Sports Aug-23
Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal won Tampere Challenger 2023
In straight sets, Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal secured the Tampere Open 2023 title by defeating Dalibor Svrcina of the Czech Republic held in Finland This was Sumit Nagal’s fourth ATP Challenger title overall. It was the second Challenger title of the season after the one in Rome, and the fourth Challenger title of his career for the 25-year-old Nagal.
2023 Tampere Open:
- Edition: 41st
- Location: Tampere, Finland
Champions:
- Singles: Sumit Nagal (India)
- Doubles: Szymon Kielan (Poland) / Piotr Matuszewski (Poland)
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty lift Korea Open Badminton men’s doubles title
Asian Champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty continued their winning streak by lifting the Korea Open Badminton men’s doubles title in Yeosu. The Indian duo defeated the world no. one pair of Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto of Indonesia. Satwik and Chirag, who has won the Indonesia Super 1000 and Swiss Open Super 500 titles this year will look to add another feather to their already decorated cap with a win in the Korea Open.
2023 Champions:
- Men’s singles: Anders Antonsen (Denmark)
- Women’s singles: An Se-young (South Korea)
- Men’s doubles: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy (India), Chirag Shetty (India)
- Women’s doubles: Chen Qingchen (China), Jia Yifan (China) Mixed doubles: Feng Yanzhe (China), Huang Dongping (China)
- Founded: 1 May 1949
- Chairman: Ahmad Shehzad Farooq Rana (Acting Election Commissioner)
- CEO: Faisal Hasnain
- Men’s coach: Saqlain Mushtaq
- Women’s coach: David Hemp
- Formation: 1934
- Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- President: Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen
- Capital: Canberra
- Governor-General: David Hurley
- Prime Minister: Anthony Albanese
- Currency: Australian dollar
- Formation: 2 July 2010
- Head: Sima Sami Bahous
- Founded: 21 May 1904
- Headquarters: Zürich, Switzerland
- President: Gianni Infantino
- Men’s singles: Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)
- Women’s singles: Markéta Vondroušová (Czech Republic)
- Men’s doubles: Wesley Koolhof (Netherlands) / Neal Skupski (United Kingdom)
- Women’s doubles: Hsieh Su-wei (Chinese Taipei) / Barbora Strýcová (Czech Republic)
- Founded: 21 May 1904
- Headquarters: Zürich, Switzerland
- President: Gianni Infantino
- Teams: 9
- Champions: Netherlands (2nd title)
- Runner-up : Great Britain
- Third place: Belgium
- Matches played: 72
- Goals scored: 348
- Top scorer(s): India Harmanpreet Singh (18 goals)
- Formation: 1997
- Headquarters: Banani, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Membership: 7 member associations (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka)
- President: Kazi Salahuddin (Bangladesh)
- General Secretary: Anwarul Haq Hela (Bangladesh)
- Edition: 3rd
- Location: Santa Ponsa, Spain
- Singles: Christopher Eubanks (United States)
- Doubles: Yuki Bhambri (India) / Lloyd Harris (South Africa)
Pakistan cricketer Ayesha Naseem retires aged 18
Pakistan women’s national cricket team batter Ayesha Naseem has announced her retirement aged 18. She made her international debut against Thailand in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020. Ayesha recorded her final appearance for Pakistan against Australia in 2023. Ayesha has represented her nation in 30 T20Is and four ODIs, scoring 369 and 33 runs respectively, in the two formats. She abruptly declared her retirement from the game in order to live a more pious life in accordance with Islam.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) :
Indian Surf Team wins bronze medal at Asian Surfing Championship in Maldives
Indian Surf Team won the bronze medal at the Asian Surfing Championship, held at Thulisdhoo Island in Maldives. 18 countries from Asia took part in this championship. The Surfing Federation of India sent a team comprising 4 senior Surfers in the men’s category and 2 Surfers in the Under 18 category. Srikanth from Kovalam, Tamil Nadu made it to the semi-finals in the Men’s Category. The Surfing team finished overall 3rd with a bronze medal. Indian Surfers will now get ready for the first-ever World Surfing League (WSL) event in India to be held in Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu from August 14 to 20 this year
ISSF Junior World C’ships: Harmehar Singh Lally, Sanjana Sood win silver medal in skeet mixed team event
Indian pair of Harmehar Singh Lally and Sanjana Sood bagged a silver medal in the skeet mixed team event in the International Shooting Sport Federation Junior World Championships in Changwon, Korea. Harmehar and Sanjana had to endure a grueling 52- shot shoot-off, which they won 26-24 eventually, enroute to the final, where they lost 38-43 to Italian duo of Andrea Galardini and Sara Bongini. Harmehar and Sanjana shot a combined 140 out of 150 in qualification, but found themselves tied for second place with American pair of Benjamin Keller and Jessi Griffin. The Italians had topped the 16-team field with a score of 141.
