New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) When former England manager Gareth Southgate announced his squad for the 2024 Euros in Germany, many people questioned his choice on the left flank as he had left out both Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford. Southgate instead chose Anthony Gordon, who played for just one minute in the tournament that ended a few weeks back.

In an interview, Grealish has opened up on how not being in the squad was perhaps the ‘most difficult thing he has ever faced in his career’

“I’ll be honest it was probably, football-wise, the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to deal with in my career. I was absolutely heartbroken and then obviously when you’re on your holidays, wherever I was, every time you turn on the phone or turn on the TV or whatever, you just see it. So it was hard not to see it,” said Grealish to The Athletic.

Grealis joined Manchester City in 2021 for a massive fee of 100m British Pounds after being the star player for Aston Villa. He has gone on to make 125 appearances for the club while racking up a menial 14 goals and 18 assists which has seen many people question his price tag over the years.

“In my first season at City, I don’t think I performed as well as I could and in the second season I played in a lot of the games and that was down to the first season. I had wanted to come back stronger and I certainly did that, so hopefully I can do that again,” he added.

Grealish is now more motivated than ever to turn his career around starting this season, Manchester City will be playing against FC Barcelona and Chelsea FC in their remaining pre-season friendlies before getting set to face local rivals Manchester United in the Community Shield Cup match on August 10.

“This is my chance to get my fitness, to have a two-week head start and try to be as fit as possible. And I’m playing with confidence. I feel like that’s what I need, and fingers crossed I can do that,” concluded Jack.

–IANS

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Chateauroux (France), July 30 (IANS) While the whole of India was waiting to hear Sarabjot Singh after he and Manu Bhaker scripted history in the Paris Olympic Games, the 22-year-old shooter was asked by his mother to call later as she was busy. Sarabjot and Manu on Tuesday bagged India’s second medal in Paris, becoming the first shooters from India to win an Olympic medal in a team event.

Following the victory, Sarabjot spoke to IANS and revealed the conversation he had with his mother following his triumph.

‘I spoke to my mother, and she said, ‘Mai busy hun, baad me baat karna mere se (Talk to me later I am busy)’,” said Sarabjot to IANS.

The shooter from Ambala district of Haryana opened up on his feelings post the event and has stated he ‘is not satisfied’ with his performance and is already thinking ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“My journey started when I was very young and this medal is very good for me but I am still not satisfied with my performance as I feel I faced a lot of technique issues this time, but I will do even better in 2028,” added the bronze medallist.

Before the Mixed Team event, Sarabjot had finished ninth in the Qualification Round of the men’s 10m Air Pistol Individual event on Saturday, narrowly missing out on a spot in the final. He ended with a score of 577 points after 60 shots, tied with Germany’s Robin Walter but was eliminated having hit the inner 10’s one time less than his German opponent.

“I have gotten a lot to learn from my time here. I have learned about how to deal with pressure, work on my breathing, and what kind of mentality is required at this stage. I will go to my room and reflect on it all,” he concluded.

Sarabjot is referring to the bronze medal match against South Korea in which he and Manu displayed tremendous amounts of resilience and mental toughness to stop the late charge from the South Koreans and win the match 16-10.

–IANS

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Chateauroux, July 30 (IANS) When 13-year-old Sarabjot Singh first told his farmer father that he wanted to stop playing football and take up shooting, Jatinder Singh dissuaded him as it cost a lot to pursue the expensive sport. But Jitender Singh eventually relented when his son continued to urge him for the next few months, asking to be allowed to pursue his new-found hobby.

The hard work and sacrifice by the father with modest means eventually paved the way for a historic moment as Sarabjot on Tuesday bagged a bronze medal for India in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event at the Paris Olympic Games, becoming part of the first Indian pair to win an Olympic medal in the team event.

Sarabjot’s journey to an Olympic medal is one littered with setbacks and disappointments. But he persisted and now is reaping the reward for his perseverance and hard work.

If his journey to the Olympics was marked by sweat and toil, his time at the Games was not easy either.

