Backed by the two in-form stars in World Championship challenger D Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi, the Indian men scored a 3-1 victory over Azerbaijan in the fifth round of the 45th Chess Olympiad here on Monday. It seems like Gukesh and Arjun can do nothing wrong in this Olympiad as they overpowered Aydin Sulemanli and Rauf Mamedov respectively with their white pieces in quick time. Praggnanandhaa played another draw on board two to only ensure an Indian victory while Vidit Gujrathi played out a draw with Shakhriyar Mamedyarov in a marathon game to complete the triumph. After scoring the fifth victory on the trot, the Indian men maintained a clean slate on ten points and they were joined by Vietnam who continued with their impressive show and downed Poland 2.5-1.5. Also Read: Sakshi, Aman announce Wrestling Champions Super League The other two teams that joined the leaders’ pack were China and Hungary who scored identical 2.5-1.5 victories over Spain and Ukraine respectively. With six rounds still to come in the biggest chess event, Magnus Carlsen’s Norway and Iran are the only two teams sharing the fifth spot on 9 points apiece. Norway defeated a talented Turkey team by a 3-1 margin while Iran made most of the opportunities to down Canada 3.5-0.5. In the women’s section, Grandmaster D Harika suffered a shock defeat to give Kazakhstan an early lead. Better for most of the game, Harika misplayed after many pundits believed her position to be winning against Bibisara Assaubayeva. On the fourth board Vantika Agarwal yet again played the anchor and won a clean game with white pieces against Alua Nurman while Xeniya Balabayeva split the point with Divya Deshmukh. With the scores tied at 2-2 it was Vaishali’s turn to come up triumphs for the team and she outwitted Meruert Kamalidenova. 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
17 September,2024 08:15 AM IST | Budapest | PTIOlympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Aman Sehrawat, along with former world championship bronze-winner Geeta Phogat, on Monday announced that they would soon launch a Wrestling Champions Super League (WCSL) for the country’s budding grapplers but the national federation has refused to sanction the initiative. Sakshi, along with Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, had spearheaded the wrestlers’ protest against ousted Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was accused of sexual harassment. She has, however, distanced herself from the latter two after they took the political plunge by joining Congress ahead of Haryana assembly elections. Also Read: Defending champion Liren admits dip, says Gukesh is favourite! Phogat hopeful of support Phogat said she is hopeful of support from the federation and the government. “Sakshi and I have been planning this League for long. Soon it will take a final shape. We have not yet spoken to the WFI but it would be great if WFI and government support us. It will be the first league that will be operated only by the players,” Phogat said. “We are doing it for the players, for their benefit. We won’t stop anyone from getting involved in it, if WFI or government comes on board, even better. We have not yet spoken to them.” WFI: We won’t approve WCSL The WFI said it would not give its sanction to the league. “We won’t approve it. We are reviving our pro wrestling league and hopefully we will have it soon. The wrestlers are free to do their own league, they can promote the game, but we won’t be linked with that,” WFI President Sanjay Singh said. 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
17 September,2024 08:11 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIDefending champion Ding Liren says his Indian challenger D Gukesh can be considered the favourite to win their eagerly-anticipated world chess title showdown in November, conceding that he has “dropped a lot” in the last one year. The two are currently competing in the 45th Chess Olympiad here and the Indian team has been on a roll with five consecutive victories. The quartet of Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, Vidit Gujrathi and Arjun Erigaisi currently occupy the top spot alongside Liren’s China and hosts Hungary. “I can see my opponent [Gukesh] playing extremely well in this tournament. Maybe he is a favourite in the World Championship Match. He also has a higher rating than me,” Liren said in an interaction with the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in the tournament’s mixed zone. Also Read: ‘We have to stay calm’ “I have dropped a lot since last year, but I will fight my best to try to overcome the rating difference,” he added in a rather candid admission. The 31-year-old is the highest rated chess player of all time and won the world crown in May last year after defeating Russian GM Ian Nepomniachtchi. He took a break from the game after that, owing to his battle with depression. Liren returned to action earlier this year at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament, finishing ninth in the event. Gukesh won the Candidates tournament in April to become the youngest challenger to the world title at the age of 17. He turned 18 in May. The two will clash in Singapore from November 20 to December 15 for the coveted title and a prize fund of USD 2.50 million. Should the teenager prevail, it would make him the first Indian after the great Viswanathan Anand to claim the title. Anand won the crown five times in his illustrious career. 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
