias and No.5 seed Mostafa Asal will both be searching for a first title at the Illinois-based event, with the pair scheduled to lock horns in the quarter-finals if the early rounds were to go to seeding. ‘The Peruvian Puma’ will open his account against Gregoire Marche or Ramit Tandon, while Asal will play either Rory Stewart or Mohamed ElSherbini.

Two-time champion Mohamed ElShorbagy of England is the No.4 seed and faces a tough opening opponent in World No.12 Youssef Soliman, while compatriots Fares Dessouky and Aly Abou Eleinen will also square off against each other in Round 2.

Meanwhile, in the women’s draw, World No.1 Nour El Sherbini will be looking to continue her superb season and stretch her lead at the summit of the women’s rankings. ‘The Warrior Princess’, who recently captured the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions title, is predicted to face Rachel Arnold in the second round before potential matches against Olivia Weaver and Nour El Tayeb in Round 3 and the quarter-finals.

World No.3 Nouran Gohar arrives as the defending champion and will start her defence against either Farida Mohamed or Enora Villard. The 26-year-old defeated Hania El Hammamy in straight games in the 2022 final, and could potentially face her compatriot once again in the semi-finals, with both players in the bottom half of the draw.

El Hammamy, meanwhile, will open her account against one of Fayrouz Aboelkheir or Zeina Mickawy before being seeded to face recent J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions semi-finalist Rowan Elaraby in the third round.

Elsewhere, World No.9 Joelle King is set to mark her return from injury at the Windy City Open, having been sidelined ever since her quarter-final exit at the U.S. Open last October. The 35-year-old lost out to teenage star Amina Orfi on that day but could be offered the chance for revenge, with the pair scheduled to meet in the third round if they get through their opening matches.

Seven American players will be competing across the two draws, with Shahjahan Khan, Timothy Brownell and Wildcards Dillon Huang and Rustin Wiser taking part in the men’s event, and Olivia Weaver, Sabrina Sobhy and Wildcard Ava Lin, an outstanding junior who trains at the University Club of Chicago, named in the women’s draw. World No.15 Sobhy has been handed a tricky opening tie in particular, with 2018 Windy City Open champion El Tayeb standing in her way in the second round.

Windy City Open 2024: Men’s Draw 

[1] Ali Farag (EGY) [bye]

[9/16] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) [bye]

[17/32] Leonel Cardenas (MEX) v David Baillargeon (CAN)

Leandro Romiglio (ARG) v [17/32] Iker Pajares (ESP)

[17/32] Saurav Ghosal (IND) v Timothy Brownell (USA)

[9/16] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) [bye]

[17/32] Nathan Lake (ENG) v [WC] Rustin Wiser (USA)

[6] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) [bye]

[7] Mazen Hesham (EGY) [bye]

Nick Wall (ENG) v [17/32] Nicolas Mueller (SUI)

[9/16] Fares Dessouky (EGY)

[9/16] Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY) [bye]

[9/16] Joel Makin (WAL) [bye]

Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) v [17/32] Omar Mosaad (EGY)

[9/16] Youssef Soliman (EGY) [bye]

[4] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) [bye]

[3] Paul Coll (NZL) [bye]

Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) v [17/32] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY)

[17/32] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) v Sebastien Bonmalais (FRA)

[9/16] Baptiste Masotti (FRA) [bye]

[9/16] Victor Crouin (FRA) [bye]

Karim El Hammamy (EGY) v [17/32] Greg Lobban (SCO)

[17/32] Abdulla Al-Tamimi (QAT) v Shahjahan Khan (USA)

[8] Tarek Momen (EGY) [bye]

[5] Mostafa Asal (EGY) [bye]

Rory Stewart (SCO) v [17/32] Mohamed ElSherbini (EGY)

[17/32] Patrick Rooney (ENG) v Dimitri Steinmann (SUI)

Curtis Malik (ENG) v [17/32] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)

[17/32] Auguste Dussourd (FRA) v [WC] Dillon Huang (USA)

Cesar Salazar (MEX) v [17/32] Adrian Waller (ENG)

[17/32] Gregoire Marche (FRA) v Ramit Tandon (IND)

[2] Diego Elias (PER) [bye]

Windy City Open 2024: Women’s Draw 

[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) [bye]

Grace Gear (ENG) v [17/32] Rachel Arnold (MAS)

[17/32] Lucy Beecroft (ENG) v Nicole Bunyan (CAN)

[9/16] Olivia Weaver (USA) [bye]

[17/32] Lucy Turmel (ENG) v Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY)

Marie Stephan (FRA) v [17/32] Jasmine Hutton (ENG)

[9/16] Sabrina Sobhy (USA) [bye]

[6] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) [bye]

[5] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) [bye]

Aira Azman (MAS) v [17/32] Mariam Metwally (EGY)

[9/16] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) [bye]

Jana Shiha (EGY) v [17/32] Tesni Murphy (WAL)

[17/32] Hana Ramadan (EGY) v Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG)

Kenzy Ayman (EGY) v [17/32] Satomi Watanabe (JPN)

[17/32] Sana Ibrahim (EGY) v Georgia Adderley (SCO)

[4] Nele Gilis (BEL) [bye]

[3] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) [bye]

Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) v [17/32] Zeina Mickawy (EGY)

[9/16] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) [bye]

Malak Khafagy (EGY) v [17/32] Aifa Azman (MAS)

[17/32] Melissa Alves (FRA) v Ka Yi Lee (HKG)

Hana Moataz (EGY) v [17/32] Hollie Naughton (CAN)

[17/32] Emily Whitlock (WAL) v Salma Eltayeb (EGY)

[7] Tinne Gilis (BEL) [bye]

[8] Joelle King (NZL) [bye]

[WC] Ava Lin (USA) v [17/32] Tomato Ho (HKG)

[9/16] Nada Abbas (EGY) [bye]

[9/16] Amina Orfi (EGY) [bye]

[9/16] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) [bye]

[9/16] Salma Hany (EGY) [bye]

[17/32] Farida Mohamed (EGY) v Enora Villard (FRA)

[2] Nouran Gohar (EGY) [bye]

by Abhishek Shukla

Nagesh Trophy: Karnataka, Odisha, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh register wins in Super 8 stage matches at the orange city

Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], January 30, 2023: Karnataka, Odisha, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh registered wins on Tuesday in the Super 8 stage of the ongoing IndusInd Bank Nagesh Trophy- Men’s National T20 Cricket Tournament for the Blind 2023-24 got underway in Nagpur.

Odisha, Telangana, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka locked horns in the knockout matches on Wednesday. All the winning teams are currently leading the charts in their respective Groups.

