The dynamic duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty left a lasting impression, but Lakshya Sen's meltdown in the Paris Olympics' bronze medal match was frustration at its peak in a bitter-sweet season for Indian badminton during which moments of brilliance were often overshadowed by heartbreaks. It was both the best and worst of times for Satwik and Chirag, who reached four finals and won two titles, raising hopes for a historic Olympic medal. However, their campaign ended in disappointment with a quarterfinal exit in Paris. The Asian Games champions solidified their status as one of the world's top pairs with titles at the French Open Super 750 and Thailand Super 500 and runners-up finishes at the Malaysia Super 1000 and India Super 750 but the Olympics remained an elusive dream for the second time in eight years. The heartbreaking loss saw their Danish coach Mathias Boe resign but the return of Malaysia's Tan Kim Her, who is credited with bringing Satwik and Chirag together, by the end of the year, provided a much-needed boost. For Sen, it was a case of so near and yet so far. He was the beacon of hope for India at Paris. His journey to the semifinals at the French Open and All England Champions early in the year revived his sagging form and reignited dreams of a maiden Olympic medal. However, the 23-year-old from Almora fell agonisingly short in the bronze medal match at the Olympics, a loss that will weigh heavily on him for a good amount of time. After a challenging return to the circuit, Sen's title win at the Syed Modi International offered optimism for the upcoming season. Disappointment was also in store for PV Sindhu, India's two-time Olympic medallist, who endured another challenging year in 2024. Chasing the holy grail of lost form, Sindhu made multiple changes to her coaching staff and moved base to Bengaluru at the end of last year to train under the legendary Prakash Padukone but early exits from tournaments continued, highlighting her struggles with form and fitness. Sindhu showed flashes of her brilliance, reaching the Malaysia Masters final but her dream of an Olympic treble was dashed following a pre-quarterfinal exit, marking her first medal-less campaign in eight years. The 29-year-old from Hyderabad, however, closed her season on a high by clinching the Syed Modi International title and is all set to tie the nuptial knot by the end of this month. For HS Prannoy, the season was one of perseverance and adversity. While his compatriots fell to superior opponents, Prannoy struggled with his health once again. Battling a relapse of a nagging gut-related issue and a bout of chikungunya just ahead of the Olympics, the determined shuttler managed to reach the knockout stages in Paris, albeit far from his best. Indian shuttlers' medal-less show at the Olympics prompted a disappointed Padukone, the 1980 former All England champion, to call for greater accountability from the players. Ashwini-Tanisha, Gayatri-Treesa show promise The two women's doubles pairs -- Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto, and Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly -- delivered promising performances that kept Indian badminton's momentum intact. Ashwini and Tanisha's qualification for the Paris Olympics was nothing short of miraculous, considering their modest ranking at the start of the year. While they exited early in Paris, their title win at the Guwahati Masters reinforced the belief in their partnership. Gayatri and Treesa, on the other hand, overcame the disappointment of missing Olympic qualification to claim their maiden Super 300 title at the Syed Modi International. Their qualification for the World Tour Finals capped a breakthrough year. Emerging talents hold promise for future While they may not yet be on the level of established stars like PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal, several young shuttlers have shown promising performances, signalling a bright future for Indian badminton. Among the rising talents, Anmol Kharb and Tanvi Sharma stood out. National champion Anmol played a crucial role in India's historic gold medal win at the Asian Team Championships and reached the final of the Guwahati Masters, highlighting her growing potential. Tanvi, the national runner-up, also made her mark with a maiden final appearance at the Super 100 Odisha Masters, where Rithvik Sanjeevi Satish Kumar claimed his first BWF title. Other promising players such as Arundhati Reddy, Devika Sihag, Isharani Baruah, Ashmita Chaliha, Malvika Bansod, and Tanvi Patri also held out hope for the future. Malvika, in particular, impressed with fearless performances against higher-ranked opponents, finishing as the runner-up at the Hylo Open Super 300. Para shuttlers shine at Paris Kumar Nitish led India's para shuttlers to an outstanding performance at the Paris Paralympics, securing five medals, including a gold, two silvers, and two bronzes, marking the country's best-ever showing at the Games. Although five-time world champion and defending gold-medallist Pramod Bhagat's suspension by Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) due to a whereabouts clause failure was a setback, Nitish rose to the challenge, clinching gold in the SL3 category and retaining the title for India. Other medalists included Suhas Yathiraj (silver, SL4), Thulasimathi Murugesan (silver, SU5), Manisha Ramadass (silver, SU5), and Nithya Sre Sivan (bronze, SH6), who all contributed in keeping India's flag flying high in Paris. (With agency inputs)
