Daily Excelsior.........sports

Indians raring to
go against all odds

ATHENS, Aug 12: India’s top athletes will not only need the mental toughness to defy a depressing history but a spark of inspiration as they seek to boost the measly medal collection in the Olympic arena when the 28th edition of the games begin here tomorrow..............more

Anju has capacity
to win medal

By K M Beenamol

As a youngster, when I first started out in athletics, it was a dream to go to the Olympics. And here I am about to leave for my third Olympic Games...............more

Archery: Indian women
team ranked 5th, Korea
break record

ATHENS, Aug 12: Indian women put up a commendable show to be ranked fifth in the 15 team field in the ranking round of the archery competition here today.................more

Sangakkara, Jayasuriya
put Lanka in control

COLOMBO, Aug 12: Kumar Sangakkara’s third double century and two late wickets from Sanath Jayasuriya left Sri Lanka in control of the second .....more

Kabaddi Asso
releases calendar

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 12: Jammu and Kashmir Amateur Kabaddi Association has released its annual domestic calendar of activities for the coming season beginning with two-day Srinagar.............more

J&K Bank to meet
Iqbal Sports in
soccer final

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Aug 12: Jammu and Kashmir Bank today reached the final of ongoing 3rd Iqbal memorial football tournament beating SRTC XI by a solitary goal............more

Sports mela held

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Aug 12: Jammu and Kashmir National Sports Club organised a sports festival in collaboration with mini-golf association, here..........more

3rd Tour de Kashmir cycling meet on September 11

Excelsior Sports Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Aug 12: The Jammu & Kashmir Cycling Association Kashmir Wing is.......more

Indians raring to go against all odds

The Indians have managed just 14 medals, including eight golds brought by the hockey team, in the 104-year history of modern Olympics and it appears extremely unlikely that they would be able to make much of a ripple in the world’s biggest sporting extravaganza which returns to its place of birth.

There have been some notable performers but their heroics have largely been overshadowed by the repeated failures, raising doubts about India’s ability to make a mark at the highest level.

The last time India won a gold medal was in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 thanks to the hockey team but more than two decades have past with no signs of any addition to the gold medal tally.

India has fielded a 75-member contingent for the games this time around but any hopes of a medal would largely depend on ace long jumper Anju Bobby George and the tennis duo of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi. The hockey team and the shooters have an outside chance of a medal but it remains to be seen whether they actually make it to the podium.

In the next two weeks, over 12,000 athletes from 202 nations will battle for glory in 37 disciplines with USA, Russia and China expected to maintain their supremacy in the first Olympics of the millennium.

With only the opening ceremony scheduled for tomorrow, the competitive action will unfold on Saturday with the Indians launching their campaign in badminton, rowing, shooting, weightlifting, table tennis and tennis in the next couple of days.

The Athens-bound athletes had an extensive build-up to the games with a number of exposure trips abroad but it remains to be seen whether the months of training could translate into a medal.

Star shooter Anjali Bhagwat, who has some creditable performances last year, will be on view on Saturday in the women’s 10 m air rifle event alongwith Suma Shirur in a competition which was expected to be dominated by traditional powerhouses South Korea and China.

Manavjit Singh Sandhu and Mansher Singh will also test their shooting skills with the men’s trap qualifications scheduled on the opening day of competitions.

The three Indians shuttlers — Aparna Popat, Abhinn Shyam Gupta and Nikhil Kanetkar — get into the act at the Galatsi Olympic hall and would be more than satisfied if they can put it across their first round opponents in an event where India has absolutely no chance of a medal.

As per the draw, world number 27 Popat will take on African champion and 64th ranked Michelle Edwards of South Africa in the first round of the women’s singles event. Kanetkar will play top Spanish shuttler Sergio Llopis while Gupta will have to face World No 16 Tae Sang Park of Korea in the opening round of the men’s singles.

The 36-year-old Kunjarani Revi, who is the oldest competitor in the weightlifting arena, will attempt to add a medal to India’s paltry Olympic collection at the Nikaia hall with competitions in the women’s 48 kg category scheduled on the opening day.

Kunjarani, currently ranked 10th in the world, is said to be the main medal prospect for the country despite the four-member team including Sydney bronze medal-winner Karnam Malleswari who will take part in the 63 kg category this time.

The two Indian paddlers — Mouma Das and Sharath Kamal — will also begin their campaign on Saturday with their priorities being to overcome the first hurdle.

The Indian hockey team, seeking to regain its lost glory, face their toughest match when they clash with defending champions the Netherlands in their opening Group-B match at the Helliniko Olympic complex on Sunday.

Hockey has been the gold-provider for India in the Olympics so far, but going by the baffling preparations and dismal show by the team in recent times, a podium finish appears extremely remote.

