Page 2 - Olympic

Paris Olympics 2024: What to know, who to watch during judo competition

A roadmap to follow for the men's and women's judo tournaments at the Paris Olympics: Athletes to Watch: Teddy Riner, France: The world's most famous active judoka attempts to cap his incredible career with a record-tying third individual Olympic gold medal in front of his home fans. Now 35, Riner took a shocking quarterfinal loss in Tokyo, but the 11-time world champion heavyweight still won gold in the mixed team event. Uta Abe and Hifumi Abe, Japan: The siblings will attempt to win gold medals on the same day in the second consecutive Olympics. They accomplished the unprecedented feat three years ago in Tokyo, and both have won world championships in both of the two years since then. Clarisse Agbegnenou, France: The six-time world champion is the favorite to win her second straight Olympic gold. She's trying to do it at home and less than two years after giving birth to her daughter. Lukas Krpalek, Czech Republic: Riner could get beaten to history by Krpalek, the comparatively

China tries to clean sweep with 8-for-8 in diving gold at Paris Olympics

Chinese divers won seven of eight gold medals at the last Olympics in Tokyo, termed one of the greatest performances in Olympic history. Even more is expected this time in Paris. China has ruled diving for decades. But it's never pulled off the elusive gold sweep at the Games. The People's Daily the official newspaper of the Communist Party termed this lapse regrettable in a recent article. How's that for pressure? I hope that all of us can stand on the top of the podium, Tokyo gold medalist Quan Hongchan said in an interview on state-run television. They might, and the record is already staggering. Starting with the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics where China claimed its first diving gold, it has won 47 of 64 gold medals. Add to that 23 silver and 10 bronze. If you start counting from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Chinese have won 27 of 32 gold. That's almost perfection, but someone always spoils the party like American David Boudia, Australian Matthew Mitcham, Briton Tom Daley or Ru

Jason Day set to finally play Olympic golf for Australia at Paris Games

Jason Day will finally make it to an Olympics while a brother-and-sister combination are two of the other three golfers set to play for Australia at the Paris Games. Day was ranked world No. 1 in 2016 when he decided not to play at the Rio Olympics, saying he was concerned about going to Brazil with the Zika virus spreading while his wife was pregnant. He said earlier this year that he regretted not going. I had one of those spots, and at the time we were having kids, and then obviously there was that (Zika) scare, so I was kind of like a little bit freaked out about that," Day said at a PGA tournament in May. The Australian Olympic Committee said Friday that Min Woo Lee would join Day on the men's team while Minjee Lee and Hannah Green would form the women's team. The two Lees are brother and sister. Minjee Lee will become the first Australian golfer to compete at three Olympics, Green returns for her second Games while Min Woo Lee will join Day in making his Olympic debut. The f

IOA proposes to start medical insurance, pension for all former Olympians

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is set to bring in medical health insurance and pension scheme for all former Olympians, the top sports body's president PT Usha said here on Sunday. Usha has proposed the recommendations to the IOA's Executive Committee which will come up for discussion soon. The IOA will solely cover all these expenses from its coffers and the idea came to Usha's mind after she witnessed the plight of Indian archer Limba Ram. "The IOA is taking many athlete-centric steps and one of these is medical insurance and pension for all our ex-Olympians," Usha told PTI while felicitating legendary Indian athlete Gurbachan Singh Randhwa on the occasion of International Olympic Dat at his residence here. "We have submitted the proposal to all EC members for all ex-Olympians. It is a small help from IOA for all ex-Olympians. We should remember all our ex-Olympians," she added. Usha said the idea struck her after she met ailing Olympian Limba Ram, who has suffered a brain