In the opening match on Day 2, Karnataka beat Rajasthan by 89 runs. Put into bat first by Rajasthan, Karnataka scored a mammoth 267/5 in the allotted 20 overs. Prakash Jyaramaiah and Sunil Ramesh both scored centuries. In reply, Rajasthan managed 178/4. Prakash Jyaramaiah was adjudged the player of the match.

In the other morning encounter, Odisha beat Delhi by 17 runs. Batting first, Odisha scored 185/6 and then restricted Delhi to 168/8. Pankaj Bhue of Odisha scored the highest 85 in 59 balls and was adjudged the player of the match.

In the afternoon matches, Andhra Pradesh defeated Telangana by 8 wickets. T Durga Rao was adjusdged player of the match.  Gujarat drubbed Uttar Pradesh by 7 wickets. Dinesh Rathva was adjudged the player of the match.   In Group A, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have won both their matches while Delhi and Telangana have lost the two games.

In Group B, Karnataka and Gujarat have won both their matches, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have lost the two games. The semi-finals slots have been almost booked but the all eight teams will meet again on Day 3 on Wednesday.

Cricket Association for the Blind in India, Cricket Association for the Blind in Vidarbha and Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled are organising the Super 8 Matches at Nagpur.   This is for the first time that Nagesh Trophy is being played in Nagpur.  The matches will be played at SB City College Cricket Ground and Indian Railways Cricket Ground.

The Super 8 stage league matches will be played on the first 3 days and the semi-finals will be played on February 1. The finals of the megaevent will take place on February 2 in Nagpur. Odisha, Telangana, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka are the eight teams who are competing in the Super 8 stage.

Nagesh Trophy was launched in the memory of Late Shri SP Nagesh, Founder President, Cricket Association for the Blind in India and Founder Trustee, Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled. The launch of the tournament brought together the entire blind cricket community into one huge platform, by creating a milestone in the blind cricket history.   

by Abhishek Shukla

Odisha issues revised guidelines for cash awards to sportspersons and coaches

Bhubaneswar, 30 January 2024: The Government in Sports and Youth Services Department has revised the guidelines for extending cash awards to sportspersons and coaches, including the para and differently-abled sportspersons for winning medals in national and international sports competitions. 
As per the revised guidelines, the quantum of cash awards shall be maximum up to ₹ 9.00 Crore in the lifetime of a sportsperson. 
If a sportsperson achieves more than one medal in an event/ competition she/ he shall be eligible to get the cash award only for the highest medal secured in that competition. If a sportsperson person wins multiple highest positions (gold medals/ 1st position) in the same sports competition she/ he shall be eligible to be sanctioned with a cash award for the number of highest positions won (gold medals/ 1st position).{ If in an event/competition, more than one medal is won by a Sportsperson/PWD Sportsperson, he/she will get the cash award only for the highest medal secured in the competition. 
If a Sportsperson/PWD Sports person wins multiple highest medals (gold) in the same competition she/he will receive cash award for the number of highest medals won (gold).
If a sportsperson wins a lower position/ medal in a sports event than the previous year, in the same competition, she/ he shall not be eligible for any cash award for the subsequent year for her/ his performance.{If a Sportsperson/PWD Sportsperson wins a medal in an event/competition, he/she will be eligible for cash awards in the same event/competition in the subsequent years only if the Sportsperson/PWD Sportsperson wins a higher/highest medal of the event

by Abhishek Shukla

Pools drawn for World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 second round in Montevideo, Uruguay

The pools have been confirmed ahead of the second round of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 at Estadio Charrúa in Montevideo, Uruguay on 8-10 March.

Kenya men and China women lead the Challenger standings following their victories at the first round in Dubai in January.

In the women’s competition China have been drawn to face Poland, Czechia and Paraguay in pool A. Kenya, losing finalists in Dubai are drawn together with Belgium, Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong China in pool B. Bronze medallists in Dubai Argentina will play Uganda, Thailand and Mexico in pool C.

The men’s leaders Kenya will take on 2023 Challenger champions Tonga along with Georgia and Portugal in pool A. Pool B sees Dubai runners-up Chile together with Olympic qualified Japan as well as Hong Kong China and Mexico. Dubai bronze medallists Uruguay, who will also compete at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, are in a very competitive looking pool C where they will play Germany, Uganda and Papua New Guinea.

The Challenger competition provides a clear promotion pathway to reach the pinnacle HSBC SVNS in 2025, with the top four placed men’s and women’s teams from the 2024 Challenger, based on cumulative series points at the conclusion of the third round, securing their opportunity to compete in the new high stakes relegation play-off competition at the SVNS Grand Final in Madrid on 31 May-2 June, 2024 against the teams ranked ninth to 12th from HSBC SVNS 2024.

Four successful nations from this Grand Final play-off will secure their place in HSBC SVNS 2025, while the other four teams will compete in their regional qualification tournaments to earn the right to compete in the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025.

The pool draw, which took place during the HSBC SVNS 2024 third round in Perth last weekend, produced some exciting match-ups. All teams qualified for the Challenger 2024 through regional competitions, while three men’s teams – Kenya, Japan and Uruguay – will showcase their talents on the biggest stage of all at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

The Challenger tournaments replicate the Olympic Games competition format, with the 12 teams drawn into three pools of four teams each. The top two from each pool as well as the two best third-placed finishers will qualify for the knockout stages with quarter-finals and semi-finals leading to the third place and gold medal matches.

The Sevens Challenger was introduced in February 2020 to boost the development of rugby sevens across the globe and provide a clear promotion pathway to reach the top level of global rugby sevens for the short format of the game which has experienced huge growth over the past two decades since the introduction of the global sevens series and becoming an Olympic sport at the Rio 2016 Games.

The 2024 edition of the Challenger competition kicked off with combined men’s and women’s event at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai on 12-14 January, which was won by Kenya men and China women. Following the second round in Montevideo the third and final round of the 2024 competition will see standalone women’s and men’s events at Henryk Reyman’s Municipal Stadium in Krakow, Poland and Dantestadion in Munich, Germany respectively on 18-19 May.

HSBC World Rugby Sevens Challenger 2024 dates:

Dubai, UAE – 12-14 January (men and women)
Montevideo, Uruguay – 8-10 March (men and women)
Krakow, Poland – 18-19 May  (women)
Munich, Germany –18-19 May (men)

World Rugby Chief Competitions and Performance Officer Nigel Cass said: “The pool draw for the second round of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 in Montevideo has resulted in some really exciting match-ups after an outstandingly competitive opening round in Dubai in January.

“The Challenger provides very meaningful global competition with a clear promotion pathway to reach the pinnacle HSBC SVNS and we expect the competition in Montevideo to be intense from start to finish with more than ever at stake for the teams involved.

