The Indian women's team will look to break a 32-year-old jinx as they mount a challenge for a berth in the London Olympic Games taking on a lowly Ukraine in their opening match of the qualifier at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday.
Naveen Kumar marched into the finals at the second AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships after a comprehensive victory, while Sandeep Kumar had to settle for a bronze after losing in the semi-finals, in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Friday.
Coach Jaidev Bisht feels the Asian meet will be a good opportunity for Indian boxers to prepare for the World Championships.
Indian boxers L Devendro Singh (49kg) and Manoj Kumar (64kg) fought gamely, but eventually ran out of steam against fancied opponents and bowed out in the quarter-finals, at the World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Wednesday. Having secured Olympic berths after reaching the quarter-finals, the Indians were aiming for medals at the mega event.
Commonwealth Games bronze medal winner Jai Bhagwan (60kg) and rookie teen L Devendro Singh (49kg) inched closer to Olympic qualification by advancing to the pre-quarter-finals with thumping victories in their respective second-round bouts at the World Boxing Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Monday. The 19-year-old Devendro pummeled Joselito Velazquez of Mexico 40-19 in what is the biggest points win of the ongoing event.
Olympic hero Vijender Singh was, on Saturday, ousted in the very first round, upstaged by his Cuban nemesis Emilio Correa Bayeux, but Jai Bhagwan entered the second round on a mixed day for Indian boxers at the World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Manoj Kumar eased past Valentino Knowles of the Bahamas, winning 17-11, to enter the second round in the light-welterweight (64kg) category and continue the Indian boxers' fine show at the World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Friday. Manoj, the lone Indian in action on Friday, has a tough bout next, as he is up against reigning European champion and fourth seed Raymond Moylette of Ireland.
Indian boxers continued to pack a mighty punch at the World Championships, as Manoj Kumar (64kg) and Manpreet Singh (91kg) entered the pre-quarter-finals with contrasting victories in their respective second round bouts, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Friday.
Rookie L Devendro Singh was the surprise pick while established names such as Vijender Singh and Akhil Kumar expectedly fetched a berth in a 10-member Indian boxing team announced on Thursday for the World Championships in Azerbaijan next month.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Saturday
With an increased talent pool to choose from, the Indian Boxing Federation's selection panel is faced with a problem of plenty at the trials to pick the team for the World Championships next month.
Naveen Kumar's dream run at the second AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships came to a disappointing end after he lost in the final of the flyweight category (50kg) to settle for a silver in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Former World Cup silver medalist Seema Tomar of India missed out a podium finish and finished fifth in women's trap event at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in San Marino on Friday. Australia's Emma Elizabeth Cox won the gold medal, USA's Corey Cogdell bagged silver while Carole Cormenier of France clinched the bronze in the women's trap event. The former Asian Airgun gold medallist had qualified for the first competition stage semi-final but could not get into the shoot-off. In the men's trap, Prithviraj Tondaiman was placed 16th after shooting rounds of 23 and 24 and will shoot the remaining three series on Saturday. On the opening day of qualification, Manavjit Singh Sandhu (73rd) shot 23 and 21, while Kynan Chenai (36th) had 23 and 23.
Panic struck the Indian camp at the World Boxing Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan just hours ahead of the official weigh-in and draw on Sunday, as two of its team members found their names missing from the list of registered entries but the confusion was sorted out just in time.
Dipa Karmakar will look to secure an Olympic berth with 'some good performances' at back-to-back Artistic Gymnastics World Cups
Former World champion Viswanathan Anand played out an effortless draw with Fabiano Caruana of Italy to finish second in Shamkir Chess tournament in Shamkir, Azerbaijan, on Sunday.
Delay in getting visas has prevented Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Singh and Dinesh Kumar from joining the Indian boxing team in Bugeat, France for a training trip and the duo will now head straight to the World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan on September 20.
Ace shooters Jitu Rai and Heena Sidhu brought joy to the Indian squad competing at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rife/Pistol stage at Gabala, Azerbaijan, when they clinched gold in the 10m mixed team air pistol event by beating Russia 7-6 in the finals on Monday.
Valtteri Bottas roared to victory in the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday as Mercedes clinched the Formula One constructors' championship for the sixth year in a row.
As he gears up to chase his 'London Dreams' with the first Olympic qualifiers next month, star Indian boxer Vijender Singh is not just working hard on his game, he is also trying to figure out an all-new system of scoring that has left him "confused".
Germany all but secured a place at the Euro 2012 finals with a 3-1 win in Azerbaijan while Zlatan Ibrahimovic got a hat-trick as Sweden demolished Finland 5-0 to provide an unexpected spark to the end of the European season.
Switzerland's Jolanda Neff won the first ever European Games gold medal when she triumphed in the women's Mountain Bike.
The plan is to charge 30 per cent less. Travel sector executives say if IndiGo is able to do so, it could create a new class of flyers.
All you must know about soccer's return to action after coronavirus
World Champion Viswanathan Anand came back to sole third spot after defeating Vugar Gashimov of Azerbaijan 1.5-0.5 in the 10th and penultimate round of 20th and last edition of Amber blindfold and rapid chess tournament in Monaco.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Saturday
India have been drawn with Spain, Azerbaijan and hosts Ireland in Group B of the Women's Champion Challenge to be held in Dublin from June 18 to 26.
World champion Viswanathan Anand pulled off a fine victory over Etienne Bacrot of France to finish second in the Pearl Spring Chess tournament in Nanjing on Saturday.
World Champion Viswanathan Anand was held to a draw by Vugar Gashimov of Azerbaijan in the ninth and penultimate round of the Pearl Spring Chess tournament Nanjing on Friday.
One of the two wrestlers in a medal contention, the 24-year-old Pooja executed a four-point throw in each of the two periods in the 57kg contest to deliver the best performance of her career.
'The most important thing, I think, is really about finishing races and analysing and making sure you get as many race points as you can, of course'
Force India did not say who the other driver would be, but that is assumed to be Canadian Lance Stroll whose billionaire father Lawrence heads a consortium that now controls the Silverstone-based outfit.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Monday
'The recalculated ranking showed India should have had a higher ranking earlier (113 in 2012 instead of 132) and lower ranking later (114 in 2018 instead of 100).' 'This would mean that there has been no change in India's climate of doing business across two regimes.' 'This is exactly consistent with the reality on the ground,' observes Debashis Basu.
As a jurisdiction for investment, India seems to be cutting quite a sorry figure of late.
Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand found his way back to the 2800 rating club and jumped to second spot in the World rankings after beating local hero Shakhriyar Mamedyarov in the eighth and penultimate round of Vugar Gashimov memorial in Shamkir, Azerbaijan.
Vikas Krishan (60 kg) picked his second successive international gold medal, while Shiva Thapa (54 kg) settled for a silver as India rounded off its World Youth Boxing Championship campaign with two medals, in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Monday.
The IAF chief also said Pakistan has become a pawn of Chinese policy and its dependence on China would increase further in future. He said India needs to understand the interplay of some major events in its vicinity that would impact the security scenario of the region.
Formula One and the 10 teams would seek reassurance on issues including human rights, gender equality and media freedom before any race could happen.
World Champion Viswanathan Anand was held to a draw by Vugar Gashimov of Azerbaijan in the fifth round of the Pearl Spring Chess tournament Nanjing, China on Sunday.
