Poland created the first upset in the men's competition of the hockey Olympic Qualification tournament by defeating higher-ranked Canada 3-2 while France registered their second successive win in the tournament, spanking a lowly Singapore 9-0 in New Delhi on Sunday.
The 26-year-old had a leap of 16.85m in his fifth and penultimate attempt which was the exact distance for 'B' qualification standard for London Olympics.
World University Games silver medallist shot putter Inderjeet Singh achieved the qualification mark for the Rio Olympic Games in 2016 with a throw of 20.65m on the second day of the 19th Federation Cup at Mangala Stadium, in Mangalore, on Saturday.
'If our swimmers have to go to Olympic qualifying events next year and have a fair chance of improving their timings, they need to get back to the pool soon'.
India's top shuttlers PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal will be seen in action for the first time since the coronavirus-forced break when they compete in three upcoming tournaments in Bangkok, including the prestigious BWF World Tour Finals.
Dipa Karmakar has been struggling with injuries ever since she underwent a surgery to treat an ACL injury in 2017.
Olympic trials: TTFI seeks MEA's help in getting visa for para contingent.
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.
The apex body had also announced that ranking points earned at tournaments during the original qualification phase will be maintained.
Om Prakash Karhana on Sunday shattered Shakti Singh's 12-year-old national record in shot put on his way to achieving London Olympics qualification 'A' standard in a meet at Szombathely, Hungary.
Selemon Barega of Ethiopia won the men's 10,000 metres gold medal, the first of the Olympic athletics programme, on Friday, defeating world champion and world record holder Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda.
Former India captain Viren Rasquinha on Tuesday gave a clarion call for all concerned in running the sport to bury their egos and stop politicking for the future of national game.
N Soniya Chanu bagged a bronze in women's 48kg category to open India's medal account on the opening day of Senior Asian Weightlifting Championships at Pyeongtaek, South Korea.
India's Ajay Jayaram kept his nose ahead of compatriot P Kashyap for the London Olympics qualification as he notched a straight-game victory in the first round of Asia Badminton Championships in Qingdao, China, on Tuesday. Jayaram was the only bright spot on a gloomy day for India as the rest of the country's shuttlers failed to cross the first hurdle at the Qingdao Sports Centre Conson stadium.
Will India finally reach the elusive double-digit mark? Raj Kishore Mishra, former joint secretary at the sports ministry, for one, is willing to stick his neck out on the possibility.
The 24-year-old Shivpal Singh crossed the qualifying standard of 85m by hurling the spear to a distance of 85.47m in his fifth attempt to win gold in the ACNW Meeting at the McArthur Stadium late on Tuesday.
Six-time world champion M C Mary Kom (51kg) qualified for Tokyo Olympics by advancing to the semi-final with a comfortable win over Philippines' Irish Magno, at the Asia/Oceania Qualifiers in Amman, on Monday. World number one Amit Panghal (52kg) qualified for his maiden Olympic Games, while Manish Kaushik (63kg) remained in the hunt for a Tokyo ticket despite losing his quarter-final bout.
The postponement of the Tokyo Games and a break in training due to the COVID-19 lockdown last year brought with it a shoulder issue for the weightlifter that could have led to a completely different result, something Chanu had been worried about.
Canada edged past Poland 4-3 in a pulsating encounter to secure the bronze medal in the men's hockey Olympic Qualification tournament in New Delhi on Sunday.
Ace drag-flicker Sandeep Singh continued his goal-scoring spree as he scored a hat-trick to guide favourites India to a convincing 6-2 win over France in an enthralling match of the men's hockey Olympic Qualification tournament, in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Abhimanyu entered the bronze-medal playoff but other Indian free-style wrestlers had a disappointing day at the World Championships in Belgrade on Sunday.
Debutant Sonam Maskar bagged a silver medal for India in the women's 10m air rifle event of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Cairo.
The IOC has remained committed to staging the Tokyo Games as planned from July 24-Aug. 9, saying on Tuesday after a meeting with international sports federations that measures against the virus were delivering results.
The Indian contingent's schedule at the Rio Olympics for Wednesday.
The lone athlete to start outdoor training after relaxation in lockdown guidelines, sprinter Dutee Chand only has the "eerie silence" of the stands for company as she tries "to wake" her body up at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. The 24-year-old Dutee began outdoor training on Monday after the Odisha government gave permission as per relaxed guidelines for COVID-19 lockdown's fourth phase, stepping out for the first time on a synthetic track in two months.
The 22-year-old former junior world champion recorded 236.7 in the eight-women final of the season's fourth World Cup for pistol and rifle shooters.
The skeet team, comprising Angad Vir Bajwa (121), Anant Jeet Singh Naruka (120), and Gurjoat Khangura (115), finished in 14th place with an overall score of 356.
Neeraj has won gold medals in Olympics (Tokyo in 2021), Asian Games (2018) and Commonwealth Games (2018), besides becoming the Diamond League champion last year.
Abhishek Verma secured India's fifth Olympic quota place in shooting after winning the 10m air pistol gold medal at the ISSF World Cup, in Beijing, on Saturday. Participating in his maiden International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup final, the Indian led the field throughout the men's 10m air pistol final to clinch the top spot with a total score of 242.7.
Indian shuttler Parupalli Kashyap has termed the International Olympic Committee's statement to encourage athletes to continue training for the Tokyo Games as a joke, saying it "makes no sense", as the government has shut down all training facilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mary went on to say that she wants to move ahead step by step and not rush into things, as qualifying for the Olympics is as important as the competition itself.
The 21-year-old Anish shot 27 in the final to win the bronze.
An unprecedented seven Indian shuttlers are set to qualify for the Olympics Games at Rio de Janeiro when the official BWF rankings are released on Thursday.
A source said two among the three shooters are from the Indian contingent.
'Our boxers are mature and strong enough to withstand these kinds of shocks.'
First-time Olympian Zhang Mengxue secured China's first gold medal of the 2016 Olympics on Sunday by winning the women's 10-metre air pistol event and extending China's gold medal streak in the sport.
Two goals down they rallied to beat South Africa via a golden goal in the final.
Quartermiler Mohammad Anas and long jumper Ankit Singh booked their Olympic tickets with national record shattering efforts while 200m specialist Srabani Nanda also qualified for the Rio Games in various competitions aboard on a memorable day for Indian track and field athletes on Sunday.
Five Indian athletes have qualified for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games to be held in August in Singapore after their impressive performance in the Asian Area Qualification Championships.
Commonwealth Games gold medalist Krishna Poonia, on Thursday, won gold in women's discus throw event in the Harvest Throw Meet in Portland, United States.