“This year is a huge one for rugby sevens, with the launch of the new HSBC SVNS and the increased number of tournaments in the Sevens Challenger, before we reach the Olympic Games in Paris which provides the single greatest opportunity to showcase the speed, skill and all action drama of this popular short format of the sport.”

by Abhishek Shukla

Zeeshan Ali Named Captain for India’s Davis Cup Tie Against Pakistan

The All India Tennis Association (AITA) has appointed Mr. Zeeshan Ali as the captain of the Indian Davis Cup team for the upcoming match against Pakistan in Islamabad on February 3rd and 4th, 2024. This decision was made in light of Mr. Rohit Rajpal’s inability to serve due to personal reasons. Mr. Ali, who also serves as the team’s coach, brings a wealth of experience and expertise, positioning him well to lead the team in this critical encounter

by Abhishek Shukla

Jamshedpur FC seek new beginnings against upbeat NEUFC as Indian Super League action returns

Jamshedpur, 30 January, 2024: The Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 action returns with Jamshedpur FC hosting NorthEast United FC at the JRD Tata Sports Complex on January 31, 2024. Both the clubs endured middling runs in the first half of the campaign, winning twice each in their 12 matches so far. However, the Highlanders and their outings have garnered significantly more applause because they were coming into this season on the back of a disappointing performance back in 2022-23.

 

Under new head coach Juan Pedro Benali, the club has turned a new chapter, often delivering inspiring outings and managing to draw half of their games (6) in the league. The club rewarded Benali with a contract extension till 2024-25, with an option to lengthen it to another campaign. This allows the Spaniard more cushion and time to work on his squad, bring in players suiting his profile and put together a unit that can defeat the best of outfits on their day.

 

They had a fairly decent run in the recently concluded Kalinga Super Cup until a 2-1 loss in the opening matchday to Jamshedpur FC, their opponents for this game, hampered their progression into the knockouts. For the Red Miners, it’s an excellent opportunity to build on the nice little momentum that they have developed since Khalid Jamil replaced Scott Cooper as the head coach.

 

Placed 10th in the ISL points table, Jamil ensured that they finished atop their standings in the Kalinga Super Cup before bowing out eventual champions East Bengal FC by 2-0 in the semi-final.

What’s at stake?

 

Jamshedpur FC

 

Jamil is a proven winner in the Indian footballing circuit, having propelled the underdogs Aizawl FC to title success in the 2016-17 I-League season. He has had brief stints with the Highlanders between 2020-22 as well, but overall factors didn’t fall in place for them to scale such heights with him. With teams such as Mumbai FC, East Bengal FC, Bengaluru United FC in his managerial CV, Jamil is someone who knows the inside out of Indian football and is hence well-placed to maximise the strengths of the domestic contingent of Jamshedpur FC.

 

Jamil might embrace a slightly different approach, strengthening the backline, bringing sharp, piercing wingers into play and demanding ruthless efficiency from the strikers. Thankfully, he has a forward of Daniel Chima Chukwu’s caliber in his ranks, who can carry out those duties well. The Red Miners are undoubtedly in for an entertaining ride in the second half of the 2023-24 season.

 

NorthEast United FC

 

There will be added responsibility on Benali’s shoulders to build upon the laudable performances they have delivered so far. Victories have been far and few in between but gritty outcomes have ensured that they are amongst the playoffs spots midway into the campaign. Granted, they have played two games more than the fifth-placed Mohun Bagan Super Giant, but to be able to find a realistic shot at making into the advanced stages of the league with a new head coach is a good feat in itself.

 

They finished second in the Group B of the Kalinga Super Cup, winning 4-1 against ISL table toppers Kerala Blasters FC in their last encounter. However, the ISL is set to present different challenges altogether, and they need to hit the ground running straightaway as a few slip-ups will mean that they will keep falling down in the points table. Benali has devised an impressive way to extract points from matches even if his team is unable to cross the finishing line and bag the elusive victory. Now is the time to add up on that and ensure they notch timely wins to further strength their spot in the standings.

 

Key Players

 

Pratik Chaudhari (Jamshedpur FC)

The central defender has become a mainstay in the Jamshedpur FC defence, making 11 appearances and helping them keep four clean sheets. Chaudhari has been one of the more consistent centre-backs in the competition, having made 1.1 interceptions, 1.3 tackles, and 2.7 tackles per game.

The 34-year-old will be instrumental to Jamil’s plans for Jamshedpur FC, marshaling the backline and using his aerial prowess whilst both defending and attacking from set-pieces. The NorthEast United FC unit is coming together cohesively, scoring four goals in their last match. In that context, Chaudhari will be all the more important in terms of putting a halt to the onslaught of the Highlanders. A neat defensive performance can lay the foundation and pave the way for Jamshedpur FC to explore the optimum potential of their attacking riches moving forward.

Nestor Albiach (NorthEast United FC)

The skillful Spaniard has the potential of unlocking any defence with his fine footwork, widespread vision, and an eye for a timely strike. He drops deep to build attacks, distributes the ball onto the flanks, cuts through backlines with through balls and is adept at demonstrating good ball control to interlink in close spaces.

 

He has scored twice and assisted once in 10 ISL appearances this season, but it is safe to say that his impact and influence in the final third movements of his team is always felt in a greater capacity. He has created a goal-scoring opportunity in every game on an average, and earns 1.5 fouls per match, which helps the team attack the opposition’s goal through set-pieces. Nestor will be keen to display his creativity and ability to find the back of the net on a more consistent basis and he can start to strive for that from the coming encounter itself.

 

Head-to-Head

Played – 13

Jamshedpur FC – 6

NorthEast United FC – 2

Draws – 5

 

Trivia: NorthEast United FC have played the most draws (6) amongst all teams so far in ISL 2023-24.

Team Talk

“I give all the credits to the boys for the Super Cup. They played very well. The foreigners, seniors and juniors have combined well recently and we have the capability to do well in the ISL too,” Jamshedpur FC head coach Khalid Jamil said in the pre-match press conference.

“We are just trying to keep the momentum that we had in the Super Cup. We are waiting for the ISL, which is the most important thing. Our loss to Jamshedpur FC in the Super Cup is the past and we only think about the future. Tomorrow will be a different game than the previous matches we have had,” NorthEast United FC head coach Juan Pedro Benali said.

 

Where to Watch

Fans across the country can catch the action in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Malayalam. Fans can watch the action on linear channels like Sports18 Khel (Hindi), Sports18 1 HD (English), Sports18 3 SD (English, Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali), VH1 SD & HD (English), Surya Movies (Malayalam), News 18 Kerala (Malayalam – select matches) & DD Bangla (Bengali). In addition to this, as part of FSDL’s partnership with OneFootball, ISL live streams and highlights of all matches of the upcoming 2023-24 season will be delivered across more than 190 countries.’

