'I have two more years in track and field and after that I will pursue my career in franchise cricket.'
Masks were required and high-fives banned, with signs reminding those in attendance to maintain proper social distancing.
The shooting World Cup scheduled to be held in two parts in New Delhi in May was on Monday cancelled owing to the coronavirus pandemic. The World Cup, originally scheduled to be held from March 15-26, was postponed to May barely four days before the start of the event.
The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics will open on Friday. Rediff.com reveals some fascinating facts and figures about the Sochi Games.
IMAGES from football matches played in the Spain, Germany and Portugal on Wednesday.
Sindhu said she has to watch out for the Chinese players as well since they have been missing from the circuit for some time.
The first leg of Djokovic's Adria Tour is being held at his tennis complex by the Danube River, with Germany's Alexander Zverev, Austrian Dominic Thiem and Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov arriving for the event.
Talking specifically about the 13th edition of IPL, which has been put on hold for an indefinite period due to the pandemic, Rijiju said it is the government's prerogative to take a call on conducting any tournament in the country.
The bad water quality at Rio de Janeiro's Guanabara Bay puts Paralympic sailors in constant fear of their health during competitions with organisers having failed to live up to their promises, Paralympic champion Heiko Kroeger said on Tuesday. The experienced German sailor, who won a gold medal at the Sydney 2000 and silver at the London 2012 Paralympics, said sailors in wheelchairs would be especially vulnerable in the polluted waters during the Sept. 7-18 Paralympics in the Brazilian city. "Usually when you are sailing you open your mouth and take in some water to refresh yourself," Kroeger told Reuters a day after returning from a competition in Rio. "But in Rio last week, mouths and noses stayed shut and heads turned away from the spray," he said. "I have been sailing a long time but I have never seen that happening. "There is a constant fear in our heads, a fear that you could get sick," said Kroeger, who also sailed in the bay back in September. "That of course affects the competition because you know that if you get sick you are out."
Indian cricketers might start skill-based outdoor training after May 18 if restrictions are eased in the fourth phase of the national lockdown, BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal said on Thursday while talking about a roadmap to resume the sport. Due to the countrywide lockdown, all top athletes are confined to their homes and are just doing some exercises to keep themselves fit in the lockdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic, which will enter its fourth phase from May 18.
India captain Virat Kohli has postponed the RP-SG Indian Sports Honours, which was to take place on Saturday, as a 'mark of respect' to the Central Reserve Police Force personnel martyred in the Pulwama terrorist attack.
Russian swimmers Vladimir Morozov and Nikita Lobintsev have launched an appeal against the ruling banning them from next month's Rio Olympic Games even though they have never failed a doping test.
Behind the scenes, sponsors who have pumped billions of dollars into the Tokyo Olympics have grown increasingly nervous about how the coronavirus outbreak will impact the tournament.
Neetu Chopra, who travelled solo across India on a scooter covering 7,600 km in 42 days, tells Rediff.com's A Ganesh Nadar why girls should not be scared to dream.
Italy has been one of the countries worst affected by COVID-19 and professional football has been suspended since March 9. The FIGC and Serie A have both said they want to complete the season if possible.
India's Davis Cup tie against Pakistan at Islamabad next month has been postponed to November under "exceptional circumstances" after a security review, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said on Thursday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday
Manchester Utd's Fred receives racist abuse after defeat by Liverpool.
'I have grown up in an environment where the dominant narrative of Indian sporting achievement was -- We can't.' 'These achievers have fought hard, built on each other's body of work and knowledge, and have today changed the script to -- We can,' notes Rahul Dravid,cricketing legend.
