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powerlifters win glory and golds at World Championship NEW DELHI, Oct 14: After India’s good show at the 14th Asian Games, it was the turn of the ........more Drug fiasco mars BUSAN, Oct 14: Despite having put up their best show in nearly two decades at the 14th Asian Games, .........more Windies arrive in CHENNAI, Oct 14: After an innings defeat at the Mumbai test, the touring West Indies arrived in ......more Anand draws, Meenakshi HYDERABAD, Oct 14: Defending champion Viswanathan Anand of India drew his last league game .......more |
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J&K to meet Haryana on Oct 17
in Jammu Punjab inflict humiliating defeat on J&K in NZ U-19 Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 14: In their opener of the North-Zone Cooch Behar Trophy league match, Jammu and Kashmir suffered humiliating defeat at the hands of Punjab at Dhruv Pandove Stadium in Punjab...............more District
Kathua Volleyball Excelsior Sports Correspondent KATHUA, Oct 14: District Volleyball Association of Kathua, in a meeting held today, has decided to organise district championship.........more Chhinj at
Chack Murar in Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 14: Local village committee is organising Chhinj (dangal) at Chak Murar in tehsil Bishnah on October 16. According to the organisers............more |
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Indian powerlifters win glory and golds NEW DELHI, Oct 14: After India’s good show at the 14th Asian Games, it was the turn of the powerlifters, who did the country proud, by winning two golds, six silvers and a bronze medal at the World Master Powerlifting Championship held in Cordoba in Argentina. All the medals came in the Bantam weight category. R K Surati and Ashoke Dixit won a gold and three silvers each while Ratnakar V Rao took the bronze medal, according to an information received here. Surati (52 kg) won the gold in the bench press event with a lift of 95 kg. He took the silver in the squat event with an effort of 145 kg, and in the dead lift event (155 kg). Surati also bagged the silver in the overall category with a total lift of 395 kg. Dixit (56 kg) won the gold in the bench press event with an effort of 87.5 kg and, and silver medals in the Squat (170 kg), dead lift (170 kg) and overall category (432.5). Rao bagged the bronze medal in the squat event with a lift of 120 kg. Altogether 228 participants from 33 countries took part in the five-day championship which concluded yesterday. (UNI) |
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Drug fiasco mars India’s decent show in Asian Games BUSAN, Oct 14: Despite having put up their best show in nearly two decades at the 14th Asian Games, which concluded here today, the doping fiasco involving long distance runner Sunita Rani has not only tarnished the image of India but has overshadowed the heroics of some of the other athletes as well. Desperate to prove that the phenomenal success at the recent Commonwealth Games was no flash in the pan, the largest ever Indian contingent produced a rich haul of 36 medals, their best ever show abroad in the games and the best since the 1982 Asiad in New Delhi. But drug scandal returned to haunt the Indians in major international meets for the second time in three months. The 22-year-old Sunita Rani, who won the gold in women’s 1500m setting a new games record, has tested positive for nandrolone and faces the danger of being stripped of her medal plus a ban if the B-sample also turns out to be positive. Sunita’s positive test, which has diverted attention from the otherwise creditable performance of the athletes, has been shocking since both the Government and the Indian Olympic Association had vowed to send a ‘clean’ contingent to Busan. All the athletes were cleared for the Busan trip after having undergone tests at home and the runner failing the dope test will no doubt open a fresh debate on the dope testing system in the country. Sunita became the third Indian competitor to test positive in the last three months after weightlifters Krishnan Madasamy and Satheesha Rai failed the dope test in the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in July-August this year. Having been involved in doping fiascos in two successive international meets, national prestige will be at its lowest ebb and will no doubt cast a shadow of suspicion on other competitors as well. Barring Sunita’s fall from grace, the athletes were the toast of the nation picking up the bulk of the medals to boost India’s tally during the second week of the games which saw Asian powerhouse China maintaining their stranglehold by expectedly taking the top spot with a whopping 308 medals, including 150 gold. After a rather disappointing