Sports nippets

Haryana clinch junior men’s national hockey championship

Jalandhar, Aug 23: Haryana pumped in three goals in the final quarter to clinch the junior men’s national championship with a close 3-2 win over Odisha in a thrilling final, here Saturday. Punjab clinched the bronze medal with a 4-3 shoot-out win over Uttar Pradesh. In the final, both sides exchanged possession but failed to find an opening goal. In the second quarter, Odisha showcased brilliant skill by converting two successive penalty corners courtesy Deepak Pradhan (17’) and Pratap Toppo (19’) to take a comfortable 2-0 lead. Chirag (50’) scored his side’s first goal through a penalty corner and in the very next minute, his teammate Nitin (51’, 60’) scored a field goal to level the game. Moments later in the final minute of the match, Nitin skillfully dribbled past two defenders and fired a shot from distance to score the winning goal for Haryana and claim the championship. In the 3rd/4th place match, Uttar Pradesh scored early in the first quarter as Satyam Pandey (8’) converted a penalty corner to open the scoring. Punjab replied with two goals in the second quarter by Lovenoor Singh (21’) and Japnit Singh (28’, 59’) to take the lead. The third quarter saw the tide shift to Uttar Pradesh way as Ujjwal Pal (48’) and Fahad Khan (57’) scored to take the lead again. In the last minute, Punjab’s Japnit Singh scored a penalty stroke to push the game into a shootout. Charanjeet Singh, Lovenoor Singh, Om Rajnesh Saini and Sunny were the goalscorers for Punjab in the shootout. (PTI)

B’desh pull out of Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships

Ahmedabad, Aug 23: The upcoming Commonwealth Senior, Junior & Youth Weightlifting Championships will witness the participation of 291 athletes from 28 countries, though Bangladesh has refused to participate, the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) announced on Friday. The event, scheduled from August 25-30 at the newly built Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad’s Naranpura, will also serve as a qualifier for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. IWLF president Sahdev Yadav confirmed the participation of 44 Indian athletes among the large international field. “As many as 291 athletes from 28 Commonwealth countries, including 44 from India, will participate in this mega sporting event where 144 medals – 72 for men and 72 for women – are at stake in different categories,” Yadav said while addressing a press conference. One of the biggest attractions will be Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu, who is set to headline India’s challenge in front of home fans. The IWLF chief also confirmed that both Pakistan and Bangladesh will not feature in the championship. Pakistan’s absence is due to an international suspension, while Bangladesh has opted out voluntarily. (IANS)

Mirabai aims to dominate Commonwealth meet

Ahmedabad, Aug 23: Mirabai Chanu is on a comeback trail after a spate of injuries and the first pit stop is Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship starting here Sunday, which will be her dress rehearsal for the marquee World Championship in Norway in October. While immediate focus is on Ahmedabad event, Chanu revealed that her ultimate target is podium finish at the World Championships in Norway in October and the Asian Games in Japan next year. “I’m not putting all my effort into Ahmedabad because I’m preparing for the World Championships. My biggest target is the Asian Games, where I aim to break world records and win a medal, as I have none there yet,” she said on the eve of the Championship. The silver medallist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the 31-year-old Mirabai has had a few setbacks in past few years due to injuries and also missed out on a possible bronze medal at the Paris Games last year. Mirabai, who competes in the 48 kg category, is confident of lifting 90 kg in the snatch section at the Commonwealth event where Indians have traditionally been a dominant force. (PTI)

U-23 National Wrestling C’ship kicks off; Haryana dominate day 1

Ranchi, Aug 23: The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has begun hosting the 2025 Under-23 National Wrestling Championship in Free Style, Greco-Roman Style, and Women’s Wrestling at Ranchi, Jharkhand from August 22 to 24. The event has drawn around 600 wrestlers, 100 coaches, and 50 technical officials from across the country, making it one of the biggest platforms to showcase the depth of young wrestling talent in India. The competition opened with the Free Style Wrestling events, producing high-quality bouts across all categories. The day saw several standout performances, particularly from wrestlers representing Haryana, Delhi, and Services (SSCB). In the team championships, Haryana topped the table with 162 points, Delhi finished second with 145 points, and SSCB stood third with 123 points, reflecting the strong dominance of these states in freestyle wrestling. (IANS)

At loss for words: Gavaskar after statue unveiled at MCA museum

Mumbai, Aug 23: Legendary Sunil Gavaskar on Saturday said he was at loss for words and overwhelmed after his statue was unveiled during the inauguration of the MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Museum here at the Wankhede Stadium. The statue of the former captain was unveiled alongside former BCCI and ICC president Sharad Pawar, with the museum set to be opened for general public on September 22. “I am actually at a loss for words because I am overwhelmed by this unique honour.” (PTI)