A summary of sports events and persons in the news over the weekend.
Teen sensation Shiva Thapa (56kg) reaffirmed his status as the rising star of Indian boxing, becoming the youngest pugilist from the country to clinch a gold medal at the Asian Championships in Amman, Jordan, on Monday. India, suspended internationally for nearly a year due to administrative wrangling in the federation, rounded off the campaign with a gold, two silver and a bronze medal while fighting under the International Boxing Association's flag.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Sunday
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Thursday.
Commonwealth Games gold medallist weightlifter Geeta Rani's confirmatory 'B' sample test has also returned positive for a banned substance and she is set to end her career in ignominy as she faces the prospect of a lengthy ban from the sport.
Young Apurvi Chandela wants to be at the 'top of her game' as she aims for a maiden Olympic appearance at next year's Rio Games by fulfilling the stringent selection criteria that the National Rifles Association of India (NRAI) has set for the Indian shooters.
India's 572 athletes hope to return home with an overflowing treasure chest of medals.
Olympian Sumit Sangwan (81kg) and Vikash Malik (60kg) fought through intense bouts to enter the pre-quarterfinals but Mandeep Jangra (69kg) bowed out after a stiff second-round contest on a mixed day for India in the World Boxing Championships in Almaty on Sunday.
Lalita Babar and Sudha Singh clinched a silver and a bronze under dramatic circumstances in women's 3000m steeplechase after a Bahraini runner was disqualified as India opened their medal account on the opening day of athletics competition at the Asian Games in Incheon on Saturday.
'She already knows two vaults and now I am teaching her a third one. She can perform any two but which two, that we have not decided. The basic training (for Handspring 540) has begun and after two months she will start performing'
'People taunted me, saying 'You are a woman, why are you wrestling?'
The selection of the Indian team for the World Boxing Championships has run into a controversy with three pugilists, including Arjuna awardee Dinesh Kumar, threatening to take the panel to court even as Olympian Akhil Kumar vowed to sue one of them for dragging his name into the furore.
Hailing Pusarla V Sindhu's excellent show right through 2016 that saw her becoming the first and only Indian shuttler to win a silver medal in the Olympic Games, chief national coach P Gopichand said his lanky ward is capable of scaling greater heights. "I have always maintained that even when she won in 2013 or 2014 (back-to-back world championship singles bronze medals) Sindhu is still some time away from being her best. I maintain that even now that she has the potential to do even better," said the former All-England men's singles champion during an interaction with the media in Mumbai.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Thursday
Indian athletes will begin their campaign in the World Championships in Beijing, on Sunday.
Sania Mirza's was officially named for the coveted Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award on Friday. The Hyderabadi lady is only the second tennis player to be nominated for the country's highest sport honour.
'I am feeling so nervous. I will be among so many big politicians.' 'It is a big responsibility and I hope I learn every day and do something for the people in whatever way I can.'
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) chief Sebastian Coe empathises with the plight of Indian sprinter Dutee Chand, whose career has been hit by the controversial 'gender testing' issue, but insists it needs to create a "level-playing field" for all athletes.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Sunday
India's top boxer Vijender Singh was knocked out after an intense second-round contest on a day of mixed fortunes for India that saw Shiva Thapa and comeback-man Nanao Singh punch their way in to the pre-quarters at the World Boxing Championships in Almaty. Kazakhstan.
The rising graph of the country's grapplers seems to be having no positive impact on the proposed Indian Wrestling League (IWL) as it has been postponed once again due to mild response from prospective franchises.
Furious with the three boxers who alleged that trials for the upcoming World Championships were manipulated, Indian Boxing Federation President Abhishek Matoria, said on Friday, disciplinary action will be taken against them if they fail to prove their charges.
Looking back, the Indians had rubbed their hands in delight at the variety of marquee events at home the sporting calendar of 2017 offered, and they now look forward, with optimism and anticipation, to a challenging 2018.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Sunday
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Saturday
London Olympics bronze-medallist MC Mary Kom led the charge as six Indian boxers stormed into the final with comprehensive wins to remain in hunt for all the 10 medals on offer at the 12th South Asian Games, in Shillong, on Sunday.
The absence of top stars took some sheen away but India's record-breaking medal haul and a maiden top-of-the-table finish made the just-concluded 22nd Asian Athletics Championship here a memorable one.
Vijender Singh (75kg) turned in a solid showing despite being down with viral fever to beat Sweden's Hampus Henriksson in his opening bout at the World Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Thursday.
World Championship silver medallist wrestler Amit Kumar rued that a bad umpiring decision at the end of his bout cost him a deserving gold medal in the final of the 55kg category against Iran's Hassan Farman Rahimi.
Triple jumper Renjith Maheswary finished sixth in the heats and the women's 4x400m relay team last as India's campaign in the World Athletics Championships ended in Moscow on Friday.
A turbulent run-up to the Rio Games behind him, Narsingh Yadav will be eyeing a fairytale climax while old warhorse Yogeshwar Dutt would look to bid adieu with a second straight medal when India begin their Olympic wrestling campaign on Monday.
'Saina and Sindhu are top contenders, but they will have to beat players who are playing solid badminton at this juncture.'
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Saturday
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Friday
Saina Nehwal produced one of her finest performances in recent times to guide Indian women's team to a comfortable victory over Thailand and catapult the hosts to the top of Group Y in the Uber Cup badminton tournament in New Delhi.