Keshavan qualifies for Sochi Games
la Plagne (France): India’s sole luge athlete, Shiva Keshavan has qualified for the Winter Olympics to be held in the Russian Black Sea resort city of Sochi from February 7 to 23. Keshavan received a letter from the International luge Federation on Friday, informing him of allocation of the Olympic berth. The letter also mentioned the remaining mandatory participation in one World Cup and 20 official training runs post January 1 this year. Having already completed his World Cups, Keshavan is now preparing for the 20 official training runs. The Sports Ministry has been bearing the cost of the mandatory training and races leading up to the Winter Olympics for the athlete, given the suspension of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). “I am looking forward to taking part in Sochi. I would like to thank the sports ministry, the international luge federation and the IOC for all their support. This also would not have been possible without all my well wishers and sponsors,” Keshavan said. Asia Cup gold medallist Keshavan is currently training at the Olympic track in Albertville, France and this will be his fifth Olympic appearance. An accomplished Winter Olympian, Keshavan set a new Asian speed record at 134.3 km/h and won gold medal in Asia Cup 2011 at Nagano in Japan. In 2012, he retained the Asian title by winning the Gold Medal at the Asia Cup in Nagano and setting a new Asian track record at 49.590 seconds.
Babar sets new course record
Mumbai: lalita Babar completed a hat-trick of wins among the Indian women and set a new course record, while Pune-based Army Sports Institute’s Karan Singh was the best finisher among the Indian men in the 11th Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon, here on Sunday. The 25-year-old Babar clocked 2:50:31 to set the new course record among the Indian women athletes, bettering her own feat of 2:53:35 set in the 2012 edition of the race. The top Indian male and female finishers in the full marathon (42.19km) received a prize money of Rs 5 lakh each. Babar, employed with Central Railway, bagged a bonus of Rs 1 lakh for breaking the course record. Her Railways teammate Vijay Mala Patil finished second (2:59:58), while Jyoti Gawate came third (3:02:59). In the men’s field, it was a close contest with Karan clocking 2:24:08, followed by Rashpal Singh 2:24:38 and Binning lyngkhoi 2:24:40. “More than winning, I wanted to qualify for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games (both to be held in 2014). I couldn’t achieve the qualification time but I am happy that I could achieve the target of 2 hours 50 minutes that I had set for myself,” Babar said.
Pallikal to face Annie in Finals
New York: India’s world No.12 Dipika Pallikal defeated England’s Emily Whitlock in straight games to march into the Qualifying Finals of the Women’s JP Morgan Tournament of Champions, here. However, world no.15 Saurav Ghosal lost a hard fought battle against Simon Rosner of Germany in his opening round of the PSA World Series event. Ghosal went down 12-14, 16-14, 11-4, 9-11, 5-11 in 101 minutes against world no.13 Rosner at Grand Central Terminal. Pallikal, the highest-ranked player in the qualifying draw, beat Whitlock 11-6, 11-8, 11-6 in the first qualifying round of the WSA Gold event at the Princeton Club. The Chennai girl will now face Hong Kong’s Annie Au for a place in the main draw for the third year in a row.
Bhullar trips in the final round
Abu Dhabi: Gaganjeet Bhullar was unable to turn on the magic, which brought him into contention on the third, as he slipped to a three-over 75 on the final day and dropped from second position to tied 10th at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship here on Sunday. Bhullar, starting the day at nine-under and playing in the lead group alongside overnight leader lee Craig and five-time Major winner Phil Mickelson, crumbled with two bogeys on front nine and had two more bogeys on back nine with just one birdie for the entire day on par-3 15th. He finished at seven-under 279 and tied 10th. lee, too, collapsed with a 77 and ended in a tie for 10th with the Indian and seven others including Miguel Angel Jimenez (73), Thomas Bjorn (72) and Thongchai Jaidee (73). The star of the day was Spaniard Pablo larrazabal, who held his nerve on the final green to hold at bay Major Champions Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson here. McIlroy (68) and Mickelson (69) tied for second at 13-under. Shiv Kapur, who had a off-day yesterday with a 75, atoned for it with a great back nine that was his first nine of the final. He had five birdies against no bogeys but on the second nine he had two each of birdies and bogeys for a 67 but moved from tied 67th to tied 37th at the finish at three-under 285.
PT USHA HOPEFUl FOR CWG AND ASIADS
Hyderabad: Sprint queen P T Usha is hopeful that Indians would do well in athletics in prestigious international tournaments such as Asian Games and Commonwealth Games scheduled to be held this year. "I think athletics is coming up well. last Olympics, two athletes came in the finals and one was 10th. It is coming up well. May be, next time, good chance is there," she told reporters here. "Asian Games also this time, I think, India will do better performance. This time major competition is there. Asian Games, Common Wealth Games and even World Cup also," added Usha, who is a recipient of Padma Shri and Arjuna Award.