The unceremonious sacking of chief coach Rajinder Singh just a few weeks before the mega event may have surprised many, particularly when the Indian Hockey Federation had reposed faith on him just before the four-nation tournament in Germany.

New coach Gerhard Rach of Germany has promised an improved performance from the team and has even gone to the extent of saying that it has the potential of becoming the number one team. But for that to happen, the team needs to show the desired consistency.

Although the team has done hardly anything noteworthy to be considered a medal bet, it will be purely for emotional reasons that the focus will be more on them than other athletes who will do duty in Athens.

The team has a blend of experience and youth with stalwars like Dhanraj Pillay and Baljit Singh Dhillon in the squad but they need to produce that old magic in what would definitely be their last Olympics.

The poor form of Gagan Ajit Singh, Devesh Chauhan and some others have been a worrying factor for the coaching staff which also includes Oliver Kurtz of Germany and Jagbir Singh.

Group B also Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina. Securing a place in the semi-finals should be the first priority of the team which managed to earn a berth for the Olympics by finishing fourth behind Pakistan in the Madrid qualifying tournament in mid-March this year.

The showpiece athletic events are scheduled to begin from August 18 and ace long jumper Anju Bobby George will be the cynosure of all Indian eyes.

With a bronze medal in the World athletic championship in Paris last year, the 27-year-old Anju will be India’s main medal hope in the games having made her presence felt in the world arena.

Anju, who will be the flag bearer of the Indian contingent, is currently ranked fourth in the world and is hoping to peak at the right time — her event scheduled just a couple of days before the closing ceremony.

In the tune-up to the Athens games, Anju has cleared over 6.80m twice, 6.82 and 6.83m to be precise at Doha, Qatar and at Eugene, Oregon, but both the efforts were wind-assisted.

With a best effort of 6.66 m this year without the help of wind, the national record holder (6.74 m) has relied on an extensive training abroad to fulfill a long cherished dream of winning an Olympic medal.

The tennis duo of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, re-uniting on the court after a gap of nearly two years, have raised hopes of a medal after winning a super series title in Toronto on August 1, proving that the magic and the chemistry between the two estranged stars was still intact.

The pair has a realistic chance of claiming a medal if they display the same form that has helped them to win 23 titles on the tour when the tennis events begin on Sunday.

Leander, ranked 20th in doubles, had clinched the bronze medal in the Atlanta Olympics, and would be eager to add one more medal to his collection in what could turn out to be his third and last Olympics. (PTI)

Anju has capacity to win medal

By K M Beenamol

As a youngster, when I first started out in athletics, it was a dream to go to the Olympics. And here I am about to leave for my third Olympic Games.

And that too competing in an Olympic Games in Athens, where it all began in 1896 and before that centuries ago, is indeed a great feeling.

Four years ago in Sydney, I was able to make the semi-final grade, but this time I hope I can go one better. I have prepared well, and I feel that at this level, experience also counts a lot. Having competed in two Olympic Games besides Asian Games and other major meets before, I have the experience to handle the pressures.

A lot of athletes call me ‘didi’ out of respect, but I really do not feel so senior. I am merely a participant like the juniormost and feel honoured to be at such a mega sports festival.

Our preparations have been good. We have had some foreign coaches, a few exposure meets at home and abroad and we are fighting fit. We have been training in Kiev, which has a climate similar to Athens, which is warm, and that should be helpful. We have had two sessions of ctraining and the food has been made to our liking and at the same taking care that they also give us the right proportions of it as a team doctor has been looking after diet.

At Athens, our athletics team is going with a lot of hopes, probably the best since a long time.. Anju George is certainly our best chance in women’s long jump. Ranked among the best in the world, she has the capacity to beat anyone in the world. She has the build, has had the right kind of support from her husband, Bobby George, and she has competed all over the world. I am really happy for her, since I know how bad she felt at having missed on Sydney Olympics due to injury.

Anju is so keen on making it big here, that she has been very focused and has just one goal in mind – a medal from Athens Olympics.

All we need now is to hope that she can get the perfect jump and get Indian athletics a medal.

We also have good hopes from women’s discus throwers, where we have three athletes, Neelam Jaswant Singh, Seema Antil and Harwant Kaur. They are all capable of getting into the finals.

I am hoping for a good run in 400m, and I feel we also have a great chance in the 4 x 400m relay where we have girls all capable of running below 52 seconds and even faster. With good teamwork and determination, we can do something noteworthy.

I must admit it is a great feeling to have my brother, KM Binu (400m) also competing here. He was there in the Busan Asian Games and both of us got medals, and our family were very proud of us. Now both of us going to Olympics is even bigger and we would like to be memorable, too. Binu has been in good form and can come close to 45.5 seconds.

I hope other athletes like Vikas Gowda and Anil Kumar in men’s discus and our two heptathletes, JJ SHobha and Soma Biswas are also in god form and capable of putting up a great show.

