SYDNEY: Organisers of the women's Olympic soccer qualifying tournament, which quickly relocated to Sydney after the deadly Coronavirus outbreak, were forced to switch matches due to quarantine restrictions imposed on Chinese players.More than 200 people in China have died of the influenza-like virus, with nearly 6,000 infected after it appeared late last year in Wuhan, central Hubei Province.On Thursday, the World Health Organization said the outbreak was a public health emergency.The Chinese women's team arrived in Australia on January 29 and quarantined in Brisbane even after February 5. According to the Chinese Football Association, neither of the players has been positive for the virus.They were originally scheduled to play their first match against Thailand on February 3, but the organizers said on Friday that they will now play their first match on February 6.The Australian Football Confederation said in a statement on Friday that an additional day is already scheduled for February 12, when China will play against Australia."As always, the health of all participants, from players and officials to fans and contractors, remains the first priority," said James Johnson, CEO of the Football Association."This new coordination allows us to organize these matches with this priority in mind, and we now hope to welcome all teams and organize a successful tournament."Many other international sporting events, including boxing championships and the qualification of the basketball for this year's Tokyo Olympics, have been cancelled, postponed or transferred from China. The four-team championship which includes China, Australia, Taiwan and Thailand was transferred from Wuhan, the epicenter of the virus outbreak, to Australia by the Asian Football Confederation.Read More: Schedule of Hockey Test Event in the Olympic
The IOC is planning meetings with Japanese public authorities, global sports officials, broadcasters and sponsors that will deal with scenario planning for the Olympics, which are scheduled to start July 24. Canceling the games is not under consideration.It will take the International Olympic Committee up to four weeks to consider postponing the Olympic Games in Tokyo amid increasing criticism of its handling of the coronavirus crisis that now includes Canada, saying it will not send a team to the games this year and the track and field leader, the most important sport in matches that also require delay.The International Olympic Committee is planning meetings with Japanese public authorities, global sports officials, broadcasters and sponsors who will be responsible for planning the Olympic Games scenarios, which are scheduled to begin on July 24. The cancellation of the games is not under consideration.International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach has sent a message to athletes explaining the decision and why it could take so long while acknowledging that an extended schedule may not be popular."I know this unprecedented situation leaves many of your questions open," he wrote.“I also know that this rational approach may not be consistent with the feelings that many of you must go through.”But just hours after the announcement, World Athletics President Seb Coe sent a message to Bach saying that hosting the Olympics in July "is neither feasible nor desirable".He revealed a number of reasons, including competitive fairness, the possibility that athletes will be overly trained if given a tight schedule, and the uncertainty caused by orders in many countries that ban people from gyms and other training venues."No one wants to postpone the Olympics, but ... We cannot hold the event at any cost, and certainly not at the expense of athletes' safety," he wrote."The decision about the Olympics can become very, very clear." Then on Sunday evening, the Canadian Olympic Committee announced that it would not send athletes to Tokyo unless the matches were postponed for a year, making it the first country to threaten such a move. The committee said in a statement that it is not safe for athletes to continue training."In fact, it is against public health councils to urge all Canadians to follow it," the committee said.Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also urged the International Olympic Committee to take a speedy decision, adding that the delay would be inevitable if the games were not fully implemented.But it is possible that a decision will not be made before next month.The International Olympic Committee said the scenarios under consideration "relate to amending the current operational plans for the Games to continue on July 24, 2020, as well as changes in the start date of the Games."The change in strategy came after Bach's phone call with members of the Executive Council.Bach has steadfastly said that the organizers are fully committed to opening the games on July 24th although athletic training, qualification events and game preparations are increasingly disrupted by the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus.Criticism of the situation has increased in recent days by Olympic gold medalists and the International Olympic Committee member last Tuesday before Bach finally recognized the possibility of developing an alternative plan.The National Olympic Committees of Brazil and Slovenia later called for a delay until 2021. The Norwegian Olympic Committee said it did not want athletes to go to Tokyo until the global health crisis was brought under control.The governing bodies of swimming in the United States and tracking two of the top three sports in the summer games have asked their national Olympic officials to push for a delay."There is a significant increase in cases and outbreaks of COVID-19 in different countries on different continents," the International Olympic Committee said."This (Council) led to the conclusion that the International Olympic Committee must take the next step in planning its scenario."The International Olympic Committee said last week that nearly 4,700 of the 11,000 Olympic Games venue had not yet been allocated.Bach acknowledged the problems that come with a compact or radically changed classification table, but also outlined several reasons why the IOC was unable to rush to make a decision.It included the availability of venues that are scheduled for use this summer but might not be available at a later time and the disruption of future events in the individual sports.“A decision about a postponement today could not determine a new date for the Olympic Games because of the uncertain developments in both directions: an improvement, as we are seeing in a number of countries thanks to the severe measures being taken, or a deteriorating situation in other countries,” Bach said.Read More: Tokyo Olympics 2020 Updates
Two-time Olympic and Arjuna Olympic winner Sanjeev Rajput relies heavily on his resolute determination, indomitable spirit, and extensive experience in beating the "super typhoon" of the Covid-19 epidemic and putting his best for an elusive medal in the Tokyo Olympics. He trains day after day at the Karni Singh Shooting Range in Delhi under a tight system that follows all Covid guidelines and regulations as closely as possible."It's a very difficult and tense situation, but the game has to go on. Maybe I had this last chance to win a medal for the country in the Olympics and I'm not going to let it pass. It's the most important stage in my life, I have participated in two Olympic Games in 2008 and 2012, and after Nine years the Olympics will be very different, and they will be different for everyone. It will also be very important to everyone because there has never been such an Olympic Games after a five-year hiatus. I am anxious but I am not afraid. I train almost every day from 8 in the morning until 2 in the evening in the Shooting range Karni Singh is in Delhi with my coach. He is very happy with my progress. I think you are on the right track. Winning the gold medal in the ISSF World Cup