Vaishnavi Adkar storms into quarters of ITF Women’s Open
Bengaluru, Feb 19: India’s Vaishnavi Adkar battled past eighth seed Mai Hontama in a pulsating three-set encounter to storm into the quarterfinals of the ITF Women’s Open W100 here on Thursday. Vaishnavi defeated her Japanese opponent 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(8). Earlier, Sahaja Yamalapalli fell 0-6, 0-6 to top seed Talia Gibson of Australia. The match was interrupted when bees swarmed the KSLTA complex, forcing the players to retreat to the locker room. None of the players, officials or spectators were bitten during some 20-minute delay. (PTI)
Iconic Ladakh Marathon to return in September
New Delhi, Feb 19: Ladakh Marathon, the world’s highest AIMS-certified marathon, will return for its 13th edition on September 10 and will culminate on September 13, the organisers announced on Thursday. One of the most challenging tests of endurance and human capacity in the world, registrations for all six races of the Ladakh Marathon, including the curated Silk Route Ultra (122km) and Khardung La Challenger (72km) ultra races, opened on Thursday and can be applied to through the official website. Beyond the two ultras, the event will feature the Marathon (42km), Half Marathon (21km), 11.2km Run, and the 5km Run for Fun. “Acclimatisation is compulsory for all runners, with ultra runners required to arrive in Leh at least 10 days before race day in order to participate,” a press release said. The Khardung La Challenge and Silk Route Ultra remain application-based and strictly capped. Climbing to 17,618 feet at Khardung La, these races are reserved for runners with proven marathon and ultra-distance credentials, subject to document verification and mandatory medical clearance. (PTI)
IOC to contribute Rs 60 crore for Gorakhpur int’l cricket stadium
Lucknow, Feb 19: Indian Oil Corporation Limited will contribute Rs 60 crore towards the construction of the proposed international cricket stadium in Gorakhpur, officials said on Thursday. An MoU to this effect was signed between the Uttar Pradesh government and the company in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow. Addressing the event, Adityanath said the stadium would not merely be a sports facility but a platform to help emerging talent from eastern Uttar Pradesh reach national and global levels. He added that the international venue would accelerate sports tourism, investment and economic activity in the region. The chief minister also noted that an international cricket stadium is under construction in Varanasi, with completion expected in June, while budgetary provisions have been made for the Gorakhpur facility. (PTI)
Russell outpaces Piastri and Leclerc at Formula 1 testing in Bahrain
Sakhir, Feb 19: Mercedes driver George Russell was fastest on the first day of Formula 1’s final testing event ahead of the new season, edging McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. In the afternoon session at the Bahrain International Circuit on Wednesday, Russell had a time of 1:33.459, surpassing Piastri’s 1:33.739 achieved in the morning. Leclerc finished 0.28 behind the leader. “Overall, it has been a productive day,” Piastri said. It is the second three-day testing event to be held in Bahrain this year ahead of the opening race of the season in Australia next month. The teams tested their new cars earlier in the year at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Regulation changes have made cars smaller and lighter, with key roles being the charging of an on-board battery and using electrical energy to boost speed. The FIA, Formula 1’s governing body, said “regulations were agreed” following meetings of the F1 Commission and the F1 Power Unit Advisory Committee. Max Verstappen, who last week said the new cars are no fun to drive and that the series no longer feels like F1, sat out both sessions. Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar finished sixth fastest despite managing just 13 laps in the morning session with a water system issue. Verstappen will be involved in a full session later on Thursday. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso was limited to 28 laps due to a power unit issue in the morning session. (AP)