Shuttler Rankireddy sets Guinness World Record for fastest badminton smash
Indian shuttler Satwiksairaj Rankireddy managed to feature in the Guinness World Record by striking the fastest smash in the ongoing Korea Open 2023. He broke the record of Malaysian Tan Boon Heong by surpassing his speed by 72 kmph and registered a record-breaking speed of 565 kmph. He and his partner, Chirag Shetty, are the only men’s doubles pair from India to win the BWF World Tour 1000 & be ranked inside the top 10 of the BWF World Ranking. The 2023 Korea Open is a badminton tournament that is going to take place at Jinnam Stadium in Yeosu, South Korea, from 18 to 23 July 2023. The tournament has a total prize pool of $420,000. The 2023 Korea Open is the fifth Super 500 tournament of the 2023 BWF World Tour and is part of the Korea Open championships, which had been held since 1991. This tournament is going to be organized by the Badminton Korea Association with sanction from the BWF.
Badminton World Federation:
Australia pulls out of hosting Commonwealth Games 2026
Australia’s state of Victoria has withdrawn from hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games (CWG). Reason: Due to a significant increase in projected costs, reaching around $7 billion, exceeding their budgetary limits. Victoria stepped in to bid for the 2026 Games when no other countries showed interest. The event rotates across different host cities within the Commonwealth. It was first held in 1930.
Australia:
UN Women, FIFA to hold Women’s World Cup
UN Women and FIFA are teaming up during the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup to advance gender equality in football and prevent abuse and discrimination on and off the field. The 2023 tournament scheduled from 20 july to 20 august in Australia and NewZealand. To address some of these challenges and advance in closing the gender gap in football, FIFA raised the prize money for 2023 Women’s World Cup to $150 million — triple the amount in 2019 — as part of a three-step gender equality plan. “Football Unites the World” campaign will highlight major gender equality issues during the tournament. Five other UN Agencies have joined the “Football Unites the World” cause activation, including UNESCO, UNHCR, UN Human Rights Commission, World Food Programme and World Health Organization.
UN Women:
FIFA:
Ajeet Singh clinches gold medal in Para Athletics Championships in Paris
In Para Athletics, Ajeet Singh has clinched the gold medal in the finals of the Men’s javelin throw F46 in the ongoing Championships in Paris. He topped the event with a throw of 65. 41. He broke the championship record, which was earlier held by Chunliang Guo of China with a throw of 61. 89. Another countryman, Rinku won the silver medal with a best throw of 65. 38. Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Priyantha Herath finished joint second with Rinku. India’s Sundar Singh Gujjar bagged the fourth position with a throw of 61. 81.
World Para Athletics Championships:
Prior to 2017 it was known as the IPC Athletics World Championships, is held every two years and focuses on Paralympic athletics. These championships are organised by World Para Athletics, a subcommittee of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Competition includes a variety of athletics events specifically designed for athletes with physical and intellectual disabilities. The IPC Athletics World Championships were held for the first time in 1994 in Berlin, Germany.
Alcaraz beats defending champion Djokovic to win Wimbledon 2023
Wimbledon 2023 men’s singles final in which Carlos Alcaraz beat four-time defending champion Novak Djokovic to win his maiden title at The Championships. Marketa Vondrousova becomes Wimbledon champion, the first unseeded player to do so in the Open Era. She beats last year’s runner-up Ons Jabeur in the final.