Ex-Olympic pole vault champion Braz banned for doping, to miss Paris Games

Olympic pole vault gold medalist Thiago Braz was banned for 16 months for doping and will miss the Paris Games, track and field's Athletics Integrity Unit said on Tuesday. Braz won the Olympic title at his home Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016 and took bronze in Tokyo three years ago. The 30-year-old Braz's ban expires in November and he has filed an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the AIU said. Braz claimed his positive test for ostarine was caused by a contaminated nutritional supplement and the anti-doping tribunal judges accepted by a 2-1 verdict he was not at significant fault, the AIU said. The track and field investigation unit said it would consider an appeal to CAS after asking the first tribunal to impose a four-year ban. Braz was reckless and acted with indirect intent, the AIU said, because he was aware of concerns with Brazilian pharmacies and manifestly disregarded that risk. He tested positive at the Diamond League meeting in Stockholm last July, several

Aman Sehrawat seals Paris 2024 Olympics quota; Deepak Punia crashes out

Sehrawat, a U23 world champion, beat Chongsong Han of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea 12-2 in the semi-final for India's sixth quota in wrestling for the Paris 2024 Olympics

Neeraj Chopra to compete before Indian fans for first time in 3 years

Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra's presence will turn the National Federation Cup, starting Sunday, into a high-profile domestic competition though several top athletes have decided to skip the four-day Senior Championships. The 26-year-old Chopra will be competing in a domestic event for the first time in three years, after featuring in the 2021 edition of the same event. It will also be the first time that Chopra will compete in India after winning a historic gold in Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Chopra last took part in a domestic competition at the same Federation Cup in March 2021, when he won a gold with a throw of 87.80m. Since then, he has mostly been training and competing abroad, accumulating silverwares and titles. He became a world champion, won three individual Diamond League titles, one DL champion's trophy and defended his Asian Games gold in China. The superstar Indian, who is hoping to defend his Olympic gold during the Paris Games, is heading to India from Doha where he

Too many functions comes in way of training ,competing in India: Chopra

Based abroad for training most of the time, Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra on Thursday acknowledged that his stardom sometimes comes in the way of training and competing in India. The 26-year-old superstar, who is the reigning world and Asian Games champion as well, is set to begin his season with the first leg of Diamond League here on Friday. "For me more important is my sport. It's good for my profile if I play in India but there are too many functions, marriage functions. I also want to join my family and friends but more than that, I want to train in an Olympic year," the youngster from Haryana told reporters at a pre-competition press conference here. "Before Tokyo (Olympics), I always trained in India but right now I just want to focus on my game. I will train in India later," he added. From here, he will fly to Bhubaneswar next week to compete on home turf for the first time in three years during the May 12 to 15 Federation Cup. He is aware of being a familiar face in Indi

Chopra to start Olympic buildup at Diamond league along with Kishore Jena

Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra's Paris Games preparations will be put through a stern test when he begins his season in the first leg of the prestigious Diamond League one-day meet series against a star-studded but familiar field, here on Friday. The 26-year-old Indian javelin superstar, who is also the reigning world and Asian Games champion, will be up against the likes of former world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada and Olympic and world-medallist Jakub Vadlejch of Czech Republic. Asian Games silver-medallist and his compatriot Kishore Jena will also be in the fray as he makes his Diamond League debut. Jena has a personal best of 87.54m while Chopra's all-time best is 89.94m, which is also the national record. European champion Julian Weber of Germany, fourth in the Olympic Games and World Championships, will also compete in the 10-man field. The league will then move to Morocco on May 19. Chopra is also the defending champion here as he had set the tone for his title-laden

OMEGA ropes in Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra as sporting ambassador

Olympic and world championships gold medal-winning javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has been roped in as the sporting ambassador of Swiss luxury brand for watches OMEGA, which is also the Official Timekeeper for this year's Paris Olympics. The star Indian athlete was invited to the OMEGA boutique in Doha, ahead of his participation at the first leg of Diamond League on Friday. Speaking on the partnership, Chopra said, "I am very excited to be a part of such an iconic brand that plays such a huge role in timekeeping at the Olympic Games. I am looking forward to a great association with OMEGA and the upcoming spectacle in Paris." Chopra is the first Asian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in javelin and the first Asian to win gold in his event at the World Championship. OMEGA has been the Official Timekeeper at almost every Olympic Games since 1932. Paris 2024 will mark OMEGA's 31st occasion as Official Timekeeper of the Games. After competing in the Diamond League, Chopra will head

