HOCKEY
On Day 2 of the final phase of the National Women’s Hockey League 2024-2025, Hockey Association of Odisha, Manipur Hockey and Hockey Haryana secured wins in the respective games.
In the first match, Odisha defeated Maharashtra 1-0 in Pool A. Dipika Barwa (57’) scored again in the second consecutive game for Odisha to take the game away from Maharashtra.
In the next game, Manipur defeated Madhya Pradesh 2-0 in Pool A. Puja Ramchhuria (41’) and Babyarani Devi Sandam (56’) scored one goal each for Manipur to secure its first win in the tournament.
In the third match of the day, Haryana defeated Mizoram 2-1 in Pool A. Saavi (44’) and Shashi Khasa (59’) scored for Haryana. In response, Vanlalrinhlui (57’) scored the consolation goal for Mizoram. This is Hockey Haryana’s second win in the tournament out of the two matches it has played.
-Team Sportstar
ATHLETICS
Svayam joins forces with Sports Authority of India for Khelo India Para Games
Svayam has joined forces with the Sports Authority of India as the Accessibility partner for the Khelo India Para Games.
The Founder Chair-person of Svayam, Sminu Jindal, launched the official logo of the Khelo India Para Games along with the President of PCI, Devendra Jhajaria, in the presence of the Union Sports Ministers Dr Mansukh Mandaviya and Raksha Khadse in the Capital.
“True inclusion happens when accessibility becomes standard practice, not an added feature. Our continued association with Khelo India Para Games reinforces our dedication to creating spaces where para-athletes can focus on excellence without unnecessary struggles. Thoughtful mobility solutions, trained personnel and well-equipped venues contribute to an environment where every player can compete without constraints,” said Sminu.
With the collaboration, Svayam hosted sensitisation workshops, training about 500 volunteers and event personnel to provide the best support for participants. The training was aimed at equipping the personnel with the skills and awareness necessary to foster a respectful, inclusive environment for the athletes, with a focus on educating them about accessibility needs, communication practices and dealing with the requirements of athletes during competition.
“I applaud Svayam for the continuous support to Khelo India Para Games. They have taken great care to ensure that technical inputs are included at Games venues to make them totally accessible for our athletes,” said Sports Minister Mandaviya.
Svayam will operate a fleet of specially designed buses and mini-vans to ensure smooth and dignified travel for about 1200 athletes, coaches and officials during the Para Games, apart from providing wheelchairs for the 10-day event.
-Kamesh Srinivasan
TENNIS
Bharath beats Chirag in first round of ITF men’s tennis tournament
Qualifier Bharath Kumaran beat Chirag Duhan 7-6(5), 6-2 in the first round of the $15,000 ITF men’s tennis tournament at the Gujarat University Tennis Academy on Wednesday.
In the pre-quarterfinals, Bharath will challenge the eighth seed Sidharth Rawat.
The results:
Singles (first round): Jay Clarke (GBR) bt Kriish Tyagi 6-3, 6-2; Ishaque Eqbal bt Rishi Reddy 6-3, 6-1; Nitin Kumar Sinha bt Keerthivassan Suresh 6-3, 6-2; Daniil Sarksian (Arm) bt Dev Javia 7-5 (retired); Ajay Malik bt Dharmil Shah 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2; Prajwal Dev bt Pranav Karthik 6-4, 6-2; Vishnu Vardhan bt Stefan Vujic (Aus) 7-6(3), 6-4; Woobin Shin (Kor) bt Digvijay Pratap Singh 6-4, 6-4; Bharath Kumaran bt Chirag Duhan 7-6(5), 6-2.
Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Lohithaksha Bathrinath & Abhinav Sanjeev Shanmugam bt Leonardo Borrelli (Ita) & Yash Yadav 6-1, -3; Maan Kesharwani & Rishi Reddy bt Suraj Dhal & Saurish Modi 6-1, 6-3; Digvijay Pratap Singh & Jagmeet Singh bt Lawrence Bataljin (Aus) & Raghav Jaisinghani 6-4, 6-4; Aryan Shah & Dharmil Shah bt Parth Aggarwal & Bharath Kumaran 6-2, 4-6, [10-8].