2023 champions:
With 27 Medals, India Finish Third at Asian Athletics Championships
Parul Chaudhary and Jyothi Yarraji won their second medals in the competition but India could not get any more gold on the final day, winning 12 medals on the final day to take third place in the Asian Athletics Championship 2023 with a total of 27 medals including six gold medals. Besides the six gold medals, India bagged 12 silver medals and nine bronze in the event being held after a gap of four years after the 2021 edition in Hangzhou was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. India finished third, in terms of gold medals, behind Japan 37 (16 gold, 11 silver, 10 bronze) and China 22 (8 gold, 8 silver, 6 bronze) while Sri Lanka are fourth with eight medals, 3 gold, two silver and three bronze.
Star performer for India:
Sprinter Jyothi Yarraji added a silver to the gold she won in the women’s 100m hurdles. Jyothi came up with a brilliant sprint to clock a season-best timing of 23. 13 seconds to win silver in women’s 200m. Parul Chaudhary also won her second medal of the event, a silver in the women’s 5000m race, adding to the gold she won in the 3000m steeplechase. Parul clocked 15 minutes 52. 35 seconds for silver and India made a double podium finish in the event as Ankita claimed the bronze medal by clocking 16:03. 33 in the fiveday event being held at the National Stadium in Bangkok.
India shooter Prithviraj Tondaiman bags Bronze medal at ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Italy
In shooting, India shooter Prithviraj Tondaiman bagged the bronze medal in the men’s trap event at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup Lonato 2023 in Italy. Prithviraj Tondaiman’s bronze was India’s only medal at the Lonato shooting meet. This was his second individual ISSF World Cup medal, having won a bronze in Doha in March. Prithviraj Tondaiman finished third in the final with 34 points. Britain’s Nathan Hales won the gold medal with 49 points while Qi Ying of the Republic of China bagged the silver medal with 48 points. In the women’s trap event, none of the Indians managed to progress beyond the qualification round. Overall, India finished ninth in the medals tally at Lonato, which was topped by the USA with two golds and one silver. The ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Italy was a qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
FIFA lifts Zimbabwe ban
Football’s global governing body FIFA has lifted a ban on Zimbabwe from participating in world tournaments. FIFA banned Zimbabwe from international matches in February 2022. The ban followed a government-sanctioned dissolution of an elected national football body, the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA), an affiliate of FIFA. The end of FIFA’s suspension means Zimbabwe will be part of the African qualifiers for the next World Cup.
International Association Football Federation(FIFA):
Para-shooter Rudransh creates world record on way to pistol gold at WSPS World Cup, Avani falters
India para-shooters Rudransh Khandelwal and Nihal Singh won the gold and silver respectively in the P4 Mixed 50m pistol SH1 category at the World Shooting Para Sport (WSPS) World Cup. The 16- year-old Rudransh created a world record in the event, shooting a score of 231. 1 in the final, while Nihal shot 222. 2 to finish second. Rudransh broke the world record of Khel Ratna awardee Manish Narwal, who won gold at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.
World Shooting Para Sport (WSPS) World Cup.
The World Shooting Para Sport Championships, originally known as the IPC Shooting World Championships, are the world championships for shooting where athletes with a disability compete. They are organised by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) on a four year rotation with the Paralympic Games. The Championships are open to both men and women, with two main classifications, SH1 and SH2. SH1 classification shooting events include pistols and rifles, while SH2 events are rifles only.
FIH Pro League: Indian men finish fourth as Netherlands beat Britain in final
The Indian men’s hockey team finished fourth in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2022-23. Spain, who had beaten Germany in their earlier encounter, finished fifth after India. The Netherlands (35 points from 16 matches) saw off challengers Great Britain (32 points) to successfully defend their crown. Belgium, with 30 points, finished above India in the table courtesy of having more wins to their name (10 vs India’s eight).
FIH Hockey Pro League 2022-23
The 2022–23 Men’s FIH Pro League was the fourth edition of the Men’s FIH Pro League, a field hockey championship for men’s national teams. The tournament began in October 2022 and finished in July 2023.
