Indian
riders eye bronze
BANGKOK,
Dec 10:
India looked assured of at least a bronze medal
in the three-day event of the Asian Games
equestrian competition as they were lying last
after the second day’s cross country leg
with only three teams left in the fray at the
Fort Adison Riding Club grounds in Saraburi
today.
The Indian trio of
Imtiaz Anees, Amlokjit Singh and Rajesh Pattu had
accumulated 247.00 penalty points, after the
dressage and cross country events, but they
cannot nurse any hopes of a higher placing as
leaders Thailand had only 171.40 points with
second-placed Japan having logged 174.60 points.
However, the three
Indian riders - after the fourth rider Palwinder
Singh astride ‘Nector’ was eliminated
-were lying well beyond medal reach. Amlokjit
Singh on ‘smart’ was placed tenth with
76.40 penalty points, accumulating 8.40 points
today to the 68.00 points he had after the
dressage event.
Imtiaz Annes
astride ‘Mirza’ was 12th with 82.40
penalty points (67.20 and 15.20) while the third
rider Rajesh Pattu on his mount ‘Ringo’
was behind him with 88.20 penalty points after a
fluent round which saw him complete today’s
round without logging any penalty points.
The points of
three best riders are taken for the team
placings. (PTI)
Hooligan-free
zone, mascot abuse, cash flow
problems at Asian Games
BANGKOK,
Dec 10: To
ensure Soccer hooliganism doesn’t mar the
Asian Games, only ticket holders will be allowed
to enter one of the major sports complexes during
soccer games especially when Thailand is playing.
Thus far, football
competition has proceeded with few problems,
although players from Thailand and Qatar
exchanged punches and kicks in a
"friendly" pre-games match.
But just to be
sure, organisers will be barring non-ticket
holders from the Hua Mark Sports Complex, where
Soccer events are being staged at the Rajamangala
National Stadium.
Mascot abuse: The
elephant mascot of the Asian Games,
Chai-Yo, is being
cuddled by fans and held high by medal winners at
the victory podiums.
But off the
playing fields, it’s a far different story
for the real thing. Thailand’s prime icon,
the elephant, is being sorely abused as it
lumbers closer to extinction.
Its numbers have
plunged from as many as 300,000 at the turn of
the century to at best 3,000 domesticated animals
and some 1,400 in the wild.
Once invaluable in
transport and forest logging, domesticated
elephants and their keepers struggle to find
jobs, sometimes ending up begging in the polluted
streets of Bangkok.
Others slave for
illegal loggers, who feed them amphetamines and
sometimes hack at them with knives to keep them
working. Wild elephants are poached and confined
to increasingly smaller areas.
Meanwhile at the
Asian Games, stuffed "Chai-Yos" are
being sold by the thousands, and each medal
winner gets one as a souvenir.
"To people in
Asia, this loving creature has been so helpful
that it has become a symbol of tender respect and
proud prestige," says a public relations
release from the organisers.
Royal Ram: An
upcountry man has been charged with reckless
driving and tested for alcohol after the van he
was driving rammed into a limousine carrying
Japan’s Prince Tomohito, police said today.
Thailand’s
top police officer, Gen Pracha Promnok, went to
apologise to the prince, a cousin of emperor
Akihito, after the accident Wednesday.
According to
police spokesman Maj. Gen. Chatchawan Suksomjit,
the van driver hit the front right-hand side of
the Limousine as it was heading out of an
expressway toll plaza.
There were no
injuries and damage to the prince’s
Limousine was reportedly minor.
The accident
occurred as the prince was being driven in a
police-escorted motorcade from a downtown hotel
to an Asian Games sports venue.
Chatchawan said
the van driver, Cherdchai Pimpakham, 27, of
Kalasin province, was booked for reckless
driving. Police were awaiting results of an
alcohol level test.
No Asian crisis at
Asian Games: Asia’s economic crisis
doesn’t appear to have stopped fans from
digging into their pocketbooks: Organisers say
ticket sales are already 10 million baht 278,000
dollars) ahead of target.
Sales have been
especially brisk for soccer, volleyball,
basketball and badminton.
Keattisak
Wongpanich, an official with the ticketing
committee, says students are flocking to the
stadiums rather than taking advantage of a
two-week holiday during the games to travel out
of town.
"It does not
appear as though the current economic problems
being experienced in Thailand and throughout the
region have affected ticket sales,"
Keattisak said.
Free entry to a
number of sports competition is also helping to
fill stadiums, while students are being offered
tickets for as little as 10 baht (28 US cents).
Internet overload:
The Asian Games official home page on the
Internet has taken more than 1 million hits,
forcing organisers to add a fourth server.
"We added one
more server after we found out that the ones we
provided were not enough," said Suphachai
Chongsiri, Chairman of the games’
information technology sub-committee.
The official
Website www.Asiangames.Th provides results of
competition as well as information on schedules,
venues, participating countries and Asian Games
sports.
Cash flow: The
good news for Thailand is that its athletes are
winning medals at the Asian Game in greater than
expected numbers.
The bad news is
that the cash-strapped Thai Government will have
to shell out more bonus money to winners than was
anticipated. It forked over a first slice of 9
million baht (250,000 dollars) yesterday.
Hoping to improve
on its miserly medal haul at the last Asian Games
in 1994, the Government agreed to pay 1 million
baht (27,778 dollars) to each gold medal winner.