20 December,2024 02:18 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has been told to secure government clearance before confirming participation in the FIH Junior World Cup scheduled in India at the end of next year. PHF Secretary-General Rana Mujahid said the team would require a No Objection Certificate from the federal government for the national squad to travel for the FIH event to be held in December of 2025. "Normally we have always been permitted by our government to play in major events in India in recent years despite the strained relations between the two countries. But now we have been informed to first get clearance before finalising the team and confirming participation," he told the media here. The Pakistan junior team was unable to take part in the junior World Cup held in Lucknow in December 2016 after the players were not issued visas because of late submission of applications. Also Read: India’s denial of NOC to travel to Pakistan costs hosting rights for major tournament: Report Pakistan qualified for the event after finishing runners-up in the Asia Cup held in Oman recently. The Green shirts lost the continental final to India 3-5. "The Junior World Cup is important for us as we intend to build a strong senior squad which can qualify for the next World Cup and Olympics, something we have not done for the last two editions of the summer games," Mujahid said. According to the PHF secretary, the national senior hockey championship would be held in Karachi from December 27 to January 8. He also spoke about the financial woes of the PHF but said the situation had improved and the federation had recently cleared outstanding daily allowances and other dues of senior and junior team players and officials. "The government is supporting us and we are hopeful the Sindh government will also release our annual grant soon." (With agency inputs)
20 December,2024 02:10 PM IST | Lahore | mid-day online correspondentValtteri Bottas will return to Mercedes as its reserve driver for next year, the Formula 1 team said Thursday. Bottas won 10 races over five seasons at Mercedes as Lewis Hamilton's teammate from 2017-21. He did not score a point this season with Sauber and the team replaced him and Zhou Guanyu with a new lineup of the experienced Nico Hulkenberg and Brazilian newcomer Gabriel Bortoleto, ahead of rebranding as the Audi works team in 2026. Also read: Abu Dhabi GP: Valtteri Bottas tops Practice Two from Lewis Hamilton at F1 finale Bottas' return to Mercedes was made possible after Mick Schumacher, son of seven-time champion Michael Schumacher, moved on from his Mercedes reserve driver role after two years. "I'm happy to finally answer the question I've posed over the past month," the 35-year-old Finn said. "Returning home to the Mercedes family as third driver for 2025 is what's next and I couldn't be more pleased. Despite the challenges of the past few years, I know that I've still got so much more to contribute to F1." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 December,2024 02:05 PM IST | London | AP | PTIIn a crucial Pro Kabaddi League Season 11 encounter, Patna Pirates secured their playoff berth with a 41-37 victory over Telugu Titans at the Balewadi Sports Complex on Tuesday. The win was marked by exceptional defensive performances from skipper Ankit Jaglan and Deepak, who both achieved High 5s, while raider Devank continued his impressive form with another Super 10. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Patna Pirates' coach Narender Redhu spoke on how the team's early-season struggles shaped their journey to the playoffs. “Throughout the league stage, we lost several matches by narrow margins – just one or two points – due to small mistakes,” Redhu reflected. “But making it to the playoffs is a moment of great joy for the entire team.” The Pirates' defensive unit has been a cornerstone of their success. Ankit Jaglan and Deepak have four High 5s each, while Shubham Shinde has three. This defensive stability, combined with strategic raiding, has been key to their playoff qualification. The coach highlighted this strategic approach against the Telugu Titans, particularly in containing their star raider Pawan. “Our primary focus was to stop Pawan early in the game. We knew if we could control him, the match would remain competitive,” Redhu explained. The strategy paid off as the Pirates' defence executed crucial Super Tackles at key moments. Also Read: PKL season 11’s young Marathi stars take centre-stage as league heads to Pune for final leg A standout moment in the match came through the combined efforts of Ankit and Deepak, whose Super Tackles proved to be the turning point. Redhu was particularly effusive in his praise for the defensive trio, stating he was “at a loss for words” to describe their performance in the crucial Super Tackle situations. Devank's performance drew special attention, as he shouldered the raiding responsibilities when the team's other raiders weren't at their best. His ability to handle pressure and secure points consistently throughout the match proved crucial in the Pirates' victory. As they look ahead to the playoffs, coach Redhu remained cautious about revealing their strategies but emphasized that the team would approach each match with fresh planning and execution. "Every match is different, and we'll continue to adapt our strategies accordingly," he concluded. Previews for the matches on December 20 Two-time PKL champions Jaipur Pink Panthers will look to continue their push for a playoff sport when they face the Bengal Warriorz. While the Pink Panthers have shown excellent form this season led by the raid machine Arjun Deshwal, the Warriorz have been inconsistent. A win will take the Jaipur Pink Panthers into a playoff spot but the Bengal Warriorz will hope to rain on their parade. In Match 2 on Friday, the Puneri Paltan will take on Telugu Titans in a very important battle for a top six spot. The Paltan have been inconsistent this season but all eyes will be on Akash Shinde and co, while the Titans are desperately seeking to turn their campaign around after a