SPORTS

New Delhi, March 11 (IANS) The world of para-athletics turned its spotlight on India on Tuesday as the much-anticipated World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2025 commenced at the iconic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. The grand opening ceremony saw an enthusiastic crowd, including top dignitaries, athletes, and spectators from around the world. The event, which is open to all, has drawn 280 athletes from 20 countries, competing across 98 events over the next three days.Among the participants, 195 male and 85 female athletes have arrived with high aspirations, making this edition one of the most eagerly awaited competitions in the global para-athletics circuit.The Grand Prix also witnessed the absence of several Indian and international para-athletes who had initially confirmed their part...

Gurugram, March 11 (IANS) Rookie Lavanya Jadon birdied the closing hole to take the sole lead at 2-under in the first round of the sixth leg of the Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the Gary Player-designed DLF Golf & Country Club here on Tuesday.Lavanya had five birdies against three bogeys in a round of 70.The Order of Merit leader, Sneha Singh seemed to be set for a very low round as she was four-under through 13 holes before hitting a disastrous patch as she bogeyed four holes in a row from the 14th to the 17th.That saw her drop to even-par but a birdie on the closing 18th ensured a 1-under card and a tie for second place with Anvvi Dahhiya, who finished more than an hour before her. The highlight of Sneha’s round was an eagle on the Pasr-4 second, where she holed her second shot. It was th...

Patna, March 11 (IANS) Haryana’s 16-year-old thrower- Nishchay- was a star attraction on the second day of the 20th National Youth Athletics Championships being held at Patliputra Sports Complex here on Tuesday.Nishchay's gold medal-winning throw in the shot put was 18.93m and far ahead of his nearest rival. “He (Nishchay) has the potential to become a good thrower in the future,” N. Ramesh, chief junior athletics coach, was quoted as saying by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).Akhand Pratap Singh of Uttar Pradesh (17.97m) and Harpratap Singh from Punjab (17.40m) won the silver and bronze medals, respectively.Nishchay was excited to have crossed the 60m mark (62.14m) in the discus but was a bit disappointed to miss the 19m mark in the shot put. “My goal in the shot put discipline was...

Mumbai, March 11 (IANS) India vice-captain Shubman Gill arrived in Mumbai after lifting the ICC Champions Trophy title in Dubai. He was seen coming out of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Tuesday evening. India defeated New Zealand by four wickets in the final on Sunday to claim the third title in the eight-team tournament. India became the most successful team in the Champions Trophy, surpassing Australia's feat of two titles.The 25-year-old opener accumulated 188 runs in five matches, including an unbeaten century against Bangladesh in the opening match. He also played a crucial knock of 46 runs, along with Virat Kohli (100 not out), against arch-rivals Pakistan in India's six-wicket win.It was Gill's first ICC title after missing the opportunity to get the hands-...

Gurugram, March 11 (IANS) Chandigarh’s Rajiv Kumar Jatiwal was in red-hot form as he fired a seven-under 65 to seize the first-round lead at the PGTI NexGen 2025 season-opener being played at the Golden Greens Golf & Polo Club here on Tuesday. The seasoned Jatiwal scored an eagle and five birdies on the way to his 65 in the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) event players finishing lower than 60 in the Order of Merit in the previous season.Chandarjeet Yadav from Chandimandir, Haryana, was placed second as he shot a four-under 68 on the opening day of the INR 20 lakh event.Jatiwal, who won his only title on his professional debut back in 1998, made all his gains early in his round as he collected five birdies between the first and the 10th holes and followed that up with an eagle on...

Mumbai, March 11 (IANS) India's former World No. 6, H.S. Prannoy crashed out of the prestigious All-England Badminton Championship, losing to Toma Junior Popov of France in straight games in a first-round clash in Birmingham on Tuesday. Prannoy, who won a bronze medal in men's singles in the 2023 World Championships in Copenhagen and silver in the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, went down 21-19, 21-16 to the 26-year-old World No. 17.The 32-year-old Prannoy started the match on a solid note as he rushed to a 5-1 lead in Game One before the French player caught up with him at 6-6. The two players went neck-and-neck till 11-11. Prannoy opened up a lead of 15-12 but Popov again caught up at 16-16 and 18-18. The French shuttler then won the next three points to seal the first game.The second game...

New Delhi, March 11 (IANS) Hosts India were drawn alongside Nepal and Sri Lanka in Group B of the SAFF U19 Championship 2025 in the draw conducted in Kathmandu, Nepal.Earlier, Arunachal Pradesh was awarded the hosting rights for the SAFF U-19 Championship, marking the state’s first-ever international football tournament, which will take place at the Golden Jubilee Stadium in Yupia from May 9 to 18. The venue had also hosted the Santosh Trophy Final Round in March last year.Maldives, Bhutan and Bangladesh were drawn in Group A. For the draw, the teams were seeded in three pots based on the latest FIFA Men's Rankings as of December 2024.The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals that will be played on May 16. The final will take place on May 18.India are the defending...

New Delhi, March 11 (IANS) Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya said the suspension of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) was lifted following an order by the Delhi High Court for the better future of wrestlers."As per the High Court order, the ministry decided to lift the sanctions so that our wrestlers can participate in the Asian and World Championships. This also gives justice looking at the future of our wrestlers," Mandaviya told reporters on Tuesday.The ministry lifted its suspension on the WFI on Tuesday, giving control back to president Sanjay Singh, who is a close aide of former federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh - the BJP MP accused of sexually harassing women wrestlers. The decision also allows the WFI to hold domestic tournaments and s...

Manchester, March 11 (IANS) Manchester United have announced plans for a new 1,00,000-seater stadium as the centrepiece of the regeneration of the Old Trafford area which would make it the biggest in England.United’s current stadium Old Trafford has been their home since 1910 and the iconic ground, with a capacity of 74,310, is the third-biggest in the UK behind Wembley Stadium and Twickenham.Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe said he wants to build the "world's greatest football stadium", which the club hopes could be finished in five years."Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world’s greatest football stadium, at the centre of a regenerated Old Trafford," Ratcliffe said in an official statement.“Our current stadium has served us brilliantly...

New Delhi, March 11 (IANS) Indian badminton biggest names—Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty and Lakshya Sen--suffered a significant blow, falling out of the top 10 in their respective categories in the latest world rankings released by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) on Tuesday.Former world No.1 men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have dropped five places in the rankings to 12th. The duo, who were ranked seventh last week, last competed at the Badminton Asia Team Mixed Championships in February.This marks the first time since November 2021 that the pair has fallen outside the top 10, reflecting a turbulent period in their career following their underwhelming performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics.Since their Olympic exit, Rankireddy and Shetty have undergo...