Silver medalists will receive 300,000 baht (8,333
dollars) and winners of bronze medals collect
200,000 baht (5,556 dollars).
Thailand’s
tally for the first four days is already four
golds, seven silvers and 11 bronzes. And there
are still 11 days to go.
While local fans
will be cheering their soccer team, some
Government officials might not prove as
enthusiastic.
A gold medal in
soccer would deplete the coffers by another 22
million baht (611,111 dollars). (AP)
J&K
Bank lifts Sher-e-Kashmir Football Cup
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU,
Dec 10: Jammu and Kashmir Bank lifted the
Ist All India Sher-e-Kashmir Football Cup
defeating Young Stars XI 2-0 in the final played
at Mini Stadium, here today.
The tournament in
which 24 teams from the state and outside
participated was organised by the Sher-e-Kashmir
People’s Association.
In the
today’s final, Young Stars gave a gallant
fight to the professionals J&K Bank team
before losing the final by two goals to nil in
the last movements of the match. The first half
of the final was barren as both teams played an
equally well game leaving no chance for opponents
to make any goal.
But in the second
half, J&K Bank dominated the field forcing
Young Stars to remain in defending position
around their goal area. The J&K Bank using
their experience put the best stuff in the field
when they replaced Shahnaz, Firoz and Samar
Farooq with Rajesh, Tazumil and Arun soon after
the beginning of the second half.
Young Stars also
made two changes putting in Satpal and Rahmat in
place of Vishrpa and Sanju to fill the vacuum.
Center forward
Rajesh Kumar, who came in the second half proved
disastrous for the Young Stars. He was the man,
who kicked in both the goals in the 76th and 79th
minute of the match making it 2-0. Manoj Kumar
played an important role in Rajesh’s
success, giving him two timely cross passes.
Jammu and Kashmir
Governor, Mr Girish Chander Saxena was the chief
guest in the final, who also gave away winners
and runners-up trophies, besides mementos to
distinguished personalities.
Speaking on the
occasion, the Governor, called upon the youth to
take maximum endeavors in sports which would have
an effective tool in making national integration
as reality. He said that continued involvement of
players in the sports can act as a beacon to the
younger generation in showing spirit of
sportsmanship.
Mr Saxena further
said, "the championship which is associated
with the name of Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammed
Abdullah also reminds us of the role he played in
strengthening the bonds of communal harmony and
national integration".
The chief guest
appreciated the organising committee for making
the championship a grand success. The organising
committee included Messrs. S M Gill, David Masih,
Feastus Sotra, Jusef Don, S A Hamid, Shiv Paul, V
K Magotra, S A Harmid, Dr Nirmolak Singh, Kuldeep
Singh, Azaz Kazmi, Arun Sharma, Waris Gill
(Advocate), Sheikh Mehmood Ahmed, Ilyas Teli,
Deepak Honda, Dr Vikram Honda, Raju Sandu, Virgis
Gill, G R Waza, Master Saleem, Saudhagar Mattoo,
Peter Sandu.
Among others, who
attended the function were Minister for Health
Education, Dr Mustafa Kamal, Director General
Youth Services and Sports, Mr S S Ali and
president Sher-e-Kashmir People’s
Association, Mr S M Gill.
Messrs Nazir
Ahmed, David Masih, Harbans Lal, Abdul Mazid were
referees in the final. Pashori Lal, Sadhu Ram,
Prem Chand, Kamal Singh, Francs Bhatti and Kamal
Singh.
Meanwhile, in a
separate handout issued here, Jammu and Kashmir
Bank Chairman, Mr M Y Khan congratulated the
whole team for winning the trophy and hoped that
the team will come with flying colour in the
other tournaments also.
Commerce
College enters Cricket semi-finals
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU,
Dec 10: SPMR College of Commerce today
entered the semi-finals defeating Degree College,
Poonch by two wickets in the ongoing
Inter-College Cricket Tournament being played at
Jammu University grounds, here.
Earlier, Commerce
College bowlers bowled a good spell of overs and
stalled Poonch innings at 174 runs in the 34th
over of 40 overs match.
No doubt, Poonch
after winning the toss made a good start, but the
openers could not maintain the tempo and went to
the pavilion with 12 (5) and 10 runs
respectively. Tarlochan Singh (37) and Maqsood
Ahmed (59) added valuable 52 runs for the fifth
wicket partnership. Maqsood Ahmed’s 59 came
in just 49 deliveries with the help of a six and
seven boundaries.
From Commerce
College, Amitya took three wickets for 32 runs,
while Sanjay, Tajbir Singh and Karan Singh got
two wickets each.
Later, chasing an
easy total of 175 runs, Commerce College batsmen
achieved the target in the 38th over for the loss
of eight wickets.
Amit Singh 41 (41)
blasted the Poonch bowlers in his short stay on
the wicket, hitting one big six and five
boundaries. Vikrant and Dheeraj contributed 38
and 21 runs respectively, while Sanjay made 27
runs.
From Poonch
College, Tarlochan Singh was the highest wicket
taker with four for 41. While, Maqsood and
Tajinder Singh clinched two wickets each.
Tomorrow’s
fixture: Post Graduate Department will take on
Government Medical College for the semi-final
berth.
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