 

Points Table

by Abhishek Shukla

Mooney regains top position in ICC Women’s T20i Batting Rankings

Australia opener Beth Mooney has reclaimed the number one position in the ICC Women’s T20I Batting Rankings after a match-winning knock in the first T20I of their three-match home series against South Africa.

The left-handed opener, who first attained number one position in March 2020 and was most recently at the top in December 2022, struck a fine 72 not out off 57 deliveries with 11 fours and a six to help world champions Australia score an eight-wicket win and go one up in the series.

South Africa star Laura Wolvaardt, who helped restore parity with a 53-ball 58 not out in the second match, has reached a career-best 731 rating points while remaining number three after the weekly update to the women’s rankings that considers performances in the first two Australia-South Africa matches in Canberra and the first two matches of the Zimbabwe-Ireland series in Harare.

South Africa opener Tazmin Brits is another one to make notable progress in the batting rankings, moving up three places to a career-best sixth position after scoring 100 runs in two innings. Fast bowlers Annabel Sutherland of Australia (up six places to 34th) and Marizanne Kapp of South Africa (up five places to 40th) have also advanced.

Ireland opening batter Amy Hunter has made huge progress after unbeaten innings of 101 and 71 helped her team take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. The wicketkeeper-batter is now the highest ranked batter from Ireland, gaining 21 slots to reach a career-best 18th position, five positions above Gaby Lewis (up three places to 23rd).

Ireland all-rounder Orla Prendergast (up five places to 46th) and the Zimbabwe pair of Mary-Anne Musonda (up four places to 47th) and Kelis Ndhlovu (up 20 places to 59th) have also moved up the batting rankings.

Ireland captain Laura Delaney’s match-winning haul of four for 12 in the second match has lifted her four places to 56th among bowlers while her team-mate Cara Murray has progressed from 58th to joint-49th after grabbing three wickets in two matches with her leg-spin bowling.

by Abhishek Shukla

Bengaluru FC sign Chinglensana Singh

Bengaluru: Bengaluru FC, on Tuesday, announced the signing of defender Chinglensana ‘Sana’ Singh on a long-term deal. The former ISL champion will be the first addition into the Blues’ squad under Spanish tactician Gerard Zaragoza.

Sana, who last turned out for Hyderabad FC with whom he won the 2020-21 ISL title, terminated his contract with the Nizams to pave the way for a move to the Blues.

“Bengaluru FC has always been a team with a winning identity. The club has won everything there is to win in such a short time, and I was always going to take the chance to be associated with the club. What made the decision easier was the fact that the team wants to succeed by playing a particular brand of football. There is a vision, a blueprint, and I want to be a part of it,” said Sana, speaking on his arrival in Bengaluru.

The 27-year-old footballer from Manipur began his professional career in the I-League with Shillong Lajong in 2015, post which he also made appearances for Delhi Dynamos, FC Goa and Hyderabad FC in the Indian Super League over the last seven years, featuring against the Blues on multiple occasions.

“Sana is one of the best Indian centre-backs with the ball, and that is important to our style of play. He comes with experience and will help us grow the team. I spoke with Sana, conveyed what the team needs, what he can bring to the table and I’ll be honest when I say there was a great connection from our first interaction,” said Zaragoza.

Spending seven years in the top-division of Indian football, Sana has gained heaps of experience and has picked up silverware in that tenure, including a League shield with FC Goa in 2019-20 and the ISL championship with Hyderabad FC.

In addition to being a seasoned club footballer, Sana has represented the Blue Tigers in the U19 age category and the senior team. Since making his debut for the national team in 2021 against Oman, Sana has 11 appearances for India, and was part of the squad that lifted the SAFF Championship for the country under Blues’ skipper Sunil Chhetri’s leadership.

“The BFC dressing room is home to names like Sunil Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, and to be able to share that space with them is something I am looking forward to,” said Sana.

Bengaluru FC face Chennaiyin FC as they return to Indian Super League action at the Kanteerava Stadium, on February 7th.

 

by Abhishek Shukla

Players from 31 countries to be seen in action at L&T Mumbai Open Tennis Championships

Mumbai, 30th January 2024: Players from 31 countries will be seen in action at the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) and Cricket Club of India (CCI)-organised L&T Mumbai Open, which returns to the tennis calendar after a gap of six years.

An exciting line-up at the third edition of the tournament will include three top 100 players in the singles and six top 100 players in the doubles event, which is a part of the WTA $125K series.

The tournament will be played at the newly-laid tennis courts at the Cricket Club of India. Qualifying matches will be played starting February 3rd and 4th while the main draw action will start on Monday February 5th, 2024. The finals will be played on Sunday February 11th.

American Kayla Day, the 2016 US Open girls singles champion and world No. 82, will lead the 32-player field, along with Japan’s Nao Hibino, winner of three WTA Tour singles titles, and former French Open semi-finalist Tamara Zidansek, ranked 97th in the world.

Other players in the field include American Katie Volynets, Australians Arina Rodionova and Kimberly Birrell and Brazil’s Laura Pigossi.

16-year-old Russian Alina Korneeva, who was the top-ranked junior in the world last year, and reached the third round of the 2024 Australian Open women’s singles event just 12 months after winning the girls singles title, will also be seen in action in Mumbai.

India’s top-ranked doubles player Prarthana Thombare and Dutch partner Arianne Hartono have a direct entry into the doubles event. Wild cards for the tournament are expected to be announced in the coming days.

In a statement issued by Mr Sanjay Khandare and Mr Pravin Darade, both IAS and members of the Organising Committee, said that it will be an exciting week of tennis for fans in Mumbai.

“We are delighted to bring back world class tennis to Mumbai after a gap of a few years. The WTA Mumbai Open has attracted some big names and rising stars in the past, including two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, who won her first WTA $125K title right here in Mumbai in 2017.”

“We have a strong field this year as well with the likes of Kayla Day, Nao Hibino and Tamara Zidansek in the field as well as the rising Russian Alina Korneeva. We hope tennis fans in Mumbai will come out in flocks to support the players and the tournament,” they added.

This is the third edition of the WTA Mumbai Open with past singles champions including world No 2 Sabalenka (2017) and Thailand’s Luksika Kumkhum (2018).

