Top Indian javelin thrower Sachin Yadav has undergone elbow surgery, forcing him to miss the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest, despite being in a qualifying spot. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation and hopes to return next season.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen made a stunning comeback from Achilles surgery to win the men's 5,000 metres at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship, securing a $150,000 prize. Fellow star Mondo Duplantis also claimed a pole vault title, narrowly missing a world record. The new championship format aims to attract new fans with its high-stakes fields and glitzy production.
Americans Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Kenny Bednarek secured double sprint gold at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, each winning the 100m and 200m titles and a $300,000 jackpot. Jefferson-Wooden's 200m time of 21.47 seconds made her the third fastest woman in history, while Bednarek, known as "Kung Fu Kenny," dominated the men's 200m. The event, designed for television, drew sellout crowds and featured other star athletes like Gianmarco Tamberi and Mondo Duplantis, with World Athletics president Sebastian Coe noting its potential for future Olympic and World Championship elements.
Experts at the TIS-H Clinical AI Summit 2026 highlighted the critical need for real-world evaluation of AI solutions in healthcare. They stressed that promising results from development or pilot programmes do not guarantee effective and safe deployment in hospitals, emphasising clinical relevance, validation, and integration into existing workflows.
World-record holder Alison dos Santos secured victory in the men's 400m hurdles, while Djamel Sedjati surprisingly won the men's 800m on the final day of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship. Other winners included Jasmine Jones (women's 400m hurdles), Rumesh Pathirage (men's javelin), and Likina Amebaw (women's 5,000m) at the event in Budapest, which featured a record $10 million prize pot.
As the cycle enters a crucial phase, the teams now look to strengthen their case for a top-two finish.
The inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship saw thrilling performances on its second day, with Audrey Werro defeating Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson in the women's 800m and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden clocking the season's fastest time in the women's 100m. Other notable winners included Kenny Bednarek in the men's 100m, Collen Kebinatshipi and Marileidy Paulino in the 400m, Haruka Kitaguchi in javelin, Klaudia Kazimierska in 1500m, Miltiadis Tentoglou in long jump, and Sandi Morris in pole vault.
Vikash Dhorasoo, the first Indian-origin player in a FIFA World Cup, expresses strong belief in India's potential to reach football's biggest stage. Visiting India for a friendly match against Brazil, Dhorasoo highlights the importance of method, clear objectives, and leveraging players of Indian origin to elevate the national team's level. He also offers his coaching expertise to help develop young talent in India.
Legendary Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has provided crucial insights into India's preparation for the 2027 ODI World Cup, advocating for squad continuity and consistent game time for players. He stressed the importance of avoiding last-minute changes and building belief within the chosen squad, drawing lessons from past tournament performances. Yuvraj also highlighted the need for a balanced team with match-winners, adaptable to various conditions, echoing Australia's successful World Cup strategy.
Indian table tennis star Sathiyan Gnanasekaran believes the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) league is serving as ideal preparation for the national side ahead of the upcoming Asian Games, highlighting its role in team bonding and match practice.
FIFA has transformed its referee preparation for the World Cup, treating officials like elite athletes. This rigorous training includes physical assessments, game-like simulations, and advanced data tracking to ensure referees can perform optimally under challenging conditions like extreme humidity and high altitude, minimising errors due to fatigue.
Indian badminton players, including P V Sindhu and Lakshya Sen, are set to compete in the French Open Super 750 tournament starting on Tuesday, aiming to overcome recent performance dips. Sindhu faces world No. 1 An Se Young, while Sen takes on Kodai Naraoka.
Eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt expressed amusement rather than frustration upon learning that a robot in China had broken his 100-metres world record by almost a second, stating, 'It just made me smile.'
Former West Indies skipper Shivnarine Chanderpaul believes the team's strong performance against India in white-ball cricket will significantly boost their confidence. He hopes this momentum translates into success in Test cricket, acknowledging their recent struggles but seeing a spark. Chanderpaul praised Shai Hope's leadership and batting, and discussed the balance between T20 freelancing and the enduring challenge of Test cricket.
Olympic gold medallist javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem is embroiled in a controversy with the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) for travelling to South Africa for training without obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC). This unapproved travel could impact his participation in upcoming international competitions like the World Ultimate Athletics Championship and the Asian Games.
Uzbek chess prodigy Javokhir Sindarov, set to challenge D Gukesh for the world crown, reveals he will only begin preparations for the highly anticipated match after competing in the Global Chess League and the Chess Olympiad this month, maintaining focus on immediate tournaments.
Both journeys teach us the importance of active humility.
Chero Archers, led by veteran Atanu Das and featuring world No. 1 Mathias Fullerton, secured a dominant 6-0 victory over Kakatiya Knights in the Archery Premier League on Sunday. This win marks their third in four matches, showcasing their strong performance in the second season of the league.
The seventh edition of the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) tournament is set to begin in Panaji, featuring top Indian and international players. Indian paddlers like Manav Thakkar, Manush Shah, and Diya Chitale view the tournament as crucial preparation for the upcoming Asian Games, aiming to build momentum and gain competitive experience. The league also introduces an AI-powered review system.
Indian para-athlete Rinku Hooda won a gold medal in the men's javelin throw F46 event at the Asian Para Games in Nagoya. Despite being deeply affected by his mother's passing in August and battling a shoulder injury, Hooda dedicated his victory to her. He aims to secure a Paralympics medal next, having previously won medals at various international championships.