17 September,2024 08:07 AM IST | Budapest | PTISpain’s Jon Rahm fired four birdies—including a 12-footer at the 17th—to win LIV Golf Chicago on Sunday and clinch the Saudi-backed circuit’s individual season title worth $18 million. The two-time major winner from Spain, who made the jump to the breakaway league last December, captured his second victory in the past three events, sandwiched around a runner-up finish to Brooks Koepka in a playoff at LIV Golf Greenbrier in August. Rahm, who hasn’t finished outside the top 10 in 11 events, arrived at Bolingbrook Golf Course this week with Joaquin Niemann—a two-time winner this season—his only rival for the season title. Also Read: F1 split wide open! After a six-under-par second round on Saturday, Rahm took a one-shot lead over compatriot Sergio Garcia into the final round, with Niemann three adrift and needing to finish in front of Rahm to bag the individual champion’s bonus. Rahm had birdies at the third, sixth and 10th holes, and after letting a couple of birdie chances go begging, he sealed it with his birdie at 17, carding a four-under final round for a 54-hole total of 11-under par. “I woke up really nervous today. I wanted to do a really good show. Just really happy I played as good as I did. To go bogey-free on the weekend, one bogey all tournament, it’s quite spectacular,” he said. The LIV season concludes next week with the team championship in Dallas. 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
17 September,2024 07:53 AM IST | Los Angeles | AFPAfter a thrilling Azerbaijan Grand Prix, it seems like nearly half the field is capable of winning races in Formula 1. McLaren chief executive Zak Brown, whose driver Lando Norris is Max Verstappen’s closest title challenger, says he’s enjoying the best show he’s seen in his eight years in F1. There have been six different winners in the last eight races, representing four different teams. Verstappen, whose dominance in 2022 and 2023 broke records, still leads the standings but his last win was in June. “This is the best season I can think of ever in Formula 1 since I’ve been here,” Brown told The Associated Press from the IndyCar season finale at Nashville Superspeedway in Tennessee. Could it even be better than the 2021 fight between Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, which was decided on the final lap of the year and helped fuel F1’s Netflix boom? Brown thinks it might be. “That was mega exciting, but it’s just two guys, two good guys. Now you’ve got four good teams in today’s race,” he said. Also Read: Pacers in focus as India, Bangladesh train hard Zak Brown “To have four teams that can win any weekend, and [Sergio] Perez was obviously back on form today, eight drivers going into Singapore and we’re going I don’t know which of these four teams might win. I don’t know which of these eight drivers might win,’ I can’t recall Formula 1 having that level of competitiveness.” There was non-stop action Sunday. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri took the win in Baku, but only after a daring overtake on Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Perez was in the mix for Red Bull until he and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. collided, handing third to Mercedes driver George Russell. Further back, Norris surged through the field from 15th on the grid to finish fourth ahead of Verstappen and take another bite out of the champion’s standings lead. Teams’ performances fluctuate week by week, depending on upgrades from the factories, track conditions and setup changes, like the one which Verstappen blamed for ruining his weekend in Azerbaijan. “Even a change of tyres can turn an also-ran into a contender,” Russell said on Sunday. 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.
17 September,2024 07:50 AM IST | Lebanon | APAarush Jotwani, a Grade 11 student from Ecole Mondiale World School, Mumbai, has secured an impressive 20th place at the World Youth Scrabble Championship (WYSC) 2024, recently concluded at Waskaduwa in Sri Lanka from September 6-8. Aarush has cemented his place among the top young Scrabble players in the world. Aarush, who began his Scrabble journey in 2018, has represented India for four consecutive years, showcasing his dedication to the game. Also Read: Trainer Prasanna Kumar monopolizes Pune prime events Aarush's Scrabble achievements date back to 2019, when he was the second runner-up at the All India Schools Scrabble Championship. That same year, he was the city winner at the Collins Scrabble Championship for Grade 7, marking him as a rising talent in the Scrabble community from a young age. Reflecting on his journey, Aarush shared, "It's an honor to represent India on such a prestigious stage. Every tournament has been a learning experience, and I am grateful for the support of my coaches and family throughout this journey." As Scrabble continues to gain popularity among India's youth, Aarush's achievements serve as an inspiration for future players. His journey from local championships to representing India on the world stage exemplifies the potential of dedication and passion in achieving international success. The Indian team, consisting of 13 players, performed exceptionally well at the WYSC 2024. Along with Aarush's top 20 finish, Indian players, Suyash Manchali from Bengaluru and Madhav Kamath from Delhi ranked within the top 5. This also brings immense pride to their respective cities and the entire country. Also, further illustrating the strength of India’s youth in the global Scrabble scene. 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.