The tournament’s sponsors include L&T India is the title sponsor of the event. While the event is supported by MMRDA (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority), other sponsors of the tournament include Department of Sports, Cisco, MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority), Enerzal, Radio City, Amrete Water and Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital.

by Abhishek Shukla

Rugby World Cup 2023 Shatters Viewership Records: A New Milestone for the Sport

 

The Rugby World Cup 2023, hosted by France, has officially become the most viewed rugby event in history, setting a new standard for the sport’s global reach and appeal. With a staggering 1.33 billion viewing hours (VH) clocked across linear and non-linear broadcasting platforms, the tournament not only captivated long-time fans but also attracted a new audience, contributing to the sport’s growing popularity worldwide.

Historic Viewership Achievements

The viewership for the France 2023 event saw a significant 30% increase from the England 2015 tournament and a 19% rise compared to Japan 2019. These figures are particularly impressive given the general decline in linear TV viewing across the globe, highlighting the Rugby World Cup’s ability to engage audiences in an ever-evolving media landscape.

Broad Global Reach

The tournament’s viewership was not confined to traditional rugby strongholds. Emerging rugby territories, including Germany and the USA, witnessed a surge in viewership, indicating the sport’s expanding footprint and its growing appeal in new markets. This broadened audience base underscores rugby’s universal appeal and its potential for further growth in non-traditional rugby nations.

Accessibility and Free-to-Air Coverage

A notable aspect of the Rugby World Cup 2023’s broadcasting success was that 85% of global viewership came from free-to-air TV. This approach aligns with World Rugby’s mission to make the tournament as accessible as possible, ensuring fans worldwide could enjoy the spectacle without the need for paid subscriptions. The emphasis on free-to-air coverage played a crucial role in reaching a wider audience and making rugby more accessible to fans around the globe.

The Rise of Streaming Services

In addition to traditional broadcasting, streaming services accounted for 5% of the global viewership, with RugbyPass TV’s coverage in markets without a local broadcaster being a key component of World Rugby’s strategy. This shift towards digital platforms reflects changing consumer preferences and the importance of adapting to new media consumption habits to continue growing the sport’s audience.

Conclusion

The Rugby World Cup 2023 has set a new benchmark for rugby viewership, showcasing the sport’s growing popularity and the successful efforts of World Rugby to make the game more accessible. The record-breaking viewership figures from France 2023 reflect the sport’s global appeal, the success of its broadcasting strategy, and the potential for rugby to captivate audiences worldwide. As the sport looks to the future, the Rugby World Cup 2023 will undoubtedly be remembered as a pivotal moment in its history, marking a significant step forward in rugby’s quest to become a truly global sport.

by Abhishek Shukla

Sharjah Warriors are clicking well as a bowling and batting unit, says Niroshan Dickwella

Sharjah, 30th January, 2024: The Sharjah Warriors have turned on the style and how in the last couple of games, with their latest win being a 9-wicket one against the Dubai Capitals, who are led by David Warner.

Captained by Tom Kohler-Cadmore, the Warriors have managed to go switch gears in the recent games, and were second on the points table after their win against the Dubai Capitals. After overcoming a slight stutter in the early stages, the Warriors have been in fine form, so much so, that three of the top 5 highest wicket-takers in the DP World ILT20 are currently from the Sharjah set-up.

“It is a great feeling to win today against Dubai Capitals. We lost the first game, and there were some ups and downs in the beginning, but I think we are now clicking well as a batting and bowling unit, and we are the right track,” said Niroshan Dickwella after the match.

Reflecting on the impressive performance in Sharjah on Monday, the Sri Lankan wicket-keeper batter said, that it was important to get the wicket of David Warner, as he can be very destructive. “It was a crucial wicket, because you know if he had stayed for long and built a partnership with Sikander Raza, then it could have been a different ball game eventually. But as a keeper, I have to take these chances, it was a huge bowling performance from the team and a good show in the field as well,” he added.
For the Sharjah Warriors, Maheesh Theekshana picked 4 wickets while Daniel Sams bagged 3. Muhammad Jawadullah got the important wicket of David Warner and Mark Watt castled the dangerous Rahmanullah Gurbaz, to derail the Capitals’ batting order.

“At Sharjah Warriors, we are trying our best to maintain high standards across the team. And in the field also, so that the momentum comes into the bowling and the batting from there. We were well aware of the conditions and we knew that the wicket might be a little slower today. Even though they were five down, we didn’t want to give them any chances to make a comeback. We wanted to ensure that we keep them down and not let them score too many runs,” the keeper-batter said.

Up next for the Sharjah Warriors, will be a clash against the MI Emirates, who have also been in good form and sit at the top of the table. The Sharjah Warriors will take a breather and reconvene before their next game, and the team is in a good place, said Dickwella.

“We have a few days off first, and then we will come back harder for the next game. We will, as a team, do the needful planning and everything in preparation for the next games, and give it our all,” he signed off.

by Abhishek Shukla

Weightlifter Keerthana creates new National Youth records; Maharashtra reaches half-century of gold medals

Chennai, Jan 30: Tamil Nadu weightlifter R P Keerthana broke the National Youth record in Snatch, Clean & Jerk and overall to clinch the gold in girls 81kg category while table-toppers Maharashtra touched the half-century of gold medals in the 6th Khelo India Youth Games 2023 here on Tuesday.

Keerthana lifted a total of 188 kgs, including 85kg in snatch and 106kg in Clean & Jerk to finish ahead of state-mate Oviya K (184kg) with Uttar Pradesh’s Santushti Choudhary taking home the bronze with a total lift of 162kg.

The earlier record in Snatch (81kg), Clean & Jerk (104kg) and overall (185kg) were held by Ch. Srilakshmi of Andhra Pradesh.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra added six gold medals to their tally in the morning session, bagging three in archery, two in Kho-kho and the girls doubles title in badminton.

World champion and 2022 Asian Games bronze medallist Aditi Gopichand Swami led the Maharashtra charge at the archery venue in Nehru Park, winning the compound girls and mixed team gold medals while Pruthviraj Ghadge and Sharvani Shende won the recurve mixed team final.

Shende also won the silver medal in girls recurve category while Tejal Salve won the silver medal in compound girls and Mihir Apar took home the bronze from boy’s compound event.

In Madurai, Maharashtra Kho-kho team lived up to their favourite tag to clinch both the gold medals. The boys defeated Delhi 40-10 while the girls got the bette of Odisha 33-24.

Taarini Suri and Shravani Walekar then took Maharashtra to 50 gold medals when they defeated Odisha’s Pragati Parida and Vishakha Toppo 21-13, 20-22, 21-16 in the girls doubles final at the TNPESU badminton hall.

In shooting, Telangana’s Yuvek Battula and Venkat Lakku bagged the mixed team gold with Madhya Pradesh’s Vanshika Tiwari and Udyaman Rathore bagging the silver and Punjab’s Zorawar Bedi and Risham Guron taking home the bronze.

