Spirited India lose 1-3 to Brazil
Bambolim: Already out of reckoning, hosts India produced a spirited fight before going down 1-3 against favourites Brazil in their last match of the BRICS U-17 football tournament, here on Thursday. Brazil took the lead as early as in the second minute of the match through Brenner Silva's powerful shot from outside the box at the Athletic Stadium here. Down by a goal, Nicolai Adam's boys attacked with vigour and Komal Thatal scored the equaliser in the 19th minute with a curling shot from the lefdt flank. India's rejuvenation was cut short when Brazil regained the lead in the 30th minute through Marcos Santos's strike. In the 82nd minute Brazil scored through Vinicius Oliviera to double their lead and wrap up the match.
Shooter Mairaj finishes 4th in Final
Rome: India's Mairaj Ahmad Khan finished 4th at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup Final in Rome on Thursday losing a shoot-off against Egypt's Azmy Mehelba in the skeet event. Mairaj had qualified for the final after scoring 118 in the qualification round. He finished tied 6th place with two other shooters but advanced to the final after a superior score in the shoot-off. The Indian then shot 14 out of 16 targets in the third place shoot-off whereas Mehelba missed only one target to finish on 15 points. Mairaj had finished a disappointing 9th at the Rio Olympics thereby missing out a spot in the final.
Ennis-Hill hangs up her spikes
london: British athletics great Jessica Ennis-Hill, who won heptathlon gold at the 2012 Olympics, announced her retirement from athletics on Thursday. In a post on social media the 30-year-old reigning world champion described it as "one of the toughest decisions I've had to make". "I've always said I wanted to leave on a high and have no regrets. I know that retiring now is right," she wrote on Instagram. Her retirement means she will not return to the stadium where she experienced her greatest achievement — as london hosts next year's World Athletics Championships. Ennis-Hill, a two-time world champion in 2009 and 2015, had hinted at retirement after claiming silver at the Rio Olympics.
India to face Canada in Junior WC
New Delhi: India will open their campaign against Canada in the FIH Junior Hockey World Cup to be played in lucknow from December 8 to 18. With only one rest day, hockey fans will be treated to 10 days of high-speed, action packed hockey at the Major Dhyan Chand Hockey Stadium. There, the world's rising stars will battle it out to be crowned junior men's world champions in what will be one of the most competitive hockey events of the year. The pool stages will take place between December 8-12 before the classification matches begin on December 14. The medal matches will then be held on December 18. Besides India taking on Canada, New Zealand and Japan kick-off what will be a hugely entertaining opening day which will also see reigning champions Germany start their title defence against Spain.