New foreign hockey coach in 2 weeks
New Delhi: Indian men’s hockey team is set to get a new foreign coach within two weeks time as the national federation has shortlisted four candidates for the top job. Hockey India (HI) secretary general Narinder Batra has confirmed that they have received six applications from across the globe to fill the foreign coach’s post, which is lying vacant after Australian Michael Nobbs’ sudden ouster in July this year. “After going through all the applicants’ CVs we have shortlisted four individuals,” Batra said, completely rubbishing reports that HI has recommended its High Performance Director, Roelant Oltmans’ name for the national team coach’s position on permanent basis.
O’Sullivan asked to explain fixing claims
london: Five-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan has been asked by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association to prove his claim that Stephen lee may not be the only top-level cueist to be involved in match-fixing, or face possible sanction over his response. Former world number five lee was yesterday found guilty of fixing seven snooker matches in 2008 and 2009 by the disciplinary committee of the WPBSA.
Japan Open: Sindhu, Pawar, Ajay in 2nd rd
Tokyo: Rising Indian shuttler P V Sindhu entered the second round without much ado but it was Anand Pawar and K Srikanth who created a flutter at the Japan Open as they notched up stunning victories over their higher-ranked opponents in the men’s singles competition here. Sindhu, seeded eighth, brushed aside local shuttler Yukino Nakai 21-12 21-13 in less than half an hour to set up a clash with another Japanese qualifier Akane Yamaguchi in the women’s singles second round on Thursday.
India to host Taipei in Davis Cup first round
london: India were on Wednesday handed an easy draw for next year’s Davis Cup campaign in the Asia/Oceania Group I as they were pitted against Chinese Taipei in their first round tie, here. It will be a home tie for India as they had played Taipei in Kaohsiung in 2009, eking out a 3-2 win over the hosts when the two teams played for the first time against each other. India are in the bottom half of the draw and if they win against Taipei in the first round, slated for January 31 to February 1, they will travel to Korea for the second-round tie.
Women disappoint, Narsingh in repechages
Budapest: India's Nirmala Devi (48kg) and Vinesh (51kg) failed to impress in the women's section of the World Wrestling Championships even as men's freestyle grappler Narsingh Yadav entered the repechages after his conquerer made it to the finals of the 74kg section here on Wednesday. PNS/Agencies