ARCHERY

Girls:
Recurve: Gold – Avani (Har); Silver – Sharvari Shende (Mah); Bronze – Jannat (Har)

Compound: Gold – Aditi Gopichand Swami (Mah); Silver – Tejal Salve (Mah); Bronze – Kumud Saini (Del)

Boys:
Recurve: Gold – Shubham Kumar (Bih); Silver – Laishram Nelson (Man); Bronze – Atharva Sharma (Raj)

Compound: Gold – Sukhmandeep Singh (Pun); Silver – Harsh Kumar (Chd); Bronze – Mihir Apar (Mah)

Mixed team recurve: Gold – Pruthviraj Ghadge/Sharvari Shende (Mah); Silver – Agastay Singh/Avani (Har), Bronze – Atharva Sharma/Pranjal Tholiya (Raj)

Mixed team compound: Gold – Manav Jadhao/Aditi Swami (Mah); Silver – Pendyala Trinath Chowdary/Kengam Saranya (AP); Bronze – Aryan Yadav/Kumud Saini (Del)

BADMINTON

Girls:
Singles: Gold medal match – T Surya Charishma (AP) bt Aesha Gandhi (Guj) 21-14, 21-14
Bronze – Rujula Ramu

Doubles: Gold medal match – Taarini Suri/Shravani Walekar (Mah) bt Pragati Parida/Vishakha Toppo (Odi) 21-13, 20-22, 21-16; Bronze – Gayatri Rawat/Mansa Rawat (Utr)

Boys:
Singles: Gold medal match – Laksh Chengappa MA (Kar) bt Ansh Negi (Utr) 21-17, 21-13; Bronze – R Mithesh (TN)

Doubles: Gold medal match – GP Vinayakram/Swastik M (TN) bt Bhavya Chabra/Param Choudhary (Del) 21-18, 21-18; Bronze – Bhargav Ram Arigala/Viswa Tej Gobburu (AP)

KHO-KHO
Girls: Gold medal match –Maharashtra bt Odisha 33-24; Bronze – Gujarat, Delhi

Boys: Gold medal match – Maharashtra bt Delhi – 40-10; Bronze – Gujarat, Karnataka

SHOOTING
Mixed team: Gold – Yuvek Battula/Venkat Lakku (Tel) 39+8; Silver – Vanshika Tiwari/Udyaman Rathore (MP) 39+6; Bronze – Zorawar Bedi/Risham Guron (Pun)

TENNIS
Girls doubles: Gold medal match – Maaya Rajeshwari/Lakshmi Prabha (TN) bt Suhitha Maruri/Sreenidhi Balaji (Kar) 6-2, 6-1;
Bronze: Ruma Gaikawari/Asmi Adkar (Mah), Sonal Patil/Aishwarya Dayanand (Mah)

WEIGHTLIFTING

Girls
81kg: Gold – R P Keerthana (TN) 188kg; Silver – Oviya K (TN) 184kg; Bronze – Santushti Choudhary (UP) 162kg.

81+kg: Gold – Amritha P Suni (Ker) 181kg; Silver – Aditi (UP) 173kg; Bronze – Y Chaitna Kumari (AP) 169kg.

Boys
102+kg: Gold – Suvansh Thakur (HP) 280kg; Silver – David Zohmingmawla (Miz) 266kg; Bronze – Sarth Jadhav (Mah) 264

by Abhishek Shukla

Squash: Mohamed Wins Maiden PSA World Tour Title at Carol Weymuller Open

Egypt’s Farida Mohamed has won her maiden title on the PSA World Tour after overcoming her compatriot Fayrouz Aboelkheir 3-1 at the Carol Weymuller Open in Brooklyn, New York.

 

The World No.18 has tasted success on the PSA Challenger Tour, but she clinched her first-ever triumph on the World Tour after downing the World No.28 at the Bronze-level event.

 

The rallies were short and sharp as Mohamed overturned a 4-0 deficit in the opening game after a slow start, finding her targets towards the backend of the game. Both her game balls were saved by Aboelkheir, but Mohamed converted at the third attempt in the tiebreak.

 

Mohamed, who won their only previous meeting at the Rhode Island Open in 2022 on the Challenger Tour, increased her advantage as she dominated the second with an 11-4 victory.

 

Aboelkheir, featuring in her first final of a World Tour event, fought back from two games down in her semi final against Salma Hany yesterday and she began to use more height at the front to recover from 5-1 down to have two game balls, which she clinched at the first time of asking to halve the deficit.

 

The confidence was flowing from Aboelkheir as she move 6-4 up in the fourth, as the 17-year-old looked to repeat yesterday’s feat.

 

But Mohamed responded to diffuse the Aboelkheir comeback, tidying up her play which earned her four championship balls. Two were saved, but it was third time lucky for Mohamed to secure her first-ever title on the World Tour.

 

“It’s overwhelming – I really needed this one badly,” she said.

 

“I came here to win the event and I’m really happy with the mental stability I was in this week. I’m so glad – I don’t think I can reflect on anything right now.

 

“I’m just really happy and proud that I came through this tournament with all the challenges I faced since last year. I’m really happy.

 

“It’s so special [winning her first title on the World Tour], especially here where it’s home away from home because I studied in New York.

 

“This tournament is very special for me because it was where I had my first-ever win in round one. What made it extra special today was having my sister here on the coaching side. It was very special.”

The North American swing on the PSA World Tour continues with the Bahl and Gaynor Cincinnati Gaynor Cup 2024 and the Sturbridge Capital Motor City Open 2024, with both tournaments played between January 31 – February 4. Action from both Silver-level events will be streamed live on SQUASHTV.

Result: Carol Weymuller Open 2024 final

[4] Farida Mohamed (EGY) bt Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) 3-1: 12-10, 11-4, 7-11, 11-8 (35m)

by Abhishek Shukla

With first ever FIH Hockey5s World Cup in the background, EB meets to discuss strategy and development

Muscat, Oman: On the occasion of the first ever FIH Hockey5s World Cup, the Executive Board (EB) of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), meeting yesterday in Muscat, Oman, under the chairmanship of FIH President Tayyab Ikram, expressed its gratitude and congratulations to the Omani authorities and Hockey Oman for the magnificent event they’ve produced and the fantastic brand-new Hockey Oman Venue that will remain as a tremendous legacy for the sport.

 

In his opening words, the FIH President reiterated how successful and insightful yesterday’s National Associations Summit had been and confirmed that similar interactions will take place in the future.

 

The EB decided that the number of participating teams at the 2025 FIH Hockey Junior World Cups will be increased from 16 to 24. This expansion will provide global competition opportunities for more young athletes from 8 more countries around the world, in a tournament format that will see every team playing 6 matches.

