Sally Pearson doubtful Glasgow: Olympic champion Sally Pearson of Australia says she’s a doubtful starter for the 100 meters at the Commonwealth Games due to hamstring problems, though she still hopes to compete in her specialty 100-meter hurdles event. The 100 meter is scheduled for Monday while the hurdles final will be on Aug 2, the second-to-last day of the games. Pearson says at a news conference on Wednesday, “The latest I can pull out is 48 hours, and right now it is more likely I am going to. I’ve had a few discussions with my coach and we’re really at the stage where I can’t do two events.” The Australian is also the 2011 world hurdles champion.
Squash for turnaround
Glasgow: The six-member Indian squash team, led by Saurav Ghosal and Dipika Pallikal, begins its Commonwealth Games campaign with the singles competition here on Thursday, well aware that it has a good chance of winning its first ever medal in the quadrennial event. Though India’s best bet for a medal is in the doubles and mixed doubles, World No. 16 Ghosal and 10th-ranked Pallikal are capable of springing a surprise in the individual category. Ghosal, seeded fourth, takes on little-known Jules Snagg of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in his opener at the Scotstoun Sports Campus. The Indian is drawn to meet eigth seeded Malaysian Ong Beng Hee in the quarterfinals and England’s second seed James Willstrop in the semifinals. The other Englishmen dominating the draw are top seed Nick Matthew and third seed Peter Barker. “The draw looks fine. I am focussing on getting through one match at a time,” Ghosal told PTI. On his first match, he said: “I have not seen him play before as he is not on the professional tour. Hopefully I will play well and win. later in the evening, I could end up playing Paul Coll from New Zealand.”
TT medals won’t be easy
Glasgow: The Indian table tennis team will find it tough to match the record medal tally of the Delhi edition. India, who won five medals including a gold and silver in Delhi four years ago, begin their challenge with the team championships beginning on Thursday. The Indian men’s team spearheaded by Sharath Kamal, a three-time gold winner at at the Games, has been seeded third in Pool C. It will play two matches on the opening day, against Vanuatu and Northern Ireland respectively. The team comprising Sharath, Harmeet Desai and Soumyajit Ghoosh is aiming to do better than Delhi where it had to settle for a bronze against England and champions Singapore.
Judokas excited at return
Glasgow: With judo coming back into the Games, fold after 12 years, Indian judokas looked a confident lot as they begin their campaign here on Thursday, aiming to produce the best-ever performance by the country in the quadrennial event. This is the third time that judo has been in Commonwealth Games after 1990 in Auckland and 2002 in Manchester and India had won two medals each in both the editions. The current India team, comprising seven men and seven women, expressed confidence of winning four to five medals this time. Women’s coach Virender Singh said that the 14-member Indian team had a good preparation ahead of the Games with a training-cum-exposure tour to Tashkent and then Hungary for more than 20 days in May-June. He said India should win four to five medals.
AIBA’s decision welcomed
New Delhi: IOA appointed Adhoc committee, which is currently running Indian boxing, on Thursday welcomed AIBA’s decision to allow the Indian coaches to sit on the ringside during bouts at the 20th Commonwealth Games. “It is very good decision taken by AIBA regarding the entry of Indian Boxing Coaches at the ring corner to second and guide the boxers,” Ad-hoc Committee (Boxing) said in a release. “AIBA has given its decision after intervene by Adhoc Committee and IOA. This will boost the moral of boxers and coaches and enhance their chances of winning the medals at Glasgow.The decision is welcomed in sports fraternity and Boxers in particular,” the release added.