In a body blow to India's medal prospects in the Commonwealth Games, key sports such as hockey, badminton, wrestling, cricket and shooting have been dropped from the 2026 Glasgow CWG, which unveiled a pruned roster of 10 disciplines to keep the event budget-friendly. Table tennis, squash, cricket, netball, and road racing have also been axed in a bid to limit the cost and streamline logistics given that only four venues will host the entire showpiece. The total number of events at the Games will be nine fewer compared to the 2022 Birmingham edition. The 23rd edition of the mega-event is scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 2, marking Glasgow's return as host after 12 years, following the 2014 edition. "The sports programme will include Athletics and Para Athletics (Track & Field), Swimming and Para Swimming, Artistic Gymnastics, Track Cycling and Para Track Cycling, Netball, Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting, Boxing, Judo, Bowls and Para Bowls, and 3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Wheelchair Basketball," the Commonwealth Games Federation said in a statement. "The Games will take place across four venues -- Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Emirates Arena ¿ including the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, and the Scottish Event Campus (SEC). Athletes and support staff will be housed in hotel accommodation," it added. The roster is a massive setback to India's medal prospects given that bulk of the country's medals came from the removed disciplines in the past editions. Shooting was never expected to return after being dropped from the Birmingham programme four years ago, owing to logistics. While announcing the Glasgow schedule, the CGF said "Glasgow 2026 will feature a 10-sport programme concentrated across four venues within an eight-mile corridor". This ruled shooting out of the roster as the Barry Buddon centre in Dundee -- the venue during the 2014 CWG -- is more than 100km away from Glasgow. Glasgow Green and the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, which hosted hockey and wrestling in 2014, has been dropped from the list of venues, while Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, where badminton was held that year, will be used only for cycling this time. Aside from cost, hockey's exclusion could also be down to the fact that the Games are being organised close to the World Cup that is scheduled two weeks later from August 15 to 30 in Wavre, Belgium and Amstelveen, Netherlands. The Australian state of Victoria was the original host of the 2026 edition but pulled out last year due to rising costs. Scotland then stepped in to save the Games. Hockey's omission from the 2026 Glasgow CWG would be a significant blow for India. The men's team has won three silver and two bronze medals, while the women have also shone, clinching three medals, including a historic gold in the 2002 Games. Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024 cauldron could stay in city even after Games end In badminton, India has racked up an impressive 31 medals -- 10 gold, eight silver, and 13 bronze. Notably, the nation was to enter the 2026 edition as defending champions in men's and women's singles, as well as men's doubles. Shooting was a stronghold for India, with a staggering 135 medals to its name. The count included 63 gold, 44 silver, and 28 bronze. The wrestling competition has yielded 114 medals for the nation, including 49 gold, 39 silver, and 26 bronzes. After the cricket's reintroduction in 2022, the Indian women's team claimed a silver. Para-athletes have been a part of the Games since the 2002 Manchester edition and will continue to be there in the 2026 edition as well. "Para sport will once again be fully integrated as a key priority and point of difference for the Games, with six Para sports included on the sport programme," CGF said. The CGF said that the Games will deliver over 100 million pounds of "inward investment into the city" and is expected to support add an economic value of over 150 million pounds for the region. The body asserted that all this would be possible thanks to a model "that has been specially designed to not require public funding for the delivery of the Games." "The 2026 Games will be a bridge to the Commonwealth Games of tomorrow -- an exciting first step in our journey to reset and redefine the Games as a truly collaborative, flexible and sustainable model for the future that minimises costs, reduces the environmental footprint, and enhances social impact," Commonwealth Games Federation CEO Katie Sadleir stated in the press release. (With agency inputs)
22 October,2024 01:13 PM IST | London | mid-day online correspondentCharles Leclerc led Carlos Sainz home as Ferrari claimed a resounding one-two triumph in Sunday’s United States Grand Prix after Lando Norris was relegated to fourth, having finished third on track ahead of title rival Max Verstappen who took the third podium spot. McLaren’s Norris was penalised five seconds for gaining an advantage by leaving the track to pass Red Bull’s Max. For Leclerc, it was a first victory in the US, his third of the season and the eighth of his career while for Ferrari it was a first one-two in America since 2006. “It wasn’t an easy weekend up to now, I have been struggling with the car, but I had confidence in the race,” said Leclerc. “I am really happy with today, a 1-2 for the team, we couldn’t have dreamed for better.” This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