World Archery Youth Championships: Indian pair Priyansh & Avneet Kaur win gold in junior mixed team compound event in Ireland
Indian archers Priyansh and Avneet Kaur won gold in the junior mixed team compound event, defeating Israel in the final of the World Archery Youth Championships in Limerick, Ireland. The Indian players beat Israel with a close score of 146-144. India’s Manav Jadhav and Aishwarya Sharma also won a bronze medal defeating Mexico in the cadet mixed compound event. The World Archery Youth Championships, an international competition in archery, have been held in alternate years since 1991 each time in a different host city
India lifts SAFF Championships trophy for ninth time
India defeated Kuwait 5-4 in the penalty shoot-out to lift the SAFF Championships trophy 2023 held at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, Karnataka. India recorded its win for the ninth time in the SAFF Championships trophy. Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh again turned out as the hero for the Indian side, saving the final kick from the Kuwaiti captain. The Indian team made it to the final after beating Lebanon in a semi-final while Kuwait defeated Bangladesh in the other last-four clash.
SAFF Championship: Most successful team: India (9 titles) (1993, 1997, 1999, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2021, 2023) South Asian Football Federation (SAFF):
Yuki Bhambri wins maiden ATP doubles title in Mallorca, Spain
In Tennis, India’s Yuki Bhambri clinched his maiden title on the ATP World Tour, winning the doubles trophy at the Mallorca Championships with South African partner Lloyd Harris, in Spain. The IndoSouth African pair defeated the Dutch-Austrian combo of Robin Hasse and Philipp Oswald.
2023 Mallorca Championships:
Champions:
Dipika-Harinder pair wins Asian mixed doubles squash championship
Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Harinderpal Singh Sandhu defeated Rachel Arnold and Ivan Yuen in the final to win the Asian mixed doubles squash championship in Hangzhou, China. The other Indian duo, Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh won the Bronze medal. The mixed doubles event is being held as a trial event for the Hangzhou Asian Games in September as China prepares to host the 19th Asian Games in September this year. China is also hosting an Asian-level squash mixed doubles competition for the first time.
Star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra clinches Lausanne Diamond League title.
Star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra clinched the Lausanne Diamond League 2023 title with the best throw of 87. 66 meters. Germany’s Julian Webber slid secured second place with a best throw of 87. 03 meter while Jakub Vadlech of the Czech Republic got third place with an 86. 13 meter throw. The Indian superstar, who has a personal best of 89. 94m, cemented his top spot in the Diamond League standings with 16 points, followed by Vadlejch (13 points) and Weber (12 points).
India break into top 100 of FIFA ranking after 5 years
The Indian men’s national football team have moved one spot to be ranked 100 in the latest FIFA rankings. This is the first time in around five years that India have made it to the top 100 of the FIFA rankings. The jump now sees India as the 18th-ranked team in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Top 10 FIFA Rankings – June, 2023
- Argentina
- France
- Brazil
- England
- Belgium
- Croatia
- Netherlands
- Italy
- Portugal
- Spain
Kolkata Team Emerges Victorious in Historic Dubai Women’s Kabaddi Final
Women’s Kabaddi, Dubai hosted the world’s first international Women’s Kabaddi final, featuring the Punjab Panthers vs Uma Kolkata. This match concluded with the Uma Kolkata team emerging as champions, securing a grand prize of ₹10,000,000. The Punjab team demonstrated commendable skills and earned the second position, receiving a prize of ₹5,000,000. The inaugural edition of India’s first-ever Women’s Kabaddi League (WKL) commenced with great fanfare in Dubai.
Carlos Alcaraz wins Queen’s title
World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz clinched his first title on grass as the Spaniard defeated Alex de Minaur of Australia at Queen’s Club. This victory also means that the 20-year-old will overtake Novak Djokovic to be the men’s World No. 1, and will play at the upcoming grass-court Wimbledon Championships as the top seed. Alcaraz’s triumph at The Queen’s Club marks his fifth ATP Tour title of the season, a feat that puts him on par with Daniil Medvedev for the most titles won this year.
2023 Queen’s Club Championships – Doubles
- Champions: Ivan Dodig (Croatia), Austin Krajicek (United States)
- Runners-up: Taylor Fritz (United States), Jiří Lehečka (Czech Republic)|