Derara Hurisa wasn't the favourite for Tata Mumbai Marathon 2020 but the Ethiopian upset the odds to win in a course record of 2:08:09 in Mumbai on Sunday. Hurisa was rewarded with his biggest ever pay day, a US$45,000 winners cheque and a US$15,000 course record bonus. The amount he picked up on Sunday for his stunning win was more than he had pocketed across his entire career. In addition, the race was won with a pair of borrowed racing shoes. "I misplaced my shoes while travelling from Addis Ababa to Mumbai earlier in the week. So I borrowed some shoes from my friend Abraham Girma (who also ran the Tata Mumbai Marathon). So I only tried them on for the first time yesterday," Hurisa revealed after the race. In a thrilling finish to the 17th edition of TMM, three men approached the last kilometre together, but Hurisa went through the gears as the trio passed that check point and he pulled away from his compatriots Ayele Abshero and Birhanu Teshome. Abshero and Teshome finished second and third respectively in a time of 2:08:20 and 2:08:26, both coming inside the previous course record of 2:08:35. Prior to Sunday, 22-year-old Hurisa's most notable achievement was winning the silver medal in the African Cross Country Championships U20 race four years ago. This was Hurisa's second international win, the other being a low-key half marathon in Turkey in 2017. The men's race started at a pace which indicated a course record was on the cards, and the weather was several degrees cooler. A large group of 18 men, including pacemakers, sped through the 10km marker in 30.01, 20km in 1:00:35 and hit the halfway mark in 1:03:52. However, as the second half of the race progressed, the runners started to regularly drop off the back of the leading pack with the leaders passing 30km in 1:30:52 although eight men still remained in contention at 35km. As the runners passed the 36km marker, Teshome put his head down and started pumping his arms, attempting to almost sprint away from his rivals. It was a short-lived surge but it had the effect of splintering what remained of the pack. With four kilometres left, Hurisa, Abshero and Teshome still had Uganda's 2013 Mumbai Marathon winner Jackson Kiprop for company and their Ethiopian compatriot Abera Kuma, after going through a bad patch, was back in contention. First Abera and then Kiprop broke off with three kilometres to go, but the Ethiopian trio stayed together, testing each other, until Harisa made his decisive move. Kenya's defending champion Cosmas Lagat had much earlier dropped out injured at around 14 kilometres. In the women's race, Amane Beriso stormed back after a 15-month injury-induced absence from competition to win the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2020 in a time of 2:24:51. Despite being 38 seconds adrift of race leader Kenya's Rodah Jepkorir at the 30km checkpoint, with Ethiopia's defending champion Worknesh Alemu drifting back off the lead and shortly to drop out, over the next kilometre Beriso reeled in Jepkorir and then overhauled the 2019 winner of the Gold Coast and Buenos Aires Marathons. Once out on her own, Beriso was never challenged and, despite looking extremely tired over the final few kilometres, she came home more than two minutes clear of Jepkorir who crossed the line second in 2:27:14 with Ethiopia's marathon debutante Haven Hailu third in 2:28:56. "I was nervous to start because I had spent so long without racing, but I started to feel confident at about 31 kilometres and I was certain I could win from about 36 kilometres," said Beriso. "With a kilometre to go, my (male) pacemaker Sylvester Kiptoo was pointing at his watch and was telling me I could still get the course record but I was tired. I tried but I couldn't do it," she added. Nevertheless, Beriso will go into the record books as the second fastest woman in Mumbai Marathon's history, despite finishing 18 seconds outside the 2014 course record of Kenya's Valentine Kipketer. Results: Men 1. Derara Hurisa (ETH) 2:08:09 2. Ayele Abshero (ETH) 2:08:20 3. Birhanu Teshome (ETH) 2:08:26 4. Jackson Kiprop (UGA) 2:08:41 5. Abdi Ali (BRN) 2:08:56 Women 1. Amane Beriso (ETH) 2:24:51 2. Rodah Jepkorir (KEN) 2:27:14 3. Haven Hailu (ETH) 2:28:55 4. Fetale Dejene (ETH) 2:30:11 5. Maeregu Hayelom (ETH) 2:31:26. Srinu Bugatha, Sudha Singh win Indian Elite category Army man Srinu Bugatha and defending champion Sudha Singh won the Indian Elite athlete men and womens category respectively in the 17th edition of the Tata Mumbai Marathon held on Sunday. Arjuna Awardee Sudha Singh clinched the title with a timing of 2:45:30s. "My aim was for a hat-trick this year. The route was also good. I attained my best timings last year but the climate was humid and hot, whereas the weather was more suitable this time. My overall experience was good. I want to thank my coach Bijendra Singh," Sudha said on her performance. Overall Sudha stood 10th in the Marathon, which was won by Ethiopian Amane Beriso, clocking 2:24:51. First time full marathon runner and Army man, Srinu Bugatha finished first among Indian runners by clocking 2:18:44. "I am thankful to my pacers for their help. I am happy but I feel I would have clocked a better timing than this. My pace dropped at the last kilometre and I couldn't make a proper recovery from that. Regardless, I am looking forward to performing better in my upcoming marathons," he said. Srinu's overall ranking stood at 13th, with a gap of 10:35 seconds between him and Derara Hurisa, the winner of the International Elite Full Marathon. Sher Singh, who was participating for the first time in the Tata Mumbai Marathon, finished second clocking a timing of 2:24:00. Sher said, "I started the race with Srinu Bugatha and kept my pace along with him steadily till 35km after which I slowed down. The route was good but the weather was quite humid." Durga Bahadur Budha, also from the Army, finished third with a timing of 2:24:03 among Indian runners. "At present, I'm not practicing for marathons regularly. Mostly the only form of training I do is my army training. Also, an injurykept me away from the marathon scene last year. So, I am personally happy with my timings," Durga said. Among Indian runners, Jyoti Gawate emerged runner-up clocking a timing of 2:49:14, while Shyamali Singh from West Bengal attained the 3rdposition