K.R. Vasudev, a Class VII student of Coorg Public School (COPS), Gonikoppal, bagged the first position in Kumite Under 14 Category (60+ kgs) at the CISCE (Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations) State-level Karate Championship held at the Christ School in Bengaluru recently.
The event saw an impressive turn out of Karate enthusiasts from around 140 ICSE schools in Karnataka showcasing their skills across various weight and age categories.
Vasudev will be representing Karnataka State in the CISCE National-level Karate Competition to be held in Uttar Pradesh in the month of September, 2024.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports / July 25th, 2024
The U-17 hockey team of Coorg Public School & PU College (COPS), Gonikoppal, won the CISCE (Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations) Regional-level Hockey Tournament held at Bengaluru recently by 1-0 against St. Joseph’s European High School.
The lone goal for the winner was scored by M.S. Mayaan Muthanna. The team played against Clarance Public School in the qualifying match and won with an easy score of 6-0. Played semi-finals against Vidyashilp Academy and won by 2-0. The team continued its winning streak and won the finals against St. Joseph European School (1-0).
The stellar performance of the team was seen throughout the tournament and the team will now represent Karnataka in CISCE Nationals which will be held at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, Odisha in the coming days.
K. Dhanya Subbaiah, President of the School Trust, was also present in the Stadium to inspire the team.
Management, Principal, Staff and students have congratulated K.N. Milan, Physical Director & Coach and also K.C. Biddappa for their best efforts.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports / July 25th, 2024
A commentator, who once admitted to having suicidal thoughts, the athlete says his family is enjoying their new life in the city.
After facing several questions on the ongoing T20 World Cup with a straight bat at a press conference, Robin Uthappa was all smiles as he made his way to a private corner of an indoor sports facility at Al Quoz, Dubai, for an interview with City Times.
Hordes of super excited fans slowed him down, grabbing selfies with their mobile cameras; some even wanted to shake his hands and give a pat on his back.
It was not easy to know if any of them were loyal fans of Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings, teams with which Uthappa won IPL titles as a player.
But what was clearly visible amidst all that typical fan excitement was the bright smile that never disappeared from Uthappa’s face as he posed with them.
A member of India’s 2007 T20 World Cup-winning team, Uthappa then settled into a couch for a chat during which he opened up about what it takes for celebrities to share their mental health issues on public forums and why he decided to become a Dubai resident.
You are a Dubai resident now, you hold a golden visa. But why did you decide to move to Dubai?
It was more from the kids’ perspective. We wanted a really solid primary education and knowing how good Dubai is as far as education is concerned and also the safety, not just for kids, but also for women. That was a big priority for us because I am on the road seven, or eight months in a year, so it became a no-brainer. Also, since I am playing leagues outside of India, it makes more sense to live here.
Your family is enjoying the Dubai life…
Oh yes, it’s been 15-16 months now here in Dubai. And they are loving it. I think it was the best decision we made as far as our family is concerned.
You have two kids. They have settled in well…
Yes, my son loves it. He goes to Kings’ Al Barsha, my daughter is a little too young. She is in a playschool now. So yeah, we are loving it. And we are enjoying Dubai. In fact, last year we intentionally stayed here through the summer, because we wanted to experience the summer. So we stayed back, we didn’t travel anywhere. And it was fun, we really enjoyed Dubai now. It feels like home for us now.
You are also commentating on the T20 World Cup for two Dubai radio stations, Talk 100.3 FM and Big 106.2 How is the experience so far as a radio commentator? We normally don’t see international players doing radio commentary…
Wonderful. It’s different in the sense that you have got to describe the play. It’s a great prep for broadcasting for television as well. So it’s been a fun experience for me so far. And yes, very different from broadcasting on television.
It’s a good point you made about Dubai being such a safe city. This is what makes this city stand out in the world now. But since you are a sportsman and your wife (Sheethal Goutham) was also a former international tennis player, how nice is it to see the sports activities that are being promoted by the UAE government here in a bid to encourage the citizens as well as the residents to lead a healthy lifestyle?
It’s incredible, to be honest. I think there is a lot of focus on different sports, there is a huge variety of sports. In fact my son has been doing gymnastics from a very young age, so today he is here not just practising gymnastics, he has gone up a step further, he is playing three different sports at this point. So it’s incredible. Also, being a cricketer, I would love to see more organised cricket tournaments in this country. To have eight Test-playing nations as part of the expat population in the UAE, I think this country should be able to qualify for every cricket World Cup. I think it’s a huge talent pool. The UAE have the potential to become one of the leading cricket-playing nations in the world.