last month boosted my confidence, ”said Sanjeev, who aims to clinch a medal in the 50m centers for the men's 3 rifle In the Olympics, to Insidesport.co in an exclusive interview after completing his training. Wednesday afternoon."I am improving in the final. My performance in the qualifying rounds is always good. Now I am experimenting with my technique and technique, as the lead-up to this year's Tokyo Olympics is the most important stage in my life. Ultimately, I need a lot more work to make changes, and I don't need To focus on improvements. I did well, I'm on my knees, and I was exposed in mixed-team standings. There is a different kind of pressure in the final, there are limited shots and many times the little things are overlooked. Athletes will need to adhere to the Covid-19 protocols. In the case of shooting, there is a possibility that the testing will be limited to only Japanese athletes. Amidst these difficult circumstances, my experience may be essential in addressing these problems. Young shooters can win a game. Or two, but when there are a lot of ingredients, the experience is beneficial, ”noted winner Arjuna.Reflecting on the current situation of Covid and the lockdown in Delhi, Rajput said he is grateful to the Sports Ministry and NRAI for giving him the opportunity to continue this practice. "I practice alone. Then the issue of social distancing does not arise. Only my Ukrainian coach is supervising my practice. We are working on stability and some basics that will help me prepare physically and mentally for the mega event."Together with Tejasweni Sawant, Rajput won the gold medal at the 50m 3-position rifle mixed teams event at the ISSF World Cup in Delhi last month. He won four golds and two silver medals in the Commonwealth Championship, two silver and two bronze medals in the Asian Games, one gold, and one silver and one bronze in each in the Commonwealth Games for his silver triple accompaniment. A golden shooting in the ISSF World Cup.Also Read: EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE FOOTBALL: REAL, CITY AND CHELSEA COULD FACE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL BAN: UEFA OFFICIAL
TOKYO: For competitors contending at the Tokyo Games, the Olympic Village will be practically all they see, with exacting Covid rules keeping them from leaving the compound but to prepare and contend. Their visit to the town will likewise be more limited than expected: contenders can just a brief time before their occasion and should leave within 48 hours of winning or losing. This is what a normal day may look like at Tokyo 2020's waterside small scale city: Also Read: Wimbledon 2021 Novak Djokovic Wins Twentieth Grand Slam With Sixth Wimbledon TriumphThe town is worked to rest up to 18,000 Olympians, mentors and authorities. They should awaken invigorated, regardless of Tokyo's 4:40 am dawn, on account of thick dark out draperies. As in numerous Japanese homes, space is restricted, nonetheless - single rooms measure only nine square meters (100 square feet), and copies 12 square meters. The beds and segment dividers are produced using strong recyclable cardboard, to be cleaned up after the Games when the 21 pinnacles are transformed into extravagant homes. Maybe not all that great if your neighbour wheezes, in any case... Time for a day by day Covid test - a prerequisite for everybody remaining in the town. They will regulate the spit antigen tests themselves and afterwards submit them for handling. A positive outcome and a second sure on a more exact PCR test mean an excursion to the fever facility, a little prefab structure in the focal point of the town. At the centre, a third test decides whether you are out of the Games and need to disconnect or go to the clinic. Neglecting to wear a veil can be simple, particularly promptly toward the beginning of the day - however, they are obligatory in the town, aside from when dozing and eating.Read More: Lionel Messi Led Argentina Beat Brazil To Win Copa America End 28 Year Long WaitImage Credit: Twitter
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday interfaced with India's Tokyo Olympics-bound unforeseen and paid attention to competitors' motivating stories in front of the show-stopper. Modi requested that the competitors not be hindered by assumptions and do as well as they possibly can at the Games. Bowmen Deepika Kumari and Pravin Jadhav, spear hurler Neeraj Chopra, runner Dutee Chand, veteran fighter MC Mary Kom, star shuttler PV Sindhu, tennis pro Sania Mirza and paddlers Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra were a portion of the competitors who included in the virtual collaboration. PM Modi stretched out all the best to them in front of the Games in Tokyo, starting from July 23. He likewise had a word with the competitors' folks throughout the communication. Modi told star toxophilite Deepika that the country is placing down its trust in her. You're world number 1 at this point. Your excursion is extremely unique," Modi said. "My excursion has been accepted all along, I began with a bamboo bow and afterwards moved to current bow step by step," Kumari said in answer. "...There are assumptions, yet one expects the most from oneself. Along these lines, I am zeroing in on my training and how I will perform," she added. Also Read: India To Send A 228 Strong Contingent To Tokyo Olympics With 119 Competitors In ItModi additionally asked boxing symbol Mary Kom to name her number one competitor. In answer, she named boxing legend, Muhammad Ali, as her motivation. Mary Kom and Manpreet Singh have been named India's banner carriers at the initial function of the Tokyo Olympics. Runner Dutee Chand said, "I have three sisters and one sibling and individuals used to explain to my mom why she was bringing forth such countless young ladies. We had little food to eat and my dad's pay was additionally extremely low. I was thinking on the off chance that I play well I can find a decent line of work in the public authority area." Spear hurler Neeraj Chopra said, "Sir, I have consistently been a major enthusiast of the Indian Army. I played for 5-6 years before I was approached to join the Army and I have been focussing on my game from that point forward. The Army and the Indian government is furnishing me with each office that I need and I'm giving it my everything." Modi, further, likewise addressed the guardians of PV Sindhu and commended them for support their girl during her excursion to progress. Modi likewise got some information about limitations in her eating routine and how mentor Gopichand removed her telephone and kept her from having frozen yoghurt during Rio Olympics. "I'm certain you will make progress this time as well," the Prime Minister told Sindhu. "I'm certain that you will make India pleased by scaling new statures," Modi further said to every one of the competitors. In the interim, IOA President Narinder Batra likewise affirmed that the Indian Olympic unexpected to be the 228-in number. "The all-out Indian unforeseen for Tokyo Olympics will be 228. There will be 67 male competitors and 52 female competitors. We are battling for 85 decoration occasions," Batra said in the virtual communication. Association sports and youth issues serve Anurag Thakur, pastor of state Nisith Pramanik and law serve Kiren Rijiju were likewise a piece of the cooperation. Also Read: What Daily Inside Tokyo Olympic Village Will ResembleRecently, PM Modi had surveyed arrangements for the help of India's unexpected at the Tokyo Olympics and talked about "the calculated subtleties, their immunization status, the multi-disciplinary help being given." The principal clump of the Indian unexpected will withdraw for Tokyo on July 17 through a contract flight. The unforeseen will highlight more than 120 competitors at the masterpiece. With rising worry over the pandemic in Japan, the Tokyo Olympics will be held under a highly sensitive situation in Japan without observers from July 23 to August 8.
