Divij and Raja clinch title
Kyoto: Divij Sharan and Purav Raja came from behind to win their first title ATP Challenger title of the season as the top seeded Indians tamed Miachel Venus and Sanchai Ratiwatana via Super Tie-breaker in the summit clash of the All Japan Indoor Championships, here on Saturday. Divij and Raja dropped the first set but came back strong for a 5-7 7-6(3) 10-4 win in one hour and 24 minutes in the final against the second-seeded Thai-Kiwi combine. The Indians split USD 2480 and earned 80 ranking points each for their win. left-handed Divij was playing his second final of the season, having ended runner-up at Kolkata Challenger with Vishnu Vardhan.
ICC celebrates women’s day
Dubai: The International Cricket Council on Saturday joined millions across the globe in celebrating Women’s Day, a global celebration of the achievements of women that has been celebrated since the early 20th century. ICC CEO David Richardson said, “International Women’s Day provides an important opportunity to reflect on the progress made in cricket in recent times, and to refocus on the exciting future ahead. “With the first women’s match of the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014 only 15 days’ away, I am pleased to say that it will be the fourth time that the men’s and women’s competitions will be played alongside each other, with the women’s semi-finals and final held on the same day and at the same venue as the men’s.
Rajasthan beat gujarat
lucknow: Rajasthan got the better of Gujarat 3-2 to register their first victory in Division A of the 4th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship at Major Dhyan Chand Hockey Stadium here on Saturday. Vijay Thapa of Gujarat scored the first goal of the match in the 14th minute. Gujarat then displayed some great defense to prevent Rajasthan from scoring in the first half. Going into the break, Gujarat were leading 1-0. But in the second half, Rajasthan started with great speed and they continued to attack to score the equaliser in the 49th minute. It was Ankit Kishwah, who helped Rajasthan open their account. In the 60th minute, Purshotam Bagdi netted ball to give Rajasthan a lead.Gujarat tried coming back in the game but within two minutes of their previous goal, Paramveer Singh Rathore added another one to Rajasthan’s kitty.
IOA meeting on march 27
New Delhi: Decisions concerning the dates of the South Asian Federation Games which India will host and National Games could be taken in the Indian Olympic Association Executive Committee meeting to be held here on March 27. The IOA had in 2012 proposed to host the SAF Games here early last year but then Sports Minister Ajay Maken had wanted to defer the regional multi-sporting event to this year, citing administrative difficulties that could have arisen due to the Delhi Assembly elections. After the IOA was suspended by the International Olympic Committee in December 2012, the hosting of the SAF Games remained in a limbo. The last SAF Games were held in Dhaka in 2010.
Indian lifters book 3 quota places New Delhi: Indian lifters booked two quota places among boys and one among girls for the Youth Olympic Games to be held in China in August after the conclusion of the 16th Asian Youth Weightlifting Championships at Bangsaen in Thailand on Saturday. The Championship was the continental qualification event for the 2nd Youth Olympic Games to be held in August in Nanjing, China. PNS/Agencies