Tejaswini tops Euro MQS round in 50M rifle prone event
new delhi, May 27: Former world champion Tejaswini Sawant topped the Minimum Qualification Score (MQS) round of the 50M rifle prone event at the European Shooting Championship in Osijek, Croatia, on Thursday.Tejaswini, in her first MQS outing at the championship, shot 622.7 to finish ahead of three other compatriots and six Iranians, lined up for the MQS section, where shooters compete for official scores only and not medals. The rifle shooter from Maharashtra will be representing India in the women’s 50m rifle 3 Positions event at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, which will also be her maiden outing at the quadrennial Games. Among three other Indians in fray, youngster Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar was second best with a score of 620.3 after 60-shots. Sanjeev Rajput shot 619.7 while Anjum Moudgil shot 619.2. (PTI)
EU leaders express support for holding Tokyo Olympics
Brussels, May 27: The European Union’s two top officials expressed support Thursday for holding the Tokyo Olympics despite growing opposition to the event in Japan because of the coronavirus pandemic. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel discussed the games with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga during a virtual EU-Japan summit. Initially planned last year, the Tokyo Olympics have been delayed by a year because of the pandemic. The are scheduled to open on July 23. In the meeting’s joint statement, leaders said they support the holding of the rescheduled Olympics in a safe and secure manner this summer as a symbol of global unity in defeating COVID-19.” With only a tiny percentage of Japanese people now vaccinated, public opinion polls in the country show between 60-80% want the Olympics canceled, and an online petition asking for the games be canceled has gained 400,000 signatures in a few weeks. (AP)
Chennaiyin FC Foundation to support COVID-hit families
Chennai, May 27: The Chennaiyin FC Foundation has pitched in to support coronavirus-hit people by distributing dry ration kits to marginalised communities of the city affected by the deadly disease. The CFC Foundation has joined hands with the ISL club’s official associate sponsor ACKO Insurance in supporting Akshaya Patra Foundation’s initiative to distribute the dry ration kits, a press release here said.As part of the association, the Chennaiyin FC Foundation and ACKO Insurance have raised Rs 10 lakh that will go towards procuring and distributing dry ration kits to over thousand COVID-affected families from marginalised communities around Chennai, through the Akshaya Patra Foundation. Each dry ration kit put together by the Akshaya Patra Foundation comprises rice, pulses, wheat, spices, oil, sugar, salt among other grocery items that will help families sustain these difficult times. Also, the Chennaiyin FC Foundation and ACKO Insurance have urged fans, supporters and members of the larger community to generously donate for this cause. (PTI)
Defender Omar Richards from 2nd-tier Reading signs with Bayern
MUNICH, May 27: Bayern Munich has signed defender Omar Richards on a free transfer from second-division English club Reading. The 23-year-old Englishman signed a four-year deal with the German champions, the team said Thursday. “Omar is a technically gifted player on the left side of defense,” Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić said. “He finds good solutions going forward, he’s very alert, and we trust him to play a good role in our team.” Richards, who provides support for left back Alphonso Davies, called it “a dream has come true.” He will wear the No. 3 shirt. Richards is Bayern’s second signing for the new season after French defender Dayot Upamecano from league rival Leipzig. It also has a new coach in Julian Nagelsmann. He switched from Leipzig to take over from Hansi Flick, who will become the Germany coach after the European Championship. (AP)
Grand Slam winner Osaka to boycott media during French Open
Tokyo, May 27: Japanese four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka has said she will not interact with press in her upcoming French Open campaign, citing mental health reasons. Naomi – the reigning Australian Open champion – announced the media boycott ahead of the Roland Garros event, which will get underway on Sunday, DPA reports. Naomi is the world’s highest earning female athlete and will be fined by tournament officials should the world number two not take part in news conferences. She hopes the fines she will receive can be donated towards mental health charity. “I’m writing this to say that I’m not going to do any press during Roland Garros,” Naomi wrote on Twitter. “I’ve often felt that people have no regard for athletes’ mental health and this rings true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one. “We’re often sat there and asked questions that we’ve been asked multiple times before or asked questions that bring doubt into our minds and I am not going to subject myself to people who doubt me.” (IANS)