India will send a 228-in number unexpected to the Tokyo Olympics, including 119 competitors, Indian Olympic Association president Narinder Batra said on Tuesday. Out of the 119 competitors, 67 are male and 52 are female members, Batra said before Prime Minister Narendra Mode collaborates with the country's Olympic-bound competitors. "The complete Indian unexpected for Tokyo Olympics will be 228. There will be 67 male competitors and 52 female competitors. We are battling in 85 decoration occasions," Batra said during the virtual communication. This will be India's biggest ever unexpected of competitors at the Olympics. "The principal unforeseen will leave for Tokyo on July 17. It will have 90 competitors and authorities altogether." Also Read: What Daily Inside Tokyo Olympic Village Will ResembleThe cruising group of four competitors and mentors was the first from the Indian unforeseen to arrive in Tokyo on Tuesday. The mariners had shown up at the Japanese capital straightforwardly from their preparation bases in various nations across Europe. Since they are coming from Europe, they won't confront the stricter limitations forced on different competitors showing up in Tokyo from India due to the Covid-19 circumstance in the country. The boxing and shooting crews will likewise show up in Tokyo from Italy and Croatia separately. Star weightlifter Mirabai Chanu will arrive in Tokyo on July 15 or 16 from the United States. The forthcoming Olympics, in which on location onlookers won't be permitted attributable to the pandemic, is booked to be held in the Japanese capital from July 23 to August 8
Bangladeshi Nobel Peace Prize victor Muhammad Yunus will get the Olympic Laurel at the Tokyo Games, the second time the prize has been granted, the IOC said Thursday. Yunus, whose spearheading miniature loan specialist has been hailed for cutting neediness across the globe, will be respected for "his broad work in sport for advancement", the International Olympic Committee said in an explanation. The 81-year-old business analyst turned globe-jogging VIP speaker won the Nobel in 2006. He will be given the honour at the Tokyo 2020 opening service on July 23. The Olympic Laurel was made five years before perceiving tries in culture, instruction, harmony and advancement through sport, as per the IOC. Also Read: ICC Announced New Points System For Next World Test Championship CycleIt was given interestingly at the 2016 Rio Games to Kenyan previous Olympian Kip Keino, who opened a youngsters' home, a school and a competitors' instructional hub in his nation of origin. Yunus established the Grameen Bank during the 1980s and shared the Nobel Prize with the miniature loan specialist. His drives incorporate the Yunus Sports Hub, an organization of social undertakings that advance improvement through sports. Yunus experiences confronted lawful difficulties as of late after he was sacked in 2011 as head of Grameen Bank. His allies say he has been focused on by Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheik Hasina, who blamed him for "sucking blood" from the poor with exorbitant financing costs. In March 2020, he was fined $88 after conceding that a social business firm he set up had overstepped work laws.Also Read: Olympics: PM Narendra Modi Collaborates With Tokyo Bound Indian Competitors Certain They Will Make The Nation ProudPicture Credit: Twitter
World number one Novak Djokovic has affirmed that he will contend at the Tokyo Olympics. While Djokovic is set out toward Tokyo, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem and Nick Kyrgios are among the top men's players who will not be contending in the Olympics. Djokovic finished the third leg towards accomplishing the Golden Slam last end of the week when he added the Wimbledon title to his Australian Open and Roland Garros wins in 2021. No man has at any point won the four pummels and an Olympic gold around the same time, with Germany's Steffi Graf the solitary player to achieve the accomplishment in 1988. Also Read: India Visit Through England Cricket Need To Live With Covid 19 For Not So Distant Future Says ECB Boss Tom HarrisonDjokovic, 34, posted on Twitter that he had booked his flight and was pleased to address Serbia at the Olympics. After he won Wimbledon on Sunday for his record-tying twentieth vocation Grand Slam title, Djokovic said he couldn't say whether he planned to play in Tokyo. "I'm extremely pleased to pack for Tokyo and join our public group in the battle for the most brilliant decorations on the Olympic fields," Djokovic, who won a bronze award at the 2008 Beijing Games, tweeted. "As far as I might be concerned, the game for Serbia has consistently been unique happiness and inspiration and I will put forth a valiant effort to satisfy us all! We should go." In the wake of succeeding at Wimbledon, Djokovic said he was "50-50" about contending at the July 23-Aug. 8 Games following the coordinators' choice to forbid fans from joining in and the limitations on the number of individuals he can take to the Games. Yet, the 34-year-old said on Thursday he had booked his trip for Tokyo
India tennis star Sania Mirza said that she was amazingly glad to prepare for her fourth Olympic appearance at 34, adding that she could have just longed for this at the start of her profession. Sania brought up that playing at the Olympics is something that each competitor longs for and she was glad to be on the plane to Tokyo to contend in her fourth Olympics. Sania Mirza is good to go to turn into the primary Indian lady to highlight in four Olympic Games when she takes to the court in the ladies' occasion in Tokyo in the wake of meeting all requirements for the masterpiece occasion through her secured positioning. In the wake of bringing forth her first kid, Izhaan, in 2018, Sania Mirza made a triumphant rebound in January last year as she won the Hobart International WTA occasion. Also Read: Tokyo 2020: World No 1 Novak Djokovic Affirms He Will Contend At Olympics"Playing at the Olympics is something that any competitor just dreams of. To have the option to play four of them is something that I could have just longed for toward the start of my profession. So it involves incredible pride," Sania Mirza disclosed to India Today Consulting Editor, Sports, Boria Majumdar in a meeting while at the same time venturing out to Tokyo. Sania Mirza had missed out on her lady Olympic decoration just barely five years prior in the 2016 Rio Games when she slammed out of the blended duplicates bronze award match with Rohan Bopanna. "If someone had advised me at the last Olympics that I'll have one more shot at it, I would have dismissed it," Mirza further added. Sania Mirza will collaborate with Olympic debutant Ankita Raina in women's doubles.Also Read: India To Send A 228 Strong Contingent To Tokyo Olympics With 119 Competitors In It
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Narinder Batra said that he likes to utilize Prime Minister Narendra Modi's way of thinking of not squeezing the competitors who are in Tokyo for the Olympics in light of which he will not uncover the number of awards he is anticipating that India should win this time. "On decorations I'll say what the Prime Minister said, don't put any pressing factor. Simply give your 100% and I am certain the competitors will return with brilliance," Batra revealed to India Today on the trip to Tokyo from India alongside tennis star Sania Mirza, who is participating in her fourth Olympics. "Coming to Sania it is a major honour to address the country in a fourth Olympics. Simply shows that you are so devoted to your nation and game," said Batra. Also Read: Sania Mirza Pleased On Contending In 4th Olympics Been Waiting For This Since BeginningBatra will be in Tokyo for the term of the Olympics and said he is expecting to guarantee that the competitors have an agreeable stay during the Games. "Our responsibility is to guarantee that competitors have an agreeable stay when they go there. That is the thing that I plan to do while I am in Tokyo," he said. The Olympics start on Friday and will go on till August 8.
