Sports - The Purbottar

25 Jul

Tokyo Olympics: PV Sindhu off to winning start, outclasses Israel’s Polikarpova in straight games

editor0 CommentsSportsPV Sindhu, Tokyo Olympics

Reigning world champion PV Sindhu opened her Olympic campaign with an easy straight-game win over Israel's Ksenia Polikarpova in the women's singles group J match on Sunday. The 26-year-old Indian, seeded sixth, beat the 58th ranked Polikarpova 21-7 21-10 in a lop-sided opening match. The world number seven Indian will next play Hong Kong's world number 34 Cheung Ngan Yi in the group stage. Rio Games silver medallist Sindhu started on an attacking note but briefly found herself lagging 3-4. However, she moved ahead quickly with Polikarpova making unforced errors and entered the break with a 11-5 lead. Soon, Sindhu…

24 Jul

India’s first medal in the Olympics was won by Rupo Mirabai Chanur in weightlifting

editor0 CommentsIndia, SportsOlympics, Rupo Mirabai

There were huge expectations from weightlifter Mirabai Chanu in the Women’s 49 kg category and she didn’t disappoint as she clinched a Silver medal to open India’s medal tally at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. Chanu lifted 115 kg in her second attempt and created a new Olympic record. However, when Chanu went for 117 kg, she could not lift the weight and settled for the Silver medal, to win her maiden Olympic medal. China’s Hou Zhihui clinched the gold medal. Cantik Windy Aisah of Indonesia won a Bronze medal in the same category. Could not have asked for a happier…

22 Jul

Tokyo Olympics: Mandeep Singh has over 150 international caps for India.

editor0 CommentsIndia, SportsMandeep Singh, Tokyo Olympics

Making his maiden appearance at the Olympic Games, star India striker Mandeep Singh has been enjoying every experience since the team arrived in Tokyo on Sunday. Recounting the moments, Mandeep said, "It has been great so far. Although it took us some time at the airport due to testing and other procedures, ever since we checked into the Games Village it has been incredible. Everything is well-organised and everyone is very careful about all the protocols." Mandeep also said that the team is quite used to the routine testing and maintaining social distancing and other norms that are mandatory at the…

22 Jul

Olympics set to begin amid Covid-19 gloom

editor0 CommentsInternational, SportsTokyo Olympics

The Olympic Games, beginning on Friday, is the world’s biggest sporting extravaganza but in the Japanese capital, which is the host city, there is clear lack of enthusiasm. According to media reports, the local public is largely indifferent which is understandable, considering that the Games are being held in the times of the Covid-19 pandemic. “For Tokyo locals, concern has been replaced by indifference. A thriving city enthusiastically hosting a global sporting event is a sight to behold. Right now, Tokyo is not one. That is hardly the fault of the Japanese. With about 80% of the population opposed to…

21 Jul

2nd ODI: Chahar takes India to thrilling 3-wicket win

editor0 CommentsIndia, SportsIndian cricket team

Pace bowler Deepak Chahar hammered 69 off 82 deliveries and shared an unbeaten 84-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Bhuvneshwar Kumar to bring India back from the dead and win the second One-day International by three wickets for an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Sri Lanka had made 275/9 in their 50 overs while India reached the target with five balls to spare. The Indian team looked down and out after left-handed batsman Krunal Pandya was dismissed as the seventh man with the team score on 193. Although there were 89 deliveries to get the remaining 83…

18 Jul

Covid-19 hit Tokyo 2020: Two athletes in Olympic athletes’ village test positive, say official

editor0 CommentsCovid-19, SportsTokyo Olympics

Tokyo Olympics organisers on Sunday reported three new cases of Covid-19 infection among athletes, up from one new case a day earlier, as the population of the athlete's village swells ahead of the start of the pandemic-hit Games next week. The competitors are the first athletes to return positive tests for the virus while staying at the Village. Another unnamed athlete has also tested positive upon arrival in the Japanese capital, Tokyo 2020 said, but they are not a resident of the Village. The cases were revealed a day after an unidentified person became the first to test positive in…

17 Jul

Tokyo Olympics: Ugandan athlete missing from training camp in Japan

editor0 CommentsSportsTokyo Olympics, Ugandan

Local officials are searching for a Ugandan athlete who went missing in western Japan on Friday in a case raising questions over Japanese organizers' oversight of Olympic participants amid local coronavirus concerns. The missing 20-year-old Julius Ssekitoleko was training as part of the nine-member Ugandan team in Izumisano, Osaka prefecture, city officials said. Teammates realized the athlete was absent around noon Friday when his saliva test sample was not delivered and they found his hotel room empty, city officials said. There was no training Friday morning and he was last seen in his room in the early hours of Friday.…

17 Jul

India All-rounder Shivam Dube Gets Married to Girlfriend Anjum Khan

editor0 CommentsIndia, Sportscricket star

Indian Cricketer Shivam Dube on Friday got married to longtime girlfriend Anjum Khan. The all-rounder took to Instagram to share a few images from his wedding ceremony. “We loved with a love which was more than love," he wrote in his caption. “And now this is where our forever starts." After the announcement, fellow cricketers and fans poured in with congratulatory messages.

16 Jul

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic confirms he will compete at Tokyo Olympics

editor0 CommentsSportsTokyo Olympics

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic announced on social media on Thursday that he will compete in the Tokyo Olympics. "I booked my flight for Tokyo and will proudly be joining #TeamSerbia for the Olympics," Djokovic said in a tweet. "I am very proud to pack for Tokyo and join our national team in the fight for the brightest medals on the Olympic arenas. For me, the game for Serbia has always been a special joy and motivation and I will do my best to make us all happy! Let's go." Some of the sport's biggest names, including Roger Federer, Rafa…

15 Jul

India’s wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant tests positive for COVID-19

editor0 CommentsCovid-19, India, SportsCovid-19, Rishabh Pant

India's wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has tested positive for COVID-19 and will not travel with the Test squad to Durham, where Team India will reassemble to begin preparations for the England series. A BCCI source confirmed that it was Pant who tested positive and was in isolation for the past eight days. He is, according to the source, asymptomatic at this point. "He is in quarantine at an acquaintance's place and won't be travelling with the team to Durham on Thursday," he said without divulging when the 23-year-old will join the squad. A few weeks earlier the player was spotted with…