in the Indian Elite women category with a timing of 2:58:44. Sudha Singh and Jyoti Gawate ran together till the 30km mark, post which Sudha took the lead. Meanwhile, in the women's elite half marathon, Parul Chaudhary finished winner, breaking the course record by clocking 1:15:37. Aarti Patil and Monika Athare secured 2ndand 3rd position with timings of 1:18:03 and 1:18:33 respectively. Chaudhary pocketed an additional Rs 1.50 lakh bonus amount as course record jackpot. In the men's elite half marathon, Tirtha Pun emerged winner, finishing the race in 1:05:39s. Securing the runner-up position, Man Singh clocked the timing of 1:06:06, while Balliappa AB finished third with the timing of 1:07:11s. Mumbai Marathon: 64-year-old runner dies of heart attack A 64-year-old man died after suffering a heart attack while running in the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2020 on Sunday morning, officials said. Gajendra Manjalkar, a of Nalasopara from the neighbouring Palghar district, who had been participating in the marathon for last four years, came to Mumbai to participate in the latest edition of the run on Sunday. He collapsed while running the marathon a police official said. He was later taken to Bombay Hospital in south Mumbai where doctors declared him brought dead, he said. Talking to PTI, Dr Gautam Bhansali, consultant physician at Bombay Hospital, said 10 to 12 people were brought to the hospital with various complaints, including dehydration. "Manjalkar was declared dead on arrival. He died due to a heart attack," Bhansali said. The body was sent to GT Hospital for a postmortem, he added. "An accidental death report has been registered at Marine Drive police station. Further probe is underway," Deputy Commissioner of Police Pranay Ashok told PTI. Besides, a runner, Sanjay Bafna (51), was undergoing treatment for brain stroke, while angioplasty was performed on another participant, identified as Himanshu Thakkar (47), at the Bombay Hospital, Bhansali said, adding that both of them were currently recuperating. Over 55,000 runners participated in the 17th edition of Tata Mumbai Marathon on Sunday.
Italian PM Conte confirmed that football clubs would return to training on Monday along with other sports teams but could not give any details about when Serie A would resume.
'These reports of cases being very low in other states, is it true? Are the numbers believable?'
Yulia Stepanova's much-heralded return to action turned into a damp squib on Wednesday when the Russian whistleblower, running as an independent athlete, dropped out of her 800 metres heat with a foot injury having been off the pace throughout.
More Australian athletes can pull out from the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games over safety fears and a bridge collapse that has raised concerns about the event.
National Anti-Doping Agency Director General Navin Agarwal says all the Rio Olympics-bound sportspersons have undergone testing for banned substances and are dope-free. He, however, conceded that there were issues regarding testing of a few Rio-bound sportspersons as they were not available at the 'whereabouts' provided by them as mandated under the Anti-Doping Administration Management System (ADAMS) of the World Anti-Doping Agency, but NADA was able to get their testing done later on.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday
New Zealand tennis player Marcus Daniell has pulled out of the troubled Delhi Commonwealth Games with a back injury, local media reported on Saturday.
The effects of anti-CAB protests in the North East have spilled over to the sports field with Assam and Tripura's Ranji matches suspended, while also forcing the Indian Super League match between NorthEast United FC and Chennaiyin FC in Guwahati to be postponed.
Japan is being scorched by an intense heatwave that has prompted fears of similar extreme weather when the sporting showpiece takes place in the country.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday
Moments before Los Angeles basketball great Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter and the seven others perished in a helicopter crash, the pilot had tried to climb out of layer of clouds, but the aircraft then banked sharply and lurched toward the ground. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) estimated Bryant's luxury passenger helicopter hit the ground at a speed of more than 2,000 feet (610 m) per minute.
Australia are pushing ahead with plans to compete at next year's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi despite a report England may pull out due to security concerns. The chief of Australia's Commonwealth Games team, Perry Crosswhite, said Australia are comfortable with the level of security.
India's failure to ensure that all the Commonwealth Games venues and the athletes' village comply with safety provision norms could jeopardise the organisation of the event, according to CGF CEO Mike Hooper, who said the organisers have allowed "things to go down to the wire".
The circuit agreed last year an extension to cover this year's race, which was held in August and without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic, after fears it would drop off the calendar.
England may pull out of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, scheduled to be held in Delhi, due to security reasons, as security advisors fear that the British players and athletes may be targeted by Pakistani militants during the event.
Former Commonwealth Games diving champion Peter Waterfield is the latest British athlete to withdraw from the troubled Delhi Games.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday
Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne is concerned about safety of the cricketers in the wake of threats by terror groups and suggested that IPL-III be held in South Africa again if these threats are credible.
An Australian Paralympic sailor and team official were robbed at gunpoint while training in Rio de Janeiro at the weekend, raising fears about the security of athletes and tourists in the leadup to the Olympic Games.
La Liga leaders Barcelona moved 10 points clear with a 4-1 win at Real Betis on Sunday after second place Atletico Madrid slipped up at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday in a 2-0 defeat.