 

Furthermore, the Hockey Association of Kyrgyzstan was approved as provisional member of FIH; its application for full membership will be submitted to the next FIH Congress, meeting in November this year.

 

The EB heard a report about FIH’s sustainability strategy. In 2024, the focus will be on engaging with Continental Federations and National Associations to roll out sustainability initiatives and strategies around the world.

 

The EB members received also detailed updates about FIH’s development activities – especially in terms of education-, the Olympic Solidarity programme, sport matters, the preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic hockey tournaments, the ongoing FIH Hockey Pro League Season 5 – resuming on 3 February in India – and the upcoming FIH Hockey Nations Cup.

 

by Abhishek Shukla

United States arrive in Bhubaneshwar for FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24

Bhubaneswar, 29th January 2024: The United States Women’s Hockey Team landed at the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on Monday to begin their FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 campaign. Having secured a spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics at the recently concluded FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Ranchi 2024, the United States are now focused on securing a FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 spot through the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24.
The FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 (Women) is scheduled to take place at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar from 3rd to 9th February, before moving to the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, where the league will continue from 12th to 18th February. Five national teams – India, China, the United States of America, the Netherlands, and Australia – will participate in the India leg of the FIH Pro League 2023/24, facing each other once in Bhubaneswar and once in Rourkela.
The United States will face the Netherlands in the opening game of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 on 3 February. Their second game will be against Australia on 6 February, followed by a clash with China on 7 February. They will then face India in the last match of the Bhubaneshwar leg on 9 February.
Their previous encounter with the Indian Women’s Hockey Team was in the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Ranchi 2024 which the United States won by 1-0. Capitalising on the early momentum they triumphed against Italy and New Zealand to top Pool B. A 2-1 victory against Japan in the Semi-Final guaranteed their qualification for Paris 2024 Olympics. Their only loss came in Final where they lost 0-2 to Germany.
Shedding light on the way forward for the team, Captain Amanda Gollini said,” We are looking forward to getting back into it, obviously coming off the Olympic Qualifiers, we got the result that we wanted. Now we’ve set some new goals to prepare for the year ahead. The one thing we want to continue from the last tournament is taking it one game at a time, that helped us succeed and I think that’s something we are looking forward to repeating in the FIH Pro League.” 
“The Pro League is very important in the lead up to the Paris 2024 Olympics, it presents us with a wonderful opportunity to prepare for the Olympics. But it is imperative that we trust the process, take it one game at a time, and not get ahead of ourselves,” she elaborated.
All matches of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 will be streamed on JioCinema, additionally, all India matches will be telecast on Sports18 – Khel.

by Abhishek Shukla

Patna Pirates’ outstanding defence takes them to huge win over Gujarat Giants

29th January, Patna: In front of a raucous home crowd, the Patna Pirates put on a defensive masterclass to beat the Gujarat Giants 32-20 and climb to fourth on the table. On an evening when the Patna Pirates defense logged an incredible 15 tackle points, their defensive duo of Ankit (6 points) and Krishan (5 points) were the star performers of the day. 
A low scoring game was defined by the staunch refusal of the Patna Pirates defence to go down by too many points despite being fewer in numbers for a majority of the game. The Gujarat Giants’ raiders Parteek Dahiya and Nitin kept getting the touch points, but crucially were not able to do so in the key moments of the game.
Krishan and Ankit’s ability to conjure SUPER TACKLES when their team needed most astoundingly kept the Patna Pirates close on points, despite having fewer players on the mat. They went into the half time break down by a mere two points.  
The second half continued in a similar pattern, the Gujarat Giants constantly keeping the Patna Pirates’ numbers low, but unable to get the all out when needed. On an off night for Fazel Atrachali, the Iranian did not log a single point all game, instead managing five unsuccessful tackles.
The Patna Pirates turned the tables around in the final three minutes of the game. Sandeep Kumar started the Gujarat Giants collapse going in on a DO OR DIE raid and coming back with three touch points. They inflicted the first and only ALL OUT of the game to take a 30-19 lead with a minute left in the game, and rode that defensive dominance to victory.

Please see below the PKL Season 10 match on 30th January

Game 1 – Puneri Paltan vs Telugu Titans – 8 pm

Venue: Patna

Season 10 of the Pro Kabaddi League will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network and for free on Disney+ Hotstar.

by Abhishek Shukla

Chennai to host Season 3 of RuPay Prime Volleyball League from 15th February 2024

Delhi, January 29, 2024: The highly anticipated third edition of the RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 is set to begin on February 15th, 2024, and will be hosted in the beautiful city of Chennai. Nine franchises – Ahmedabad Defenders, Bengaluru Torpedoes, Calicut Heroes, Chennai Blitz, Delhi Toofans, Hyderabad Black Hawks, Kochi Blue Spikers, Kolkata Thunderbolts, and Mumbai Meteors – will compete for the coveted trophy, with the Final set to take place on March 21st at the SDAT Multi – purpose Indoor Stadium, Chennai.

The Defending Champions Ahmedabad Defenders will face off against the hosts Chennai Blitz in the opening game of the tournament on February 15th, while the last year’s runners-up Bengaluru Torpedoes will take on the Season 1 winners Kolkata Thunderbolts on the same day. The third season of RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23, and co-owned and exclusively marketed by India’s leading sports marketing firm, Baseline Ventures, will bring an exciting new format with the introduction of Super 5s, promising a bigger, better, and bolder edition. 

The Super 5s stage will take place between March 11th and March 18th in which the top five teams from the League stage will compete in a round-robin format to determine the final three teams. The team finishing first in the Super 5s will earn a direct qualification for the Final, while the teams finishing in the second and third places will compete in the Eliminator on March 19th. The winner of the Eliminator will be the second team to book a spot in the Final.

Speaking on hosting the upcoming season in Chennai, the Minister of Youth Welfare and Sports Development of Tamil Nadu, Shri Udhayanidhi Stalin said, “Ever since its inception, we have always wanted to host an edition of RuPay Prime Volleyball League in our city due to its rising popularity. Volleyball is a sport that is close to the people of Tamil Nadu and there is a huge amount of untapped potential present for the sport here. I extend a very warm welcome to all the participating teams and players from all around the world to our beautiful city and we truly believe that their presence here will not only help start  a revolution in volleyball across the state of Tamil Nadu but also inspire the next generation of athletes to think of a professional career in this sport. We hope to host another successful edition of the tournament and wish all the teams the best. Let the games begin.”