22 October,2024 07:48 AM IST | Austin | AFPOlympic bronze medal-winning former wrestler Sakshi Malik has said that Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia’s decision to accept exemption from the Asian Games trials last year hit the image of their protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh as it made their movement seem “selfish”. Sakshi made this statement in her recently-released book Witness. She said their protest developed cracks when “people close to” Bajrang and Vinesh began to fill their minds with 'greed'. Also Read: An Olympic medal changes not just an athlete, but community, society, says Sakshi Malik The three had alleged that Sharan Singh, the former head of the Wrestling Federation of India, sexually harassed women wrestlers during his tenure. The case is still being heard in a Delhi court. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
22 October,2024 07:48 AM IST | New Delhi | PTITrisha Jagtap of The Green Acres Academy emerged champion in the U-16 girls section while Krisha Jain of Podar International School won the U-12 girls segment and Tvesha Jain of Green Lawns High School clinched the U-10 girls title in the MSSA inter-school chess tournament at St Sebastian High School (Chembur) on Sunday. In what was a clean sweep, Trisha (seven rounds), Krisha and Tvesha (nine rounds) made some scintillating moves to win all their games. Also Read: ‘Chess is our gift to the world’ Tvesha, a chess prodigy, is set to go places. She is currently ranked No. 1 in Maharashtra and third in India in the U-9 category. She has represented the state at evens in Solapur and Pune in September and emerged champion. Having won over 100 tournaments so far, Tvesha emerged triumphant here, beating Thea Wagle of Vasudev C Wadhwa Arya Vidya Mandir in the final round. “The game opened with Thea making the D4 move, and I responded with D5, entering the Queen’s Gambit structure. As the mid-game unfolded, I launched a strong kingside attack, focusing on rapid piece development. A pivotal moment came when I pinned her rook with my queen, preventing her from castling, which allowed me to intensify my attack. As the game transitioned, I was under some pressure but I managed to convert my advantage, efficiently coordinating my queen and bishop to deliver the final checkmate,” an elated Tvesha told mid-day. Also Read: Record entries for MSSA chess tournament “It was a competitive tournament as there were nine rounds. I’m happy that I won all. The last round was a bit difficult and the other rounds also featured some exciting matches with good players. Kudos to the MSSA,” added Tvesha. Nitya Bang of Bombay Scottish finished in second place while Girisha Pai came third in the girls U-10 category. In the U-16 girls category, Janhavi Gadade of IES New English School emerged as runner-up while Maanvi Chaudhri of St Gregorios High School finished third. In the U-12 girls section, Mahua Deshpande of CNM & ND Parekh School stood second while Hiranmayee Kulkarni of Arya Vidya Mandir came third.
22 October,2024 07:46 AM IST | Mumbai | Rufus VedanayagamWorld No. 1 Norwegian Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen will headline the sixth edition of Tata Steel Chess India, scheduled to take place from November 13 to 17. This marks Carlsen's second appearance in the tournament, having previously participated in 2019, where he emerged victorious. Following a stellar performance at the recent Chess Olympiad in Budapest, a strong Indian contingent will feature prominently in the event, including talented players such as Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, and Vidit Gujrathi. Additionally, Nihal Sarin and S L Narayanan will compete in the 'Open' category. As in previous editions, the tournament will consist of both 'Open' and women's categories, maintaining the same format of rapid and blitz chess, with equal prize money allocated for both sections. The women's category will see India represented by notable players, including Koneru Humpy, R Vaishali, D. Harika, Divya Deshmukh, and Vantika Agrawal. Chess legend Viswanathan Anand will continue his esteemed association with the tournament as its ambassador, further enhancing the event's prestige. "Looking forward to being back at Tata Steel Chess India. It has become the marquee event in India. This year brings the best of the world headed by Magnus Carlsen," said Anand. Also Read: WR Chess masters: Arjun Erigaisi crushes Maxime to win title, closes in on 2800 Elo rating "I am particularly excited that the women's event will have the best of Indian chess. This year has been a celebration of Indian chess and this event will be a fitting tribute." Chanakya Chaudhary, vice-president, corporate services, Tata Steel said, "We are excited to host the sixth edition of Tata Steel Chess India, which marks the return of world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen. Members of the Indian men's and women's squads, following their gold medal wins at the Chess Olympiad, will also join the tournament alongside top global players." The line-up for this year's tournament is as below: Open: Magnus Carlsen, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Wesley So, Vincent Keymer, Daniil Dubov, Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, Vidit Gujrathi, Nihal Sarin, S L Narayanan. Women: Aleksandra Goryachkina, Kateryna Lagno, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Nana Dzagnidze, Valentina Gunina, Koneru Humpy, R. Vaishali, D. Harika, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal.
