Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will visit Meghalaya to review preparations for the 39th National Games and inaugurate a sports complex in Shillong.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will visit Meghalaya to review preparations for the 39th National Games and inaugurate a sports complex.
National record holder Jyothi Yarraji made a remarkable return to competition after a year-long injury lay-off, breaching the Asian Games qualifying standard in the 100m hurdles at the National Inter-State Championships. She achieved the feat with a time of 13.14 seconds, well within the AFI's requirement.
Karnataka's G Sindhushree, an unheralded pole vaulter, achieved a new national record of 4.25m at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar. This performance not only secured her a gold medal but also a spot in the Asian Games. Overcoming personal hardships, Sindhushree dedicated her achievement to her late father. The event also saw other athletes like Animesh Kujur, Harshita Bhadra, Manpreet Kaur, Gowthami Jayaraman, Mohammed Afsal, and N Thowfeeq qualify for the Asian Games in various disciplines.
Gulveer Singh, the reigning Asian champion and national record holder, failed to meet the Asian Games qualifying standard in the men's 5000m race at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships.
The Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) has clarified that Manika Batra's exclusion from India's Asian Games squad was due to strict adherence to existing selection criteria. Despite her name being considered, Batra did not meet the requirements, primarily lacking a national ranking and not being in the top 50 of international rankings at the time of selection. The decision was a collective one by the selection committee, based on a comprehensive assessment.
India's race walk coach Ronald Weigel has urged national selectors to consider the extremely humid conditions during the National Inter-State Championships when picking the team for the upcoming Asian Games. He highlighted how tough weather significantly slows down endurance athletes and suggested holding future selection events in more favourable conditions like Bengaluru.
Chief coach Sjoerd Marijne indicated that the Indian women's hockey team will likely use the upcoming World Cup as preparation for the more crucial Asian Games, which serves as a direct qualifier for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The team plans to field a consistent core group for both events, scheduled just 20 days apart. Dutch dragflick specialist Taeke Taekema will join the team for both tournaments, and skipper Salima Tete praised Deepika's strong return from injury, highlighting her importance as a dragflicker.
Star Indian table tennis player Manika Batra has accused the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) of violating its own Constitution during the selection of the Asian Games squad, where she was named a reserve. Batra claims a nine-member committee, exceeding the constitutional limit, finalised the team, leading to her "mental exhaustion" from the ongoing fight.
India's prominent table tennis player, Manika Batra, has been excluded from the national squad for the upcoming Asian Games due to her absence from domestic events, which impacted her national ranking. The Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) cited adherence to its selection criteria, which prioritises both national and world rankings.
G Sindhushree lacked the funds to buy proper equipment after her father's death in 2022, forcing her to compete with shorter poles until she borrowed a longer one just two weeks before the National Inter-State Championships in Bhubaneswar.
Indian table tennis star Manika Batra has threatened legal action against the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) if she is not provided a 'factual explanation' for her omission from the Asian Games squad.
India's Parul Chaudhary has set a new national record in the women's 5000m event, clocking 15:04.26 to finish second at the Meeting Nikaia 2026. This performance also secured her qualification for the Asian Games 2026.
Aryan Nehra has become the first Indian swimmer to complete the men's 800m freestyle in under eight minutes, setting a new Best Indian Time and qualifying for both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. Other swimmers like Rujula S and B. Benedicton Rohit also achieved new Best Indian Times at the National Aquatics Championships.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) CEO Raghuram Iyer announced that India will send 125-130 athletes to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, participating in eight able-bodied and four para sports. The IOA is also preparing for the Asian Games and is in talks with the IOC for India's 2036 Olympic bid in Ahmedabad, which is also set to host the 2030 CWG. Iyer clarified that the IOA will not interfere in athlete selection matters.
Ideology is dead; long live the numbers game that is being played with the sole intention of securing a two-third majority in the Lok Sabha for the NDA, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
Indian drag-flicker Deepika Sehrawat discusses her challenging journey back to hockey after a serious hamstring injury, her emotional struggles during rehabilitation, and her triumphant return as the joint top scorer in India's FIH Nations Cup victory.
