New Delhi to host Asian Track Cycling Championship
NEW DELHI, Feb 19: India will be hosting the prestigious 43rd Asian Track Cycling Championship at the iconic IG Indoor Stadium in New Delhi from February 21 to 26, the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) announced on Monday.The championship will be staged at the state-of-the-art Indoor Cycling Velodrome, a legacy of the Commonwealth Games 2010, symbolising India’s commitment to fostering sporting excellence. With nearly 500 riders from 18 countries competing across various categories, including Men Elite, Women Elite, Men Junior, Women Junior, and Para-cycling events, this championship is set to be Asia’s most significant cycling extravaganza in the Olympic and Paralympic qualifier year.The championship also holds significance as it serves as the final Track Continental Championship before the Paris Olympics. The points accrued by the riders will play a pivotal role in determining their rankings for the Olympic qualification process, adding an extra layer of intensity to the competition. The Indian team, led by the formidable Sprint team comprising former Junior world No.1 Ronaldo Singh, along with David Beckham, Rojit Singh, and Esow Alben, carries high hopes for a podium finish. With talents like Dhandhya J.P, the last Asian Championship’s medalist, in their ranks, India aims for gold in this category. Under the expert guidance of renowned coach Kevin Sireau, a two-time Olympic medallist and six-time World medallist, the Indian contingent of 60 members, including 42 riders, is primed to deliver their best-ever performance on the Asian stage. (IANS)
French club Marseille fire coach Gennaro Gattuso
MARSEILLE, Feb 19: Marseille coach Gennaro Gattuso has been fired by the French league club, a person with direct knowledge of the decision told sources on Monday.Gattuso was fired a day after Marseille lost 1-0 to Brest in the French league, a result that dented the club’s hopes of qualifying for a European competition next season.Marseille and Gattuso have started a legal procedure to part ways and the club is actively looking for a replacement, according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because Gattuso’s departure has not been announced by the club.Marseille is ninth in the standings after 22 matches, trailing leader Paris Saint-Germain by 23 points.Gattuso, the former AC Milan and Italy midfielder, was hired as coach in September. (PTI)
New Zealand women qualify for Paris Olympics
WELLINGTON, Feb 19: New Zealand will compete in the women’s football tournament at the Paris Olympic Games after beating the Solomon Islands 11-1 in the final of the Oceania qualifying tournament on Monday in Apia, Samoa.Hannah Wilkinson, who scored the first goal of the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia last year, was one of four players to score twice for New Zealand. The others were Grace Jale, Indiah-Paige Riley and Katie Kitching.New Zealand is the sixth team to qualify for the Olympic women’s tournament after host France, Canada, United States, Brazil and Colombia. Australia and Japan are expected to qualify for the 12-team tournament later this month. (PTI)
Ministry approves foreign training for paddlers
NEW DELHI, Feb 19: The Sports Ministry’s Mission Olympic Cell has given its go-ahead to paddlers Diya Chitale and Swastika Ghosh to travel to South Korea and Japan for advanced-level training.While Diya will head for Paju-si in South Korea to train under Shin Min Sung, Swastika will be coached by Qiu Jian Xin in Osaka, Japan.The MOC also approved proposals for competition for shuttlers Kiran George and Anupama Upadhaya, doubles women’s team of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand and shooter Rudrankksh Patil.While Kiran and Anupama will participate in the BWF Orleans Masters, the pair of Treesa and Gayatri along with their coach and physio will head to Germany to compete in the BWF German Open.India rifle shooter Rudrankksh will head to Dortmund to compete at the International Saison Start for Shooters (ISAS 2024) events. The funding from ministry’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme covers various athlete-related expenses, a SAI release stated. (PTI)
India men’s TT team lose to South Korea in World C’ships
BUSAN, Feb 19: India endured a second consecutive loss at the World Table Tennis Team Championships, going down to hosts South Korea 0-3 here on Monday.Veteran Sharath Kamal, reigning national champion Harmeet Desai and G Sathiyan lost their respective singles to go down meekly in their third group stage tie against third seeds Korea.Harmeet, who is India’s top-ranked player at 67, went down to world number 14 Jang Woojin 4-11, 10-12, 8-11.Sathiyan was then brushed aside by world number 16 Lim Jonghoon 5-11, 7-11, 7-11 with India trailing 0-2.Sharath managed to put up a fight, taking the second game but couldn’t capitalise on the momentum losing 9-11, 11-8, 6-11, 5-11 to Lee San Su and conceding the tie.After winning its opening tie against Chile, the Indian team lost 1-3 to Poland. But despite the two losses, India lie in the second spot in Group 3 behind Korea. (PTI)
IOC not to change age limit to let Pacquiao compete at Paris
PARIS, Feb 19: The International Olympic Committee will not change its rules on age limits to let boxing great Manny Pacquiao compete at the Paris Games.Pacquiao, who retired in 2021, wanted to box at age 45 in the Olympic tournament in Paris where medal bouts will be held in the Roland Garros tennis complex.The IOC said Sunday it wrote to Olympic officials in Philippines explaining the age limit for boxers of 40 will be upheld. The IOC now oversees Olympic boxing after de-recognizing the International Boxing Association governing body.The age limit for Olympic boxing was raised to 40 from 34 in 2013 – a move that would have let Pacquiao try to compete at the 2016 Olympics. He chose not to at the time when he was also elected to be a senator in his home country.It is unclear if Pacquiao would have tried to earn a place at the Olympics in one of two qualification tournaments that open later this month in Italy and in May in Thailand. The Filipino Olympic body had talked of trying to get a “universality” entry to Paris. (PTI)