21 October,2024 02:53 PM IST | Kolkata | mid-day online correspondentIndia's premier recurve archer Deepika Kumari won her fifth silver medal at the Archery World Cup Final after losing the summit clash 0-6 to China's Li Jiaman. Returning to the Archery World Cup Final after three years following the birth of her daughter in December 2022, four-time Olympian Deepika was seeded third in the eight-archer field. She had a smooth run through the semifinals but probably the pressure of gold medal match got to her against fourth-seed Li Jiaman, a team silver medalist from the Paris Olympics. It was Deepika's ninth appearance at the Archery World Cup Final where she has also bagged a bronze. Dola Banerjee is the only Indian archer to have won a gold in the World Cup Final, having topped the podium in Dubai 2007. In the men's recurve section, Dhiraj Bommadevara, despite leading 4-2, could not hold off the challenge from South Korea's Paris Olympics bronze medallist, Lee Woo Seok in the opening round and made an early exit . The pressure once again seemed to affect the Indian archers, who have often struggled in high-stakes matches. Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Motherhood could have cost Olympian Deepika, husband Atanu wouldn’t let it The five-member Indian contingent, comprising three compound and two recurve archers, thus concluded their season-ending World Cup Final campaign with just one medal. After a stellar semifinal win against Mexico's Alejandra Valencia, Deepika couldn't maintain momentum. She dropped the first set by a single point (26-27). Despite improving in the second set, Li's flawless 30, including an X-ring shot, gave the Chinese archer a commanding a 2-0 lead (30-28). The third set proved decisive as Deepika's second arrow landed in the red 7-ring, allowing Li to claim victory with three solid 9s, taking the set 27-25 and sealing the gold on her debut World Cup Final appearance. In the semifinals, Deepika triumphed over home favourite and Paris Olympics bronze medalist Valencia, edging her out 6-4 (29-28, 26-26, 26-29, 28-28, 28-27). It also avenged Deepika's bronze medal loss to Valencia from the Yecheon World Cup earlier this year. Deepika's campaign had begun with a dominant 6-0 victory over China's Yang Xiaolei (27-23, 29-22, 29-27). In the men's recurve, third-seeded Dhiraj was India's sole qualifier. Facing second seed Lee Woo Seok, Dhiraj started strongly, drawing the first set and winning the second. However, he missed the opportunity to close out the match in the third by just one point with the South Korean drawing level before delivering flawless performances in the fourth and fifth sets. Dhiraj eventually lost 4-6 (28-28, 29-26, 28-28, 26-30, 28-29). On the compound side, the three-member Indian contingent returned empty-handed ending their campaign on Saturday. Prathamesh Fuge finished fourth after a tense semifinal loss, while Priyansh and Jyothi Surekha Vennam failed to reach the medal rounds. (With agency inputs)
21 October,2024 09:14 AM IST | Tlaxcala (Mexico) | mid-day online correspondentLewis Hamilton described his Mercedes car as a “nightmare” to drive on Saturday when a front suspension problem led to his stunning qualifying flop at the United States Formula One Grand Prix. He was eliminated in 19th place in Q1, his worst performance at one of his favourite tracks where he had never previously failed to qualify in the top five and had won a record six times and taken pole three times. Also Read: Lewis Hamilton allowed to wear nose stud for medical reasons “We had some sort of failure from the formation lap, in the front suspension, and I had that throughout the sprint race — and that made the balance really difficult,” the seven-time champion said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 October,2024 08:23 AM IST | Austin | AFPDefender Varun Kumar, who missed out on the Paris Olympics and the Asian Champions Trophy following allegations of sexual harassment by a former junior volleyball player, on Sunday made his return to the Indian men’s hockey squad for the upcoming two Test matches against Germany, scheduled for October 23 and 24. Also Read: 137 goals, zero bids! In February, Bengaluru police had charged Varun under the Pocso (Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences) Act after a 22-year-old woman accused him of sexually assaulting her multiple times over the past five years, beginning when she was a minor. However, Hockey India sources confirmed that Varun has been included in the squad after being acquitted of all charges. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 October,2024 08:22 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIKarnav Rastogi of RN Podar School and Kartikey Kumar of Trinity International School won the boys U-16 and U-8 titles in the MSSA inter-school chess tournament at St Sebastian High School (Chembur) on Saturday. Karnav got the better of Ridhan Bhandari of Arya Vidya Mandir in the final round. “The game started with the Italian opening and then somehow I was threatening squares like D4 and D5. I was expecting my opponent to play D4 at some point but the D4 move never came and I used it to my advantage with D5. Kartikey Kumar “Although I was very low on time, I was making moves which would steer me to a draw. But then he pinned his Bishop to his Rook and I attacked the Bishop which could not be moved. He lost the Bishop and eventually lost,” Karnav said whilst talking about the game. Veer Bopardikar of RN Podar finished in second place and Vedant Mistry of Fazlani L’Academie Global came third in the boys U-16 category. Also Read: Kids make right moves as MSSA chess begins with record entries “The victory was unexpected. From the start, I was expecting to be in the top 10 but then the tables changed from Round 6 where I was the sole leader. I lost Round 7, but eventually I won the tournament and luck was on my side,” added Karnav. In the U-8 boys category, Tattva Shejwal of Rustomjee Cambridge International emerged as runner-up and Viaan Shetty of GD Somani Memorial finished third. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 October,2024 08:20 AM IST | Mumbai | Rufus VedanayagamNovak Djokovic implored long-time adversary Rafael Nadal to put off his planned retirement after defeating the Spaniard Saturday in what was likely to be the final chapter of their “amazing rivalry.” “Don’t leave tennis, man,” Djokovic said in an on-court interview after beating Nadal in straight sets 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) at the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia. ‘Very intense’ rivalry He added that their battles over the years had been “very intense” and told Nadal he hoped they could one day “sit on a beach somewhere” and have a drink. Nadal, 38, announced on October 10 that he would retire from tennis after the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga next month. Organisers of the Saudi event billed Saturday’s match as perhaps Nadal’s last singles contest as a professional. Nadal said on Thursday he was unsure whether he would be fit enough to play singles in Malaga. Djokovic and Nadal had faced each other 60 times on the main tour prior to Saturday’s exhibition match, with Djokovic holding a narrow 31-29 edge. Djokovic has racked up 24 Grand Slam titles in his career, two more than Nadal. Saturday’s match was mostly one-sided, with Nadal spraying errors and Djokovic wrapping up the first set in just 31 minutes. Also Read: ‘Rafa was my greatest rival, but I still have desire to play’ Nadal rallied to push the second set to a tie-break, reeling off winners and even treating fans to one last iconic fist pump before succumbing to Djokovic. “It’s great to see him still fighting even though he’s had injuries and struggles,” Djokovic, 37, told a post-match press conference. It was “a very emotional day, special day” because it was the “last time I play my biggest rival, Nadal,” he added. “I’ve witnessed Andy Murray retiring this year, Roger [Federer] a few years ago as well. And now Rafa, you know. It’s tough in some way to see them go, because all of my career, basically, I’ve played with them.” After being presented with a golden tennis racket, Nadal in turn thanked Djokovic for the “amazing rivalry” and “for all the moments that we shared on court.” Sinner beats Alcaraz Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3 for the championship. The top-ranked Sinner, who had lost all three previous meetings this season, collected $6 million for the win. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 October,2024 08:18 AM IST | Riyadh | PTIRising star Prathamesh Fuge pushed defending champion Mathias Fullerton in the men’s compound semi-final at the Archery World Cup Final before missing out on a medal after losing a tense shoot-off. The match was deadlocked 150 all, forcing a nail-biting shoot-off to decide the winner. The shoot-off resulted in another 10-all tie, but the Danish archer edged out the Indian by mere millimetres, with his arrow landing closer to the centre. A win would have confirmed a maiden medal for Fuge who was then left to fight the bronze playoff and lost to world champion Mike Schloesser 146-150. Also Read: Maharashtra's Vaishnavi Pawar leads India to silver in Archery Championship Like last year, multiple World Cup medalist Jyothi Surekha Vennam’s campaign ended in the quarters, going down to Meeri-Marita Paas of Estonia 145-147. Deepika Kumari and Dhiraj Bommadevara will lead India’s campaign in the recurve categories later on Sunday. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
21 October,2024 08:16 AM IST | Mexico | PTIADVERTISEMENT
