Rajgir, Aug 29: Chief coach Craig Fulton was not fully satisfied with Indian men’s hockey team’s performance against lowly China in its Asia Cup opener, but stressed that the most important thing was to start with a win.
World number seven India looked lacklustre and were made to toil hard by 23rd-ranked China before scraping to a 4-3 win in their opener.
“First half was good, we got into good positions and then did some mistakes but we always had another gear to get to. It’s nice that in the second half we got some PCs and converted. Not to score the stroke was unfortunate,” Fulton said in the post-match interaction.
India captain Harmanpreet Singh converted three penalty corners but missed a penalty stroke in the second half.
“We played well enough to win the game but we didn’t play to our expectations. The first hurdle was a good hurdle. There was lot of fight in our team which was nice to see but we missed a few chances and we conceded a few soft goals as well,” Fulton said.
Fulton said his side needs to improve in several areas despite the result going their way.
“What was important was to get the three points and we did that.”
The South African said it would be a mistake to underestimate any team in the tournament, which was visible on Friday.
“Well I expect fight from any team. We are the highest ranked team and favourites here, so every team is going to lift themselves to play us and we have to manage that challenge,” Fulton said.
“I have seen a lot of games when you don’t play well but you win and that’s what is important getting the win.” Harmanpreet said there plenty of learnings from the match against China.
“It was a tough match but winning was important. Till the last whistle we fought. It’s a good lesson for us,” he said.
He highlighted that they need to be alert defensively.
“Most of the team here prefer to sit back, play deep and wait for counters. That’s a good lesson for us, to make sure that our defensive line is strong.” (PTI)

Rajgir, Aug 29: Malaysia came from a goal down to crush lower-ranked Bangladesh 4-1 before title holders Korea thrashed Chinese Taipei 7-0 in Pool B matches of the men’s Asia Cup hockey tournament, here on Friday.
In the second match of Pool B, Dain Son (17th, 29th, and 58th minute) slammed a hat-trick, Jihun Yang (27th, 50th) struck twice from penalty corners before Seyong Oh (53rd) added another from field effort.
Korea pumped in two more goals through Yoonho Kong (54th) and Son in the final minutes of the match to register a dominating win.
Earlier in the opening match of the tournament, Malaysia, ranked 12th in the world, scored three field goals through Ashran Hamsani (25th minute), Akhimullah Anuar (36th), Muhajir Abdul Rauf (48th) before Syed Cholan (54th) struck from a penalty corner.
However, it was 29th ranked Bangladesh who took the lead against the run of play in the 16th minute when Ashraful Islam converted a penalty corner.
Stunned by the goal, Malaysia threw numbers upfront and started attacking with great intent in search of the equaliser and their efforts bore fruit five minutes from halftime through Hamsani’s fine field strike.
A slow start notwithstanding, Malaysia continued their dominance by pumping in three more goals in the final quarter — two from field play and from a set piece to register a comfortable win.
While Malaysia utilised just one of the four penalty corners they earned in the match, Bangladesh secured two and scored from one.
Malaysia will next play the title holders and five-time champions South Korea next on Saturday, while Bangladesh will be up against Chinese Taipei earlier in the day.
The Asia Cup is a direct qualification tournament for next year’s FIH World Cup to be co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands from August 14 to 30. (PTI)

Paris, Aug 29: Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu’s quest for a sixth World Championships medal ended on Friday after losing a hard-fought three-game quarterfinal thriller to Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani.
Sindhu, the 2019 world champion and five-time medallist at the event, was eyeing a record sixth podium finish but faltered at the finishing line, losing 14-21, 21-13, 16-21 to ninth seed Wardani in a pulsating 64-minute contest.
Earlier in the day, the Indian mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto bowed out after losing 15-21, 13-21 to world No. 4 Malaysians Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei, ending India’s hopes of a maiden mixed doubles medal at the showpiece.
Sindhu, the 30-year-old from Hyderabad had won her maiden medal in Guangzhou in 2013. She added another bronze in Copenhagen a year later to her tally, finished runner-up in Glasgow (2017) and Nanjing (2018), before scripting history with gold at Basel in 2019.
Sindhu, the only Indian to win Olympic medals in consecutive Games – silver at Rio 2016 and bronze at Tokyo 2020 – has endured a difficult run since lifting the 2022 Commonwealth Games crown. The Singapore Open that year was her last notable title.
Injuries, a slide in rankings and frequent coaching changes have stifled her rhythm in the buildup to the Paris Olympics, where her dream of a third Olympic medal ended prematurely.
Training under Indonesian coach Muhammad Irwansyah, she has continued to search for consistency on the tour, but results have remained elusive. (PTI)