disappointing loss to the Patna Pirates in their last game. Matches on Friday Match 1 – Jaipur Pink Panthers vs Bengal Warriorz – 8 pm Match 2 – Puneri Paltan vs Telugu Titans – 9 pm This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 December,2024 01:32 PM IST | Pune | AgenciesThe Mumbai Schools Sports Association’s (MSSA) Annual Athletics Meet which concluded on Wednesday at the University Pavilion, Marine Lines, has brought to light infrastructure issues hurting the aspirations of young athletes. While there were many record breaking highlights of the three-day meet, the crack-ridden, uneven and worn out synthetic athletics track bang in the centre of the venue stuck out like a sore thumb. Runners concerned Fortunately, there were no serious injuries reported by the athletes, who did not hold back to express their disappointment. The fastest runner of the event, U-16 100m gold medallist Abhigyan Nikam of Vasant Vihar (Thane) said he feared injury and was advised not to go all out. “When we went to place our starting blocks for the 200m race, they were not steady because they could not grip the surface of the worn-out track. My coach told me not to go all out as any injury would hamper my SSC exams which are not too far away. I consider myself fortunate to have won the race,” Abhigyan told mid-day on Wednesday. Madhavi Yadav of Mary Immaculate (Borivli), who won bronze medals in the girls U-14 100m and 200m events couldn’t agree more. “Firstly, I had a bad start to my races because the uneven surface meant that my starting blocks were not appropriately fixed. Then, nearing the finish, in the last 50 metres, I struggled with my spikes across the uneven surface,” said Madhavi. The coaches were upset too. Ajit Kulkarni, who trains athletes at the Mumbai Suburban district level elaborated, “These kids are the future of our sport, but leave aside world-class infrastructure, it’s sad to see that they are not even provided basic sporting infrastructure in a mega city like Mumbai. Some of my athletes have participated at events in Pune and Odisha, and the infrastructure there was so good that it played on their minds long after the event got over, inspiring them to work harder for the next competition.” Esmero Figueiredo, Honorary Secretary of MSSA admitted the facility was poor, “We are glad that the University Pavilion officials gave us permission to host our athletics meet here. Unfortunately, we did not realise that the track would be so bad. Last year, we paid them R80,000 to paint the track for our four-day meet and the track was in much better condition,” said Figueiredo. Waiting for clearance Sports Director of the University Pavilion, Dr Manoj Reddy, told mid-day that the renovation of the venue will happen soon. “I have just taken charge in September. In July, a Police Recruitment drive for women was conducted here and that got stretched to August. This event may have been a reason the ground has not been maintained. I understand that MSSA is an important tournament for the children of Mumbai. I have received quotations for the refurbishment of the track and have forwarded the same to the higher authorities. We are awaiting the government’s approval to begin the work,” said Dr Reddy.
20 December,2024 08:10 AM IST | Mumbai | Rufus VedanayagamAustralian tennis great Neale Fraser was honoured with a state funeral on Wednesday with Roger Federer among those paying tribute to him. Fraser, a former World No. 1 and winner of 19 Grand Slam titles during the amateur era, died aged 91 earlier this month. Australian former tennis players Lleyton Hewitt, Todd Woodbridge and John Fitzgerald were among the mourners at a service at Melbourne’s St Patrick’s Cathedral. Fitzgerald read out a letter from Swiss legend Federer to Fraser’s widow Thea. “Neale was a true legend. I always enjoyed his company when we met around the world,” wrote Federer. Fraser won three major singles titles and 16 Grand Slam doubles crowns. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
19 December,2024 06:21 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesHosts India will face arch-rivals Pakistan in the opening match of the inaugural kho kho World Cup on January 13, the organisers announced on Wednesday. As many as 24 countries have confirmed their participation in the week-long event (January 13-19), which will be organised at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in the national capital and at the Noida Indoor Stadium. “The league matches will start on January 13. There will be an opening ceremony on that day and after that the most exciting match of the season, the match between India and Pakistan men’s teams will be played,” Kho Kho World Cup CEO Vikram Dev Dogra said during a media interaction. The tournament will see 21 men’s and 20 women’s teams competing for the top prize. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
19 December,2024 06:21 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIHarshita Alaguraja of Children’s Academy (Malad) excelled, winning three gold medals in the girls U-12 category of the Mumbai Schools Sports Association (MSSA) Annual Athletics Championship at University Pavilion, Marine Lines. The 11-year-old began her dominance on the track with her first gold in the U-12 100m race on Monday. Harshita secured first place with a time of 14.45 seconds. On Tuesday, Harshita won the long jump gold, with a leap of 4.43m, and followed it up with a gold in the 200m event, clocking 29.38 seconds. “I’m speechless. I don’t know how to react. These last two days have been amazing. This will motivate me to work harder in the future,” Harshita told mid-day. Meanwhile, Shourya Ambure of Universal High School, who had won the U-16 girls 100m gold on Monday, followed it up with a gold in the 80m hurdles on Tuesday, with a new record of 11.78s.