start to their campaign in the first week, India’s medal collection gathered momentum after the athletes joined the action to eventually complete their engagements with 11 gold, 12 silver and 13 bronze medals and finish seventh with 36 medals. In the last edition of the games in Bangkok, the Indians had managed a tally of 35 - seven gold, 11 silver and 17 bronze medals to take the ninth position on the medals table while in the 1994 Hiroshima Games they had won four gold, three silver and 16 bronze medals. India’s impressive medal haul was mainly because of the efforts of athletes who won as many as seven gold medals while golfer Shiv Kapur, snooker doubles team of Yasin Merchant and Habib Rafath, tennis and Kabaddi teams also added to India’s gold medal collection. Anju Bobby George set the tempo by clinching the gold in the women’s long jump while Bahadur Singh (men’s shot put), K M Beenamol (women’s 800m), Sunita Rani (women’s 1500m), Neelam J Singh (women’s discus throw), Saraswati Saha (women’s 200m) and the women’s 4x400m relay team were the star performers bringing home the gold. But this picturesque port city did not prove to be a happy hunting ground for many of the other Indian teams who had descended here hoping to improve upon their performance but returned empty handed. The shooters, who had done the bulk of the medal shopping in the Commonwealth Games, were a huge disappointment managing just two silver medals. Jaspal Rana, Abhinav Bindra and Anjali Bhagwat were considered as strong medal prospects but none of them could counter the Chinese and Korean shooters who swept away most of the medals at stake. The men’s trap shooting team of Manavjit Singh, Mansher Singh and Anwer Sultan and the women’s 10m air rifle team comprising Anjali Bhagwat, Suma Shirur and Deepali Deshpande were the silver medal winners in an otherwise lacklustre Indian display at the Chang won shooting range. The men’s hockey team, hoping to retain the title they won in the last games in Bangkok, stumbled at the final hurdle and had to be content with the silver medal. Although the Indians got past arch-rivals Pakistan in a pulsating semi-final, they choked in the dying minutes to lose 3-4 to South Korea who avenged their 1998 Bangkok final defeat. The women’s hockey team, gold medal winner at Manchester, had a dismal trip losing all their four matches. The fancied pair of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, playing together since splitting for a second time six months back, showed signs of the old magic winning the gold in the men’s doubles as the tennis squad contributed four medals to the Indian kitty. Bhupathi and Manisha Malhotra lost in a thrilling final of the mixed doubles event to a Chinese Taipei pair and settled for the silver medal. Leander Paes and Sania Mirza (mixed doubles) and Vishal Uppal and Mustafa Ghouse (men’s doubles) were the bronze medal winners. Former world champion Geet Sethi also turned out to be a disappointment as the Billiards team failed to impress despite having the potential. Sethi, a gold medal aspirant, managed a bronze in the individual event while the Indians were made to take the silver in the doubles event. Barring a bronze medal winning effort by Palminder Singh Cheema, none of the other Indian grapplers made it to the podium while the pugilists also failed to make any impact, though four of them reached the quarterfinals. Sailor Nitin Mongia had to settle for a silver in ok dinghy class following a controversial decision to disqualify him from one of the 11 races. The team of Ashim Mongia and R Mahesh took the bronze in enterprise class while Rajesh Choudhary finished with a broze in laser radial open class. The rowers and the equestrian team chipped in with bronze medals. The football team failed to qualify for the quarter-finals, again amidst controversy, but nevertheless impressed with their performance. The volleyball team finished a creditable fifth and also had a win against arch-rivals Pakistan to show off. (PTI) |
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Windies arrive in Chennai for second test CHENNAI, Oct 14: After an innings defeat at the Mumbai test, the touring West Indies arrived in Chennai this morning for the second test match against India, to be played from October 17 to 21 at the M A Chidambaram Stadium. The team members checked in at the five-star Taj Hotel. "We are disappointed with our performance in Mumbai. We have to make some quick changes in the side," captain Carl Hooper said during a brief chat with newspersons. Asked what he felt about his team’s the Chennai test chances in, Hooper said "it’s going to be tough. But we will take it as it comes." About about the expectations of his team considering the nature of the pitch, newly relaid at the historic Chepauk ground, he said "we have to wait and see." Hooper welcomed the inclusion of cricket in the next Asian Games at Doha in 2006. "It’s good. There are some great cricketers in this part of the world." The Caribbeans, who will be playing what would be their eighth test against India in Chennai, will go to the nets tomorrow. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Cricket Association authorities said eight members of the Indian team, including vice-captain Rahul Dravid besides Zaheer Khan and Sanjay Bangar, were scheduled to reach here by this evening. Indian skipper Saurav Ganguly and star batsman Sachin Tendulkar will be arriving here tomorrow morning. (UNI) |
