Two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar spearheaded a sparkling show as Indian grapplers dominated the wrestling arena with three gold medals after the shooters ended their campaign on a rousing note with five more podium finishes on sixth day of competitions in the 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Tuesday.
The International Weightlifting Federation dropped the doping charge against Indian weightlifter K Sanjita Chanu due to "non-conformities" in the handling of her sample but the Commonwealth Games gold-medallist has demanded an apology and compensation for the "trauma" she has endured. The IWF made the decision based on the recommendation of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The 26-year-old, who claimed innocence since the beginning, was informed about the final verdict via an e-mail, signed by IWF's legal counsel Lilla Sagi.
Sandeep Chaudhary claimed the top honours with a best throw of 60.01m, which he managed in his third attempt.
Defending champion Geeta Rani failed to live up to expectations as he finished a disappointing fourth in the women's 75+kg category in the weightlifting event of the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi on Sunday.
Star grappler Yogeshwar Dutt heaved a sigh of relief after clinching a spot for the World Championships by beating Amit Kumar Dhankhar, who had gone to court last year against the Olympic medallist alleging favouritism.
Phogat, who will make her MMA debut against South Korea's Kim Nam-hee at One Championship's Age of Dragons event in Beijing on Saturday,
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Wednesday
India's limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma, star wrestler Vinesh Phogat, TT player Manika Batra and Paralympic gold-winning high jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu were on Tuesday picked for this year's Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award by the sports ministry's selection committee.
Star boxer Vijender Singh packed a punch while assuring himself of a medal in what proved to be a good outing for Indian pugilists on Day 7 of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Wednesday.
After failing to secure the team quota at the World Championships in June last year, the Indian women's archery team will have their last shot to secure the full Olympics quota in Paris, as a separate tournament is planned ahead of the World Cup in June next year.
Dipika Pallikal had long back taken the chill pill for the fever that forced her out of the home Commonwealth Games and fours years on, India's top squash player is looking ahead to the Games in Glasgow, where she is aiming for medals in all three categories.
With her sights firmly set for the 2018 Commonwealth and Asian Games, Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik feels that quality preparation can only happen if there are at least two extended camps in foreign countries every year. "Before Olympics, we went to Spain for a training camp and we got to practise with a lot of quality wrestlers. I believe for better performances we need more foreign exposure where we compete with the top wrestlers from other countries," Sakshi, who is face of Delhi Sultans franchise in the Pro-Wrestling League (PWL) told PTI.
Para-athlete Anandan Gunasekaran clinched his third gold and javelin thrower Shivpal Singh added another for the country as India continued their fine showing at the ongoing 7th CISM World Military Games, in Wuhan, China, on Thursday.
Ace shuttler Saina Nehwal is currently in a tight spot in her bid for a Tokyo Olympics singles berth but a couple of good performances in the coming weeks can put her back in contention, her mentor Parupalli Kashyap said on Friday. Saina, a 2015 World Championship silver medallist and two-time Commonwealth Games champion, is racing against time to make the cut for her fourth successive Olympics.
Ace Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has become the first Indian to receive a nomination in the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards to be held, in Monaco, on February 18.
Geeta has not competed much since she attempted to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games unsuccessfully.
Parupalli Kashyap regained his place inside the top 10 in the latest BWF's world ranking, release on Thurday.
Out of competitive action for over a year, five-time world champion M C Mary Kom will return to the ring in an invitational tournament to be held in Mongolia next month.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Saturday
India's boxers are remembered only during a big event, says Olympics medal hope Akhil Kumar. 'Before and after that no one cares.'
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday
The Indian weightlifting squad, which won a whopping 27 medals, including 17 gold, in the Commonwealth Senior and Junior Championships in Malaysia made a clean sweep of the team trophies.
Delhi boy Tejaswin Shankar produced a record-shattering performance as Indians struck two gold and a silver medal to launch their Commonwealth Youth Games campaign on a rousing note in Apia, Samoa, on Monday.
The Indian boxers' campaign in the Asian Olympic Qualifiers was off to a disappointing start with all three in action, on Saturday, including former Commonwealth Games champion Manoj Kumar (64kg), bowing out with opening round losses in Qian'an, China.
'It has made things easier for me in terms of planning for Olympics'
Indian lifter Sarabjit Singh broke four national records as the two-day weightlifing selection trials, part of the test event for Commonwealth Games 2010, concluded at Jawahar Lal stadium on Sunday.
Commonwealth Games gold medallist weightlifter Sanjita Chanu has failed a dope test, the international federation said on Thursday.
As the curtains come down at the Tokyo Olympics, here's a glance at the medallists and those who came within touching distance of glory.
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu will have an outside chance of a podium finish for India when the weightlifter begins her campaign in the women's 48kg category at the Rio Olympic Games on Saturday.
India's world record holder weightlifter Mirabai Chanu revealed that she was 'completely broken' after the failure at the 2016 Rio Olympics and talking to a psychologist helped her get back on track.
India cricket captain Virat Kohli and weightlifter Mirabai Chanu were on Monday recommended for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna by the awards selection committee.
This time, India may win as many as 17 medals at the Games.
Star Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia kept himself in the medal race by reaching the semi-finals even as three of his compatriots faded in the men's freestyle competition at the World Championship, in Budapest, on Sunday.
Bhavinaben Patel scripted history on Friday, becoming the first Indian table tennis player to secure a medal in the Paralympics after entering the semi-finals with a stunning straight-game win over world No. 5 Borislava Peric Rankovic of Serbia in the women's singles Class 4 event, in Tokyo. The 34-year-old won her quarter-final 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 in 18 minutes.
A livid Mary Kom asked her vanquished opponent Nikhat Zareen to prove herself in the ring instead of making irritating comments.
This was due to the fact that they had already won the Khel Ratna, the country's highest sporting honour.
That was a phase, this is also a phase -- was philosophical Sushil Kumar's first reaction as he celebrated his third successive gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the build-up to which was marred by a selection controversy and questions over his fitness.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Sunday
Robertson received a British Empire Medal (BEM) in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to the local community.