Of course, you spoke about sports and the importance of physical fitness. There is also the very important issue of mental health now. You had opened up about your struggles in the past, and you admitted to having suicidal thoughts. It’s obviously a very sensitive issue because a lot of people hesitate to open up about this. So how challenging is it for a celebrity like you to reveal what you have gone through and how you overcame your problems?
I think it depends on what the intention is. If the intention is noble and if the intention is pure then, there is no difficulty in expressing it. For me, I intended to, I just wanted to break the taboo associated with mental health issues because mental health issues are something we go through a lot in our lives, in one way or the other, in one point or the other, we experience it. I think that is something that needed to be broken, the taboo needed to be broken. The stigma attached to it needs to be broken. I think the more light you shed on something that is in the darkness, the less intimidating it becomes, the less scary it becomes, and the more normal it becomes.
Dubai Capitals’ Robin Uthappa during the International League T20 (ILT20) tournament cricket match between Dubai Capitals and Gulf Giants at Dubai International Stadium
Another big issue in the world of sports is now social media trolls. If an athlete is not able to perform well, he or she faces brutal abuse on social media. We saw the kind of trolling the young Riyan Parag faced until the start of the 2024 IPL. He overcame that phase, silencing all of them with the sheer volume of his runs. What advice would you give young athletes on dealing with social media trolls? It seems nobody can escape that now. So how do they deal with it?
I think everyone has their own way of dealing with it based on how that personality is. Do what works for you. Be yourself and do what you feel is the best for you. I think Riyan is doing what works for him, different people will need to do what works for them. So do what works for you.
Finally a word on Hardik Pandya, please. He not only faced online trolls but he was harassed and booed by Mumbai Indians fans at the stadiums for replacing Rohit Sharma as captain. The fans’ reaction was extreme. How painful was it to see a fellow cricketer going through such a painful experience?
I think everybody has the right to their opinion. Having said that it was very hard for me to watch from the outside because for someone who has battled mental health issues to witness someone being put in such a horrible spot for choices that he made for himself was actually quite hard. There were a lot of moving pieces in the whole affair, and there were a lot of other people who were also involved, so there is empathy for all parties involved, but I don’t think it’s right for anyone to go through that level of criticism, that level of trolling. I think it was inhumane.
source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com / Khaleej Times / Home> Lifestyle> Entertainment / by Rituraj Borkakoty / pix Neeraj Murali / June 20th, 2024
A woman from Kodagu has made history by reaching the Mount Everest Base Camp. Dr. Latha, a 57-yearold gynaecologist working in Bengaluru, participated in the trek to the Everest Kodagu woman at Mount Everest Base Camp Base Camp and successfully reached the first phase target of 18,514 feet.
Dr. Latha, a native of Badubanahalli near Alur Siddapura in Somwarpet Taluk, Kodagu, has brought great honour to her region through this remarkable achievement. She is the daughter of the late Mallappa.
With a keen interest in sports and trekking, Dr. Latha had a deep desire to conquer Mount Everest. She underwent rigorous training for six months with a Nepal-based company, running up to 10 kilometres daily and climbing small mountains to build stamina.
Dr. Latha was selected to climb the world’s highest peak during the April 28 to May 11 schedule, where several teams from India were participating. Among them, there were eight individuals aged between 30 and 40.
“Every day, we used to climb 10 to 15 kilometres and then rest. Only three members from our team, including me, could reach that Base Camp,” she said.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports / June 01st, 2024
Actor Shubra Aiyappa went off the grid for a month to achieve her wellness dreams.
Shubra Aiyappa receives her certificate after a month of rigorous training
Actor Shubra Aiyappa recently decided to become a certified yoga instructor. Sharing her motivation around this step, she says, “I’ve been practising yoga for a few years now. The benefits of the practice drove me to go deep into it. This was definitely the most rewarding and transformative journey of my life.”
Despite the benefits, becoming a yoga instructor wasn’t an easy stint for the Thimayya & Thimayya (2022)actor. To work on her yoga practice, Aiyappa decided to cut off from the world for a month to join a yoga school in Mysuru. “We weren’t allowed to have our phones except for an hour during the day,” the 33-year-old actor shares, adding, “For the first few days, I couldn’t take this rigorous routine. I had some breakdowns and I kept asking why I chose to do this to myself. But, as time went on, I got used to it.”
