Yogeshwar Dutt bagged an unexpected bronze medal in the freestyle wrestling event at the Asian Games.
'It is important to keep new tricks in your bag to win at the biggest event of world sports.'
India's wrestlers received a welcome boost ahead of this month's Asian Games after the federation got automaker Tata Motors as their principal sponsor on Wednesday.
Bajrang Punia's perennial leg-defence weakness came to haunt him at the big stage as he lost the men's freestyle 65kg semi-final to three-time world champion Haji Aliev at the Tokyo Olympics 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.
Terming Yogeshwar Dutt's historic gold at the Asian Games as an "exceptional achievement", seasoned campaigner Sushil Kumar said the country's wrestlers have done justice to the sport by improving their medal count at the Asian Games. He was particularly impressed with Yogeshwar's semi-final performance against China's Katai Yerlanbieke at the Incheon Games. Yogeshwar Dutt's historic gold at the Asian Games as a "exceptional achievement", seasoned campaigner Sushil Kumar said that wrestlers have done justice to the sport by improving their medal count from the sport.
Wrestler Bajrang Punia clinched India's first gold medal in the 18th Asian Games after defeating Takatani Daichi of Japan in the men's 65 kg freestyle title bout, in Jakarta, on Sunday.
Aiming to put the spotlight on athletes and energise fans to motivate them to be at their best, the 50-year-old star has started a campaign to introduce the players with a tweet.
Sandeep Singh said he will now serve the country in politics after doing so as a sportsperson.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has been fielded again from Karnal.
Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu was the Sportswoman of the Year award in the individual sport category, a statement read.
Abhinav Bindra eager to motivate India's Rio Olympics contingent.
Vijender Singh has pulled out of the 35th National Games starting on Saturday
Bajrang Punia has established himself as the undisputed superstar of Indian wrestling but the road to glory was fraught with temptations
The rule-book allows for only one sponsor's logo on the wicket-keeping gloves. In Dhoni's case, he already sports an SG logo on his gloves. Dhoni is an Honorary Lieutenant Colonel in the Parachute Regiment of the Territorial Army and dagger is part of their emblem.
Getting a ringside view of the action were Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Indian Premier League commissioner Rajiv Shukla, Olympic champion boxer MC Mary Kom, star wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, cricketers Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina.
The Queen's Baton of the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games was showcashed at the historic Qutub Minar as the QBR's India leg ended on the second day of its stop in New Delhi on Sunday.
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has accepted the Indian Olympic Association's invitation to become a goodwill ambassador for the country at the upcoming Rio Olympics. He is third goodwill ambassador roped in by the IOA after Bollywood actor Salman Khan and ace shooter Abhinav Bindra.
Wrestling coach Anoop Singh and Paralympics coach Naval Singh among other nominees get Sports Ministry approval
An emotional Parveen Rana on Sunday vowed to beat his fierce rival Sushil Kumar in the upcoming Pro Wrestling League for his cancer-stricken mother, who he claimed was deeply hurt to learn about the out-of-the-ring attack on him by the Olympic medallist's followers.
Here's how the heavyweights are faring.
Maharashtra and Haryana voted in assembly elections on Monday. Several prominent personalities also exercised their franchise.
Star wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Saturday backed the #MeToo movement that has been sweeping through India, saying the country must find ways to prevent sexual harassment of its women.
This time, India may win as many as 17 medals at the Games.
Sonam Malik,19, is the youngest Indian woman wrestler to qualify for the Olympic Games.
Forced on the back foot after being slammed for appointing Salman Khan as goodwill ambassador of India's Olympic contingent, the IOA said, on Sunday, it would also rope in icons from music, cricket, and other sports to motivate the athletes.
Vikas Gowda gave its first athletics gold medal of the 20th Commonwealth Games by winning the men's discuss throw on Thursday.
Wrestler Bajrang Kumar's scuttled trip to the USA for a crucial competition was brought back on track by Olympic bronze-medallist Yogeshwar Dutt, who convinced SAI officials in New Delhi to sanction his expenses for the Dave Schultz Memorial International Tournament in Colorado Springs.
WFI is concerned that the good reputation built over the years with stupendous international performances has been ruined.
Bajrang Punia had won gold medals at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games last year.
These athletes made India proud four years ago.
A long sabbatical and a rejig in weight categories notwithstanding, Olympic heroes Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt reaffirmed their dominance on the world stage and ended a 28-year gold drought at the Asian Games in a successful 2014.
The sports fraternity came out in support of Mahendra Singh Dhoni for wearing the dagger insignia on his wicketkeeping gloves during India's World Cup game against South Africa.
With only one Asian Games gold to show after four days of competition, India's hopes of improving on their medal tally in China four years ago are diminishing fast.
Salman Khan, whose appointment as IOA's goodwill ambassador in April was slammed by Olympic medallist wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and legendary sprinter Milkha Singh, seemed to have no clue about who Dipa Karmakar was and how she fared so far at the Rio Games.
Speaking exclusively to Aruneel Sadadekar/Rediff.com, the Haryana-based wrestler shed light on the latest reports of Asgarov testing positive and Sakshi Malik's bronze medal feat at the Rio Olympics.
Bajrang Punia was nominated for the Khel Ratna by the Wrestling Federation of India following his twin gold medals at this year's Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and Jakarta Asian Games.
The BCCI this year hasn't forwarded any name for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the highest honour for active sportspersons in the country, since the Indian cricket board didn't find any fitting cricketer for the award.
Indian wrestling's new star Bajrang Punia, on Sunday, set his eyes on a 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medal after his triumphant Asian Games campaign in Jakarta.
Sushil Kumar fades, Bajrang Punia rises
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