All in all, I expect this team’s performance to be the best best-ever in athletics at any Olympics and if it includes a medal or two, it will be fantastic.(TCM)

Sangakkara, Jayasuriya put Lanka in control

COLOMBO, Aug 12: Kumar Sangakkara’s third double century and two late wickets from Sanath Jayasuriya left Sri Lanka in control of the second Test against South Africa after the second day today.

Sangakkara, who started the day on 157 having come to the crease in the first over of the match, scored 232 from 357 balls, hitting 31 fours and one six during an innings that spanned nearly nine hours.

Sri Lanka were finally bowled out for 470 at tea while South Africa closed on 116 for three after left-arm spinner Jayasuriya took two late wickets for the hosts, who are without the injured Test wicket record holder Muttiah Muralitharan.

"Losing two wickets in one over was a setback," South Africa coach Eric Simons said. "It is a bit of a blow for us but it’s the way the game goes."

"We now have to be positive and put some partnerships together tomorrow."

After toiling all day in the field in sweltering conditions, South Africa began their innings poorly when left-armer Chaminda Vaas struck in the first over, trapping Herschelle Gibbs LBW for a golden duck with a perfectly pitched inswinger.

Captain Graeme Smith (49 not out) and Martin Van Jaarsveld then compiled a 108-run second-wicket stand before Jayasuriya broke through with his second ball just before the close as Van Jaarsveld mistimed a drive and was caught at short cover for 51. Two balls later, Jayasuriya bowled nightwatchman Nicky Boje with a delivery that spun back through the gate to swing the initiative back to the hosts.

"At 100 for one I have to admit I was thinking, ‘gosh, it would be nice to grab a couple’, but Sunny (Sanath Jayasuriya) came on and, as he often does, he nibbled a couple out," said Sri Lanka coach John Dyson.

"He has also shown in those three overs that if you bowl the right (line) and pace on that pitch there is a bit of turn there and hopefully there will be more and more of that."

Earlier, Sangakkara had completed the fourth highest Test score against South Africa after Australia’s Don Bradman (299), England’s Eddie Paynter (243) and Mahela Jayawardene’s 237 in the first Test.

The 26-year-old, dropped on 57 at first slip by Jaques Kallis at slip on day one, was let off on 177 when Shaun Pollock was unable to hold a difficult one-handed return catch.

Sangakkara added 76 with Thilan Samaraweera (21) for the fifth wicket in the morning after the early loss of nightwatchman Vaas (10), who edged to slip.

But Samaraweera’s fall six minutes before lunch, as he top-edged a hook and was caught on the fence, sparked a lower order collapse with five wickets falling for 45 runs.

Tillakaratne Dilshan (three) was snapped up at slip off Shaun Pollock, Romesh Kaluwitharana (seven) edged to the wicketkeeper and then Sangakkara was caught at slip off Pollock.

Rangana Herath then chopped a Makhaya Ntini delivery on to leave the hosts on 437 for nine before Upul Chandana frustrated South Africa with a useful cameo of 40, adding 33 runs for the last wicket with Lasith Malinga.

Pollock finished with four for 81 from 30 overs of probing and intelligent swing bowling. (AGENCIES)

SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka first innings

M Atapattu c Boucher b Pollock 4

S Jayasuriya lbw b Boje 43

K Sangakkara c Kallis b Pollock 232

M Jayawardene b Ntini 82

C Vaas c Van Jaarsveld b Pollock 10

T Samaraweera c Ntini b Kallis 21

T Dilshan c Kallis b Pollock 3

R Kaluwitharana c Boucher b Hayward 7

U Chandana st Boucher c Boje 40

R Herath b Ntini 7

L Malinga not out 6

Extras (lb-6 nb-8 w-1) 15

Total (all out, 142.3 overs) 470

Fall of wickets: 1-4 2-99 3-291 4-316 5-392 6-399 7-416 8-418 9-437

Bowling: S Pollock 30-8-81-4 (nb-5), M Ntini 33-6-108-2 (nb-2 w-1), N Hayward 17-4-75-1 (nb-1), J Kallis 17-6-54-1, N Boje 34.3-5-102-2, J Rudolph 4-0-16-0, M Van Jaarsveld 7-0-28-0.

South Africa first innings

G Smith not out 49

H Gibbs lbw Vaas 0

M Van Jaarsveld c

Sangakkara b Jayasuriya 51

N Boje b Jayasuriya 0

J Kallis not out 4

Extras (lb-8 nb-4) 12

Total (for three wickets, 37 overs) 116

Fall of wickets: 1-1 2-109 3-109

Bowling (to date): Vaas 7-3-10-1, Malinga 8-1-33-0 (nb-4), Herath 11-1-39-0, Chandana 6-0-21-0, Dilshan 2-0-3-0, Jayasuriya 3-2-2-2. (AGENCIES)