Vinesh Phogat secures women's 50kg category Paris Olympics quota for India

Looking as dominant as ever, Vinesh Phogat on Saturday locked Paris Olympics quota in women's 50kg category, reaching the final at the Asian Olympic Qualifier without conceding a single point, here Saturday. It is India's second quota place for the Paris Games as Antim Panghal had earned a quota in the 53kg category with her bronze medal winning show at the World Championships last year. The 29-year-old Vinesh has now secured her third straight Olympic quota, having featured in Rio Games (2016) and in Tokyo (2020) earlier. Vinesh, who was a prominent face of protest against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, dished out a strong performance, demolishing her opponents one by one. As is her wont, Vinesh looked for that one opportunity to subdue Miran Cheon in her opening bout and grabbed it after measuring her Korean rival for about 30 seconds. Once she grabbed Cheon and pushed her down for a take down, the bout ended in a jiffy, in one minute and 39 seconds. It was difficu

France asks for foreign police, military help with Paris Olympics security

France says it has asked 46 countries if they would be willing to supply more than 2,000 police officers to help secure the Paris Olympics this summer, as organizers finalize security planning for the French capital's first Games in a century while on heightened alert against potential attacks. The Interior Ministry said Friday that the request for foreign security assistance was made in January, seeking nearly 2,185 reinforcements. The officers are sought to help with Games security and the spectator experience and to strengthen international cooperation," the ministry said. This is a classic approach of host countries for the organization of major international events, the ministry added. It noted that France sent 200 of its gendarmes to soccer's World Cup in Qatar in 2022 and also welcomed 160 officers from other European security forces for the Rugby World Cup that France hosted last year. Separately, the French Defense Ministry has also asked foreign nations for small numbers

Indian women football team's Olympic dreams over after loss against Vietnam

Having lost their second consecutive match in a row, India is now out of contention for the Olympics despite having a match in hand

Global Olympic body, Reliance sign pact to promote sports values in India

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Olympic Museum and Reliance Foundation on Monday announced an agreement to promote Olympic values through sport among children starting with the Mumbai region and soon expanding it across the state of Maharashtra. The agreement will focus on grade-specific activities in selected schools, sessions between athletes and students to promote physical activity and raising awareness to promote Olympism and Olympic values. The programme has had a world-wide impact so far, said IOC president Thomas Bach, adding that the agreement with the Abhinav Bindra Foundation in Odisha has been reaching unprecedented heights'. Talking about the agreement with Reliance Foundation, Bach said, They have the potential to reach 17.5 million children across Maharashtra and with the Abhinav Bindra Foundation in Odisha, there is potential to reach another 7 million children." Most of these children are coming from the underprivileged section of the society and the

Chances of wushu players featuring in Asian Games as good as over

The chances of participation of the three wushu players from Arunachal Pradesh, who were denied entry by the Chinese government for the Asian Games, are as good as over. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), though, on Sunday said that it was still looking into the matter. The denial of visa by China to Nyeman Wangsu, Onilu Tega and Mepung Lamgu had led to Sports Minister Anurag Thakur cancelling his visit to Hangzhou for the continental showpiece as a mark of protest. Wushu competitions began on Sunday and Lamgu did not start (DNS) in her women's changquan event, while Tega's name was missing in the women's 52kg pre-quarterfinal competition. The women's changquan event in which Wangsu was to compete will have its final on Monday. The OCA, however, said it was looking into the matter. "We are definitely looking at it and having discussions with the government. Let us see, something may come out of it," OCA acting president Randhir Singh said at a press conference without specifying

