Indian players celebrtaing after the win at Edgbaston Twitter/@IBSAGames2023
The visually challenged Indian women’s cricket team, on Saturday, scripted history winning a gold medal beating Australia by nine wickets at the IBSA World Games.
India restricted Australia for 114/8 in the allotted 20 overs and then chased down the revised target of 42 in 3.3 overs. Cricket for visually challenged made its debut in International Blind Sports Federation World Games this year. This was the first final in the World Games and India won the ultimate showdown beating Australia by nine wickets in a rain-affected final.
India’s Prannoy H. S. in action in his men’s semi final singles match against Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn during the BWF World Championship at the Royal Arena in Copenhagen, Denmark, Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023.. (Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)
As brilliant as the second set 4-0 lead with an injection of pace was for HS Prannoy, his constant pushing of the accelerator was a dead giveaway that he wanted this World Championships semifinal wrapped up in two sets.
His opponent Kunlavut Vitidsarn loves to bide his time and go after the attacking players’ desperation to finish, and his patient game at the India Open had claimed Viktor Axelsen earlier this year in a similar way.
He has the strokes of his Thai hero Boonsak Ponsana, and the defensive resilience of another idol, Kento Momota, and he’s coached by Ratchanok Intanon’s coach Udom Luangphetcharaporn, so he’s trained to prey on the restlessness of opponents while he glides around the court and makes fluid strokes without getting hassled by pace.
The Olympic champion breached the automatic qualifying mark of 83.00m with his season-best throw of 88.77m. Manu DP and Kishore Jena also progressed to the final.
India’s Neeraj Chopra progressed to the men’s javelin throw final at the World Athletics Championships 2023 after topping the qualifying round in Budapest, Hungary, on Friday.
Competing in slightly overcast conditions, Neeraj Chopra produced a season’s best throw of 88.77m with his first attempt to gain a direct entry into the final scheduled on Sunday. The automatic qualifying mark was 83.00m. The 25-year-old Indian athlete did not go for his next two attempts.
On Day 6⃣ of World #Athletics Championships, Golden boy @Neeraj_chopra1 keeps up with our expectations 🥳
The distance of 88.77m also saw Neeraj Chopra breach the Paris 2024 Olympic entry standard in javelin throw. The qualification window for the Paris 2024 Olympics for track and field athletes began on July 1, 2023. The entry standard for the men’s javelin throw event for the upcoming Summer Games is 85.50m.
Achieving the entry standard is just one part of the Olympic qualification process. National Olympic Committees have the final say as to whether an athlete will be selected to the NOC team for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Neeraj Chopra, the Tokyo 2020 champion and 2022 world championships silver medallist, holds India’s national record of 89.94m. The Indian javelin ace achieved his previous season-best of 88.67 at the Doha Diamond League in May.
Aug 20, 2023; Mason, OH, USA; Novak Djokovic (SRB) kisses the Rookwood Cup after the victory over Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) during the menÕs singles final of the Western and Southern Open tennis tournament at Lindner Family Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
Novak Djokovic overcame a match point and stifling heat to beat world number one Carlos Alcaraz 5-7 7-6(7) 7-6(4) and win the Cincinnati Open in a heart-pounding thriller on Sunday.
Djokovic collapsed on his back and ripped his shirt open after triumphing in the nearly four-hour contest to get revenge for his loss to the young Spaniard in last month’s Wimbledon final.
“So much to say and so little energy,” Djokovic said while collecting his third Cincinnati Open title.
“It has been a roller coaster and definitely one of the toughest and most exciting matches that I’ve ever been a part of in any tournament.
“It did feel like a Grand Slam final, even more than that, to be honest.”
The Serb was hobbled by the intense humidity in the tail end of the first set, barely moving when Alcaraz hit a backhand winner to grab the opener.
Alcaraz raced out to a 4-2 second-set lead and it appeared he might cruise to the finish line as his 36-year-old opponent looked cooked in the Ohio sun.
But Alcaraz would produce a poor service game while leading 4-3 that included four unforced errors to give life to the world number two.
In the second-set tiebreak Djokovic saved a championship point and went on to force a deciding set after winning a 25-shot rally.
During the break before the third set, a frustrated Alcaraz pounded his right hand against the plastic drinks container next to his chair, requiring a medical time out to tape his finger.
In the decider, Djokovic broke for a 5-3 lead but would then squander two match points in the next game.
The drama would continue when Djokovic missed an overhead for 5-5 and the players would ultimately arrive at another tiebreak, which Djokovic won on his fifth match point of the contest.
