Prep camp for Blue Tigresses before SAFF Women’s C’ship
New Delhi, Aug 28: The Indian senior women’s team for the SAFF Women’s Championship 2022 will be having a short preparatory camp in Pune from August 29 to September 2. The championship is scheduled to take place in Nepal from September 6-19, and the Blue Tigresses will depart for the host country on September 3. The Indian women, the defending champions, have been drawn in Group A along with Maldives, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and will open their campaign against Pakistan on September 7. The top two teams from the group will advance to the semi-finals. The list of 26 probables for the preparatory camp: GOALKEEPERS: Aditi Chauhan, Maibam Linthoingambi Devi, Shreya Hooda, Sowmiya Narayanasamy DEFENDERS: Sweety Devi, Ritu Rani, Ashalata Devi, Ranjana Chanu, Manisa Panna, Arifa Sayed, Michel Castanha, Juli Kishan, Santosh MIDFIELDERS: Anju Tamang, Karthika Angamuthu, Priyangka Devi, Martina Thokchom, Sandhiya Ranganathan, Kaviya Pakkirisamy, Kashmina, Ratanbala Devi FORWARDS: Dular Marandi, Apurna Narzary, Soumya Guguloth, Renu, Kiran Pisda HEAD COACH: Suren Chettri. (PTI)
Vinerkar wins women’s 10m air pistol title in selection trials
New Delhi, Aug 28: Ruchita Vinerkar of the Railways claimed the women’s 10m air pistol T5 gold in the national shooting selection trials at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range here on Sunday. She shot 16 in the gold medal match to edge out Divya TS of Karnataka, who shot 14.
Ruchita finished fourth in the qualifiers in the 294-strong field with a score of 576 after the allocated 60 shots. Divya was seventh with 574, while Maharashtra’s Sakshi Suryavanshi topped with a score of 580. In the top-eight semi-final stage, Ruchita topped with 251.1, while Divya was second with 248.7, elevating both to the gold medal shootout. Haryana’s Rhythm Sangwan was fourth with 248.4. Haryana, however, claimed both the top spots in the junior women’s T5 10m air pistol with Suruchi defeating Rhythm 17-15 in yet another close final. Suruchi had shot 568 to claim the seventh qualifying spot, while Rhythm was second with a score of 579. In the Youth women’s 10m air pistol T5 category, the gold went to Haryana again with Shikha Narwal getting the better of Chandigarh’s Sainyam, 17-9 in the final. (PTI)
Serena and Venus Williams receive doubles wild card
New York, Aug 28: Serena Williams and Venus Williams will reunite for doubles at the US Open after receiving a wild card for the tournament, which is set to begin on Monday. The William sisters are two-time champions at the US Open and will pair for the first time since 2018 Roland Garros. In addition to their 14 major doubles titles, the last of which came at 2016 Wimbledon, Serena and Venus have teamed to win three Olympic gold medals in doubles, winning in 2000, 2008, and 2012. The duo is the most recent team to hold all four major doubles titles at one time, having won 2009 Wimbledon, 2009 US Open, 2010 Australian Open, and 2010 French Open. Earlier this month, Serena confirmed the U.S Open would be her final tournament before evolving away from tennis. (IANS)
Belgian GP keeps its place on Formula 1 calendar for 2023
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS (Belgium), Aug 28: Formula One has kept the Belgian Grand Prix on the calendar for next year. F1 said in a statement shortly before Sunday’s race that “the Belgian Grand Prix will be on the 2023 calendar following an agreement to extend our partnership together.” The Spa-Francorchamps track is one of the most iconic in F1 and one of the seven circuits from the inaugural world championship in 1950. The 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) circuit nestled in the Ardennes forest is also F1’s longest. But with promoters lining up to benefit from F1’s surge in popularity, Spa’s future was in doubt, especially after the French GP was dropped for next year. It remains a firm favorite with drivers, with world champion Max Verstappen calling it his favorite track in F1. He and other drivers inisted it should not be axed because of its historic value along with the long-standing Monaco GP. It is uncertain whether Spa stays in F1 beyond 2023, or if there will be a rotation policy with another circuit so it takes place every other year. (PTI)