Dibaba to take part in Delhi Half Marathon
New Delhi: Three-time Olympic Gold medallist distance runner Tirunesh Dibaba will be one of the star attractions at the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon scheduled to be held on October 21. The Ethiopian legend, who is the current 5000m world record holder, has won five world titles on the track as well as four world cross country championships victories. Dibaba will also have compatriot Ababel Yeshaneh to give her company. This will be the second time Dibaba will race in India. She ran a 5000m in Hyderabad back in 2003. An impressive addition to the men's elite field for this year's race is Dibaba's compatriot and fellow Ethiopian Hagos Gebrhiwet. Gebrhiwet boasts of two World Championships 5000m medals and a Rio 2016 Olympic Games 5000m Bronze medal.
Vishwakarma, Mahak win fenesta title
New Delhi: An energetic Siddharth Vishwakarma overwhelmed title-favourite and top seed Arjun Kadhe with his thunderous returns to emerge new national tennis champion while Mahak Jain outplayed Natsaha Palha to defend the women's singles crown at Fenesta Nationals here on Saturday. Left-handed Vishwakarma's impressive run culminated with a 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-3 win over Kadhe, who is ranked 358 against a humble 1221st ranking of the new champion. The women's singles final, though, turned out to be lopsided as the 17-year-old Mahak hardly broke a sweat in outclassing Palha. The class XI student at Daily College in Indore eased to a 6-1 6-2 win over the Goan girl. Meanwhile, Maharashtra's Siddhant Banthia won the Under-18 boys singles title with a 7-6 (0), 6-2 over Calvin Golmei from Chandigarh. Telngana's Humera Shaik took the U-18 girls title with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Rashmikaa S Bamadipaty.
Suarez to miss Uruguay friendlies
Montevideo: Uruguay striker Luis Suarez will miss his country's next friendly matches against South Korea and Japan on October 12 and 16 respectively, as he is expecting the birth of his third child, the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) has said. The AUF said on Friday that if Suarez's wife Sofia Balbi gives birth before the games, "the player will be available". National coach Oscar Tabarez will allow Suarez, 31, to avoid selection after a decision was made "based on the same criteria applied to earlier cases with other footballers," said the AUF. Tabarez will also be without injured defender Jose Gimenez and midfielder Carlos Sanchez. However, fellow Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani, will be available for both matches. Captain Diego Godin and goalkeeper Fernando Muslera are also available, while left-sided defender Marcelo Saracchi is selected for the first time.
India recall 13 U-23 players for camp
New Delhi: Thirteen Under-23 players, who were part of the Indian squad in the SAFF Cup last month, were on Saturday summoned by Indian football team coach Stephen Constantine for the camp here as part of the preparation for the friendly against China. India are slated to play China on October 13 at the Suzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium. The 29-member squad will assemble in the capital for the two-day camp before they leave for China on October 10. This is the first time the senior national team is travelling to China to play in an International match. The two sides last met in the Nehru Cup in Kochi back in 1997. In order to prepare for the forthcoming AFC Asian Cup, India are slated to play a few friendlies in the coming months and the coach feels "this are the kind of games we need."