BOXING
Nikhil and Ronit off to flying start at 5th Junior Boys National Boxing Championships
Rising pugilists Nikhil Nandal and Ronit Tokas kicked off their campaign at the 5th Junior Boys National Boxing Championships by registering contrasting victories on the opening day in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh.
In the 50kg category, Nikhil of Chandigarh ousted Roushan Kumar of Bihar in a hard-fought 4-1 victory. The fiercely contested bout witnessed a show of immense determination and talent from both pugilists but it was Nikhil’s agility and attacking technique that gave him the edge over his opponent.
Contrary to Nikhil’s result, Ronit (66kg) of Delhi hardly had to break a sweat as he defeated Anantha Krishna of Kerala by referee stopping the contest (RSC) verdict in round 1.
Having got off to a strong start, Ronit continued his momentum and utilized his strength to overpower his opponent to earn a quick victory.
Two pugilists from Haryana, Dhruv (52kg) and Aman Dass Ahlawat (63kg) reigned supreme in their tournament openers. While Dhruv showcased his conviction to get the better of Ravi Gond of Uttar Pradesh in a 4-1 win, Aman made lightwork of Rang I Man Lamin of Meghalaya by RSC verdict in second round of his bout.
Being at the top of his game, Arman (57kg) of Chandigarh prevailed against Reewash Rai of Sikkim with a comfortable 5:0 win.
Harshjot Singh (75kg) of Punjab put up a display of attacking supremacy as he triumphed over S. Devsaran of Tamil Nadu by RSC verdict in the second round.
-Team Sportstar
SHOOTING
Shotgun World Cup: Olympian Angad Vir Singh Bajwa in fine form
Olympian Angad Vir Singh Bajwa was in fine form as he shot rounds of 24 and 25, albeit in the RPO section, of skeet in the shotgun World Cup in Lonato, Italy, on Monday.
The regulars in the team, Ananjeet Singh Naruka (48) and Gurjoat Khangura (46) had done done well, but not well enough in a highly competitive field of 158 shooters.
Olympian Mairaj Ahmad Khan had shot 21 in his first round. The second Indian shooter competing in the RPO section, Sheeraz Sheikh had shot rounds of 22 and 23.
In women’s skeet, Ganemat Sekhon shot 25 and 23, while Maheshwari Chauhan had two rounds of 23. Darshna Rathore had a tough time with rounds of 21 and 18.
-Kamesh Srinivasan
GOLF
Aditi finishes 33rd as Allisen Corpuz wins US Women’s Open
India’s Aditi Ashok enjoyed her best round of the week, an even par 72 with just one birdie and a bogey, to finish tied 33rd, as Allisen Corpuz won the U.S. Women’s Open after closing with a 3-under 69.
On Sunday, Corpuz became the first American in 20 years to make the US Open her first LPGA title.
Corpuz, who finished at 9-under 279, was the only player to break par all four days.
For Aditi, playing her record 25th Major, it was not the best of weeks as she shot 74-74-76-72 for 8-over and it included a quadruple on Par-4 eighth hole on the second day.
Corpuz, 25, from Hawaii, pulled away with a big par putt and back-to-back birdies on the back nine to enjoy a scenic walk up the 18th fairway. She won by three shots over Charley Hull (66) and Jiyai Shin (68) and claimed the USD 2 million prize, the richest ever for an LPGA major champion.
When she tapped in for par, she covered her smile with her hand and wiped tears away with her Aloha-print towel.
Former President Barack Obama was among the first to congratulate her on Twitter. Both went to Punahou School in Honolulu.
Hilary Lunke, in 2003 at Pumpkin Ridge, was the last American to get her first win at the U.S. Women’s Open, that one in a three-way Monday playoff.
Corpuz never gave anyone much of a chance. Nasa Hataoka lost her one-shot lead on the opening hole when Corpuz hit her approach to 5 feet for birdie, and the 24-year-old from Japan dropped too many shots down the home stretch.
They were tied at the turn until Corpuz hit her approach to just inside 10 feet for birdie on the 10th. The key moment came at the par-3 12th, when Corpuz hit her approach shot into the bunker and had 15 feet for par.
Hataoka rolled her birdie putt from the fringe 5 feet by the hole. Corpuz made her par, Hataoka missed her putt, and the lead was at two.
Corpuz stretched it to four shots with superb wedges to 8 feet on the par-5 14th and 4 feet on the 15th and both were birdies.
-PTI
Athletics
AFI adjudged Asia’s best athletics federation
The Athletics Federation of India has been adjudged as the best federation of Asia by the Asian Athletics Association.
Olympian Adille Sumariwalla, the AFI president, received the award at the 50 th anniversary celebrations of the Asian Athletics Association in Bangkok on Monday.
-Team Sportstar
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