In addition to the challenges at the school, Aiyappa admits she was terrified to put her acting on hold for a month. “There’s always an itch which makes you feel you’re missing a call or a scene that can change your life — It was really difficult for me to let that go. I was afraid I’d become irrelevant if I wasn’t active on social media. But that’s never the case. It was all about setting boundaries. I even put a film I’m currently doing on hold for this course,” the Prathinidhi (2014) actor quips.
The actor, now a certified yoga instructor, is happy to impart knowledge about the mind-and-body practice to her family and friends. Ask if she’s ready to take it professionally, she shares, “Teaching it professionally is not on the cards yet. I’ve always wanted to do something in the wellness space. While I don’t know how I’d execute it, I have some ongoing plans,” she signs off.
source: hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home / by Aayushi Parekh / March 06th, 2024
(Courtesy : rohanbopanna0403/insta and sriram.balaji/Insta)
Rohan Bopanna recently played against N Sriram Balaji at French Open 2024.
Indian tennis legend Rohan Bopanna has set his sights on the upcoming Paris Olympics , aiming for one last shot at an Olympic medal. According to reports, in an email sent to the All-India Tennis Association (AITA), Bopanna expressed his desire to partner with N. Sriram Balaji, who he recently played against in the French Open men’s doubles third round.
Bopanna’s decision comes after witnessing Balaji’s performance at the French Open 2024, where the latter and his Mexican partner MA Reyes-Varela Martinez faced off against Bopanna and Australia’s Matthew Ebden in the third round of the men’s doubles. Despite the loss, Balaji’s display convinced Bopanna that he would be the ideal partner for the Olympics.
Commenting on his decision, Bopanna told PTI from Paris, “I have sent an email to AITA,” adding that he would provide further remarks once he receives a response from the national federation.
AITA Secretary General Anil Dhupar has welcomed Bopanna’s choice, stating, “Rohan has written to us that he wants to play with Balaji, who is a good player. He played well in Pakistan also, rising to the occasion. He also did well on clay at ongoing French Open. Balaji is a big server. If Rohan wants to play with him, we have no objection to that.”
While Yuki Bhambri, India’s number two doubles player, was also considered for the partnership, the selection panel, led by former Davis Cupper Nandan Bal, has indicated their support for Bopanna’s decision.
Bal emphasized, “In my personal opinion, we should give Rohan what he wants. At the end of the day, it’s his last shot at an Olympic medal and if he feels that it is better to play with Balaji, he would be sure of the choice.”
The panel, which includes former Davis Cupper Balram Singh, Mustafa Ghouse, and Sai Jailakshmi, will convene to discuss the combination once the ITF releases the final list of qualified athletes after the French Open concludes. Bal noted, “Still we will discuss the combination whenever AITA convenes the meeting.”
The Olympic qualification process will consider the ATP/WTA rankings on June 10, with the ITF notifying all associations about their qualified athletes by June 12. National Olympic Committees have until June 19 to confirm their entries, and any unused quota places will be reallocated by the ITF on July 8.
As Bopanna, only the third Indian to win a Grand Slam title, prepares for his final Olympic appearance, he will be hoping to go one step further than his narrow miss in the mixed doubles event at the Rio Games with Sania Mirza.
source: http://www.khelnow.com / Khel Now / Home> Sports / by Ajay Gandhar / July 05th, 2024
Former MLC and International Karate expert from Kodagu, Cheppudira Arun Machaiah has been appointed as the new Joint Chairman of the Technical Commission of Karate India Organisation (KIO).
Director of World Shitorio Karate Council and President of All India Shitorio Karate Organisation, Arun is the first Kannadiga to achieve the highest post of KIO.
Indian mixed 4×400 relay team set a national record while winning the gold medal but missed the target of entering the Paris Olympics qualification bracket.
