Bad luck for Amiya likely to miss Asian Games
Bhubaneswar: The selection of the Indian athletics team for next month’s Asian Games has run into controversy with members of the men’s 4x100m relay squad asking the Athletics Federation of India why they were deprived of a chance to undergo a trial. In a letter to AFI secretary CK Valson, top sprinters including Amiya Kumar Mallick, Krishnakumar Rane, Bopanna GN, Jyoti Sankar Debnath and Gurlal Singh wondered why they were discriminated against when the other three relay teams women’s 4x100m, 4x400m (men and women) got a second chance to qualify.
The athletes alleged that despite a pathetic show by the 1600m relay squads during the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, AFI officials were favouring these squads. “In Glasgow, the men’s 4x400m relay squad was disqualified while the women’s team dropped the baton in the final. If the authorities are giving them a chance why has the men’s 4x100m team been deprived of a chance to race in the trials scheduled on September 15 in PatialaIJ” the athletes asked in the letter. AFI, which named a 56-member squad, announced that the three relay teams would be send only if they do well in the retrials. In the case of the men’s 4x100m squad, training at the NIS in Patiala for the last one year, the authorities have asked them to pack their bags. Earlier, in the senior national athletic meet Amiya missed the 100 meter individual event due to injury, but the federation called him for the 4X100 relay event. Unfortunately, before the Commonwealth Games the federation informed him that the relay team could not participate in the event as some of the sprinters left the camp without any information.
BJEM boys win penalty shoot-out tournament
Bhubaneswar: Buxi Jagabandhu English Medium School (BJEM) edged out Ramakrishna Sikhya Kendra by 4-3 goals in the final via sudden death to emerge champions in the penalty shoot-out tournament, which was organised by Unit-VI Athletic Association as a part of silver jubilee celebration of the 25th Kalinga Marine-Bibekananda Memorial Inter-School Football Tournament at Unit-VI Govt Boys’ High School ground here on Sunday. Prithvi Priya Kumar Dash starred in the BJEM win, successfully converting a spot kick each in routine shoot out and sudden death. Among his teammates Abhijit Sahoo and Anshuman Sethi hit the target, while Siddharth Mohanty and Aditya Ashutosh Sethi failed in their efforts. For Ramakrishna Sikhya Kendra, Milan Behera, Dhaneswar Murmu, Baidyanath Murmu scored successfully, while laxmidhar Murmu and Sipun Sankhua missed the target. Ramakrishna Sikhya Kendra lost the contest as Bidyadhar Murmu shot wide in the sudden death. Altogether 15 schools participated in the offbeat tournament. Earlier in the semifinals, BJEM School beat Kalinga Bidyapitha, while Ramakrishna Sikhya Kendra got the better of DAV School, Pokhariput. Other 11 school in the fray were Tapovan High School, Prabjuhee English Medium School, Kendriya Vidyalaya No 2, St Xavier Schol (Kedargrouri), St Josepth School, Kendriya Vidyalaya No 3, Delhi Public School, Unit-VI Govt Boys High School, Venkateswar English Medium School, Aurobinda Integral School and Mother’s Public School. Indian women football team’s former head coach Mohammad Shahid Jabbar handed over the trophy in the presence of Unit-VI Athletic Association vice-presidents Akshya Kumar Das, Prafulla Kumar Mishra, secretary Dilip Das and Bhubaneswar Athletic Association joint-secretary Naba Ranjan Patnaik. Anup Patra of DAV School, Pokhariput, was adjudged the best goalkeeper of the tournament. Speaking on the occasion Jabbar advised school footballers to make extra effort to improve their skill in penalty shoot out. “With football matches often goint to tie-break, the art of successfully shooting from the penalty spot and saving on the goalline has assumed importance. Keeping this in mind young footballers should develop skills required in this area,’’ he observed. After a day’s break the KMBM Inter-School Tournament will resume on Monday with Unit-VI Govt Boys High School meeting Bibekananda School and Tapoban High School taking on Venkateswar English Medium School in next two group league matches.
City Club win in Gati Krushna Football league
Bhubaneswar: City Club defeated Tech Mahindra by 2-0 goals in the league round match 11TH Gati Krushna Memorial Div-B Football league at Unit - 1 High School Play Ground here on Sunday.
City Club got the lead through the goal by Sidhant Maharathy in the 29th minute. After the change of sides, Abhisek Nayak double the lead in the 67th minute. Sekhawat Khan, Sudipta Das, Susanta Kumar Mishra and Deepak Panigrahi conducted the match as referees. KIIT would meet Park Sporting Club in the league round match on Monday.
Odisha bags 6 gold in Kickboxing tourney
Bhubaneswar: Odisha kickboxer bagged six gold medals in the 19th Sub-junior, Junior and 20th Senior National Kickboxing Championship held at Sarusajai Indoor Stadium, Guwahati in Assam from August 18 to 21, being organized by Kickboxing Association of Assam (IAKO).
Total 500 players from 20 State were participated in the four-day-long meet. Odisha team bagged six gold, three silver and four silver medals. Altogether 14 players and five referees of the State were took part. Yuvaraj Harichandan of Bhubaneswar grabbed two gold medals, Nikhat Bano of Jharsuguda, Akasha Kumar Nayak, Prakash both of Cuttack and Satya Prakash Maharana of Khurda got a gold medal each.
Narayanan lift Kesabananda Chess titles
Bhubaneswar: Overnight solo leader IM Narayanan Srinath emerged champion by gathering 8.5 points by the end of tenth round of the 3rd Keshabananda Das Memorial All India FIDE Rating Chess Championship (1900 and above rating), which concluded here on Sunday. IM Swapnil S Dhopade and GM laxman RR scored eight and 7.5 points respectively and finished second and third.
The champion received a cash award of Rs 1.50 lakhs. The second and third finisher received Rs 70,000 and Rs 50,000 respectively. The quality and principle of the tournament is perfect national standard. I will love to play this tournament in coming years, said a participant. Industries, School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra distributed the prizes as the chief guest of the closing ceremony.
Among others, All Odisha Chess Association vice-president Ranjan Mohanty, joint secretary Manoj Kumar Panigrahi, secretary Vivek Kumar Tibarewal and Khordha District Chess Association secretary Subhasis Patnaik were present.