Novak Djokovic realizes how close he is. Not simply to making history and turning into the main man to accomplish a Golden Slam by winning every one of the four significant tennis competitions and an Olympic singles gold decoration around the same time. Of course, that is at the forefront of Djokovic's thoughts as he enters the Olympic competition beginning Saturday. However, the greater finished result would be the consequence of such an accomplishment that is weighing most vigorously on him outperforming Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to be viewed as the best tennis player ever. The objective is incredible to the point that Djokovic would even not like to think about the results. "I would prefer not to be essential for the discussion. I would prefer not to be contrasted with anyone, the highest level Serb said Thursday. It's as yet an extremely long approach to likely noteworthy accomplishment. "I realize that there is a ton of things on the line. I know there's a set of experiences on the line. I'm advantaged and inspired to be in this position. I've endeavoured to be here. In any case, we should discuss history if everything goes incredible here," Djokovic added. Also, Read: ICC ODI Rankings Shikhar Dhawan Bounces 2 Spots To Sixteenth Virat Kohli Static At The Second Spot"At this moment all centre goes to the following test." In Serbia, the discussion is as of now finished. Olympic advisory group head of mission Natasa Jankovic presented Djokovic at the group's news meeting as "the best tennis player ever." By winning Wimbledon this month, Djokovic coordinated with Federer and Nadal with his twentieth Grand Slam title having opened the year by catching the Australian and French Opens. He is just one of them to have won each Slam twice. He is the main one to hold each of the four significant titles at the same time, something he did over the finish of 2015 and the beginning of 2016. The solitary tennis player to accomplish a Golden Slam was Steffi Graf in 1988. "I'm not in contact with Steffi, but rather on the off chance that you can interface her, I would be enchanted to ask her how she did it, Djokovic said, reviewing how he momentarily worked with Graf's significant other, Andre Agassi. "At the point when I was contemplating her (Golden Slam), I didn't imagine that would be feasible. Yet, at this moment it appears to be increasingly more practical for me. Obviously, that is one of the objectives and dreams. Making matters more clear for Djokovic is that neither Federer nor Nadal are playing in Tokyo. However, that likewise was the situation finally year's U.S. Open, where Djokovic was precluded for accidentally hitting a line judge in the throat with a ball. "I have not experienced such a large number of enormous competitions in the previous 15 years without Roger and Rafa playing, Djokovic said. So it's somewhat bizarre, to be straightforward because I'm accustomed to seeing somewhere around one of them." Djokovic will open against No. 139 Hugo Dellien of Bolivia on the hard courts of the Ariake Tennis Park. A big part of the best 10 men's players is not in Tokyo, with Dominic Thiem, Matteo Berrettini and Denis Shapovalov additionally missing for different reasons. "Yet at the same time, the absolute best parts on the planet are here," Djokovic said. "(Daniil) Medvedev, (Stefanos) Tsitsipas, (Alexander) Zverev, (Andrey) Rublev. Those are the folks who are in the main 6-7 on the planet and they are the greatest possibility for winning a decoration. Djokovic had straightforwardly thought to be passing on the Olympics, having won a bronze award at the 2008 Beijing Games. Eventually, his longing to address Serbia and accomplish something exceptional was excessively incredible. Also Read: Shikhar Dhawan Finishes 10,000 Runs In International Cricket As Opener"It's the most uncommon, most memorable game throughout the entire existence of the game," Djokovic said of the Olympics. "Addressing your nation, being essential for an aggregate group is something that I treasure. It's something that empowers me actually and gives me a ton of certainty and extraordinary energy for my very own presentation.
Australia's Ariarne Titmus crushed five-time Olympic hero Katie Ledecky of the United States to win the gold decoration in the ladies' 400 meters free-form at the Tokyo Olympics with the second-quickest time in history on Monday. Titmus, who followed by almost a full body length at the midway characteristic of the eight-lap race, turned on the speed to contact shortly, 56.69 seconds. Ledecky was the guarding Olympic hero and world record holder. She agreed to the silver this time in 3:57.36 - the fourth-quickest time at any point recorded. Ledecky has been the predominant power in ladies' swimming however in the first of three no holds barred standoffs with Titmus at these Games, it was the Australian who won with a greatly coordinated swim. Ledecky lost an individual Olympic last interestingly in the wake of winning the 800 free at the 2012 London Games, then, at that point catching three additional golds in the 200, 400 and 800 free at Rio de Janeiro five years prior. Ledecky will get one more break at Titmus in the 200 free, and the American is intensely preferred to rehash in the 800 and add another gold in the 1,500 — another occasion for the ladies at these games. "I can barely handle it, I'm attempting to contain my feelings," said Titmus, who commended her opponent for increasing present expectations in the game. Also Read: Novak Djokovic Knows History Is On The Line At Tokyo Olympics"I said thanks to her, I wouldn't be here without her. She set this mind-boggling standard. All credit to her for the swimmer she is. "In the race, I attempted to remain as made as possible and I can't really accept that I pulled it off," she added.
Norway's Kristian Blummenfelt sponsored his perseverance to assuage two youthful superstar rivals as he conveyed a staggering late flood to break clear on a boiling run leg and take gold in an exciting men's Olympic marathon on Monday. Blummenfelt was important for an enormous gathering of just about 40 that fell off the 40km bicycle leg together however looked everything except a top pick among some youthful speedsters. Notwithstanding, he burrowed profound to continue to drive at the front as the gathering was trimmed down to three, preceding flooding clear in the last kilometre to complete in 60 minutes, 45 minutes and 04 seconds to take Norway's first award in the game. Also Read: ICC Announced New Points System For Next World Test Championship CycleAlex Yee's silver made Britain the best country in the Olympic marathon, which joined the program in 2000. Individual 23-year-old Hayden Wilde of New Zealand additionally ran unequivocally to take bronze, while Briton Jonny Brownlee, who won silver in 2016 and bronze in 2012 and was expecting to finish the set without his twofold top dog sibling Alistair, couldn't exactly hold tight and completed fifth. Blummenfelt said he realized he needed to "break" his speedier opponents to win gold. "I don't actually have the leg speed if it descended the floor covering against these folks, so I realized I needed to drag it out from around five minutes away and go super hard and full scale and ideally it is sufficient to break them," he said. "It was an extraordinary inclination to acknowledge I'd got a little hole." Humiliating FALSE START:The race started with an extraordinary and humiliating bogus beginning as a media boat floated before the barge at simply some unacceptable second hindering the course to the water of around 33% of the 56-man field as the rest made a plunge. Jetski riders, in the long run, pulled twelve back after they hammered out around 200 meters, unaware of the caution horns and whistles. The field moved away neatly at the subsequent endeavour and every one of the primary expectations was in touch emerging from the water after the 1,500m swim. A gathering of 10 split away for the initial not many laps of the 40km bicycle leg however the pursuing pack, in the end, brought them in to shape a goliath gathering of 37 before the finish of the fifth of eight laps. Every one of the primary competitors was in there and without any slopes of note to split things up, the race, as was generally anticipated, boiled down to one major run standoff. Yee was the British 10,000m hero on the track in 2018 and after he conveyed a devastating run leg to win the last ITU race before the Games in June he looked top pick as he ran emphatically at the front. Pushing the speed in the warmth the gathering thinned down to three however it was the immensely experienced 27-year-old Blummenfelt, who is the world record holder for the half-Ironman marathon distance, who had the solidarity to break clear. Acknowledging he was unable to be gotten he practically moved his direction down the completing straight, before imploding, completely spent. "It's the second I've been dreaming about for such countless years and seeing the end goal and the blue rug and contacting that tape - to be really ready to assemble it on the day - is something I'm truly glad for," he said. Yee was correspondingly pleased and said: "I'm right ecstatic. I was at that point somewhere down in the well and delved that smidgen in my spirit. It wasn't sufficient to get Kristian however it was sufficient to get silver." Also Read: ICC ODI Rankings: Shikhar Dhawan Bounces 2 Spots To Sixteenth Virat Kohli Static At The Second SpotWilde typified the incredible soul among the competitors, setting aside the effort to assist with dragging Blummenfelt away the floor and the two depleted competitors staggered away from the completion.