Wrestling trials to take place from July 20 after assurance from OCA

The trials to short-list the wrestlers for the Asian Games will likely take place around July 20 after an "unofficial" assurance was given by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) with regard to extending the deadline for sending entries by names to the organisers of the quadrennial extravaganza. The OCA has set July 15 as deadline for sending entries by name to the Asian Games organisers but following efforts made by the Indian Olympic Association's ad-hoc committee for wrestling, the OCA is reportedly contemplating extending the deadline. But assurances apart, the duration of relaxation has so far not been shared with the ad-hoc panel. Gian Singh, a member of the ad-hoc panel, told PTI that, "There is so far no mail from the OCA (regarding granting extension) but unofficially they have said that they are willing to relax the dates for sending entries by name. But they have not confirmed the duration of the relaxation. Until we get a confirmation, we cannot say whether they will extend

Our protest is not politically motivated: Sakshi and her husband Satyawart

Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik and her wrestler husband Satyawart Kadian on Saturday insisted that their protest was not politically motivated and they kept mum for years despite facing harassment because the wrestling fraternity was not united earlier. In a video posted on Twitter, Kadian said a false narrative was being created around their protest and they wanted to clear the air. Country's top wrestlers including Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, accused outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment and intimidation. Leaders from different political parties, including Congress' Priyanka Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik visited the protest site, extending their support to the wrestlers before they were removed from Jantar Mantar on May 28. Kadian, sitting beside Malik, said rumours were being spread about their protest. "Let me make it clear that our protest

255-members to represent India at Special Olympics World Summer Games

India will be represented by a strong 255-member contingent at the Special Olympics World Summer Games to be held in Berlin, Germany from June 17 to 25. The contingent includes 198 athletes, who will participate in 16 disciplines, and unified partners and 57 coaches. The Special Olympics World Games are the world's largest inclusive sporting event for people with intellectual disabilities. A total of 700 athletes and unified partners across 190 countries will compete in 26 disciplines in Berlin. Before their departure for Berlin on June 12, the Indian athletes will participate in a preparatory camp at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium from June 7 to 11. Special Olympics Bharat will also organise a special send-off ceremony for the contingent at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Thursday, which will be attended by Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, Women and Child Development and Minority Affairs Minister Smriti Irani, Indian Olympic Association chief PT Usha, cricketer Yuvraj Singh and singe

Preparation for Paris Olympics will start with UTT season 4: Sharath Kamal

Ace Indian table tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal says preparations for next year's Paris Olympics will begin with the Ultimate Table Tennis' fourth season, which will be played in Pune from July 13-30. Sharath said preparations for the Hangzhou Asian Games, to be held from September 23 to October 8, are in the final stages but the main focus will be on the bigger prize at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Asian Games is the immediate target but the main goal for Team India is the Paris Olympics. When UTT starts, the countdown would be down to 12 months, for me personally that's when the preparation starts, Sharath told reporters here on the sidelines of the player draft for UTT season 4 on Friday. As for the Asian Games, we are already into the final leg, the preparation is done with. We just have to get into the best physical and mental shape. As on the preparation front, UTT will help us start the preparation for the Olympic Games, he added. He said the strong performance by the India

Himachal Pradesh to host rural olympics to encourage sportspersons

In a bid to encourage sportspersons, the Himachal Pradesh government will host rural olympics which could see participation of up to 40,000 youths, including 20,000 women, state Youth Services and Sports Minister Vikramaditya Singh said here on Tuesday. The games, likely to start in September, will have a special focus on the state's traditional games, he added. "A policy would be framed for regulating the adventure sports such as river rafting and paragliding, due to which fatalities have been reported in the past. These mishaps bring a bad name to the state and the sports promoters," Singh said at a press conference after a meeting with representatives from various sports bodies of the state. He said that it would introduce a platform for the redressal of sports-related grievances and the preparation of sports calendar. This policy, which would be finalised in accordance with the National Sports Policy and Lodha Committee guidelines in the BCCI case, will also ensure transparency