lahiri sizzles to win by four shots
Kolkata: Bangalore-based Anirban lahiri registered an impressive four-shot victory over his good friend and 'host' Rahul Gangjee to take top honours at the Rs 1.35 crore Mcleod Russel Tour Championship at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club here today. Bengal lad lahiri came up with a three-under-69 in the final round of the PGTI's year-ending championship to end the week with a total of 17-under 271 to clinch his maiden professional title at the RCGC and 13th overall. Gangjee, who is playing host to lahiri at his Alipore residence during the tournament, finished runner-up at 13-under-275. Overnight leader by three strokes, the three-time Asian Tour winner had an early hiccup in the final round as he double-bogeyed the second after his second shot ricocheted off a water sprinkler. The 26-year-old then got into his stride with birdies on the fourth, fifth, ninth, 12th, 16th and 17th to wrap up his fourth title in the year that includes one on the Asian Tour. In fact, the birdie on the ninth hole, where Gangjee bogeyed was the turning point of the game as lahiri increased the lead. lahiri's putter was on fire as he sank birdie putts from 15 to 20 feet on the fifth, ninth, 16th and 17th. He also landed his approach within two feet for a tap-in birdie on the 12th.
Nath, Archana new sub-jr champs
Ajmer: North Bengal's Akash Nath and Karnataka's Archana Kamath emerged new champions in the sub-junior section, while Rounak Majumdar (WB) and Swastika Ghosh (Maharashtra A) annexed titles in the Cadet category at the ONGC Cadet and Sub-Junior National Table Tennis Championships here on Sunday. What made Nath's maiden win special was the way he fought from the brink to snatch the crown from PSPB Academy's Manav Thakkar at the MC Chowhan Indoor Stadium. Nath won 4-3 in one of the finest finals in recent years. Equally the maiden title for Archana, who beat Maharashtra A's Shruti Amrute 4-0, was sweeter as she became the first girl from the state in 13 years to win the sub-junior crown. The last win for a Karnataka girl came at Calicut in 1999.
Abhijeet Gupta wins Al-Ain Classic
Al Ain (UAE): Grandmaster and former world junior champion Abhijeet Gupta benefitted from the late arrival of Gerogia's Baadur Jobava to win the Al-Ain Classic International Open Chess tournament that concluded here at the UAE university. In a bizarre turn of events, top seeded and rating favourite Jobava failed to turn up for the final game in time, giving the points as walk over and the title to Gupta who had kept himself in contention with two victories on the trot prior to the last round. For the records, Gupta scored seven points out of a possible nine and tied for the top spot along with Vasif Dararbayli of Azerbaijan and Martin Kravitsiv of Georgia but won the title on tie-break with a total of six wins and two draws. Earlier, after a sedate start, Gupta came back strongly in the event defeating GM Aloyzas Kveinys of lithuania in the penultimate round. Gupta's victory added to Indian celebration as a total of eight medals were won by the youngsters in the world youth chess championships that concluded at the same time.
Schumi injured after ski accident
lyon: Formula One legend Michael Schumacher is receiving treatment in hospital for head injuries after a ski accident at Meribel on Sunday, officials at the French ski resort reported. Schumacher, who reportedly owns property at the resort, was skiing off-piste with other skiers when he sustained a knock to the head in a fall. The 44-year-old was hospitalised at the nearby town of Moutiers, officials said, before being taken to hospital in Grenoble. The extent of his injuries was unclear but according to Christophe Gernignon-lecomte, director of the Meribel resort, he was not seriously injured. Gernignon-lecomte told Radio Monte Carlo Sport: "He was shocked, a little shaken but conscious. "It may be a head injury but it is not very serious."
TN, Railways win volleyball titles
Moradabad: Tamil Nadu and Railways bagged men's and women's titles respectively in the 62nd Senior National Volleyball Championship here on Sunday. Tamil Nadu thrashed Uttarakhand in the men's summit clash 3-0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-14). In the women's final match, Railways hammered Kerala 3-1 (25-17, 25-10, 23-25, 25-21) to retain their title. Agencies