Oly champion Ryan Crouser breaks shot put world record
Idaho (USA), Feb 19: Reigning two-time Olympic champion USA’s Ryan Crouser hurled the iron ball to 23.38m during an indoor meet here to better his own world shot put record, according to World Athletics. A week after opening his season with 22.58m at the Millrose Games in New York, the reigning world champion added a centimetre to his own outright world record on Saturday at the Holt Arena. Crouser’s previous best was the 23.37m he recorded outdoors at the US Olympic Trials in Eugene in June 2021, while his previous best indoors was the 22.82m he threw in Fayetteville in January of the same year. The 30-year-old has now surpassed 23 metres in a total of seven competitions during his career so far. It is a barrier that only three other athletes in history have ever bettered.” (IANS)
WFI’s Oversight Committee clears 27 wrestlers for 2nd Ranking Series
New Delhi, Feb 19: India’s Greco-Roman wrestler Ashu, who won a bronze medal in the Men’s 67kg category at the 2023 Zagreb Open held in Croatia earlier this month, will hope to gain more ranking points when he takes part in the 2nd Ranking Series ‘Ibrahim-Moustafa’ tournament. Ashu, who is India’s top hope in Greco-Roman wrestler, was on Sunday included by the Oversight Committee set up by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), in the squad to participate in the upcoming 2nd Ranking Series ‘Ibrahim-Moustafa’ tournament. The committee has cleared a 43-member Indian contingent, including 27 wrestlers, for the event, which would take place in Alexandria, Egypt from February 23-26. It will be crucial to gain ranking points for better seeding at the Senior Asian Championships 2023 and the Senior World Championships 2023. The Indian team consists of nine Freestyle Wrestlers, eight Women Wrestlers, and 10 Greco-Roman Wrestlers along with 16 coaches and support staff. (IANS)
Swiatek overcomes Pegula to clinch second straight Qatar Open title
Doha, Feb 19: World No.1 Poland’s Iga Swiatek successfully defended her title at the Qatar Open, with a dominant 6-3, 6-0 win over fourth-ranked American Jessica Pegula in the summit clash, here. Swiatek had already lost to Pegula this year at United Cup, but the No.1 seed avenged that defeat in the 1-hour and 9-minute final on Saturday night to capture her first WTA Tour title of the year, and the 12th title of her career overall. She dropped only five games all week en route to the title. Swiatek’s incredible 37-match winning streak last year, which culminated in her clinching her second Grand Slam singles title at Roland-Garros, began back in Doha. She will be hoping this provides similar momentum as she dives into the clay-court season ahead of the French Open. (IANS)
Indian junior women’s hockey team secures 8-0 win against SA
New Delhi, Feb 19: The India junior women’s hockey team registered a big 8-0 win against hosts South Africa in its second match of the tour. The visitors got off to a good start in the first quarter with fine skills and disciplined structure in their attack on Saturday evening. The team’s first goal came in the very first minute of the match through Annu and that was followed by a ninth minute strike by vice-captain Rujata Dadaso Pisal. The team extended its lead to 3-0 in the 26th minute when Jyoti Chhatri scored a field goal. She struck another one in the following minute to take the team’s lead to a formidable 4-0. Before the second quarter ended, the Indian junior women’s side scored two more goals in the 29th and 30th minute via Deepika Soreng and Jyothi Chhatri. With a comfortable 6-0 lead on board, the visitors ended the fourth quarter with two more goals in the 54th and 59th minute, scored by Annu and Deepika Sr. Earlier in the week, India had begun their campaign with a convincing 8-1 win. The South Africa Tour is part of the team’s preparations for the all-important U-21 Asia Cup, which is a qualification tournament for the forthcoming FIH Women’s Hockey Junior World Cup. (PTI)
Varun Tomar wins first medal for India at Cairo Shooting World Cup
KOLKATA, Feb 19: India won their first medal of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol in Cairo, Egypt, when 19-year-old Varun Tomar bagged bronze in the Men’s 10m Air Pistol competition, at the Egypt International Olympic City range. Tomar, competing on day one of competitions, got the better of teammate Sarabjot Singh in a shoot-off after both had tied for third spot with a score of 250.6 in the ranking round. Seasoned Slovakian shooter Juraj Tuzinsky defeated upcoming Italian talent Paolo Monna 17-15, to win gold in the event. Earlier, Tomar had shot 583 in qualification to make the ranking round in second place, while Sarabjot had shot 581 to qualify fifth. Tuzinsky also topped qualification with a score of 585. In the Ranking match, Paolo topped with 254.2 to set up the gold medal clash with Tuzinsky, who finished second with 252.8, ahead of the two Indians as names like 50-year-old Turkish veteran Yusuf Dikec, fell by the wayside. This was the young Tomar’s first senior ISSF World Cup stage medal. (Agencies)