Abhinav Bindra to be a torch-bearer for Winter Olympics
NEW DELHI, Oct 22: Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra was on Wednesday selected as a torch-bearer for next year’s Winter Games. The Winter Olympics 2026 will be held between February 6 and 22 at Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy.“Truly humbled to be chosen as a torchbearer for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Torch Relay. The Olympic flame has always held a special place in my heart – a symbol of dreams, perseverance, and the unity that sport brings to our world,” Bindra wrote on his X page.“To carry it once again is both an honour and a beautiful reminder of what sport makes possible. Thank you, @milanocortina2026 for this incredible honour,” Bindra, a gold winner in the 10m air-rifle event in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, added.This will be the fourth Winter Olympics to be hosted by Italy.This edition will feature 116 medal events across 16 disciplines, an increase of seven events and one discipline over Beijing 2022. (PTI)
Prashant Singh to lead Indian rugby team at Asian tourney
MUMBAI, Oct 22: Prashant Singh will lead a 13-strong Indian men’s team, which has been seeded third for the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy, scheduled to be held from October 25 to 26 in Muscat, the Indian Rugby Football Union announced (IRFU) here on Wednesday.The tournament will feature Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Syria.India enters the competition seeded third and has been drawn in Group C alongside Lebanon and Afghanistan. India will open their campaign against Lebanon on October 25.India are being coached by former England Rugby Sevens star Ben Gollings, who recently led Chennai Bulls to the inaugural edition of the GMR Rugby Premier League (RPL) title in June.He earlier also served as head coach of the Fiji team from 2022 to 2024. The Indian Team List: Prashant Singh (Captain), Deepak Punia (Vice Captain), Sumit Kumar Roy, Karan Rajbhar, Deshraj Singh, Gaurav Kumar, Asis Sabar, Ganesh Majhi, Hitesh Dagar, Javed Hussein, Shahnawaz Ahmed, Jugal Majhi, Shivam Shukla. (PTI)
Delhi Pickleball Association accepted as permanent member
NEW DELHI, Oct 22: The All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) on Wednesday announced that its Delhi chapter – the Delhi Pickleball Association (DPA) for Amateur – has been affiliated with and granted permanent membership by the Delhi Olympic Association.AIPA recently conducted the 9th National Pickleball Championship in Jammu and Kashmir from September 26-28.DPA sent a contingent of 32 players to AIPA Nationals in Jammu last month.More than 450 players from 24 states participated in the event. AIPA currently has more than 24 state associations that are helping promote the sport at the grassroots level.Arvind Ramesh Prabhoo, President of the All India Pickleball Association (AIPA), said, “We are thrilled to announce that the Delhi Pickleball Association (Amateur) is now officially affiliated with the Delhi Olympic Association, marking a major milestone for the sport in the capital. (PTI)