Russian men swimmers finished America's strength in the 100m backstrokes while Kaylee McKeown gave Australia's ladies another Olympic gold to celebrate at the Tokyo Games on Tuesday. Tom Dean won gold and colleague Duncan Scott the silver in the 200 free-form as the two British swimmers left their adversaries afterwards, Brazil's Fernando Scheffer taking the bronze. "It's stunning. It's a little glimpse of heaven having gold around my neck ... I contracted COVID twice over the most recent a year ... sitting in my level in segregation, Olympic gold was 1,000,000 miles away," he said. Also Read: Shikhar Dhawan Finishes 10,000 Runs In International Cricket As OpenerIn the men's 100 backstrokes, an occasion won by US swimmers at the last six Games, Evgeny Rylov and Kliment Kolesnikov took best positions on the platform with Rio champion Ryan Murphy of the United States coming third. McKeown conveyed a staggering late fightback in the ladies' 100 backstrokes to pip Canada's Kylie Masse and add to Ariarne Titmus' gold in the 400m free on Monday just as the group gold in the 4x100 free-form hand-off. The 20-year-old McKeown's time was only two-hundredths of a second short of the world record she set in the Australian preliminaries in June. McKeown would more likely than not have had the option to contend at Tokyo if the Games had been hung on time last year with her dad battling with mental disease. He passed on in August. "It's not really what I have experienced, everybody has their own excursion. It just so happens I have made some intense memories," she said when gotten some information about her arrangements. In another race that went last possible minute - Lydia Jacoby of the United States won gold in the ladies' 100m breaststrokes, the 17-year-old Alaskan completing in 1:04.95, 0.27 seconds in front of Tatjana Schoenmaker of South Africa. Also Read: Tokyo Olympics Australia's Ariarne Titmus Shocks American Katie Ledecky
There's no halting PV Sindhu at the Olympic Games. The Rio Olympic silver medalist broke no perspiration as she slid into the Round of 16 of Women's Singles badminton at Tokyo 2020 on Wednesday, July 28. PV Sindhu, cultivated sixth at the Games, concocted a clinical exertion against lower-positioned Cheung Ngan Yi of Hong Kong in her last Group match. Sindhu required barely 30 minutes to beat Chueng 21-9, 21-16 at the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza in Tokyo. Sindhu completes on top of three-lady Group J with 4 focuses from 2 matches. She has not dropped a game so far at the Tokyo Olympics. Sindhu started her mission with an agreeable straight-match dominant over Ksenia Polikarpova on Sunday. Also, Read: Shikhar Dhawan Finishes 10,000 Runs In International Cricket As OpenerThe match against Cheung Ngan Yi, a veteran on the visit was a precarious issue for Sindhu. Yet, the Indian shuttler began solid. She was looking sharp and hitting Victor freely. Sindhu was prevailing from the rear of the court just as at the net. A couple of misleading shots worked for the Hong Kong shuttler yet Sindhu scarcely at any point got off second stuff however fixed a straight-match dominate. Also Read: India In England Virat Kohli Drives A Middle Wicket Instructional Meeting In DurhamSindhu will next face Mia Blichfeldt of Denmark. The Indian shuttler has a 4-1 straight on record in 5 gatherings against the Denmark shuttler. In their last gathering - Swiss Open 2021, Sindhu pounded Mia in straight games. in the semi-last. In any case, at the Thailand Open recently, Sindhu lost to Mia in 3 games in the Round of 32. Sindhu is probably going to confront Japan's Akane Yamaguchi in the quarter-last if she goes past Mia in the following round. Sindhu is the solitary Indian excess with a decoration chance in badminton at the Tokyo Olympics. India's copies matching of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty passed up quarters billet notwithstanding a solid show in the gathering stages.
Atanu Das crushed double cross Olympic gold medallist Oh Jin Hyek in a blending Round of 32 conflicts of men's individual segment at the Tokyo Olympics on Thursday. The match went into a shoot-off where Das struck a 10 because of the Korean's 9. With the success, the 29-year-old Indian booked a spot in Round of 16. Goodness Jin Hyek discovered two 9s to take the main set 26-25 preceding Das three progressive 9s to tie the subsequent set. The third set likewise was a bind with Das hitting three progressive 9s once more. Das improved of Hyek in the fourth set to even out it 4-4, compelling the match to go to a shoot-off. Also Read: Tokyo Olympics PV Sindhu Rages Into Pre Quarterfinals Das and his better half Deepika Kumari have now made it to the Round of 16. They are the two Indians left in the conflict. Prior to that day, Das saw off an extreme test from Chinese Taipei's Deng Yu-Cheng in a five-setter to move into cycle two. Both the players won two sets each after some extreme shooting to be secured 4-4 and in the decider to they were going in a dead heat till 19-all. Yet, the toxophilite from Chinese Taipei disintegrated under tension, failing a 7 as Das, who had slipped behind new kid on the block Pravin Jadhav in the positioning round on Friday, held his nerve to seal a 6-4 success in the wake of penetrating in a 9 in the yellow ring.Also Read: India In England Virat Kohli Drives A Middle Wicket Instructional Meeting In Durham
Indian rowers Arjun Lal Jat and Arvind Singh finished their Tokyo Games crusade in the eleventh situation in the men's lightweight twofold sculls occasion, the best at any point result for the country in the Olympics here on Thursday. The Indian pair timed 6:29.66 to complete fifth in the Final B, which was not a decoration round, and end at eleventh by and large at the Sea Forest Waterway. Ireland, Germany and Italy won the gold, silver and bronze, separately, after the Final A race later in the day. Also Read: Archery: Atanu Das Overcomes Koreas Double Cross Olympic HeroOn Wednesday, Arjun and Arvind had neglected to meet all requirements for the decoration round in the wake of completing 6th and toward the end in the subsequent elimination round. They had timed 6:24.41 to complete toward the end in the six-group elimination round 2. The main three sets in every one of the two elimination rounds had equipped for the decoration around. Arjun and Arvind have, nonetheless, created the best-ever Olympic execution by Indian rowers by coming to the elimination rounds. Also Read: India In England Virat Kohli Drives A Middle Wicket Instructional Meeting In DurhamWhile Arjun expects the job of the arbour, Arvind is the group's stroker. The two had completed fifth in their warms on Saturday. The occasion remembers two rowers for a sculling boat utilizing two paddles each.
