Amit Panghal displayed soldier's grit to stun the reigning Olympic champion for India's only boxing gold while two 50-plus bridge players proved that age is just a number with top finishes as the country achieved its best-ever medal haul at the Asian Games, in Jakarta, on Saturday. India equalled its best gold medal haul by touching 15, something that last happened back in 1951, as the overall tally surpassed the 65 in Guangzhou by three this time.
Mary Kom is just a couple of months shy of turning 36 but said she isn't going to slow down either at home or inside the ring.
Mary Kom (51kg) claimed her eighth world medal at the recently-concluded championships in Russia. She was selected for the event ahead of Zareen, who was refused a trial by the Boxing Federation of India (BFI), which decided to go by Mary Kom's consistent performances while making the choice.
For the Dronacharya awards, the BFI has finalised the names of national women's coach Mohammed Ali Qamar and assistant coach Chhote Lal Yadav.
Lovlina Borgohain, who clinched the welterweight (69kg) bronze at Tokyo Olympics, spoke about the hardships she endured to get where she is, the joy of watching the triumph of human spirit at the Games
Oldham Athletic and Barnet provided some old-fashioned FA Cup magic with shock victories against much more illustrious opponents but English champions Manchester City proved ruthless as they scored seven times in the third round on Sunday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Sunday
All but written off after a string of injuries wrecked havoc on his career four years ago, enigmatic boxer Akhil Kumar staged a remarkable comeback to make the 10-member Indian men's team for the Asian Games, in Incheon, South Korea.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday
The 23-year-old Naib Subedar in the Indian Army said the Pulwama terror attack, which claimed the lives of 44 CRPF personnel, was on his mind through the tournament.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday.
Now boxer Manoj Kumar, a World Championships quarter-finalist, also a two-time Asian Championships bronze-medallist is seeking an appointment with Sports Minister Jitendra Singh, saying he was ignored for the Arjuna despite fine performances.
Olympic bronze-medallist and five-time world champion M C Mary Kom on Sunday denied reports that she made disparaging remarks against fellow male boxers like Shiva Thapa and Manoj Kumar during a meeting of the national observers in New Delhi.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday
'I definitely think it's the time to just switch off from any future thoughts or any plans, any schedule. I've got absolutely no clue. Right now, no care in the world, I'm just loving life.'
Manjeet Singh had to content with a silver medal at the 3rd China Open boxing tournament after going down to local lad Akepeer Yusuf in the final of the super heavy weight category (+91kg), in Guiyang.
P V Sindhu opens her campaign in the China Open women's singles against Evgeniya Kosetskaya of Russia, in Fuzhou, China, on Tuesday.
The diminutive Manipuri became the most successful boxer in world championships' history when she claimed the 48kg category top honours in November last year in Delhi.
Determined to keep the Olympic dream alive despite the long-standing administrative mess, a spirited Indian boxing team, featuring the likes of M C Mary Kom and Shiva Thapa, will take off on Monday night for the Asian Qualifiers in Qian'an City, China. Ten men and three women form the 13-strong team which will be in action from March 25. In the men's competition, only the top three boxers in each weight category will make the Olympic cut with the third spot decided via a box-off between the two bronze-medallists. In the women's draw, only the gold and silver medal winners will qualify for Rio de Janeiro. In the absence of a recognised federation, the Indians will once again compete under the flag of the International Boxing Association (AIBA). "It is going to be a very tough tournament because not many from the Asian region qualified during last year's World Championships. I am expecting around 30 countries and more than 250 boxers to be there at this event," national coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu told PTI ahead of the team's departure.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday
The fire back in her belly after overcoming the Rio Olympic heartbreak, celebrated Indian woman boxer M C Mary Kom has decided to go back to the light flyweight 48kg division amid speculation that it is among the two categories that the International Boxing Association (AIBA) is pushing for inclusion in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Former World Boxing champion Aruna Mishra alleged that the adverse decision against Sarita Devi has robbed her off a gold in the Asian Games, but opined the boxer should have accepted the bronze medal as it was for the nation.
He rose from anonymity with a bronze in Beijing that was as good as gold for Indian boxing but set for an unprecedented third Olympic appearance, Vijender Singh wants to remain oblivious -- at least to the pressure that comes with being one of the country's biggest stars at the greatest sporting show on earth.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Monday.
She couldn't make the cut through qualifiers but star woman boxer M C Mary Kom's Olympic dream is not quite over yet as India has decided to seek a wildcard entry for her in the Games scheduled from August 5 this year. Mary Kom (51kg) had missed out on qualifying for the Olympics after bowing out in the second round of last month's World Championships -- the second and final qualifying tournament for women for the Games. The 33-year-old was required to make at least the semifinals to be assured of an Olympic berth in the mega-event in Astana, Kazakhstan. "She has been a phenomenal athlete and looking at her overall contribution to the sport, we have decided to request for a wildcard for her. However, her application will be among the many that the International Boxing Association (AIBA) will examine before taking a final decision," Chairman of the ad-hoc committee currently running boxing in India, Kishen Narsi, told PTI. Mary Kom, who is called 'Magnificent Mary' by AIBA, is a five-time world champion besides being a bronze-medallist from the London Olympics. The multiple-time Asian champion could not get an Olympic quota place in either of the two qualifying events for women boxers and is keeping her fingers crossed for a wildcard.
Virat Kohli sent the shutterbugs into a clicking frenzy as he received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award
Hungary reach Euro finals with last-gasp 2-1 win over Iceland
From the humble boxing ring of Dighwara village comes the amazing story of girl boxers who have started a revolution of sorts in Bihar's rural hinterland.
With the White House chefs staying home because of the shutdown, Trump used his own personal money to order burgers and fries from McDonald's and the Wendy's, which he said were the "great American food."
Former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Manoj Kumar (64kg) and Asian Games champion Vikas Krishan (75kg) qualified for the Rio Olympics after advancing to the semi-finals of the AIBA World qualifying tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Thursday.
2019 became a 'Year to Remember' in Indian sports for trailblazing performances in Olympic disciplines
India cricket captain Virat Kohli and weightlifter Mirabai Chanu were on Monday recommended for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna by the awards selection committee.
Ganguly had said India will lock horns with England, Australia and one other top cricketing side in an annual ODI series starting 2021.
The deadly COVID-19 pandemic caused an unprecedented postponement as the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Japanese government and the athletes world over agreed that Olympics in July-August this year could not have gone ahead in the present circumstances.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Frida
India's hopes of winning a bagful of gold medals from boxing in the Commonwealth Games suffered a setback as their three pugilists lost semi-final bouts to settle for bronze at the Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi on Monday.
'He asked us to spread awareness on social distancing and hygiene. He spoke about how we need Virat's (Kohli) fighting spirit to win this battle'
Former European champion and an experienced Australian boxer Kerry Hope dared India's knockout king Vijender Singh ahead of their WBO Asia Pacific Super Middleweight championship title to be held in New Delhi on July 16.
The three Indian boxers who alleged manipulation in the World Championships trials have submitted their response to the show cause notices issued to them by the national federation and a decision on their fate will be taken by September 20.
