Chennai
GOLF
Diksha finishes creditable T-3 in German Masters, maintains good run in LET
Indian golfer Diksha Dagar missed out on a second career title on the Ladies European Tour, but played well enough to finish tied third at the 2023 Amundi German Masters here.
The T-3 finish takes her up to 22nd on the Race to Costa Del Sol rankings on the Tour.
Diksha, who has been logging fine results in recent weeks, scored her third Top-10 finish on LET in her last four starts with this week’s tied third being the best. It was also her best since the Lacoste Open de France last year.
Czech Republic’s Kristyna Napoleaova rolled in a birdie putt on the first play-off hole to win the German Masters at Golf & Country Club Seddiner See.
After tying with overnight co-leader England’s Cara Gainer at 14-under, the duo headed back down the 18th for the play-off.
Napoleaova birdied to triumph and become the fourth first-time winner on the LET in 2023.
Diksha was very much in contention through the first eight holes, and even held a share of the lead at 14-under. But three bogeys on ninth, 10th and 11th pulled her back and she was unable to make up.
Napoleaova was late to the game of golf starting in the summer of 2016 having been a former footballer for AC Sparta Praha when she was younger.
The newly-crowned LET winner has also had battles off the golf course recently after being diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis a few months ago and is amazed to have entered the winner’s circle on Tour.
She started golf less than seven years ago and is now a winner on the LET.
England’s Gainer ultimately finished in second after losing in the play-off.
Germany’s Sophie Hausmann fired the round of the day with an excellent bogey-free 64 (-8) to finish the tournament with a total of 11-under-par.
Hausmann finished in a tie for third place alongside Diksha, who carded an even-par round on the final day.
England’s Alice Hewson ended the tournament in fifth place on 10-under-par after a fourth round of 69 (-3).
Spain’s Carmen Alonso, France’s Celine Herbin and Sweden’s Johanna Gustavsson finished in a tie for sixth place on eight-under-par and one shot further back was Italy’s Virginia Elena Carta alongside French duo Agathe Sauzon and Nastasia Nadaud.
In the 2023 Race to Costa del Sol, India’s Aditi Ashok still leads the standings as she has done since the first event of the season but Spain’s Ana Peláez Trivino is now only 3.47 points behind her.
Sweden’s Linn Grant is third with Czechia’s Klara Davidson Spilkova fourth and Germany’s Chiara Noja in fifth place.
The LET heads to Napoleaova’s homeland next week for the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open, which takes place from June 23 to 25.
-PTI
SNOOKER
Panka Advani and Co. beat Afghanistan, Malaysia in Asian Team Snooker Championship
India-1, led by Pankaj Advani, registered two wins in the group stage matches of the Asian Team Snooker Championship in Tehran. It beat Afghanistan and Malaysia, both by a 3-0 scoreline.
In the first match against Afghanistan, the pair of Advani and Laxman Rawat triumphed over Mohd. Noor Zai and Saleh Mohammed (Advani 54-07 Noor Zai; Rawat 75-17 Saleh; The Doubles Frame (68(54)-41).
Pankaj Advani participates in the Asian Team Snooker Championship | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
In the second frame Advani and Aditya Mehta got the better of Thor Chuan Leong and Moh Keen Hoo (Mehta 60-47 Chuan Leong; Advani 109(75)-13 Keen Hoo; The Doubles Frame (57-46). In this match, Pankaj scored a break of 75 in the second frame against Keen Hoo.
Although the team has already qualified for the knockout stage, it will be playing its last league match against the UAE.
-Team Sportstar
BOXING
Services Sports Control Board crowned Champions at the Youth Men’s National Boxing Championships
Defending champion Services Sports Control Board once again stamped its authority by clinching the team championship title at the Youth Men’s National Boxing Championships in Gangtok.
Nine of SSCB’s 11 finalists emerged victorious. Additionally, it clinched the team championship trophy with 85 points coming from 13 medals, that includes two silver and two bronze medals.
Rishi (48kg) and Aryan (51kg) started the day’s proceedings for Services with 5-0 wins over Bihar’s Rahul and Manipur’s Thokchom Singh respectively.
The 54kg bantamweight final saw an intensely fought bout between Ashish of SSCB and Sikkim’s Jayant Dagar. Both pugilists traded heavy blows in a close encounter that saw the momentum shift every minute.
SSCB with the champions trophy | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Eventually, Ashish outdid his opponent and secured the favour of the judges to win the bout 4-3.
The other six gold medal winners for Services were Nikhil (57kg), M Hanthoi (60kg), Ankush (67kg), Preet Malik (71kg), Yogesh (75kg) and Ayran (86kg).
Arman (80kg) and Harsh (92kg) were the two silver medallists for SSCB, while Krish Kamboj (63.5kg) and Rythm (92+kg) claimed the bronze medal for Services.
Haryana and Chandigarh claimed the second and third position respectively with 54 and 20 points. While Haryana won four gold, two silver, and three bronze medals, Chandigarh concluded its campaign with two silver and one bronze.
Asian junior champion Bharat Joon (92kg), who was representing Haryana, continued his magnificent form and won the final against Harsh of SSCB with the referee stopping the contest in the first round. Bharat had also won all his previous bouts by RSC.
The other three gold medallists from Haryana were Yashwardhan Singh (63.5kg), Ishan Kataria (80kg) and Lakshay Rathi (92+kg).
