Neeraj Chopra to compete in Paavo Nurmi Games in June
NEW DELHI, April 10: Superstar Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will compete in the prestigious Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland on June 18, where he will be up against 19-year-old sensation Max Dehning of Germany, the latest entrant in the 90m club, the organisers said.The 26-year-old Chopra, who will begin his season in the Doha Diamond League Meeting on May 10, had won a silver in the 2022 edition of the Paavo Nurmi Games with a throw of 89.30m – his career second best – while he pulled out of the event in 2023 as he was recovering from an injury then. Chopra has a personal best of 89.94m.The Paavo Nurmi Games are named after the legendary Finnish middle and long distance runner. It is a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series event, one of the most prestigious single-day competitions outside the Diamond League Meeting series. (PTI)
Billie Jean King Cup: India go down 0-3 to China
CHANGSHA (China), April 10: The Indian women’s tennis team suffered a 0-3 loss to China in a group stage match of the Billie Jean King Cup here on Wednesday.In the opening match, Sahaja Yamalapalli faced a 2-6, 3-6 defeat to 43rd-ranked Xinyu Wang, in a contest that lasted an hour and 33 minutes.In the second match, Ankita Raina was thrashed 6-0, 6-0 by world number seven Quinwen Zheng, as the Indian failed to win a single game. The match lasted an hour and three minutes.Then, in the final match, the Indian doubles pair of Rutuja Bhosale and Prarthana G Thombare was beaten 6-1, 6-1 by Hanyu Guo and Xiyu Wang in 56 minutes.Thanks to the heavy defeat, India are now ranked fourth in their pool. They are clubbed alongside Pacific Oceania, South Korea, New Zealand, Chinese Taipei and China.It was India’s second Group 1 Asia/Oceania Pool A meeting.India registered a 3-0 win over Pacific Oceania on Tuesday.India will next take on Chinese Taipei on Thursday. (PTI)
World Athletics introduce prize money for gold medallists
MONACO, April 10: Gold medallist in Athletics at the Paris Olympics will receive USD 50,000 as the World Athletics on Wednesday announced it will become the first international federation to award prize money at an Olympic Games.The financial reward will be given to the athletes who win a gold medal in each of the 48 athletics events in the Paris Olympics.Each individual Olympic champion will receive US$50,000. Relay teams will receive the same amount, to be shared among the team.“A total prize pot of USD 2.4 million has been ring-fenced from the International Olympic Committee’s revenue share allocation, which is received by World Athletics every four years. This will be used to reward athletes who win a gold medal in each of the 48 athletics events in Paris with US$50,000,” the international governing body for the sport of athletics said in a statement.It further said that this initiative by World Athletics includes a firm commitment “to extend the prize money at a tiered level, to Olympic silver and bronze medal winners at the LA 2028 Olympic Games.The format and structure of the LA28 Olympic bonuses will be announced nearer the time,” it added.The payment of prize money will depend upon the World Athletics ratification process, including athletes undergoing and clearing the usual anti-doping procedures. The athletics events at the Paris Olympics begin on August 1. (IANS)