Women quartet of Vithya Ramraj, M R Poovamma, Prachi Choudhary and Rupal Chaudhary won the silver in the women’s 4x400m relay at the Asian Relay Championships in Bangkok on May 21, 2024. Photo: X/@India_AllSports
Fielding under-strength teams after having qualified for the Paris Olympics, both the men’s and women’s 4x400m quartets finished second at the inaugural Asian Relay Championships in Bangkok on May 21.
he women’s team of Vithya Ramraj, M R Poovamma, Prachi Choudhary and Rupal Chaudhary clocked 3 minutes 33.55 seconds to finish behind Vietnam (3:30.81) in the women’s 4x400m relay final, which was conducted amid thundershowers at the Suphachalasai National Stadium. Japan won the bronze medal with 3:35.45.
Vietnam runners were ahead all through the race.
Vithya and Prachi were not part of the Indian quartet that clocked 3 minutes and 29.35 seconds to book a Paris Olympics quota during the World Athletics Relays in Nassau, Bahamas earlier this month.
Jyothika Sri Dandi and Subha Venkatesan had teamed up with Poovamma and Rupal on that occasion.
The men’s quartet of Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Santosh Kumar, Mijo Chacko Kurian and Arokia Rajiv also failed to stand on top of the podium as they clocked 3:05.76 to finish second behind Sri Lanka (3:04.48). Vietnam was third with 3:07.37.
The Sri Lankan team was ahead after the first leg but Santosh put India in the lead in the second. Chacko kept India in the lead after the third leg but Sri Lanka’s anchor runner Hewa Kalinga Kumarge overtook Arokia at the final stretch.
Santosh and Chacko were not part of the Indian quartet that clocked 3 minutes and 3.23 seconds to book a Paris Olympics quota during the World Athletics Relays in Bahamas earlier this month.
Muhammed Ajmal and Amoj Jacob had teamed up with Muhammed Anas Yahiya and Arokia Rajiv on that occasion.
Muhammed Ajmal and Amoj Jacob had teamed up with Jyothika Sri Dandi and Subha Venkatesan for the mixed 4x400m race on Monday as India was aiming to enter the Paris Olympics bracket in that event. The quartet was the first choice members of the mixed 4x400m team and they were thus not fielded on Tuesday in the men’s and women’s relays.
On Monday, the Indian mixed 4×400 relay team set a national record while winning the gold medal but missed the target of entering the Paris Olympics qualification bracket.
The quartet of Muhammed Ajmal, Jyothika Sri Dandi, Amoj Jacob and Subha Venkatesan clocked 3 minutes 14.12 seconds to win the race. The earlier national record of 3:14.34 was clocked by the Indian team while winning silver medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year.
Monday’s timing would put the Indian mixed 4x400m team at the 21st place — from earlier 23rd — in the Road to Paris list of World Athletics while the aim was to be either in the 15th or 16th spot.
India, thus, is in a difficult position to make the Olympics cut as only sixteen teams will compete in the mixed 4x400m relay event in Paris.
India’s target on Monday was to at least better 3:13.56 and sit at the 16th spot, but the country failed to do so.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sports> Athletics / by PTI – Bangkok / May 21st, 2024
The 18-year-old from Karnataka is making giant strides on the big circuit.
Karnataka’s Unnathi Aiyappa is headed to the World Athletics U20 Championships to be held in Lima, Peru in August after qualifying in both the women’s 100m hurdles and 200m events. Credit: PTI Photo
Bengaluru:
Unnathi Aiyappa is in the midst of a transitional period. It is a phase where every decision the teen athlete makes in the present is to help her leapfrog towards cementing future goals. Her recent results are a testimony to this.
After having already qualified for the women’s World Athletics Under-20 Championships 100m hurdles to be held in Lima (Peru) from August 27-31, the 18-year-old from Karnataka breached the qualification mark for the 200m race as well by winning the gold at the National Senior Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar on Monday with a personal best timing of 23.85 seconds.
Less than a month ago, the youngster had finished with a bronze medal in the 100m hurdles at the Asian U-20 Athletics Championships in Dubai.
“Our main goal is to get Unnathi to become a 400m hurdler,” says father and coach BP Aiyappa. “Whatever we are doing now with the 100m hurdles and 200m is a preparation towards that goal,” he adds.
Speaking about the races over the last few days, Unnathi, who ran a mistake-laden semifinal where she was slow off the blocks and in the curve, focussed on overcoming the flaws in the final where she was chasing time more than the gold. The ‘unexpected win was extra special, says the girl from Kodagu as she beat seasoned sprinter Srabani Nanda in a photo finish for her first medal at a senior meet.