'Our biggest opportunity lies with the younger age-group teams.' 'If you look at the senior national team, our chances are about 50-50.' 'The gap becomes smaller as you move down the age groups.' 'At the Under-20 level, it's closer to 60-40.' 'By the Under-17 level, it's around 80-20. That's where I feel we have our best chance.'
Indian golfer Pranavi Urs fulfilled a lifelong dream by spending an hour with her idol, Rory McIlroy, in India. The two discussed their respective triumphs, with Urs sharing how she drew inspiration from McIlroy's Masters win during her own gold medal victory at the recent Asian Games. Urs also spoke about the growth of Indian golf, managing expectations, and her Olympic aspirations.
The fifth and final T20 International between India and the West Indies was abandoned due to persistent rain on Saturday, resulting in the series being drawn 2-2. India had scored 118 for five in 7.4 overs in the rain-shortened match before play was called off.
Indian trap shooter Neeru Dhanda, a Naib Subedar in the Indian Army, won three medals (two gold, one silver) at the 2026 Asian Games, including India's first individual Asian Games gold in women's trap shooting. She dedicated her medals to the Indian Army and its soldiers. Fellow Army Havildar Kamaljeet also secured a gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event and expressed gratitude to the Army, with both athletes now targeting upcoming World Championships and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
'Nobody could have played this character better than Rajkummar Rao.'
Asian Games gold medallist Aman Sherawat expresses strong confidence in winning an Olympic wrestling gold medal at the Los Angeles 2028 Games. Having defeated a world champion in the Asian Games, he believes he can achieve what no other Indian wrestler has done, despite the challenges of the competitive 57kg category and past weight issues. He plans to continue training with foreign coaches to fine-tune his techniques.
By the time she finished her term as SBI chairman, she was overseeing over two lakh employees, 24,000 domestic branches, 100 international ones and a bank that had stepped into the technological age and become youth-friendly. Meet Arundhati Bhattacharya, the first woman chairman of the State Bank of India and president and CEO, Salesforce, South Asia.
The Delhi Half Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label Race, has unveiled its Finisher's Medal for its 21st edition.
Kumkum Mohod, 17, made history by becoming the first Indian to win an individual recurve gold at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, also securing an Olympic quota for LA 2028. Her victory over South Korea's Oh Yejin in a tense shoot-off has boosted India's confidence to challenge the long-standing Korean dominance in recurve archery. Mohod attributes her success to mental preparation, visualisation, and family sacrifices, and is now focused on securing her individual spot for the 2028 Olympics.
India is determined to host the 2036 Olympics as part of a broader strategy to become a global sporting superpower, despite challenges like limited multi-sport event experience and a poor doping record, according to Indian Olympic Association CEO Raghuram Iyer.
Shaque: Trust No One has a promising mystery and enough juicy red herrings to keep you guessing, but its convenient writing and dated clichs eventually derail the show.
Brazil, with eight changes to their starting line-up, defeated India 4-0 in a football friendly, with Samuel Lino scoring a brace and Estevao and Pedro also finding the net.
Sri Lankan javelin thrower Rumesh Pathirage faces a significant setback for the upcoming Asian Games after five of his "winning" javelins were damaged during air travel from Budapest. Pathirage, a favourite for gold, had used these specific javelins for his record-breaking throws and recent victories, including beating Neeraj Chopra.
Soft tennis player Jay Meena, marathon runner Sawan Barwal, and air pistol shooter Kamaljeet share their personal journeys and challenges leading up to their medal wins at the Asian Games. Meena recounts how school rustication led him to soft tennis and his struggle with quarterfinal defeats. Barwal discusses the mental pressure of switching to marathon running, while Kamaljeet reflects on injury setbacks and the pressure of securing India's first shooting gold at the Games.
Indian hockey drag-flicker Deepika has made headlines at the Asian Games with a record-breaking 20 goals across three matches, including nine in a single game. The 23-year-old attributes her success not just to her wrestling family's athletic genes but to years of dedicated training and the guidance of coaches Azad Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, and Taeke Taekema. Despite a career-threatening injury last year, Deepika has made a strong comeback, focusing on skill, consistency, and discipline, with an eye on Olympic qualification.
Cathy Li, Head of the Centre for AI Excellence at the World Economic Forum, advocates for integrating AI literacy into India's education curriculum and incentivising AI companies to prioritise child safety. She stresses the need for localised solutions that account for India's linguistic and cultural diversity, as well as varying levels of connectivity and digital literacy, to ensure AI systems are safe and beneficial for children.
Tilak Varma is emerging as India's potential middle-order backup, offering left-handed batting variety and developing off-spin as selectors seek younger, flexible options ahead of the ODI World Cup.
India's Esha Singh secured a silver medal in the Asian Games women's 25m pistol individual competition, navigating five consecutive shoot-offs before narrowly missing gold by one shot against China's Xiao Jiaruixuan.
Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden has commented on Rohit Sharma's future in international cricket, particularly concerning the 2027 World Cup. Hayden believes Sharma's decision will hinge on his continued hunger and energy, given his retirement from Tests and T20Is, and the demanding schedule of both IPL and ODI cricket. Despite age-related questions, Sharma has continued to deliver strong performances, notably a century against England.
Injuries have forced England's 36-year-old express fast bowler Mark Wood to retire from international cricket after an 11-year career yielding 253 wickets across all formats.