Didier Deschamps is flying back to France to attend his mother's funeral and will not coach the team's last Group I game at the World Cup against Norway, the French federation said on Tuesday.
A first World Cup win for seven-times African champions Egypt, 92 years after their debut, put them in charge though Iran's dogged performances in draws with Belgium and New Zealand means victory could also see them top Group G.
Pakistan's top table tennis players are dismayed after the national federation asked them to arrange their own funds for participating in the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, citing a lack of grants from the Pakistan Sports Board.
Tejas Shirse has broken his own national record in the men's 110m hurdles, clocking 13.27 seconds at the Indian Athletics Series 9. This performance also secured his qualification for the Commonwealth Games and ranks as the sixth best in Asia this season.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed confidence that Indian fencers will secure medals at the upcoming Asian Games and qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. He emphasized the need to popularize fencing in India, highlighting its potential to capture the youth's imagination and its significant medal opportunities at the Olympics. Rijiju also commented on the government's non-interference policy regarding sports federations' internal affairs, specifically addressing the Manika Batra selection issue.
The Indian Women's Hockey team secured their second FIH Women's Nations Cup title by defeating hosts New Zealand 2-0 in the final.
Himanshu Dhillon secured a dramatic last-shot victory in the men's 10m air rifle at the T4 national selection trials. Deeksha Vaishya won the women's air rifle, and Suraj Sharma topped the men's 25m rapid-fire pistol event, with these results impacting national rankings and Asian Games team selections.
As Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's profile continues to soar, experts believe mental conditioning and "situation management" training will be crucial in helping the teenage batting sensation handle sledging, pressure and rising expectations.
India's shooting legend Jaspal Rana was laid to rest in Varanasi with full state honours, two days after his passing due to cardiac complications. Tributes poured in from across the nation, including from his mentee Manu Bhaker and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, highlighting his immense contribution to Indian shooting as both an athlete and a coach.
The 4th National Armwrestling and Para Armwrestling Championship was inaugurated at the Rashtriya Raksha University in Gandhinagar, with over 2,000 players from 27 states and Union territories participating.
Except for shooting, a major Olympic sport, most of the top stars in other disciplines will give the National Games a miss.
The Indian women's hockey team defeated Japan 2-1 in the FIH Nations Cup, with goals from captain Salima Tete and Lalremsiami, securing their place in the semifinals. This victory marks their second win in Pool A, qualifying them for the next year's FIH Pro League.
Two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu and reigning men's doubles champion Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will headline the Indian badminton squad at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Olympian dressage rider Anush Agarwalla and the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) ad-hoc panel are engaged in a heated dispute over the selection process for the upcoming Asian Games. Agarwalla, a gold medallist and Paris Olympics representative, alleges a lack of transparency after being named a reserve member, while the EFI defends its process as compliant with selection criteria.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashed a breathtaking 29-ball 94 to fire India A to the tri-nation title, following a thumping 66-run victory against Sri Lanka A in the final on Sunday.
Archery Association of India secretary general Virendra Sachdeva has been nominated as a member of the Commonwealth Games Committee by the World Archery.
The Indian women's hockey team staged a remarkable comeback to clinch a thrilling 3-2 win over United States in the opening Pool A match of the FIH Nations Cup.
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) is conducting selection trials in Dehradun from June 6-10 for rifle and pistol shooters. These trials are crucial for selecting the Indian squad for the upcoming ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou and the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, with top shooters vying for limited spots.
Former World Championships silver medallist Deepak Punia secured his place in the Indian team for the Asian Games after winning the 97kg freestyle competition at the selection trials. Other winners included Aman Sehrawat and Sujeet Kalkal.
Iran footballers faces cheers and jeers in their come-from-behind 2-2 draw against New Zealand in their FIFA World Cup final opener in Los Angeles on Monday.
A national record holder at just 18, Uttar Pradesh athlete Anushka Yadav has a simple wish -- to make hammer throw match the popularity of javelin which has a massive fan following in the country.
Sri Lanka A finally found a way to get over the line against India A following a Super Over in an emotionally charged tri-series game in Dambulla on Monday.
The Nepal cricket team, along with Malaysia, topped Group A to make the Asian Games to be played in September 2026.