New Delhi, Aug 29: Pakistan team will be a part of the upcoming seventh season of the men’s FIH Pro League, opening up the possibility of clashes with India at a neutral venue during the tournament that is traditionally played in a home-and-away format.
Besides India, Pakistan will join Argentina, Australia, Belgium, England, Germany, India, Netherlands, and Spain in the upcoming season for which a detailed schedule is still awaited.
Pakistan were promoted through the FIH Hockey Nations Cup played in Malaysia earlier this year. New Zealand won that event by beating Pakistan in the final but later indicated that they “would not proceed with the invitation to join Pro League this time.”
“Therefore, as stipulated in the regulations, FIH extended the invitation to the runners-up, namely Pakistan, who have confirmed their participation,” FIH stated in a press release. (PTI)

New Delhi, Aug 29: The unveiling of a brand new Mondo track at the iconic JLN Stadium in the national capital, renewed vows to make India a sporting superpower and tributes to the iconic Major Dhyan Chand marked the opening day of the three-day National Sports Day celebrations across the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Japan right now, took to social media to pay tributes to Dhyan Chand on his 120th birth anniversary. The wizard earned India three Olympic gold medals – 1928, 1932 and 1936 – with his extraordinary ball control skills and goal-scoring ability.
He also reiterated the government’s commitment to make India a “global hub for sporting excellence”.
“In the last decade, India’s sporting landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation. From grassroots programmes that nurture young talent to creating world-class facilities, we are seeing a vibrant sports ecosystem in our nation.
“Our government remains committed to supporting athletes, building infrastructure and making India a global hub for sporting excellence,” Modi said in his post.
Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who was in the city, started his day by paying floral tributes to Dhyan Chand’s statue at the National Stadium here before inaugurating the Mondo track at the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium.
The track, which is made of two-layered vulcanized rubber, has been widely lauded for its uniform elasticity, shock absorption, and anti-slip qualities, that enhance the performance of athletes and reduce the risk of injury.
It has been laid keeping in view the World Para-Athletics Championship from September 26 to October 5.
He then went on to engage in some sporting action by playing football and cricket with the guests and media amid a heavy downpour.
“By passing the Sports Governance Bill, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has worked towards placing India among the top sporting nations,” said the Minister in a social media post of his own.
“The tradition of sports has been present in India for centuries. Under the leadership of Modi ji, India is today advancing towards becoming a sports superpower.s “On the birth anniversary of the great hockey player Major Dhyan Chand, I offer him countless salutations and extend my heartfelt wishes to all fellow countrymen on National Sports Day,” Mandaviya said.
The minister called upon the people to spend at least an hour on the sports field to bring about a change in the sporting landscape.
“Let us make this day even more meaningful – be sure to spend at least one hour on the sports field,” he said.
President Droupadi Murmu also met young sportspersons at the Rashtrapati Bhawan’s Amrit Udyan, while India’s iconic sportspersons like Sachin Tendulkar and Abhinav Bindra shared their views on the country’s sporting growth.
“On National Sports Day this year, I urge everyone to celebrate our athletes, pick up a sport or try some exercise, and take the first step toward healthier minds and bodies,” said the cricketing icon.
“Interest, talent, and opportunities to participate in sports come in different arenas, and all athletes deserve our admiration and respect both for participating, and for the hard work and persistence required to excel.”
Bindra, the 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medallist in 10m air rifle shooting, said he hoped the citizens of the country follow the Olympic values for the betterment of the nation.
“On National Sports Day my thoughts are with every Indian athlete, known and unknown, and with all those who silently carry them forward, parents, coaches, teachers, physios, friends.
“Sport teaches us to strive, to respect, to stand together. May Olympic values guide not just our athletes but all of us as a nation,” said Bindra.
On Saturday, Sports Authority of India’s Regional Centres will conduct debates, talks, competitions, and panel discussions on sports, and Fit India carnival-style events across the country.
On August 31 ‘Sundays on Cycle’ under the theme of National Sports Movement will be held. (PTI)

Zurich, Aug 29: Indian javelin throw star Neeraj Chopra acknowledged that his timing was off in the Diamond League Finals in which he finished second but he is hopeful of hitting his strides at the World Championships next month in Tokyo, where he is the defending champion.
The two-time Olympic medallist finished runner-up in the Diamond League Finale for the third time in a row as Julian Weber of Germany lifted his maiden trophy with two 90m-plus throws in a commanding show here on Thursday.
Chopra was lying third till the fifth round following his opening throw of 84.35m before his final effort of 85.01m took him to the second spot, overtaking 2012 London Olympics gold winner Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago who ended third with 84.95m.
“The timing was not so good today (Thursday), run-up was not so good. There is something I didn’t find today, but I still have three weeks for the World Championships, and I will try my best,” Chopra said after the event on Thursday.
The Tokyo Olympic gold medallist had crossed 90m for the first time earlier this year at the Doha Diamond League, but has on numerous occasions said he needs to improve his technique to hit the mark consistently. (PTI)