“We will get her to compete in four more events before the World Juniors and based on the progress in both the events (200m and 100m hurdles), my idea is to enter in only one event in Lima. I don’t want to put too much load on her body as a junior and she will focus on these two disciplines for another year-and-a-half. We will completely switch to 400m hurdles only after that,” explained Aiyappa.
“The 400m hurdles has a rhythm to it which is addictive. But 400m is just going all out. It’s boring,” says the daughter of Olympian Pramila Aiyappa.
If fine-tuning her running skills or blazing the tracks is her primary vocation, the teen is part of a growing brigade of Indian women athletes who enjoy upping the fashion quotient while competing or off it.
“I recently learnt how to braid my hair. I wore some eye-liner and lipstick and did some nail art for the first-time while racing in Dubai and here. It is important to look pretty when you win. No?!,” reasons Unnathi, who takes inspiration from USA’s sprint star Sha’Carri Richardson.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Sports> Other Sports / by Hita Prakash / May 15th, 2024
Abhay Singh and Velavan Senthilkumar clinched a gold medal in the men’s doubles category with a commanding 2-0 victory in the HCL Nationals Doubles Championship here on Wednesday (May 15).
In the women’s doubles category, Pooja Arthi and Rathika Seelan secured the top spot with a thrilling 2-1 win. Abhay Singh teamed up with Joshna Chinappa to clinch gold in the mixed doubles category.
The HCL Nationals Doubles Championship, a collaborative effort between HCL and the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI), concluded with resounding success at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai from May 13th to May 15th, 2024.
Marking a significant milestone in India’s squash history, this event, part of the HCL Squash Podium Program, revived the Doubles Squash Championship after a hiatus of 17 years.
The winners were honoured by esteemed dignitaries, including Chief Guest Dr Atulya Misra, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Government, and Thulasimathi Murugesan, the gold medalist from the Asian Para Games 2022, who graced the finale ceremony as the guest of honour.
India’s recent success in doubles squash on the international stage, particularly at the Asian Games, served as a catalyst for HCL to reintroduce the Doubles Squash Championship. This initiative aimed to inject renewed enthusiasm into the sport and provide a platform for emerging talents to showcase their skills in doubles play.
Rajat Chandolia, AVP and Head of Brand at HCL, expressed delight at the enthusiastic participation of squash players in the championship. He congratulated all the winners and participants, highlighting HCL’s commitment to supporting Indian players and elevating squash to new heights through initiatives like the Squash Podium Program.
Cyrus Poncha, Secretary General of SRFI, hailed the resurgence of doubles squash in India, attributing it to the collaborative efforts of SRFI and HCL. He stressed upon the significance of nurturing talented players and expressed confidence in the bright future of Indian squash.
“I am truly excited to see the renaissance of doubles squash in India, thanks to the mutual efforts of SRFI and HCL. It was truly thrilling to see the clashes between the double pairs. I believe that Indian Squash has a bright future and the stars of tomorrow will emerge from these events. Our association with HCL has been monumental for the sport and our combined efforts will continue to nurture talented players,” said Poncha.
Abhay Singh, who emerged victorious in both the men’s and mixed doubles categories, expressed his gratitude to HCL and SRFI for organising the championship. Looking ahead, he expressed determination to excel at the Asian Doubles Championship in Malaysia.
Abhay Singh, said, “I have always been interested in playing in the doubles category. I thank HCL and SRFI for organising this championship after a long time in India. I have played with Velavan in Commonwealth but this was my first time playing doubles with Joshna. It is such an honour to team up with her. I was sure that I would win in both categories but now it’s time to win gold at the Asian Doubles Championship in Malaysia.”
The championship showcased gripping matches, including the finals contested by pairs such as Abhay Singh & Velavan Senthilkumar, Rahul Baitha & Suraj Chand in the men’s category, Pooja Arthi & Rathika Seelan, and Janet Vidhi & Nirupama Dubey in the women’s category, and Abhay Singh & Joshna Chinappa, and Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu & Rathika Seelan in the mixed doubles category.
The HCL National Doubles Championship not only celebrated sporting excellence but also marked a significant step forward in the resurgence of doubles squash in India, promising an exciting future for the sport and its talented athletes.
Its game time – play now!
source: http://www.mykhel.com / MyKhel.com / Home> MyKhel Sports / by MyKhel Team / May 15th, 2024
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