Joy Bhattacharjya, CEO, RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 said, “Volleyball has an ever-growing presence in the Southern regions and the passionate fans in Tamil Nadu have been clamouring to witness live matches for many years. We are delighted to bring the latest edition of RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 to Chennai. We are thankful for the Tamil Nadu government for their blessings and support. Chennai has a huge volleyball fan base and we are confident they will be thrilled to witness  the league, which will feature some of the top talent from India and abroad.”

He further added, “One thing we always want to do is add fresh new elements to our league each year to increase our engagement with fans. The addition of a team from North, Delhi Toofans, was the first step in the direction, and the introduction of Super 5s gives a different dimension to the competition. A lot of teams have also opted for international coaches and they will bring a fresh new perspective to Indian volleyball. The fans are surely in for a treat this season.”

Watch RuPay Prime Volleyball League Season 3 from 15th February 2024 LIVE on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD, Sony Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi), Sony Ten 4 SD & HD (Tamil & Telugu) from 6.30 pm onwards.

RuPay PRIME VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE POWERED BY A23 FULL SCHEDULE: 

LEAGUE STAGE: 

15th February, 2024: 

6:30 PM: Ahmedabad Defenders vs Chennai Blitz 

8:30 PM: Bengaluru Torpedoes vs Kolkata Thunderbolts 

16th February, 2024: 

6:30 PM: Mumbai Meteors vs Delhi Toofans 

8:30 PM: Kochi Blue Spikers vs Calicut Heroes 

17th February 2024: 

6:30 PM: Chennai Blitz vs Hyderabad Black Hawks 

18th February 2024: 

6:30 PM: Ahmedabad Defenders vs Kolkata Thunderbolts 

8:30 PM: Bengaluru Torpedoes vs Delhi Toofans 

19th February 2024: 

6:30 PM: Mumbai Meteors vs Hyderabad Black Hawks 

20th February 2024: 

6:30 PM: Chennai Blitz vs Kochi Blue Spikers 

21st February 2024: 

6:30 PM: Bengaluru Torpedoes v Mumbai Meteors 

22nd February 2024: 

6:30 PM: Kolkata Thunderbolts vs Chennai Blitz 

8:30 PM: Ahmedabad Defenders vs Hyderabad Black Hawks 

23rd February 2024: 

6:30 PM: Calicut Heroes vs Delhi Toofans 

8:30 PM: Bengaluru Torpedoes vs Kochi Blue Spikers 

24th February 2024: 

REST DAY 

25th February 2024: 

6:30 PM: Kolkata Thunderbolts vs Calicut Heroes 

8:30 PM: Mumbai Meteors vs Kochi Blue Spikers 

26th February 2024: 

6:30 PM: Delhi Toofans vs Hyderabad Black Hawks 

8:30 PM: Bengaluru Torpedoes vs Ahmedabad Defenders 

27th: February 2024: 

6:30 PM: Kolkata Thunderbolts vs Kochi Blue Spikers 

28th February 2024: 

6:30 PM: Calicut Heroes vs Mumbai Meteors 

29th February 2024: 

6:30 PM: Kolkata Thunderbolts vs Hyderabad Black Hawks 

1st March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Delhi Toofans vs Chennai Blitz 

8:30 PM Mumbai Meteors vs Ahmedabad Defenders 

2nd March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Hyderabad Black Hawks vs Calicut Heroes 

3rd March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Kolkata Thunderbolts vs Delhi Toofans 

8:30 PM: Ahmedabad Defenders vs Kochi Blue Spikers 

4th March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Hyderabad Black Hawks vs Bengaluru Torpedoes 

8:30 PM: Mumbai Meteors v Chennai Blitz 

5th March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Kochi Blue Spikers vs Delhi Toofans 

6th March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Bengaluru Torpedoes vs Calicut Heroes 

7th March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Kolkata Thunderbolts vs Mumbai Meteors 

8th March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Bengaluru Torpedoes vs Chennai Blitz 

8:30 PM: Ahmedabad Defenders vs Calicut Heroes 

9th March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Hyderabad Black Hawks vs Kochi Blue Spikers 

10th March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Chennai Blitz vs Calicut Heroes 

8:30 PM: Ahmedabad Defenders vs Delhi Toofans 

SUPER 5s 

11th March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Team 1st vs Team 2nd 

12th March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Team 3rd vs Team 4th 

13th March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Team 1st vs Team 5th 

14th March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Team 3rd vs Team 2nd 

15th March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Team 1st vs Team 4th 

16th March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Team 5th vs Team 2nd 

17th March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Team 1st vs Team 3rd 

8:30 PM: Team 4th vs Team 5th 

18th March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Team 5th vs Team 3rd 

8:30 PM: Team 4th vs Team 2nd 

ELIMINATOR 

19th March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Team 2nd (After Super 5s) vs Team 3rd (After Super 5s)  

20th March 2024: 

REST DAY 

FINAL 

21st March 2024: 

6:30 PM: Team 1st (After Super 5s) vs Winner of Eliminator

by Abhishek Shukla

World No. 8 Lebrun, Cheng I-Ching crowned champions at World Table Tennis Star Contender Goa 2024

Mapusa (Goa), January 28, 2024: The World No. 8 Felix Lebrun of France and Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-ching registered stunning victories to clinch the singles titles in their respective categories at the World Table Tennis Star Contender Goa 2024 at the Peddem Indoor Stadium in Mapusa, Goa on Sunday.

Lebrun lost the first two games before making a magnificent comeback to beat the World No. 7 Hugo Calderano by 4-2 (9-11, 9-11, 13-11, 11-0, 15-13, 11-7) in an enthralling men’s singles final. The Brazilian paddler began the contest on a positive note and won the first two games despite getting a tough challenge from Lebrun, who held his nerve to clinch the third game.

The 17-year-old teenage sensation showcased his sublime defensive prowess in the fourth game and won it without conceding a single point to his opponent. Lebrun carried forward the positive momentum into the next two games to emerge victorious against a fierce opponent.

Meanwhile, in the women’s singles final, Cheng I-ching, who finished as a runner-up in the competition last time, had a fairly comfortable outing as she defeated Germany’s Nina Mittelham.  

The Chinese Taipei paddler looked in complete control of the match from the beginning and defeated Mittelham 4-0 (11-8, 11-8, 17-15, 11-6) in straight sets to win the title in the tournament, co-hosted by Stupa Sports Analytics and Ultimate Table Tennis under the guidance of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI).

Over 41 Indian paddlers participated in the tournament, marking the highest representation for the nation in a WTT event. Young Indian paddler Sreeja Akula’s quarter-final finish was the best result for India in the singles category.

Earlier, Shin Yubin and Lim Jonghoon of South Korea played brilliantly and got the better of Spain’s Alvaro Robles and Maria Xiao by 3-0 (11-2, 12-10,  13-11) in the mixed doubles final to secure the title.