Strategy adopted by
team has worked:
Ahmedov

KOLKATA, July 15: Indian coach for the U-20 Ismail Ahmedov asserted that he had adopted the correct ............more

India’s entry to the U-20 finals will boost soccer

KOLKATA, July 15: India’s entry into the finals of the AFC Championship under-20 next October at Qatar has provided a much needed boost to Indian...........more

Australians set to
dominate in Manchester

SYDNEY, July 15: Australia’s swimmers have been riding a tidal wave of success since the Sydney Olympics which shows no sign of breaking at the Commonwealth Games. .......more

Indian victory will dent England’s confidence

LONDON, July 15: India’s dramatic victory over England in the Natwest series final will......more

Royal Spring Golf Club inaugurated
Saxena, Farooq optimistic about tourism revival in Kashmir

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, July 15 : Governor Mr Girish Chandra Saxena today inaugurated Royal Spring Golf Club here this evening..........more

Budgam lifts under-14 Football trophy

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, July 15 : The 6-day long under 14-football tourney concluded at Bakshi stadium, here today with district Budgam lifting the trophy. District Anantnag and district Srinagar teams bagged second and third prize respectively......more

Open Chess Tourney
from July 22

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, July 15: The National Federation of Blinds in collaboration with Jammu District Chess Association..............more

Jammu artist’s solo painting exhibition begins in Delhi ....

Jammu District Judo Championship postponed ....

Strategy adopted by team has worked: Ahmedov

KOLKATA, July 15: Indian coach for the U-20 Ismail Ahmedov asserted that he had adopted the correct strategy during the group IV matches and proved his detractors wrong.

"Our strategy for the tournament was right the boys played like champs and deserved to win," Burst out an ecstatic Islam Ahmedov after India pulverised Kyrgyzstan 4-0 in the AFC Soccer Championship.

As the U-20 team took a victory lap in the rain drenched Yuva Bharati Krirangan here last night, Indian coach Ahmedov was seen pacing up and down with his fists clenched, letting out his pent up emotions.

Talking to UNI, Ahmedov said, "I was hurt at the negative comments of the media after the draw against the Tajiks. But one must understand a tournament is not just one match. Our strategy for the tourney was correct and the proof is in the result."

"Tajiks are a strong side and we had our gameplan for them. Your country should be proud of upstaging two former Soviet Union teams to Qatar," the usually dimunitive Uzbek said.

"I am a very proud and happy man today. Your country has great soccer talent and I hope people recognise that," said Ahmedov.

The sagging popularity of Indian football was evident from the fact that only a handful had gathered to witness the glorious victory and a lone tricolour fluttered on the Eastern stands when India completed the humiliation of Kyrgyzstan. All through the match a deeply religious Ahmedov was holding to his bead string and crystal ball, his good luck charms, while shouting instructions to his boys. At the end of the ninety minutes his prayers had been answered.

"They played like champions and got the desired result. It’s not easy to keep up the pressure and concentration for the entire period of the match," he said holding on to his chest.

"I am feeling a little uneasy, a little pain on the chest. But that’s okay because today is a great day for indian football," a relieved Ahmedov said.

True it was, for the last time India made it to the second round of any international tournament was in 1996 when P K Banerjee’s team reached the similar phase in the U-19 stage in South Korea.

"Its okay to play good football but what ultimately matters is the scoreline. The U-16 boys did so well but came out second best to Bangladesh. But this side has it in them," he said, adding, "international exposure is an absolute necessity for soccer to progress."

"Let them lose. They will learn from their mistakes. They will become tougher and it will be a little more easier for them in the next tournament," he said. As the team gets ready to buy tickets for Qatar, Ahmedov leaves for a week’s rest at home. "Let the players have some rest and sort out their club commitments. Then they can start again," he said.

Ahmedov, whose contract expires today, could get a second lease of life with the Indian juniors from the AIFF and continue with the U-19 work.

He also lauded the AIFF and the IFA for their steps to develop soccer in this cricket crazy nation.

"They are on the right track. They have made academies. The Indian coaches are hardworking and sincere, besides the most important thing is you have a wealth of talent that needs to be polished."

"I keep hearing that this city is football crazy. But today there was a small crowd. The people should be proud of their football and come to the ground. This inspires the players too," he said, baffled at the fact that when club football attracted such big crowds, why was there such a "lukewarm response" when the national team was out in the middle. (UNI)

India’s entry to the U-20 finals will boost soccer

KOLKATA, July 15: India’s entry into the finals of the AFC Championship under-20 next October at Qatar has provided a much needed boost to Indian soccer. India got a berth in the finals after a 4-0 win over Kyrgyzstan at Salt Lake Stadium yesterday.

In spite of spending a considerable amount of money to hire foreign coaches for different groups, India had not made it to the second round in recent years, resulting in rapid waning in the FIFA ranking.

