CWG medallists dropped in TOPs scheme reshuffle; Gagang Narang, Lalita Babar also axed
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has decided to remove weightlifters Ragala V Rahul, Punam Yadav and Sathish Sivalingam from the Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme. All three axed weightlifters, Sathish in 77kg, Rahul in 85kg and Punam in 69kg had won gold at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast. Apart from them, ace Indian shooter Gagan Narang,...
Sporting initiative, Khel Mhakumbh, launched by Sachin Tendulkar in Gujarat
Cricketing great Sachin Tendulkar launched 'Khel Mahakumbh' with BJP MP Anurag Thakur in the presence of 1500 athletes. The event aims at attracting participation of at least one lakh youth from Thakur’s Hamirpur constituency. The athletes will compete in volleyball, basketball, cricket, football, kabaddi and athletics. Talking about the initiative, Tendulkar said: "Sports can indeed play a pivotal role in...
Testing time continues; Harendra Singh replaces Sjoerd Marijne as coach of Men’s Hockey team
The Commonwealth Games debacle saw another change in Indian Hockey team. Sjoerd Marijne who was raised to the post of the chief coach of Men’s Hockey team after the unceremonious exit of Roelant Oltmans, was brought back to his former post in the Women’ss Hockey team. The duty was shuffled as Harendra Singh, the chief coach of Women’s Hockey...
FIFA chief proposes Mini World Cup with 8 teams every two years
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has proposed an international football event every two years, preferably to be called Mini World Cup. The tournament will feature eight international teams that would be played in every October and/or November of every odd year starting from 2021. The tournament would be the climax of a proposed global Nations League competition, part of an ambitious...
Commonwealth Games medallists included in Target Olympic Podium scheme
The Sports Ministry has added 107 athletes to the existing list of Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) under Sports Authority of India (SAI). TOPS is a scheme under which selected sportsmen will receive funds to prepare themselves for the upcoming Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympics. Out of the chosen 107 players, only four were picked till the 2020 Olympic...
Design in focus, sport in passion… Atul Edward and his life’s story with Pickleball
A game that has been constantly growing in India, especially in states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, is Pickleball. The sport originated in the USA and travelled to India in 2006 through the hands of Sunil Valavalkar, an ardent Tennis player who found fascination and fun in Pickleball. He introduced the sport in India by setting up All...
Sunil Jain’s IWTT- a vision to change the perception of Wheelchair Tennis in India
FIRST STEP OF WHEELCHAIR TENNIS When 18-year old American acrobat skier, Brad Parks, met an accident; little did he know that it would be the end of his flying career. The accident left Parks paraplegic, bounded on a wheelchair and constrained to a certain level. But Parks found a new lease of life when he first hit a Tennis ball...
“I will continue serving Para Powerlifting and producing champions is my ultimate goal”…..Vijay Munishwar
The Indian contingent is back from a highly successful Commonwealth Games. The Games at Gold Coast perhaps, is the most successful Indian campaign, not in terms of medal count but in terms of gold medals won by the athletes. This is the first time India’s gold medals had exceeded silver and bronze. The medals ranged from Shooting to Athletics,...
Closing Day: Australia emerge leaders, India third; flag passed on to Birmingham
KURT FEARNLEY SIGNS-OFF WITH A GOLD Australian para-sport legend Kurt Fearnley created a new Games record to win the gold in T54 Men’s Marathon and finishing off his career in style. Fearnley was in a dominating position from the start to win in a time of 1:30:25 seconds. He added this gold to his silver medal won in T54 1500m. Madison...
Squash silver in Mixed Doubles and Women’s Double; bronze in TT Mixed Doubles
Defending Champions Dipika Pallikal and Joshna Chinappa settled for silver after losing their Women’s Doubles Squash final match to the New Zealand pair of Joelle King and Amanda Landers-Murphy at the Commonwealth Games. Pallikal and Chinappa lost the final in straight games 9-11, 8-11, who lost just three games in their six matches on their way to the final. Earlier,...