Unit-6 Athletic body win Football tourney
Bhubaneswar: Unit-6 Athletic Association emerged champion by defeating Sports Club of Sambalpur by 2-0 goals in the Maa Pahara Bhandara All Odisha Football Tournament, which concluded at Sinapali in Nuapada on Thursday. Bijay Barik and Golka Pradhan of the champion team scored a goal each. Bijya bagged the man of the final award of Rs500. The champion team bagged the trophy along with cash prize of Rs11,111 and the runners-up team richer by Rs7,777.
IND, oz teams arrive for fifth ODI
Bhubaneswar: As per the schedule both India and Australia team arrived here on Thursday after the rain played a spoil spot in the fourth one-day match at Ranchi. Similarly, even as heavy rains cast doubts over the fate of the fifth ODI between India and Australia at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Saturday. “If the rains spare us at least for a single day on Friday, we will get the ground match-fit on Saturday,” said an OCA official. Meanwhile, OCA authorities are leaving no stone unturned to keep Barabati grounds match-fit on Saturday. In an innovative way, the organisers are draining out water from the outfield by digging four wells around the ground. Efforts were also on to keep the pitch dry by providing a three layer cover. On Tuesday night, rainwater gushed into the pitch. The ground staffs were pressed to remove the water by using sponge. Meanwhile, the Team India would reach for practices season on Friday informed OCA official. The cricket lovers of the State are hopeful that the rain good will be kind enough. Already tickets were sold but many exports think that the chance of match would be negligible.
Want to reach 2650 rating in 2015: Debashis
Bhubaneswar: Earlier I have told that I have never played tournaments to achieve any norms or titles but my destination is to reach 2650 elo rating within two years, said first and only grand master (GM) of the State Debashis Das in his arrival here on Thursday after accomplishing 2503 elo rating. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik felicitated Das and wished him good luck for the future. Debashis who reached here after finishing fourth in the 51st National Challenger (national-B) Chess Championship, which concluded at Bhopal on October 22. Debashis not only got the rating in this competition, he also qualified for the National Premier (National ‘A’) Chess Championship to be held at Maharashtra from December 16 to 30. Records are made to broken, I will happy anybody from our State will break my record. I believe in our State many chess players are there but the dedication and the amount of hard work is required to reach such millstone is not there. I will not think anybody would touch such level in coming one or two years. I personally thanks to my elders, fans and supporters. The journey from International Master (IM) to Grand Master (GM) has been taken nearly three years, Debashis added. I have started my sporting journey under the guidance of Coach SR Pattnaik. After that Rajendra Kumar Sahu helped me to grow. Tamil Nadu Grand Master RV Ramesh and Greece GM Stelioh Halkias helped me a lot to reach such height. Top nine finisher of the national-B meet would participate in the national-A championship. Another five would get the direct entry. My first and foremost adjective is to get the title at Maharashtra, he further added. All Odisha Chess Association secretary Vivek Tibarawal, member Manoj Panigrahi, Subhasis Patnaik, officials of State Sports and Youth Services department and family members were present.
Selection camp for TFA from October 28
Bhubaneswar: Tata Steel known for investing in world-class sports academies and infrastructure is going to organise a-two-day long coaching- cum- selection camps for the Tata Football Academy (TFA). This camp would be held at Unit VI High School Ground here from October 28 and 29. Aspiring youth of Odisha born on or after 1st January, 1998 with a minimum height of 5’ 6’’ and weight of 55 kg apx, would participate in the camp. Reputed coaches from TFA and UK based Sheffield’s United Football Club would conduct the assessment and trials to shape the destiny of ace soccer stars selected from the State. TFA in coordination with Tata Steel has been conducting such football camps across Odisha as a part of its commitment towards nurturing sporting talent since last eight years. The Company strongly affirms that the State has a huge pool of sports talent which needs to be exposed to national and international competitions. This is evident from the career growth of Sk. Mustaqin from Cuttack, selected through such camp and recruited by East Coast Railway after completion of training at TFA. While Pankaj Suna, an alumni of TFA selected from Odisha is playing for Kolkata based ace club Pailan Arrows, Sk. Rohit and Sk. Bilal from Cuttack and Rajat Nag from Bolangir are now being trained at TFA with a hope to pave path towards a prosperous future.
Tata Steel has been conferred with FICCI India Sports Awards 2013 for being adjudged as the best company in private towards promotion of sports in the country. Tata Football Academy also manages Feeder Centres at key locations for encouraging rural sports talent to join the international mainstream which has been a highly motivating factor for the aspiring talents and sports lovers from Odisha.
Pratap selected as hockey India manager
Bhubaneswar: Hockey Odisha general secretary and Hockey India vice-president Pratap Satapathy has been nominated as manager of Indian Hockey Team for the 3rd Men’s and Women’s Asian Champions Trophy to be held at Kakamigahara, Japan from November 2 to 10. In the men’s event India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan, Chain and Oman are the six teams would fight for the top prize. Similarly, India, Japan, Malaysia and Chain are the four teams would participate. Pratap would fly to Japan along with the India Hockey team on October 29 from New Delhi.