In June Stephen constantine, 39, from London has been hired to coach the Indian team for Bhusan Asian Games in September.

The victory has probably also provided a new lease of life to coach Islam Ahmedov from Uzbekistan who was appointed to groom boys in the under-16 category. The coach as well as the team had a disastrous 2001 in the Asia Cup which saw India lose 0-1 to Bangladesh in a crucial final match in Jamshedpur.

Ahmedov, however, managed to quiten his critics after India sailed through in the four-nation qualifying group-4 yesterday.

The other two contenders were pre-tournament favourites Tajikistan and Bhutan.

Bhutan and Kyrgyzstan returned home with no win and a 0-0 draw between them in three plays each.

Tazik had to bow out on goal average despite no loss in three matches, two wins over Kyrgyzstan (2-0) and Bhutan (3-0) and a goalless game against the host country. India’s ride to Qatar came after an inspiring 4-1 win over Bhutan, but saw a 0-0 against Tajik in the second match inviting a stream of criticism about the wisdom of keeping the Uzbek coach, whose two-year term with All India Football Federation ends today.

The Mizoram boy Malswama Tluanga, and Ashim Biswas emerged top scorers for India with three goals apiece in total eight goals. Winger Subash Chakraborty too attracted attention with his ball play in the tournament. The country scored in three matches,

Questions were being raised about the utility of Amedov as India still lacked the score maker in the international meet. Barring one or two, all the twenty boys had been in the side were groomed by TATA Football Academy in Jamshepur.

However, crucial four goals in the concluding match seem to have quietened Ahmedov’s critics.

The entry has also attracted FIFA’s attention towards India, although senior players of the country were not involved in the AFC- Under-20.

India currently ranks 123rd in the FIFA list.

The elated Uzbek coach said the boys had not yet explored their full potential and need more fitness training.

At times India seemed to run out of idea to break the defence and they had to wait for about 75 minutes to break the wall, which could be a diastrous for the country in Qatar. Too much holding of balls by the players especially by the front-runners was also another minus point for touch and go football of modern time, the coach felt.

Project director of India U-20 Ranjit Gupta said the entry was a happy occasion as India had been showing no heart to win the international matches. (UNI)

Australians set to dominate in Manchester

SYDNEY, July 15: Australia’s swimmers have been riding a tidal wave of success since the Sydney Olympics which shows no sign of breaking at the Commonwealth Games.

Propelled by the flipper-sized feet of Ian Thorpe, Australia’s talented swimming team are threatening to turn the Manchester aquatic centre into one big pool party where the strains of advance Australia fair are played ad nauseum.

The absence of Australia’s great swimming rivals from the United States, Europe and Asia points to a one-sided meeting where the Australians will end up racing each other for gold medals.

If world rankings are any guide, then Australia can expect to win about two-thirds of the 38 gold medals on offer in Manchester, where the swimming starts on July 30.

While Australia’s new high-performance director Greg Hodge is reluctant to put too much emphasis on past showings, he admits the gap between australia and other Commonwealth countries seems as wide as the English channel.

"It’s not about winning the games because I think we’re going to do that, there’s no doubt about that," Hodge told reporters at a recent training camp in Australia.

"We’ve got the strongest men’s team but I think the real test for us will be how our women stand up."

Without wanting to take success at the Commonwealth Games for granted, Hodge says the Australians have got bigger fish to fry and Manchester is just one small step along the way to their ultimate goal of dominating at the Athens Olympics.

"If we realistically want to be the number one nation at the Olympics in 2004, we’ve got to start to step up in the world rankings in those events where we’re not strong at the moment," he said.

"I think that’s where the Commonwealth Games is going to be significant for us".

"I think it will be a good test for them and one, if they come through, that will absolutely be important as a step towards Athens." As predictable as it is that Australia will finish as the leading swimming nation in Manchester, it is another sporting certainty that Thorpe will be the most dominant and talked about individual of the games.

Still just 19, Thorpe is without peer in the swimming world, and his list of achievements is already at staggering proportions world champion at 15, triple Olympic gold medallist at 17, a record six gold medals at last year’s World Championships in Japan.

He won four gold medals at the last Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur but is chasing seven this time, including one in Backstroke, an event he has taken up just for fun.

Thorpe’s biggest rival is usually the clock but hodge issued a word of caution for anyone expecting him to add to his list of world records, saying he thought the set-up at the Manchester aquatics centre would hinder chances of super-fast times.

"The pool is not designed as a major international competition pool in terms of its space and environment," Hodge said.

"There’s a lot of stair-climbing and walking that the athletes have to do".

"For Ian Thorpe or anybody else to break a world record, things have got to be absolutely perfect but the operation of this meet is going to be far from perfect."

Of course, Thorpe is not the only Australian considered a near-certainty for gold. The 41-member squad includes five individual world champions Grant Hackett (Freestyle), Geoff Huegill (Butterfly), Matt Welsh (Backstroke), Petria Thomas (Butterfly) and Giaan Rooney (Freestyle).