19 December,2024 06:21 AM IST | Mumbai | Rufus VedanayagamAbhigyan Nikam of Vasant Vihar School, Thane, emerged as the fastest athlete of the MSSA U-16 inter-school annual athletics meet at the University Pavillion in Marine Lines. The 15-year-old sprinter bagged two gold medals on Day One of the three-day MSSA meet on Monday. He first dominated the boys U-16 long jump event, where his leap of 6.35m earned him the top spot, followed by Aarav Lathigara (5.99m) of Rustomjee International (Dahisar) and Thane Public School’s Sarthak Chaudhari (5.84m). Abhigyan then clinched the gold medal in the prestigious 100m race, clocking an impressive 11.38 seconds. Kaydin Prabhu of Don Bosco High School (Borivli) finished second, clocking 11.60 seconds, while Aarush Powar (12.22 seconds) of Pawar Public High School (Bhandup) secured third place. “It has been a great day for me today, winning two medals. I’m also a bit exhausted. I have two more races to go so I hope to rest and recover for them,” Abhigyan told mid-day. Also Read: India to host World Boxing Cup Final in November 2025 Among the girls, Shourya Ambure of Universal High School (Thane) emerged victorious in the 100m dash, clocking 12.30 seconds. She was followed by Saawari Kulkarni of Gokuldham High School (Goregaon) at 12.92 seconds while the bronze was won by Krrisha Patol of Green Acres Academy (Chembur), clocking 13.16 seconds. Shourya was elated to win her maiden MSSA gold medal in her very first meet. “I did not expect to win the gold here. I’m based in Thane and there is not much competition in my category there, so I wasn’t sure. This is the first time I’m participating in the MSSA tournament and I’m extremely happy,” a smiling Shourya said.Meanwhile, in the boys U-14 category, Anaai Dsouza from Cathedral and John Connon (Fort) ran a blistering race to clinch the gold medal (11.84 seconds). Devaj Parekh (12.30 seconds) of Pawar Public (Thane) won the silver medal while Yug Nanda (12.51) seconds of Kapol Vidyanidhi High School (Kandivli) clinched bronze. The girls U-14 100m dash was won by Keona Asher of Cathedral and John Connon (Fort), clocking 13.06 seconds. The second place went to Rheanna Rijo (13.15 seconds) of Vasant Vihar (Thane) while Madhavi Yadav (13.20 seconds) of Mary Immaculate (Borivli) finished third. In the U-12 category, Aarush Parulekar of Koper Vidyanidhi International took the gold medal in the 100m sprint with a timing of 13.75 seconds, while Purav Bothra (13.97seconds) of Sanjeevani World School (Dahisar) took silver and Daivik Naidu (14.13 seconds) of Prime Academy (Andheri) won bronze. Among the girls, Harshita Alaguraja of Child Academy (Malad) won the U-12 100m event, clocking 14.45 seconds. Krisha Jadhav (14.58 seconds) of Yashodham High School (Goregaon) took the silver while Utkarshini Bhorad (14.60 seconds) of Sanjeevani High School (Dahisar) clinched third place.
18 December,2024 07:29 AM IST | Mumbai | Rufus VedanayagamIndia is set to host the World Boxing Cup Final in November next year, reaffirming its support for the breakaway World Boxing (WB) body. Also Read: Kyrgios, Djokovic to pair up in Brisbane before Aus Open The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) will also simultaneously host the third World Boxing Congress, which will include elections for the Presidency and Executive Board. The tournament will be the first international event hosted by the BFI after opting to join the new governing body earlier this year. The last time BFI hosted an international event was the International Boxing Association (IBA) Women’s World Boxing Championship in 2023. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
18 December,2024 07:27 AM IST | New Delhi | PTINick Kyrgios says he will play doubles with enemy-turned-friend Novak Djokovic at the Brisbane International starting later this month in the build-up to the Australian Open. Also Read: Shooting the stars! Kyrgios branded the Serbian great “a tool” in 2021 but relations have warmed since and the Australian posted a picture on Instagram of them walking out at Wimbledon and the caption: “Doubles at Brisbane. See y’all there.” The Brisbane International starts on December 29 with the first Grand Slam of the year, at Melbourne, beginning January 12. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
18 December,2024 07:25 AM IST | Sydney | AFPADVERTISEMENT
