'And when I say sabotage I mean people who are not happy to see India rise as a sporting nation. This girl has been through so much, your heart breaks for her. What more could she have done? Which other test?'
Paris Games quota-winning women wrestlers on Friday pleaded with the national federation not to subject them to selection trials, saying that every single step they take and every little thing they do from now on will have a bearing on India's medal chances at the Olympics.
Grapplers Pradeep Kumar (60kg) and Sumit (96kg) won gold on Sunday in the Junior Asian Wrestling Championship as India finished with a rich haul of 17 medals at the competition played in Phuket, Thailand.
After ending India's agonising wait for an Olympic medal at the Rio Games with a bronze medal, Indian women wrestler Sakshi Malik said it was the result of her 12 years of persistent hard work.
A summary of Indian athletes' showing at the Asian Games on Tuesday.
Sarita, who won gold at the 2020 championships in New Delhi, trailed 1-7 after a botched challenge but turned it around with a tremendous fightback against Mongolia's Shoovdor Baatarjav in the final.
Antim Panghal shocked reigning champion Olivia Dominique Parrish en route to the World Championship semifinals.
Weightlifter Gururaja Poojary said he hasn't done too badly for himself as he reflected on the silver medal around his neck that opened India's medal count in the 21st Commonwealth Games.
The exclusion of shooting, wrestling and archery from the initial programme of 2026 Commonwealth Games as "grave injustice" to the country
The elite wrestler has maintained that he never refused to give a sample but only demanded to know NADA's response to his email where he sought answers over why expired kits were sent to take his samples in December 2023.
Yogeshwar Dutt provided a late boost to India's medal collection at the 30th Olympic Games by claiming a memorable bronze in the men's freestyle 60 kg category, thus becoming the second Indian to achieve the feat in the country's Olympics history.
Sushil Kumar, a bronze medal winner at the Beijing Olympics last year, missed out on another medal when he lost in the semi-finals of the Wrestling World Championships in Denmark.
Narsingh Yadav's chances of representing India at the upcoming Olympics might have diminished further after a second failed dope test but the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is still hopeful of a favourable verdict by the NADA panel, saying that his lawyers, on Wednesday, presented a strong case.
The tournament will conclude on June 26.
India's total medal count stood at 252 (132 gold, 79 silver, 41 bronze), leaving behind hosts Nepal and Sri Lanka behind. Nepal has won 165 medals (45 gold, 44 silver, 76 bronze) while Sri Lanka have collected 197 medals (36 gold, 68 silver, 93 bronze).
From wrestlers' protest to WFI elections: Timeline
In a massive heartbreak for India, wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt slumped to a shock defeat in the men's 65kg freestyle qualification round bout against Ganzorigiin Mandakhnaran of Mongolia at the Rio Olympic Games.
Two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar spearheaded a sparkling show as Indian grapplers dominated the wrestling arena with three gold medals after the shooters ended their campaign on a rousing note with five more podium finishes on sixth day of competitions in the 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Tuesday.
Athletes capable of adapting to uncertainty amid the coronavirus outbreak will be best placed to succeed at the Tokyo Olympics, India's sole individual Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra said. Known for his Zen-like poise and attention to minute details in preparation, Bindra, who won shooting gold at the 2008 Games in Beijing, said adaptability is key for athletes training to excel in Tokyo amid concerns about the virus.
On Wednesday, Thakur asked the protesting wrestlers not to take any step that could undermine sports or hurt players, and said appropriate action will be taken once the probe into their allegations is completed. He also urged the wrestlers to be patient and have faith in the apex court.
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur asked protesting wrestlers not to take any step that would undermine sports.
Hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and Olympic medallist boxer Lovlina Borgohain will be the flag-bearers of the Indian contingent during the opening ceremony of the Asian Games in Hangzhou on September 23.
The Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is confident that India's medal tally in next year's Rio Olympic Games will go up to 10 plus from six medals, which the country's athletes bagged at London Olympics in 2012.
Olympic bronze medallist wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt believes Indian coaches live in the past and lack the hunger to learn new techniques, necessitating the involvement of foreign coaches for the benefit of grapplers.
India's wrestlers stole the limelight with a stunning show on the mat, winning three gold medals on Tuesday, the sixth day of competition at the 20th Commonwealth Games.
Ending India's three-decade medal drought in the Asian Games Greco-Roman Wrestling, Ravinder Singh and Sunil Rana bagged bronze medals in the 60kg and 66kg categories respectively on the opening day of competitions in Guangzhou on Sunday.
Sushil Kumar fell short of winning a gold medal at the London Olympics by a whisker, but firmly etched his name in the Games' history as the first Indian to win medals at successive Olympics.
Let's delve into the five most notable sporting accomplishments that India has achieved post August 15, 1947.
WFI obtains accreditation of Vinesh Phogat's coach and physio for Asia Olympic qualifier
Indian wrestling is well and truly on an all-time high as the country, in what turned out to be a double delight, on Friday earned a maiden World Cup berth on the back of its best-ever sixth-place finish in men's free-style at the World Championships in Budapest.
Olympic medallist Yogeshwar Dutt on Thursday termed the suspension of the Wrestling Federation of India by the international body as "very distressing".
India have done reasonably well in the quadrennial continental event, only twice finishing outside the top eight since hosting the first Asiad in 1951.
The Greco Roman style, a poor cousin of free style wrestling in India, had a lot cheer with historic three-medal performance at the U-23 World Championships through Sajan Bhanwala, Nitesh and Vikas.
Later, authorities can decide whether the complaint is proper or not, Munde told reporters in Maharashtra's Beed district on Wednesday, adding that she expects action to be taken in the present case.
Yogeshwar asked all the wrestlers to approach IOA and lodge their protest against such unfair decision.
Sharath is the lone Khel Ratna award recipient, 25 sportspersons, including shuttlers Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, woman boxer Nikhat Zareen, track and field athletes Eldhose Paul and Avinash Sable, were conferred with the Arjuna Award.
'I remember that when I was about seven years old, a doctor saw me and told my family that I would only survive for six months and that the disease had no cure. But my mother never gave up. She would always say, 'My son is born to become a renowned wrestler'.'
Jana Novotna, who lifted the Wimbledon title 26 years ago in 1988, tragically died in 2017 following a battle with ovarian cancer aged 49.
A look at the gold medalists on Day 16 of competition at the London Olympics on Sunday.
Competing for the first time in women's 60kg category after jumping up the weight division from 58kg, Sakshi hardly broke a sweat en route to the final.