Rajkanwar takes centre fire pistol gold, Ankur excels in double trap

Shymkent (Kazakhstan), Aug 29: Young pistol marksman Rajkanwar Singh Sandhu gave himself a belated birthday present by winning the 25m centre fire event, while former world champion Ankur Mittal netted the double trap gold as India made merry in non-Olympic disciplines at the Asian Shooting Championships here on Friday. India also made a clean sweep in women’s double trap with Anushka Bhati (93), Pranil Ingle (89) and Hafiz Contractor (87) finishing on the podium. The trio also cornered the team gold with an aggregate of 269. India thus concluded their campaign with 31 medals, including 14 gold, eight silver and nine bronze in the senior category, placing them second behind China, who finished with 15 gold, 12 silver and three bronze. Overall, India won 103 medals, including 52 gold, 26 silver, and 25 bronze, in the three categories – senior, junior and youth – they participated in. (PTI)

Indian lifters bag 7 medals at Commonwealth C’ships

Ahmedabad, Aug 29: Indian weightlifters bagged a rich haul of seven medals, including a silver and a bronze in the senior category, with rising star Sairaj Pardeshi grabbing the spotlight with a record-breaking gold on the fifth day of the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships here on Friday. Reigning National Games champion Dilbag Singh settled for silver in the men’s 94kg event with a total lift of 342kg (153kg snatch + 189kg clean and jerk). Vanshita Verma took bronze in the senior women’s 86kg division, lifting 222kg (95kg+127kg). Meanwhile, Shah Hussain secured gold in the 88kg youth category with a combined lift of 267kg (115kg+152kg) while his compatriot Hrundanada Das clinched silver with a 317kg (139kg+178kg) effort. Parv Chaudhary won the gold in the men’s 94kg junior and youth events. With his effort, he surpassed the junior Commonwealth clean and jerk standard of 186kg, while also improving his own set of youth Commonwealth records in snatch (145kg), clean and jerk (183kg) and total (328kg). (PTI)

Indian boxers win 7 gold medals at Belt and Road Youth Boxing Gala

New Delhi, Aug 29: Indian boxers claimed a rich haul of 26 medals including 7 golds, at the in the third Belt and Road International Youth Boxing Gala being held at Xinjiang, China. The event is an Under-17, Under-19, and Under-23 international competition. The girls’ team dominated the finals with 5 gold, 5 silver, and 6 bronze medals. Laxmi (46kg), Radhamani (60kg), Harnoor (66kg), Jyoti (75kg), and Anshika (+80kg) clinched gold in style, while Chandrika (54kg) settled for silver against a Chinese opponent. All-India clashes in the 46kg, 60kg, 66kg, and +80kg categories ensured additional silver and bronze medals. In the boys’ category, India secured 2 gold, 2 silver, and 6 bronze medals. Falak (48kg) and Udham Singh Raghav (54kg) clinched gold with commanding wins over Kazakh opponents, while Dhruv Kharb (46kg) and Piyush (50kg) settled for silver after closely fought bouts. Uday Singh (46kg), Aditya (52kg), Ashish (54kg), Devendra Chaudhary (75kg), Jaideep Singh Hanjra (80kg), and Loven Gulia (+80kg) contributed bronze medals to the tally. (PTI)

Mumbai to host FISU World University Squash next year

Mumbai, Aug 29: Players from more than 20 countries will participate in the FISU World University Championship Squash scheduled here next year from August 3-9. The tournament, to be held at the Somaiya Vidyavihar University, will be organised in collaboration with the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and held under the aegis of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), a release said.FISU is the international governing body responsible for events such as the World University Games and the World University Championships. (PTI)

India to host 50km World C’ships

New Delhi, Aug 29: The Athletic Federation of India in coordination with International Association of Ultrarunners will organise 50km World Championships in December, Adille Sumariwalla, vice president of World Athletics said here on Friday. “India will host a series of IAU 50km World Championships in India,” Sumariwalla said. “The first of the series will be held on December 7 this year in New Delhi from the iconic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.” According to Sumariwalla, a former AFI president, the 2027 and 2029 editions of the IAU 50km World Championships have also been allotted to India. (PTI)