Neeraj Chopra's phenomenal show at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics ensured that he secured 14 places in the world rankings. Neeraj, who won gold in the javelin throw, India's first medal in track and field, currently ranks second with 1,315 points. Germany's Johannes Witter, who missed a medal at the Olympics, continues to lead with a score of 1,396. Before the current ranking was revealed, Neeraj was ranked 16th in the world. At the Tokyo Games, Neeraj threw 87.58 meter to take gold and became India's second individual gold medalist at the Olympics.While strong favorite Vetter finished ninth in the final, Neeraj threw better than two athletes from the Czech Republic to finish on the podium. Jakob Vadlejch took silver with a best time of 86.67 meters, and former world champion Vitezslav Vesely won bronze with a throw of 85.44 meters. "It's an incredible feeling. It's the first time India has won a gold medal in athletics, so I feel great. We only have one gold in other sports. Milka Singh wanted to hear the national anthem in a stadium. He is no longer with us but his dream has been fulfilled."Neeraj said after his historic victory.Also Read: Billion-dollar online gaming industry seeks clarity on valuation, taxation
Polish javelin thrower Maria Andrejczyk auctioned her Tokyo Olympics silver medal for $ 125,000 to help heart surgery for an eight-month-old baby in her home country. Poland abka Polska's convenience story company bought Andrejczyk’s silver medal for $ 125,000 and after winning the bidding war, she asked the javelin star to keep her medal. The baby will now undergo surgery at Stanford University. Maria Andrejczyk won silver with a 64.61-meter throw, while Australian Kelsey Lee Barber took bronze with a record of 64.56, her best performance this season. She was behind China's Liu Shiying, who won the gold medal after throwing 66.34 meters. Andrejczyk, who finished fourth at the 2016 Olympics and the favorite after reaching the world-leading 71.40m in May, struggled to find that form.The Polish Javelin star has opened up about his decision to auction his medal, saying it didn't take long to make his decision because he wanted to help him by auctioning off his prized possession. "It was the first fundraiser I ever participated in and I knew he was the right person," she wrote on her Facebook page on August 11 in her native language. This fundraiser for a Polish boy named Miloszek. He has a serious heart defect and needs surgery. "He already has a head start from Kubus — a boy who didn’t make it in time but whose amazing parents decided to pass on the funds they collected," she wrote on social mediaAlso Read- Five reasons why online games are so popular in India
Olympic bronze medalist Bajrang Punia will not compete in the upcoming World Wrestling Championships after recommending a six-week rehabilitation program to treat a ligament he suffered in his right knee in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics. The World Championships will be held in Oslo, Norway, from October 2 to10, and Punia will not be able to begin his mat training until his rehabilitation program is completed. Punia recently underwent an MRI scan to find out the extent of his injury in Russia in June before the Olympics and consulted with Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala, who runs the Center for Sports Medicine at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai. "It's a ligament tear and Dr. Dinshaw asked me to go through a six-week rehab program. I won't be able to compete in the world championships," Punia told PTI. There are no ranking series events organized for the rest of the year and Punia said his season is over. "The World Championship was the only major tournament on the calendar this year. I don't see myself competing in any other tournament this season." Punia was injured in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics when he participated at Russian tournament, Ali Aliyev in June. He had lost his semi-final match against AbulMazhid Kudiev, who grabbed the Indian's right leg and threw it roughly in the first half of the match. This impact had an effect on Bajrang's right knee and he immediately left the mat, but he competed in the Olympics and won a bronze medal in the 65kg category. "As it was my first Olympics and I had a dream of winning an Olympic medal, I participated in Tokyo despite the pain," he said. Bajrang said he has not consulted any particular physical therapist for his rehabilitation. "I'm doing it myself in a Sonepat. Dr. Dinshaw recommended some exercises that I do every day now in the gym. The mat training time will also go to rehab." The 27-year-old said he wants to continue with his Georgian coach Shako Bentinidis, who has now left for his country Since the Indian Wrestling Federation has not offered him a new contract.Also Read- Odisha FC sign Malaysian international Liridon Krasniqi on loan
Indian hockey touched a new peak on Wednesday, making a virtual clean sweep of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) awards, with drag-flick sensation Harmanpreet Singh being crowned the 'FIH Player of the Year' in the men's category, PR Sreejesh winning the 'Goalkeeper of the Year' award and the men's hockey chief coach Graham Reid getting the 'FIH Coach of the Year' award. Former Indian women's hockey chief coach Sjoerd Marijne got the 'FIH Coach of the Year' award in the women's category. The voting-based annual awards had six Indian players and two coaches in men's and women's categories. This is the first time that all nominees from India have won the prestigious awards in their respective categories. Drag-flick sensation Harmanpreet Singh was the top scorer in India's bronze medal-winning performance at the Tokyo Olympic Games. He was nominated for the award along with Belgium's Arthur Van Doren and Alexander Hendrickx as well as Australia's Jake Whetton, Tim Brand and Aran Zalewski. Drag-flicker Gurjit Kaur won the 'FIH Player of The Year' award in the women's category. She was nominated alongside Argentina's Agustina Gorzelany and Agustina Albertarrio. The other nominees for the award were Netherlands' Eva De Goede, Frederique Matla and Maria Verschoor. Sreejesh, who won the 'Goalkeeper of the Year' award, had come up with a career-best performance at the Olympic Games. The other nominees in this category were Belgium's Vincent Vanasch and Australia's Andrew Charter. Goalkeeper Savita won the award for the best goalkeeper in the female category. Savita, who was also the joint-vice captain of the women's team at the Olympics, was outstanding in guarding India's post and played an instrumental role in the team finishing fourth in Tokyo. The other nominees in this category were Great Britain's Maddie Hinch and Argentina's Belen Succi. 2020-21 FIH #HockeyStarsAwards results announced! Olympic Success Wave continues for India with @TheHockeyIndia winning big.A record number of almost 300’000 fans casted their votes for this year's Awards.CONGRATULATIONS to all winners and nominees!— International Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) October 6, 2021In the FIH 'Rising Star of the Year' category for men, Vivek Sagar Prasad won the award for the second consecutive time. He was nominated along with South Africa's Mustaphaa Cassiem and Australia's Sean Findlay. In the 'FIH Rising Star of the Year' category for women, Sharmila Devi won the award with maximum votes ahead of Great Britain's Fiona Crackles and Argentina's Valentina Raposo. Graham Reid got the 'FIH Coach of the Year' award. He was nominated along with Australia's Colin Batch and Belgium's Shane McLeod. Congratulating the award winners, Hockey India president Gyanendro Ningombam said, "This is a great moment for Indian hockey as all our Indian nominees for the FIH Stars Awards have been announced winners. After the historic performances in Tokyo by both the Indian men`s and women`s hockey teams, the support from Indian fans from across the globe has been overwhelming. We thank everyone who supported the nominees by voting for them. "This is a big moment for us and these awards will definitely inspire future generations to take up the sport professionally. On behalf of Hockey India, I congratulate all the award winners and wish them success in their future endeavours."Also Read- Sagar Rana murder case: Delhi court denies bail to Olympic wrestler Sushil Kumar