There are another two short-course world champions and several up-and-coming names, including young queensland breaststroker Leisel Jones.

Fans in Manchester will have to wait a little longer than expected to see the Australians as the squad have chosen to miss the opening ceremony on July 25 to continue training in Germany, arriving in Britain three days later before going into camp. (AGENCIES)

Indian victory will dent England’s confidence

LONDON, July 15: India’s dramatic victory over England in the Natwest series final will have affected the home team’s confidence and chances as it prepares for the World Cup in South Africa next year, a leading daily reported today.

"There is little doubt that losing Saturday’s Natwest series final to India will have dented the belief, confidence and chances of Nasser Hussain’s England side as they work towards next year’s World Cup in South Africa," The Independent said in a report.

However, the mental scarring sustained by their two-wicket defeat will be far easier to overcome than the physical loss caused by Graham Thorpe’s decision to retire from one-day international cricket, the newspaper said.

The 32-year old Thorpe, who has played 82 one-day games for England announced his decision at the conclusion of Saturday’s final, even though he made Hussain and the coach Duncan Fletcher aware of his intentions earlier in the week.

"Graham got an ankle injury halfway through the series, wich allowed us to play Michael Vaughan," Fletcher said. "He let us know of his decision to retire from the one-day team at that time."

Giving reasons for his retirement, Thorpe said: "In terms of keeping my body fit, it is becoming harder to do so playing both tests and one-day internationals for England, so I have decided to concentrate on just playing test matches."

"Secondly, I want to have more time to build a relationship with my two children, given my new personal circumstances at home."

Following the much publicised break-up of his marriage during the winter, it would be his desire to see more of his children that would have influenced him most.

Coming to terms with this upheaval has been difficult for him and it is understandable that if he had to make a decision over which format to play, one-day cricket would be the loser, the report said. (PTI)

Royal Spring Golf Club inaugurated
Saxena, Farooq optimistic about tourism revival in Kashmir

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, July 15 : Governor Mr Girish Chandra Saxena today inaugurated Royal Spring Golf Club here this evening. The club, situated on the eastern banks of the world-famous Dal lake is considered to be ninth best in the world and number one in Asia.

Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, his ministerial colleagues, several legislators, senior civil and police officers and a galaxy of golfers were present at the inaugural ceremony held in the lush green course in the lap of mesmerizing Zabarwan hills.

Saying that the golf course will prove a boon for the state economy with tourism picking up in coming decades, the Governor asserted it will also change the life style of many including youth. The game of golf is no longer a rich man’s game and it unfolds tremendous avenues to those who take the sport with commitment and devotion.

He said golf has a great future in the state and hoped that it will attract tourists and executives around the globe to participate in various events. The golf course being finest in the world will prove to be a permanent asset for the state in centuries to come, he said, adding that the facility will become popular around the country.

Mr Saxena complimented Chief Minister Dr Abdullah and all those associated with this project and said but for the keen interest of the CM this mega project would not have come up so magnificently.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister announced that Gulmarg golf course would be upgraded to 18 holes, nine in the leopard valley and international standard courses would be laid at Pahalgam and Sidhra in Jammu.

He envisioned a great future for the sportsperson from Jammu and Kashmir in the world sports and said that adequate facilities and better coaching would help achieve this objective. He asked youth, particularly those young, to come forward and take the game up.

Expressing confidence that militancy will die its own death, the CM said with promotion in tourism the golfers of the world would visit the valley to play on the finest courses. He said convention complex just adjacent to the course could be a tremendous attraction for the executives to hold conferences and spent leisure in recreation including golf. He said steps would be taken to earmark facilities for other sports like blared, squash, tennis, health club etc in the club.

Dr Abdullah said modalities about the membership of the Royal Spring Golf Club would be worked out soon and children will enjoy special dispensation and waiver of fee in order to shape them as great players who could bring laurels to the state. The senior citizens will have concession in fee. He complimented various corporate offices and departments like transport and police in accommodating the players on their establishments and hoped that they would be provided ample opportunities to polish their talent.

The CM said that a tourist destination like Kashmir must have all the facilities for attracting tourists that is imperative for giving boost to economy. He regretted that militancy retarded tourism activity in the state and this project also received a set back in the initial years of turmoil. However, he expressed his happiness over coming up of this excellent course, which, he said, would benefit the sports lovers in a big way

He congratulated those associated with the golf project and said a plaque would be installed in the course bearing names of great golfers who emerged as inspiration for generations to come.

The Commissioner/Secretary, Tourism, Mr Mushtaq Ahmed presented welcome address and dwelt on salient features of the golf course, saying that it had been conceptulized way back in 1972.

Minister of State for Tourism, Ms Sakina Itoo was also present on the occasion.