16 September,2024 06:35 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentHorse trainer Prasanna Kumar, who brought a small string of only 13 horses to Pune when the season began in July, has excelled with his runners, almost monopolizing the prime events of the monsoon season. This weekend too, he continued his conquests by winning three races, including Sunday's feature event, the SA Poonawalla Million (Gr 3) with dark bay three-year-old colt Redefined (Phoenix Tower- Symi) who outclassed his rivals in the hands of Sandesh. A day earlier, he had also led in Royal Mysore who won the Pune City Gold Cup, giving ace jockey P Trevor his first victory after returning from a short stint in South Korea. Also Read: India beat South Korea 4-1 to enter men's ACT hockey final Super show The Bangalore-based trainer's current stats at Pune are just incredible! He has won eight races in only 16 attempts, scoring at an astonishing clip of 50 percent, and he has accomplished this feat with only five of his 13 horses: Royal Mysore (2 wins), Evaldo (2 wins), In Thy Light (2 wins), and two horses--Siege Courageous & Redefined--with one victory each. More impressive is Prasanna's in-the-money (1-2-3) strike rate--13 of the 16 horses saddled by him have finished in the money, at an amazing 80% success rate. Jockey P Trevor and trainer Prasanna Kumar dominated the Saturday card with a double each, and jockey A Sandesh rode three winners on Sunday to steal the limelight. Trainer Chenoy honoured In a special ceremony held between races on Sunday, trainer Bezan Chenoy was felicitated by the race club and the trainers' association for completing 50 years of a very successful career. "Thank you very much," the veteran trainer expressed his gratitude in a short speech, "fifty years have gone by--there were ups and downs, but overall, it has been a good ride."
16 September,2024 06:31 PM IST | Mumbai | Prakash GosaviDefending champions India defeated South Korea 4-1 to storm into the final of the men's Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament here on Monday. India scored through Uttam Singh (13th minute), skipper Harmanpreet Singh (19th, 45th) and Jarmanpreet Singh (32nd), while Korea's lone goal came from the stick of Yang Jihun (33rd). Also Read: "We all know what an exciting talent Jake Fraser-McGurk is": Marsh India will take on hosts China in Tuesday's final. India beat China 3-0 in a league stage game. Earlier in the day, China defeated Pakistan 2-0 via shoot-out in the first semi-final after the two teams finished 1-1 at the end of regulation time. Meanwhile, in the fifth-sixth place classification match, Japan beat Malaysia 4-2 in shoot-out following a 4-4 stalemate during 60 minutes. 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.