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Anand draws, Meenakshi enters quarter-finals HYDERABAD, Oct 14: Defending champion Viswanathan Anand of India drew his last league game in Group ‘C’ with Hamdouch Hichem of Morocco today, while his compatriot S Meenakshi, a last-minute entrant, cruised into the quarterfinals of the World Cup Chess, drawing her last league game in Group ‘D’. Anand, who beat Hichem in 24 moves, has three points now after completing his league engagements and will have to wait for the results of the contests involving Indian GM K Sasikrian and Uzbek GM Kasimdzhanov Rustam to decide about his continuance in the tourney. Meenakshi, alongwith Irina Krush of the United States, joins Andhra Pradesh girl Koneru Humpy and Bulgarian Stefanova Antoneta, who made the grade with a game to spare. Humpy split the point for the first time in the championship when she agreed to a quick draw, after 14 moves, against Krush, in a Bogo-Indian defence. Krush, who had defeated the Indian on an earlier occasion, played it safe as only a draw was enough to ensure her place in the knockout round. Humpy, who reeled off an unprecedented four wins in her first four games, said the position was a little complicated. "I was happy to accept the truce offer." The 21-year-old Meenakshi needed just six moves before sharing the point with WGM Wang pin of China. This swelled her points tally to 3.5 and took her into the last eight. Pin, who also has 3.5 points, has three points but she awaits the fate of the world champion Zhu Chen (2.5) to decide the second qualifier from Group ‘D’. In the men’s section, Estonian GM Ehlvest Jann drew his final game in Group D, against Alexander Beliavsky of Slovakia in a result that put them on par, with 3.5 points each. However, Englishman Nigel Short, who has 2.5 points after four games, holds the key in deciding the top two from the group. A win for short will make it a three-way contest. (UNI) |
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J&K to meet
Haryana on Oct 17 in Jammu Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 14: In their opener of the North-Zone Cooch Behar Trophy league match, Jammu and Kashmir suffered humiliating defeat at the hands of Punjab at Dhruv Pandove Stadium in Punjab. In fact, J&K’s disaster was caused by left arm spinner Gautam Mandora, who enabled Punjab thrash J&K by an innings and 109 runs on the second day of the three-day match, yesterday. Gautam emerged as maximum wicket taker with a rich match haul of 11 wickets for 76 runs. Batting first, Punjab had scored 423 runs for the loss of seven wickets declared in their first innings. And, in reply, J&K lost all the wickets for 160 runs in the first innings. Abid Nabi was top scorer with unbeaten 38. Mandora had taken five wickets for 32 runs, while, Rajesh Kumar bagged three for 44 for Punjab. Suffering a follow-on, J&K batsmen flattered again and the whole side was bowled out for 154 runs. This time skipper Asif Jeelani and Vimarsh Kaw contributed 32 and 26 runs respectively. Again Mandora led the Punjab bowing attack taking away six wickets for 44 runs. Rajesh too bowled in similar fashion and secured three more wickets for 39 runs. Since J&K boys have returned today itself, they will be meeting another tough side of Haryana on the home wicket on October 17. The second league match between J&K and Haryana will take place at either of the two venues of GGM Science College or at MA Stadium, here. Meanwhile, according to the insiders, the present side of Jammu and Kashmir, which was named for the first two matches, may get some changes, reason being their dismal show against Punjab. |
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District Kathua Volleyball meet from Oct 19 Excelsior Sports Correspondent KATHUA, Oct 14: District Volleyball Association of Kathua, in a meeting held today, has decided to organise district championship on October 19 and October 20 at Government High School, Gurah Mundian in Hiranagar, near here. The championship is being held under the aegis of J&K Volleyball Association and sponsored by Bharat Small Arms (Pvt) Ltd, Kathua. The meeting, wherein the final decision was taken, was chaired by district president, Satish Sharma, a handout issued here today informed. |