SSCB’s Ashish (54kg) was adjudged the best boxer while Sikkim’s Jayant Dagar (54kg) received the most promising boxer award for his brilliant display throughout the tournament.
-Team Sportstar
HOCKEY
MP, Chandigarh secure wins at Hockey India Junior Men National Championship
Hockey Madhya Pradesh and Hockey Chandigarh advanced to the semifinal of the 13th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship 2023 on Monday after winning their respective Quarter-Final matches at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, Odisha.
Hockey Madhya Pradesh defeated Hockey Maharashtra 9-2 in the first Quarter-Final match. Ali Ahmad (5’, 44’) and Zameer Mohammad (16’, 42’) got Hockey Madhya Pradesh off to a good start, each scoring a brace. Mohammad Zaid Khan (15’), Mohit Karma (23’), Mohd Konain Dad (34’), Rahul Pal (47’) and Arman Khan (51’) also scored one goal each to secure a much-needed victory over Hockey Maharashtra. In response, Hockey Maharashtra’s Jay Kale (49’) and Ajay Naidu (58’) scored one goal each.
Hockey Chandigarh defeated Hockey Punjab 1-1 (3-2 SO) in the second Quarter-Final match. Hockey Chandigarh’s Paramvir Singh (14’) scored one goal, while Hockey Punjab’s Sukhwinder Singh (30’) equalised as the match was tied at 1-1 at the end of regulation time. During the shoot-out, Raman, Harpanthpreet Singh, and Ajaypal Singh scored for Hockey Chandigarh, while Bikramjit Singh stood tall to lead his team to a hard-fought victory.
In the subsequent Quarter-Final matches later today, Hockey Haryana will face Hockey Jharkhand and Hockey Association of Odisha will face Hockey Karnataka.
Also on Sunday, Hockey Haryana defeated Hockey Uttarakhand 10-3. Shubham (24’, 28’, 59’) started the goal count for Hockey Haryana. Roshan (43’, 53’) scored a brace whereas Yogesh Singh (5’), Toshant (15’), Prikshit Panchal (19’), Agyapal (38’) and Captain Rohit (58’) scored one goal each. In reply, Deepak Singh Fartyal (8’), Mahendra Singh Bisht (35’) and Rupesh (45’) scored one goal each for Hockey Uttarakhand.
In the other match, the Hockey Association of Odisha defeated Manipur Hockey 3-2. Akash Soreng (6’), Captain Rosan Kujur (17’) and Deepak Minz (22’) scored one goal each for the hosts. In reply, Gurumayum Dingku Sharma (39’) and Khangembam Somikant Singh (44’) scored one goal each for Manipur Hockey.
In the second last match on Sunday, Hockey Jammu & Kashmir defeated Hockey Gujarat 7-1. Captain Saksham Sharma (20’, 41’, 45’, 50’) led the team from the front and stood out to be the top goal scorer after scoring four goals for his side. Manmeet Singh (46’), Karandeep Singh (55’) and Rajveer Singh (60’) also scored one goal each for Hockey Jammu & Kashmir to secure a victory against Hockey Gujarat. In reply, Devang Thakor (30’) scored a consolation goal for Hockey Gujarat.
The match between Hockey Rajasthan and Tripura Hockey was officially forfeited 5-0 in favour of Tripura Hockey, on Sunday.
-Team Sportstar
SHOOTING
National selection trials from June 24 to 30
The cream of Indian shooting will be in action in the National selection trials to be staged at the Dr. Karni Singh Range, Tughlakabad, from June 24 to 30.
The fifth and sixth selection trials for rifle and pistol will start with the air rifle for men and 25-metre pistol events for both men and women. The 50-metre rifle 3-position event will also be held first for women, and then followed by the men’s event.
The air rifle for women will be held on June 27 and 28. The air pistol events for both men and women will be held on June 29 and 30.
The Indian teams for the Asian Games and the Asian Championship, that offers Olympic quota places, will be finalised after the trials.
The shotgun selection trials have already been completed.
-Kamesh Srinivasan
TENNIS
Karman loses final
Second seed Karman Kaur Thandi went down fighting 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6 to eighth seed Yulia Starodubtseva of Ukraine in the final of the $60,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament in Sumter, USA, on Sunday.
Karman has moved up to No.234 in rank, and is second among Indian women behind Ankita Raina (206).
Results
-Kamesh Srinivasan
VOLLEYBALL
FIVB backs IOA’s proposal to conduct fresh elections in VFI
The FIVB, volleyball’s world body, has backed the Indian Olympic Association’s proposal to form an ad-hoc committee to conduct fresh elections in the Volleyball Federation of India.
The FIVB letter, titled ‘Withdrawal of recognition of the VFI’ and addressed to the VFI president Achyuta Samanta, says, “On 13 June 2023, the IOA informed the FIVB that it has withdrawn the recognition of the officials of the VFI and has formed an ad-hoc commission to conduct fresh elections.
“The FIVB would like to emphasise the FIVB Constitution provides that a national federation must be recognised by the highest sporting authorities in its country (NOC) as the sole governing body to administer the sport of volleyball in its country,” explains the world body.
“As none of the officials are recognised by the IOA, the FIVB has no choice but follow their recommendations to organise fresh elections as soon as possible.
“It is the FIVB’s desire that the work of the ad-hoc committee, created by the IOA, in which the FIVB also has a representative will finally bring a closure to the governance dispute within the VFI to allow all of us to focus on growing the sport of volleyball in India”.
-Stan Ryan
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