16 September,2024 05:34 PM IST | Hulunbuir | PTI
Inspirational, remarkable, and unyielding! India's Paralympians embodied all these qualities and more during their historic campaign at the Paris Games. With an unprecedented haul of 29 medals, including seven gold, they concluded the competition ranked 18th overall, an all-time high for the nation. The tally also comprised nine silver and 13 bronze medals, but more significantly, it was a performance that made history nearly every day. The contingent truly embodied the Games' motto, 'Spirit in Motion,' demonstrating exceptional prowess and determination. “I can confidently say that this time we will win more than 25 medals” - this claim by Devendra Jhajharia, the first Indian para-athlete to win two Paralympic gold medals and now the President of the Paralympic Committee of India, drew skepticism given India’s 19 medals in Tokyo. The ambitious forecast seemed overly optimistic, yet, just ten days later, India concluded the Paris Paralympics with a historic 29 medals, one shy of the 30 medals the country had amassed since its Paralympic debut in 1968. Jhajharia’s prediction was thus validated, with India surpassing his initial forecast by four medals. To appreciate the significance of this achievement, it is essential to contrast it with Jhajharia’s own Paralympic journey from two decades ago. In 2004, Jhajharia funded his own trip to the Athens Paralympics, where he returned as a gold medalist. Also Read: ‘We never lost our gold, Pramod Bhaiya’: Nitesh Kumar to Bhagat after being crowned Paralympic champion At that time, his triumph went largely uncelebrated, with no formal recognition or even a garland. Fast forward to 2024, and India's para-athletes received a hero’s welcome, complete with traditional celebrations, dhols, garlands, and formal receptions, reflecting a dramatic shift in recognition and respect for their achievements. Truth be told, a pivotal moment in this transformation was the 2016 Rio Paralympics, which marked India’s best performance in three decades with four medals. Remarkably, Indian para-athletes secured two more medals than their able-bodied counterparts at the 2016 Olympics. The success in Rio brought para-sports into the national spotlight, leading to widespread recognition and support. Jhajharia, Mariyappan Thangavelu, Deepa Malik, and Varun Bhati became household names, their stories broadcasted on prime-time television and serving as inspiration for many. The enhanced visibility and success attracted significant financial rewards: Jhajharia received over ₹1 crore along with land from both central and state governments, while Malik was awarded ₹4 crore by the Haryana government. Their achievements not only validated the potential of para-sports but also inspired others, including young talents like Nithya Sre Sivan. Watching the 2016 Paralympics as an 11-year-old ignited her passion for para-badminton, leading to her winning a bronze medal at the 2024 Paralympics in women’s singles SH6. The success of Indian para-athletes can be attributed in part to the support provided by the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), which was pivotal for many of them. Introduced in 2019, TOPS offered unprecedented support by helping athletes train abroad, access specialized equipment, participate in international events, and receive a monthly stipend of ₹50,000. This support was crucial for athletes like Sumit Antil, who won javelin gold in both Tokyo and Paris, and Sharad Kumar, who secured high jump bronze in Tokyo and silver in Paris. The impact of TOPS is evident across the board. Consider Nishad Kumar, a high jumper who lost his right hand in an accident at age seven. His early life was marked by financial hardship, but TOPS significantly improved his situation, providing him with resources that allowed him to focus on his sport. The Khelo India scheme, introduced in 2023 following the inaugural Khelo India Para Games, further supplemented this support. Para-shooter Mona Agarwal, who won bronze in Paris, benefitted from the ₹10,000 monthly stipend provided by this scheme. The results of these support systems have been impressive. India set a record with 19 medals at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics and followed up with a staggering 111 medals at the 2023 Para Asian Games. Additionally, Indian para-athletes achieved notable success in World Championships: Sumit Antil secured gold in 2023 and 2024, Deepthi Jeevanji won gold in 2024, and Sheetal Devi earned silver in 2023. This trajectory illustrates that with the right backing from both government and corporate sponsors, India has the potential to become a dominant force in global para-sports. The support structures in place have demonstrated their effectiveness, fostering an environment where Indian para-athletes can reach their full potential and achieve extraordinary success. (With inputs from agencies)
16 September,2024 11:35 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIndia cueist Dhruv Sitwala won his maiden World Billiards title in Auckland on Saturday. The Mumbai-based billiards player defeated reigning world champion Peter Gilchrist of Singapore 537-438 in the two-hour final of the Auckland Open in New Zealand. Also Read: Anirban Lahiri slips to tied 12th The victory marks the first World Billiards ranking event honours of Sitwala’s career as he becomes the first player other than David Causier or Gilchrist to lift a ranking title in 2024.
16 September,2024 08:17 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentIndia’s Anirban Lahiri went 1-over 71 in the second round and slipped to tied 12th in the 2024 LIV Golf Individual Championship here. Lahiri carded two birdies but he also had three bogeys on the second day, and now he has a total of 2-under for 36 holes. Also Read: Unimpressive Indians blanked 0-4 by Swedes Lahiri began the tournament with a fine 3-under 67 that placed him inside the Top-5. He had four birdies against one bogey in the opening round. Jon Rahm entered this week’s regular-season finale with a slim points margin over Joaquin Niemann. The Legion XIII captain increased that advantage with a brilliant bogey-free 6-under 64 that now has him in position to claim two trophies after Sunday’s final round at Bolingbrook Golf Club. 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
16 September,2024 08:15 AM IST | Chicago | PTIADVERTISEMENT
