singles

Ind athletes bag 8 medals

Bangkok: The Indian athletics team won eight medals — two golds, one silver and five bronzes — in their first outing at the Asian Grand Prix Series on Monday. Altogether there were 14 events from which Jinson Johnson won gold in the men’s 800 metre, ,Inderjit Singh added the second gold with a throw of 19.83 metres in shot-put, Ankit Sharma won silver with an effort of 7.78m in long Jump, M.R. Poovamma won bronze in the women’s 400m race,  Arokya Rajiv claimed bronze in 400m Sprint while Srabani Nanda clinched third spot in the women’s 100m. In the women’s 100m hurdles race, India’s Gayathry Govindraj bagged bronze with a timing of 13.72secs, while M. Gomathi also won bronze in the women’s 800m, clocking 2:07.48.

Rajinder hospitalised

Bangkok: National record holder javeline thrower Rajinder Singh was on Monday hospitalised after injuring his knee while taking part in the first leg of the Asian Athletics Grand Prix. The gold winner in the Kerala National Games in February, fell down after making his 3rd throw and apparently hit the ground on his knees. He was rushed to a city hospital here by the organizers and the Indian team management. Head coach Radhakrishnan Nair said that an X-ray examination on Rajinder’s knee will be done tonight and the extent of his injury would be known only tomorrow morning.

Paris to enter 2024 oly race

Paris: Paris and Budapest are set to enter the race for the 2024 Olympics on Tuesday and with more cities watching it could become a classic narrowly fought contest. France is to use the annual Olympic Day to proclaim its bid, while Budapest’s city council will vote to become the fifth competitor. The US city of Boston, Rome and Germany’s Hamburg are already lobbying for International Olympic Committee votes. The campaign will be long however and other cities could still enter. The Qatar capital Doha is also considering a move. Bids must be officially submitted by September 15 this year and the IOC will only make a decision at a congress in lima on September 15, 2017.

Squash gets another chance

Tokyo: The organizing committee of 2020 Tokyo Olympics today shortlisted squash as one of the eight disciplines to present its case before a final recommendation is made to the International Olympic Committee in September this year. “We are confident that squash would bring something special to the programme of the Olympic Games,” said World Squash Federation (WSF) president N Ramachandran on behalf of players from 185 countries in which the sport is played. Baseball, softball, bowling, karate, roller sports, sport climbing, squash, surfing and wushu were named finalist sports to be considered to be added for the 2020 Olympic Games set to take place in Tokyo, Japan.

N Korea boycotts games 

Seoul: North Korea has scrapped plans to attend next month’s University Games in South Korea to protest the planned opening of a UN human rights office in Seoul, South Korean officials said today. But the North cancelled the plans and told the International University Sports Federation last weekend that it will not attend the games, citing this week’s opening of the UN office tasked with specializing in its alleged rights violations, according to Seoul’s Unification Ministry.

Jr Badminton tourney begins

New Delhi: PNB Metlife, one of India’s leading life insurance companies kicked off yet another initiative to promote and nurture talent in badminton with the prestigious PNB Metlife Chaaji Memorial All India Sub Junior Ranking Badminton Tournament 2015. The tournament will be played under two categories — under 13 & 15 boys and girls (Singles and Doubles). Total of 8 events will be played in the tournament and more than 1200 entries have been received from all over India. This is being organised at the Thyagraj Stadium, Delhi. 

FC Goa signs Jofre Mateu

Panaji: FC Goa has roped in Atletico de Kolkata midfielder Jofre Mateu to bolster it’s midfield for the second edition of the Indian Super league football tournament that starts on October 3. With Mateu’s signing, the Goan franchise has now taken their international signing to six players. Others who have been signed, include Brazilian striker Reinaldo and Victor Simoes, Brazilian goalkeeper Elinton Andrade, defender Gregory Arnolin and Bruno Pinheiro (both retained), the club said.