An unprecedented 11 sportspersons have been recommended for this year's rechristened Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna by the national sports award's selection committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge, Justice Mukundakum Sharma. This is the first time that many names have been recommended for a single edition of the Awards Ceremony. Last year, the government honored a total of 74 athletes with the National Sports and Adventure Awards in different segments. The awardees included five in the Khel Ratna category and 27 for Arjuna. This year, a total of 72 names have been recommended for the Khel Ratna, Arjuna (35), Dhyan Chand, Dronacharya (regular) and Dronacharya (lifetime). The list doesn't include names of athletes, corporates and sports promotion boards and top-performing universities recommended for the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar (RKPP), Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) trophy and Tenzing Norgay award. Among those who have been recommended for the Khel Ratna - India's highest sporting honour - include tokyo olympics gold medallist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, silver-winning men's freestyle wrestler Ravi Dahiya, Tokyo olympics bronze medallist woman welterweight boxer Lovlina Borgohain and men's hockey team's goalkeeper P R Sreejesh. Five para-athletes, who created history by winning gold each at the Tokyo Paralympics, have also been nominated for the Khel Ratna. These include Pramod Bhagat (para-badminton), Sumit Antil (para-javelin), Avani Lekhara (para-shooting), Krishna Nagar (para-badminton) and Manish Narwal (para-shooting).KHEL RATNA: Neeraj Chopra (athletics), Ravi Dahiya (wrestling), PR Sreejesh (hockey), Lovlina Borgohain (boxing in olympics), Sunil Chhetri (football), Mithali Raj (cricket), Pramod Bhagat (parabadminton), Sumit Antil (para- javelin), Avani Lekhara (para-shooting), Krishna Nagar (para-badminton) and Manish Narwal (para-shooting).ARJUNA AWARD: Arpinder Singh (triple jump), Simranjit Kaur (boxing), Shikhar Dhawan (cricket), Bhavani Devi (fencing), Monika (hockey), Vandana Katariya (hockey), Sandeep Narwal (kabaddi), Himani Uttam Parab (mallakhamb) ), Abhishek Verma (shooting), Ankita Raina (tennis), Deepak Punia (wrestling), Dilpreet Singh (hockey), Harmanpreet Singh (hockey), Rupinder Pal Singh (hockey), Surendra Kumar (hockey), Amit Rohidas (hockey) , Birendra Lakra (hockey), Sumit (hockey), Nilakanta Sharma (hockey), Hardik Singh (hockey), Vivek Sagar Prasad (hockey), Gurjant Singh (hockey), Mandeep Singh (hockey), Shamsher Singh (hockey), Lalit Kumar Upadhyay (hockey), Varun Kumar (hockey), Simranjeet Singh (hockey), Yogesh Kathuniya (para-athletics), Nishad Kumar (para-athletics), Praveen Kumar (para-athletics), Suhash Yathiraj (para-badminton), Singhraj Adhana (parashooting), Bhavina Patel (paratable tennis), Harvinder Singh (para-archery) and Sharad Kumar (para-athletics).DHYANCHAND AWARD: OP Jaisha (athletics), Divya Singh (basketball), KC Lekha (boxing), Abhijeet Kunte (chess), Davinder Singh Garcha (hockey), Vikas Kumar (kabaddi), Nir Bahadur Gurung (para sports athletics), PS Abdul Rassak (volleyball) and Sajjan Singh (wrestling) DRONACHARYA (REGULAR): Jai Prakash Nautiyal (para-shooting), Mahaveer Prasad Saini (para-athletics), Pritam Siwach (hockey), Radhakrishnan Nair (athletics), Sandeep Sangwan (hockey) ), Sandhya Gurung (boxing), Sujeet Maan (wrestling) and Subramanian Raman (table tennis).DRONACHARYA (LIFETIME): Ashan Kuamr (kabaddi), Bhaskar Chandra Bhatt (hockey), CR Kumar (hockey), Jagrup Rathi (wrestling), S Muralidharan (badminton), Sarkar Talwar (sports cricket), Sarpal Singh (hockey), Tapan Kumar Panigrahi (swimming) and TP Ouseph (athletics).Also Read- Afghanistan Captain Mohammad Nabi before PC: 5 minute mei English Khatam Ho Jayegi
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have rewarded Olympic Gold medalist Neeraj Chopra with Rs 1 crore for his remarkable achievement- winning gold in the javelin throw at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings also presented a special jersey with the number 8758 (highlighting his medal-winning effort of 87.58m) as a mark of respect rewards declared for neeraj chopra, who joined Abhinav Bindra as only the second individual gold medalist in the sports olympics. "The entire nation is proud of Neeraj for his stupendous achievement. By becoming the first Indian to win a medal (gold) in the track and field, he has set a benchmark and is an inspiration for the next generation. 87.58 is a number that will forever be etched in Indian sporting history and it`s an honour for us to present this special jersey to Neeraj. We wish he brings more glory to the nation," CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan said in an official statement.The one with the Golden boy @Neeraj_chopra1 ! Super happy to hand our to the arms that made us proud!Read : https://t.co/qiiw18aLH6#WhistlePodu #Yellove pic.twitter.com/rMpHwWD2F7— Chennai Super Kings - Mask Pdu Whistle Pdu! (@ChennaiIPL) October 31, 2021The 23-year-old athlete, after receiving the award and special jersey, mentioned that the past two months have been an opportunity for him to experience new things and also thanked the Super Kings management for the support. "Thank you so much for your support and for the prize. It feels good. The last two months have been hectic and an opportunity to experience new things. I never thought that I`ll get so much love after winning gold. It was completely unexpected and it feels good. Hopefully, I`ll work hard and get good results," Chopra said. Meanwhile, automaker Mahindra today handed over the keys of the limited-edition Mahindra XUV700 Javelin Gold Edition model to Neeraj Chopra, who won Gold at the Javelin competition at the Tokyo Olympic 2021. Neeraj Chopra shared the photograph of the SUV on his social media handles. Thank you @anandmahindra ji for the new set of wheels with some very special customisation! I'm looking forward to taking the car out for a spin very soon. pic.twitter.com/doNwgOPogp— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) October 30, 2021The automaker had previously handed over the keys of the same model to Sumit Antil, Gold medal winner for F64 Men's javelin throw at the recently concluded Paralympics 2021. Mahindra handed over the keys to the special edition XUV700 to mark the occasion of the commencement of the deliveries of the new SUV from October 30. The Mahindra XUV700 Gold Edition is designed by Pratap Bose, EVP and Chief Design Officer, M&M and is a custom-made version of the newly launched XUV700 that won the SUV of the Year and Car of the Year categories at the inaugural Zee Auto Awards 2021.Also Read- Attacking Someone Over Religion Is Most Pathetic: Kohli backs Shami
For some of India’s top stars, 2023 was the year when they had to pause, reflect and reboot. In some cases, to recover from injuries; in a few others, to rediscover lost form. All in the hope that when the big day comes, they’ll be ready and recharged for the challengeIn Odisha at the World Cup in January, after India lost the shootout against New Zealand to fall short of the quarterfinals, Manpreet Singh was on his knees, staring down at the turf in disbelief. It wasn’t supposed to end this way, for the team that won bronze at Tokyo Olympics. It was, to put it mildly, a disaster to go out that early.In Hangzhou at the Asian Games in October, when the final was deadlocked 0-0 against Japan with five minutes left to go in the first half, India were getting a bit desperate for the opening goal. As a rebound fell to him at the edge of the circle, Manpreet Singh unleashed a powerful reverse flick that flew into the roof of the net. He was on his knees again. Only this time, his teammates were mobbing him as he celebrated a rare and significant goal. India would go on to win the match 5-1.“Kya bolein yaar, I score only rarely,” Manpreet tells with a big smile. “When the ball came to me, I was only thinking of hitting the target. The coach tells me when I get into the circle, ‘you don’t shoot enough. So when you get a chance, go for it, your reverse hit is brilliant.’ That’s all I had in mind. And it flew well off my stick.”Indeed, 2023 was one of two halves for the Indian men’s hockey team. At a home World Cup, a chance to end the 48-year-old wait for a medal went begging. But as the year drew to a close, they clinched the title at the Asian Champions Trophy and the gold medal at Hangzhou Asian Games, which also sealed their place at the Paris Olympics.And Manpreet personified that arc better than any.The 2012 Olympic Games campaign was a nadir in Indian hockey as they lost all six matches to finish last, but for a 20-year-old Manpreet it was personally harrowing too. There were reports of cliques in the squad and of Manpreet being targeted. So when Manpreet says the disappointment of the 2023 World Cup was alongside that of London 2012 for him, it says a whole lot.“We were all quite disappointed. In the match against New Zealand, we didn’t play well at all. In a crucial match, we were not able to do our best. We will forever remember that we didn’t step up that day,” the 31-year-old says.But if 2012 was a campaign of chaos, 2023 hurt because there was a general sentiment that this team was really good and capable of a podium finish. “Handling the pressure of crucial matches, dealing with the presence of home crowd… that match against NZ, we should have done better, because there was confidence in us from the nation. We were confident too, but it will always remain hurtful that we couldn’t deliver,” Manpreet says.Siddharth Pandey, hockey commentator and FIH Level 2 certified coach is someone who has kept a close eye on this Indian team in recent years as a broadcaster. “What happened with Manpreet at the World Cup was in line with what happened with the rest of the team, where multiple things went wrong,” Pandey tells this daily. “Crucially, Hardik Singh’s injury had a huge impact on the team and Manpreet lost a crucial supporting act in the midfield. Then there was the pressure of playing in front of family and thousands of fans. We are usually good away from home these days.”For someone who has achieved quite a lot in Indian hockey, as a player and leader, the World Cup disaster could potentially have been seen as a stopping point. But Manpreet went back to the drawing board. After a few Pro League matches, the team got a break and Manpreet was driven to bounce back. As Rohit Sharma said after the men’s cricket team’s home World Cup heartbreak, it wasn’t easy to move on but athletes have to find a way.“Spending time with the family definitely helped,” Manpreet, a doting father to a girl now, says. “Like Rohit said about how even going out and meeting people was difficult, such a disappointment is huge. We athletes put in all our efforts for years and years, for that one big day in a tournament. When you don’t succeed, you feel despondent. It takes a while to heal. But then you have to start thinking… what next? We can only change what happens in the future.”It started with fitness. Though he was on a break, Manpreet told his family that he’d not be indulging in his diet. One of the fittest athletes there is, Manpreet went about focussing on staying in the best shape possible. “I definitely had to reboot. And when we returned to the camp, the senior players got together and said ‘Whatever has happened, we can’t change. But we can learn. The mistakes we made at the World Cup shouldn’t be repeated’.”Adding a new dimensionWhile he is no longer the team captain, Manpreet – unsurprisingly – doesn’t add much weightage to it, insisting that the likes of himself and PR Sreejesh are there to share the burden with Harmanpreet Singh. Pandey goes to the extent of saying that being a leader without being the captain has liberated him.“He’s a father now, he’s in a good space personally. The Manpreet of 6-7 years ago was still very disciplined on the pitch every time he played, but was quite outgoing,” Pandey says, adding he saw a version of Manpreet at ACT who was enjoying his game, and took up attacking responsibilities that weren’t quite his forte earlier.New head coach Craig Fulton came in and initially had Manpreet playing in the defence. But it wasn’t new to him, he started his national journey as a defender on the left side. “His fundamentals were sensational, that’s why we had the nickname ‘Korean’ for him,” Pandey recalls. “Then he transitioned into being a wonderful central defensive midfielder across coaches. And now he has added a dimension that not a lot of people thought he had, which is shining as a central attacking midfielder.”Graham Reid’s era saw Manpreet evolve into one of the best guarding midfielders in the game, who was terrific at ball retrieval and starting transitions by receiving the ball into space. Fulton, after the initial shift, brought him back to midfield and gave him the freedom to go forward too. It was evident in Chennai, where Manpreet was player of the match in two of India’s matches, driving masterfully through the midfield.“He can now be the extra man creating overloads in the circle as he was when he scored the opening goal in the Asian Games final. You can see the number of aerials he receives at the baseline, making runs from deep. Under Reid, he was a ball retriever and he was the guard responsible for counter control, and was brilliant at it. Now Fulton has entrusted something new with him, and he is delivering. He is now a 3-dimensional hockey player, and to do that at 31 is quite impressive, and to add to that he is supremely fit,” Pandey says.At the Asian Games, one of the standout features of India’s play was assists for players at the second post and the number of 1-2 passes they made to open up scoring opportunities. Fulton’s philosophy is built on control and a defend-to-win mantra but within that, he is enabling the attackers to dovetail with each other, something the Manpreet-Hardik-Vivek axis is crucial for.“I found joy in going forward, I have a lot of freedom. My understanding has gotten better with other players, when Hardik goes forward I know I have to focus on counter control. And vice versa. Craig also believes that whenever we get the chance we have to use our Indian skills. Our ability to beat players is one of the best in the world, so whenever we can, we must use that ‘Indian masala’,” he adds with a smile.As Indian hockey looks ahead to 2024, Manpreet might not be the captain, but he is leading the way by evolving and setting high benchmarks that youngsters must aspire to. As Pandey says, “For him to have started his journey at a damaging event like London 2012 to now be months away from a fourth Olympics appearance, that’s an incredible career graph. Whatever happens in Paris, Manpreet goes down as an all-time great.”What 2023 taught, what 2024 meansFor someone who has seen many highs and lows in the constantly dramatic world of Indian hockey, Manpreet – and the rest of the Indian team – got a rude reality check at the Odisha World Cup. The defeat against New Zealand was a tough pill to swallow and outgoing coach Graham Reid called for the need to have a mental conditioning coach.In came Paddy Upton, to join new head coach Craig Fulton, who has plenty of experience working with Indian athletes. While Manpreet was aware of the need to reboot personally, there was an acknowledgment that India needed help in handling high-pressure situations.“When Paddy came in, the conversations were about focussing on the controllables. You can’t control the weather, you can’t control the fans turning up at a venue… don’t worry about the result, focus on the steps to get there. To remain stable ahead of a big match, when the pressure is on,” Manpreet says, about moving on from the World Cup heartbreak.Unlike in 2018, the qualification for Paris 2024 has been taken care of early and the Indian men’s team can now fully focus on fine-tuning their game. It would involve using the Pro League matches to full effect. Their dominance at the Asian level is not in doubt still, but there are bigger targets to check off for Fulton, Harmanpreet, Manpreet, and Co. Lessons must be learned from Odisha 2023 as they look ahead. Also Read: Upcoming games 2024 for console and PC