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Chhinj at Chack Murar in Bishnah on Oct 16 Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 14: Local village committee is organising Chhinj (dangal) at Chak Murar in tehsil Bishnah on October 16. According to the organisers, the exact venue of dangal is Bua Datti Talab. They (village committee) have invited people from all walks of life to visit the place and witness the local youth fighting in the traditional sport of dangal. |
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Hooper for inclusion of cricket in Asian Games CHENNAI, Oct 14: West Indies captain Carl Hooper today welcomed the news about the likely inclusion of cricket in the Doha Asian Games in 2006 saying it is good for the game. "It is good. There are some great cricketers in this part of the world," the Windies skipper said about the proposal after arriving at the airport here today. Hooper said he was "disappointed" with the performance of his team in the first test in Mumbai, in which West Indies suffered its first ever innings defeat to India, and asserted there will be some changes in the team for the second test beginning here on Thursday. "The second test is going to be tough, but we will take it as it comes," he said. Asked about the nature of the pitch at Chepauk Stadium, which has been refurbished, the West Indies skipper said he had to wait and see what was in store. The team will have net practice tomorrow. The Caribbeans will be playing their eighth test against India in Chennai from October 17 to 22 at the M A Chidambaram Stadium. The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association officials said eight members of the Indian team, including vice-captain Rahul Dravid, Zaheer Khan and Sanjay Bangar were scheduled to reach Chennai this evening while captain Saurav Ganguly and star batsman Sachin Tendulkar will arrive tomorrow morning. (PTI) |
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Pybus stresses making Pak players battle-hardened SHARJAH, Oct 14: Appealing to people back home to look at things in a proper perspective while reacting to their team’s humiliating defeat in the second test to Australia, Pakistan’s foreign coach Richard Pybus has stressed to make the national team battle-hardened. "I will ask people back in Pakistan to keep in perspective the age of the players, the amount of tests they have played and look at our opposition," Pybus told newspersons here yesterday. He pointed out that only recently the second best team in the world South Africa was grilled by Australia, losing five matches in six tests. "And the South African side is a much stronger side than ours. So it is a learning curve for our players, they are learning the literacy of test cricket. Give us time so that we can identify the players but this cannot be an overnight thing," he added. The 38-year-old Englishman also noted that some of the key players, who formed the nucleus of the Pakistan batting line up, were injured. Pybus pointed out, "if you have Younis at three, Youhana at four and Inzamam at five, this is a world class middle order. Look at the amount of the pressure on younis now because he knows he is looked at for runs. He has played just 23 tests and is the only one who has an average of over 40." He revealed that he had spoken to Pakistan Cricket Board chief Tauqir Zia yesterday. "I gave my perspective on the defeat. It was a very disappointing performance. But we can take positives from the debacle. "I told him about where we are now and that need an opportunity to work with the boys. I told him I am very confident that the future is very bright for Pakistan cricket. But we need to do things patiently." Pybus said to sort out the problems in the team, the board and selectors needed to play with a nucleus of players consistently. "I do not believe in reactive management. We need to have consistency. We need to make these players battle hardened." Pybus pointed out that one main reason for Australia’s strength was that their replacement players were all ready for test cricket. "that is not the case with Pakistan cricket. I would say more than anything that the defeat here has exposed the lack of depth in Pakistan cricket rather than the team." Asked what he thought about his own future after the stunning defeat and reports about Zia’s resignation, he said it would be up to the board. "I would like to think they will have the confidence in me to let me work with the team," he added. Pybus said it was disappointing to hear about Zia’s resignation. "It would be disturbing for the team. But I just hope that there is some reconsideration in that because things are shaping for Pakistan cricket. There are lot of positives coming out". "Saqlain was out of the team, now he is back and taking wickets. Shoaib is taking wickets so there are a lot of positives. All we need is to make these players battle-hardened." Pybus said he and the captain were looking to build on the performance in Colombo but were conscious of the fact that with the inexperience in the batting line up and the fact that we are playing the world champions, inarguably one of the greatest sides ever, they would have analysed our players who had success in the first test.’’ "It is a steep decline but in some respects it was not an unexpected one. When you look at the balance of the Pakistan batting line up and compare it with the Australian nine up then you see that their top seven have averages of over 40 to 45 in test cricket and our most experienced batter Younis Khan has is the only guy in the top six with over 40 average," he added. He insisted that some of the youngsters have done well, and the only way they can learn is by playing against the best in the world. "Your shortcomings are exposed and you build an individual stronger with a game plan." Pybus said due to injuries in the team, there might be couple of changes. He also made it clear that he and Waqar had been given a team by the selectors and they were working on it. "Before the first test nobody gave us a chance, we played well in the first test on the back of some individual performances. Then we were steamrolled in the second test by the Aussies," he added. (UNI) 14th Asian Games come to a close BUSAN, Oct 14: South Korea bade farewell today to athletes who had battled hard at the 14th Asian Games with a festive yet poignant ceremony full of music and dance and the message of starting a new life of unity and peace in the continent. The Asian Games flame was extinguished and the flag handed over to Doha, Qatar, where the next meet will be held in 2006, signalling the end of the continent’s biggest sporting extravaganza that was a trail blazer in many ways. After the hoisting of flags of the OCA, Qatar and the Republic of Korea, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, president of the OCA, declared the official closing of the games and presented a medal to Busan Mayor Ahn Sang-Young. "Family" was the central theme of ceremony, as the remaining athletes and sporting officials from the 44 member countries and territories of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) joined hands for one last gathering. The sportspersons, especially those from China which won a third of the 419 gold medals at stake, got a rousing welcome when they entered the stadium to join the gala show. The Busan Games, the first of the new millennium, was the largest in the history of the Asiads that began in 1951 at Delhi. More than 7,000 athletes and officials from 43 countries poured into the main Asiad Stadium, which had seen some remarkable performances during the last two weeks, to celebrate the culmination of a games that saw a major political breakthrough with North Korea crossing the border for the first time for a sporting event. Coloured fireworks lit up the night skies at the stroke of 1900 hrs local time (1530 hrs ist) as a parade of young women clad in modern versions of traditional courtly attire entered the stadium playing wood, leather and metal instruments. The closing ceremony symbolically focused on lighting up the road that all athletes will take on the way home. Traditional Korean drums and flutes heralded the prelude of the festivities with hundreds of children and their mothers, members of the "Duria" family, representing 3.7 billion Asians, joining the show. A cheerful musical concert followed to celebrate the family of unity that was participated in by all the athletes. A famous sanctuary for migratory birds, Busan showed its generosity and hospitability to visitors through the pageant that unfolded at the ceremony. Athletes and officials entered hand-in-hand, not separated by nationality as in the opening ceremony, but behind banners bearing the names of the 38 sports in which they participated during the past 16 days of competition. The sound of a boat whistle filled the ground signifying it was time to leave. At the signal, all members of the Duria family began to rise welcoming the morrow’s sun, its rays spreading glorious beams of hope for the Asian region. Finally, as the asiad
flame dimmed and darkness fell upon the crowd, a woman
representing a Korean mother praying for the safety of
her departing children knelt next to the giant torch, and
the sounds of foghorns filled the stadium, symbolizing
the vessels, bearing athletes from across the continent,
that will soon be departing this port city. (UNI) |
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