-Kamesh Srinivasan
Jaya beats top seed to make quarterfinals in ITF Juniors
Jaya Kapoor knocked out the top seed and the champion of the last tournament Aishwarya Jadhav 7-5, 6-2 in the girls pre-quarterfinals of the ITF junior tennis tournament at the Shanti Academy on Wednesday.
In the quarterfinals, Jaya will play seventh seed Parthsarthi Mundhe who beat Samira Khazieva of Uzbekistan in three sets.
In the boys section, fifth seed Vishal Vasudev overcame a tough start to beat qualifier Kanvar Singh of Australia 5-7, 7-5, 6-3.
The results (pre-quarterfinals):
Under-18 boys: Sehaj Singh Pawar bt Tanussh Ghildyal 7-5, 3-1 (retired); Aditya Mor bt Aahaan Mishra 6-2, 6-2; Aashravya Mehra bt Danila Kvasov (Uzb) 7-5, 7-6(2); Gandharv Kothapalli bt Adhiraj Thakur 6-3, 6-3; Vishal Vasudev bt Kanvar Singh (Aus) 5-7, 7-5, 6-3; Shanker Heisnam bt Aarav Chawla 6-3, 6-2; Om Patel bt Dev Patel 6-4, 6-2; Praneel Sharma bt Srikar Doni 6-2, 6-2.
Under-18 girls: Jaya Kapoor bt Aishwarya Jadhav 7-5, 6-2; Parthsarthi Mundhe bt Samira Khazieva (Uzb) 5-7, 6-3, 6-2; Anandita Upadhyay bt Sohini Mohanty 7-6(2), 6-4; Prachi Malik bt Disha Behera 4-6, 6-4, 6 4; Pallavi Patel bt Iha Joshi 6-1, 6-0; Diya Chaudhary bt Deepshika Vinayagamurthy 6-3, 6-3; Aahan bt Harsha Oruganti 5-7, 6-4, 6-4; Diya Ramesh bt ananya Hooli (Mex) 6-3, 6-1.
FOOTBALL
TFA announces commencement of Telangana Women’s League 2025
The Telangana Football Association has announced it will be conducting the Telangana Women’s League 2025 in Nizamabad in the last week of April.
All participating clubs are expected to complete the mandatory formalities at the earliest.
-Anirudh Velamuri
BASKETBALL
Punjab men post win at U-23 Nationals
Punjab, boosted by the inclusion of Amman Sandhu, who currently plays in the USA with Division 1 NCAA team Manhattan Jaspers, and top scorer Karandeep Singh, recorded a comprehensive 87-25 win over Himachal Pradesh in a men’s Group-B match of the National under-23 basketball championships at the Sarusajai Stadium, Guwahati, on Wednesday.
Tamil Nadu men and women and Assam men won their second consecutive matches to confirm berths in pre-quarterfinals.
Important results:
Men: Group A: Madhya Pradesh 114 (Rakesh Sharma 27) bt Tripura 43 (Akash Rabidas 11); Group B: Punjab 87 (Karandeep Singh 18) bt Himachal Pradesh 25; Group C: Assam 83 (Priyanshu Chand 21) bt Sikkim 53 (Gnoedrup Dorje Bhutia 14); Group D: West Bengal 79 (Priyanshu 29) bt Chandigarh 68 (Amerendra Naik 16); Group E: Tamil Nadu 83 (Ajay 21) bt Rajasthan 79 (Ayush Choudhary 16); Telangana 60 (Subash Kattragadda 18) bt Odisha 56 (Sankalap Pansa 18); Group F: Kerala 77 (Protin Murali 19) bt Jammu & Kashmir 18; Group G: Maharashtra 99 (Michael R. 22) bt Manipur 55 (Ningthoujam 13); Group H: Karnataka 77 (Kushal Gowda 18) bt Arunachal Pradesh 17.
Women: Group C: West Bengal 55 (Ananya Mandal 21) bt Telangana 15; Tamil Nadu 63 (Krithika S. 17) bt Madhya Pradesh 37 (Priya G. 14); Group D: Rajasthan 58 (Payal Swami 20) bt Haryana 49 (Anju 24); Group E: Punjab 70 (Kanishka Dhir 15) bt Odisha 30 (Sweth Pradhan 13); Group F: Karnataka 68 (Sathya K. 11) bt Andhra Pradesh 20.
-Y. B. Sarangi