Over 250 athletes to attend India’s biggest basketball trials
New Delhi, May 13: Elite pro Basketball is all set to organise the country’s biggest basketball try outs on May 12 and 13 at the Sri Kotla Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy Stadium in Hyderabad. Over 250 athletes will take part in the try out and includes big names from Indian basketball team like Jagdeep Singh Bains, Pratham Singh, K Ravikumar, Vinay Kaushik, Rachit Singh, Prakash Mishra and Arshdeep Singh. Organised by Elite Sports India, the try outs are to recruit for India’s first 5×5 Pro Basketball League featuring 12 teams. The first day will focus on skills and drills, while the second day will focus on how the player adapts to playing with different teams and strategy. The selection committee includes a former Indian selector in Ram Kumar Gahalawat, who is the current Railways coach and Jagat Narayan Nehra, who is the basketball coach at Sports Authority of India. They will shortlist the players to be drafted into the 12 teams. (PTI)
Kerala govt to give cash awards to Santosh Trophy winners
Thiruvananthapuram, May 13: The Kerala government on Friday announced a cash award of over Rs one crore to the state football team which recently lifted the prestigious Santosh Trophy beating heavyweights Bengal in a penalty shootout in the final. A cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, took the decision to give a total of Rs 1.14 crore as cash prize to the team- Rs five lakh each to 20 players and the main coach and three lakh each to the assistant coach, manager and goalkeeper trainer, an official statement said here. Vijayan later said in a Facebook post that the Kerala team’s achievement on their own soil after 29 years has infused a fresh energy to the entire sports sector of the state. (PTI)
Indian hockey captain Rupinder ruled out of Asia Cup
Bengaluru, May 13: The Indian men’s hockey team was on Friday dealt a big blow as captain Rupinder Pal Singh was ruled of the upcoming men’s Asia Cup hockey tournament due to a wrist injury. Ace drag-flicker Rupinder, who came out of retirement, injured his wrist during a training session, according to Hockey India. Birendra Lakra, who was named Rupinder’s deputy, will lead the Indian side while striker SV Sunil will now be the vice captain of the 20-member squad. Rupinder has been replaced in the team by Nilam Sanjeep Xess. The Asia Cup kick starts on May 23 in Jakarta. India are the defending champions in the tournament. (PTI)
Espanyol fire coach, sports director with 2 games left
Madrid, May 13: Espanyol has fired coach Vicente Moreno and its sports director with two games left in the Spanish league season, the club said on Friday. The Barcelona-based club said reserve team coach Luis Blanco will act as caretaker coach, starting for Saturday’s game against Valencia. The team is in 13th place with two matches to go. Espanyol assured it would remain in the top division on Wednesday despite losing to Alavés 2-1. Moreno joined Espanyol at the start of the 2020-21 season when it had just been relegated to the second division. He led the team back to the first division. Espanyol, which is owned by Chinese businessman Chen Yansheng, also let go of sports director Francisco “Rufete” Pérez. Technical director Domingo Catoira was promoted to replace him. (AP)
Man City unveil record-scorer Sergio Aguero’s statue
Manchester, May 13: Manchester City unveiled a statue of Sergio Aguero on the 10th anniversary of the retired striker’s dramatic stoppage-time goal that clinched the club’s first Premier League title. The Argentine was back at the Etihad Stadium on Friday as City honoured its record goal-scorer with a statue that depicts the moment when Aguero ripped his shirt off in celebration after scoring against Queens Park Rangers on the final day of the 2011-12 season. “Truthfully, it is a very beautiful thing for me, to see myself 10 years ago is very moving,” Aguero said. Aguero scored a club-record 260 goals for City and was a key player in the growth of the team as a major football force. (AP)