9 Indians in finals of Asian U-19 & U-23 Boxing Championships
Jakarta, July 13: India continued its dominant run at the Asian Boxing Championships on Monday with nine boxers advancing to the finals across U-19 men’s and women’s categories, while six boxers secured bronze medals following the semifinal bouts here. All eight Indian women boxers delivered outstanding performances to reach the finals. Chahat (60kg), Anshika (75kg), Megha Sheokand (80kg), and Prachi Tokas (+81kg) sealed their places in the final. Along with earlier winners, India confirmed all eight finalists in the U-19 women’s category. In the U-19 Men’s category, Aditya (55kg) and Shubham Rajput (90kg) progressed to the finals. Six boxers signed off with bronze medals after losing the semifinals. On Sunday, eight Indian boxers had advanced to the finals across men’s and women’s U-23 categories. In the U-23 women’s category, five Indian boxers – Nisha (54kg), Nikita Chand (60kg), Kajal (65kg), Muskan (75kg) and Priyanka (+80kg) – progressed to the finals. In the U-23 men’s category, three Indian boxers – Vishvanath Suresh (50kg), Ganga (55kg) and Vanshaj (65kg) – advanced to the finals. edged past Japan. India also added seven bronze medals from semifinal finishes. In the U-23 women’s category, bronze medals were secured by Tanu (51kg), Prachi (57kg), Shivani (70kg), and Naina (80kg). In the U-23 men’s category, bronze medals were won by Hitesh (70kg), Neeraj (75kg), and Ishan Kataria (+90kg). (PTI)
Puligilla-Sherif duo wins ARC3 class in Rawanda Rally
Kigali City (Rwanda), July 13: The Indian duo of Naveen Puligilla and co-driver Musa Sherif claimed a comfortable victory in the ARC3 class and also finished an impressive fourth overall in the 2026 Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally, the third round of the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) here. Team Duran Racing’s duo of Puligilla and Sherif punched well above their weight in their Ford Fiesta Rally3, prepared by MRU Motorsport Africa, and finished ahead of several more powerful cars in ARC2 class, in a field of 17 ARC entries from Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Denmark and India. Touching speeds of nearly 170 kmph, Puligilla and Sherif dominated the ARC3 category by winning 12 of the 18 special stages. Holding a comfortable lead of nearly two minutes, they eased their pace in the final two stages to seal a convincing class victory. (PTI)
Pressure will be on me in CWG as I am defending champion: Nadeem
Lahore, July 13: Pakistan’s Olympic gold medallist javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem on Monday admitted that he will be under pressure during the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow as he enters the event as defending champion. Nadeem will lead Pakistan’s contingent in the Commonwealth Games beginning in Glasgow on July 23 and he is set to rekindle an old rivalry with Indian superstar Neeraj Chopra. “There is more pressure on me because I am the defending champion in the coming games but I have prepared well,” Nadeem said. “It is good to be getting back to competition and yes I want to successfully defend my Commonwealth Games gold medal in Glasgow,” he added. Chopra missed the last Commonwealth Games due to an injury and Nadeem walked away with the gold medal in 2022 in Birmingham with a throw of 90.18m. “I know what I need to do to regain the title in a strong field,” Nadeem said. Nadeem’s only big win over Chopra came in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris when he won the gold medal with an effort of 92.97m. (PTI)