Disappointed after finishing ninth in the men’s 10m Air Pistol Individual event, India’s Sarabjot Singh on Tuesday bounced back to clinch his maiden Olympic bronze medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event, partnering with Manu Bhaker. In the individual event, Sarabjot, who hails from Dheen village of Ambala district in Haryana, was edged out by German Robin Walter by the slimmest of margins in the men’s 10m Air Pistol event, just one inner 10 shot less.

But Sarabjot made sure his next outing in Paris didn’t go to waste.

Manu and Sarabjot qualified for the bronze medal match with a score of 580 in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Qualification Round, finishing third overall.

In the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team bronze medal match, Sarabjot and Manu faced the South Korean duo of Oh Ye Jin and Lee Won Ho at the Chateauroux Shooting Range. The match saw some tense moments, particularly when the Koreans mounted a comeback, but the Indian pair held its nerves to secure a 16-10 victory. This win not only secured India a bronze medal but also marked a significant milestone in Sarabjot’s burgeoning career.

The 22-year-old Sarabjot took to shooting on seeing a few kids playing with air guns at a makeshift range during a summer camp. He was 13 then and harboured hopes of becoming a footballer.

But seeing the kids aiming at paper targets with pistols stayed in his mind and changed the course of his life.

In 2014, Sarabjot told his father that he wanted to pursue shooting. His father Jitender Singh initially discouraged him considering the high cost of the sport but eventually relented after Sarabjot’s interest persisted.

Sarabjot repaid the faith five years later by winning gold in the ISSF Junior World Championship at Suhl, Germany in 2019.

Though Sarabjot’s journey in shooting began in a rather humble setting — at a school camp organized in a village near Ambala, his rise under coach Shakti Rana has been meteoric.

Though the camp’s limited resources meant that one pistol had to be shared among more than 30 trainees, Sarabjot’s interest persisted. When the academy closed in 2016, Sarabjot’s passion for shooting led him to the Shooters Terrace Academy at Ambala Cantt, where he trained under coach Abhishek Rana. The commute was challenging; with no direct buses from his village, Sarabjot would ride his bicycle to a friend’s house and then catch a bus to the academy.

It wasn’t until early 2017 that Sarabjot’s father could afford to buy him his first pistol. This was after Sarabjot won a youth bronze medal at the National Shooting Championship, a testament to his potential.

Sarabjot has many times said that his father’s support and sacrifice, especially considering their modest means, were crucial in his rise.

In 2019, he won gold at the Junior World Cup and Asian Championships, earning his first cash award from the Haryana Government the following year. His stellar performances continued, with two World Cup titles in the last 18 months and a bronze at the Asian Championships last year, where he secured a quota for India at the Paris Olympics. His consistent form was evident in the Olympic trials, where he posted impressive scores of 579, 581, 581, and 584.

Achievements:

Asian Games (2022) – Gold medal in team event & Silver medal in mixed team event.

Asian Championship, Korea (2023) – Bronze medal in the 10m air pistol individual event along with Olympics 2024 quota place for the country.

World Cup, Bhopal (2023) – Gold medal in the Individual event

World Cup, Baku, (2023) – Gold medal in Mixed Team event

Junior World Cup, Suhl (2022) – 1 Gold medal in team event & 2 Silver medals in individual & mixed team events.

Junior World Championship, Lima (2021) – 2 Gold medals in team & mixed team events.

–IANS

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Chateauroux, July 30 (IANS) Manu-Sarabjot created history and became the first duo to bring home a medal in a team shooting event for India.

Following the historic achievement, Khel Ratna awardee shooter Ronjan Sodhi hailed the duo for their unbelievable display, saying, “It’s amazing, another medal for India from shooting, bronze, and Manu scripted history. She is the only athlete to win two medals in the same edition (post independence) which is not possible other than a few sports like swimming and badminton,” Sodhi told IANS.

Team India defeated the South Korean duo of Lee Wonho and Oh Ye Jin 16-10 in the bronze medal playoff in the Chateauroux. Despite taking an early 8-2 lead, South Korea fought back into the match and were close to completing what could have been a huge upset.

Sodhi went on to praise the Korean side and talked about how fans can expect more medals from the shooting events.

“Korea is a very strong team but they shot really well, both of them. Kudos to them (India) for pulling of such a beautiful win and congratulations to the entire country,” he added.

“It (Olympics) has just started and there is lots to come. Don’t forget the 3P events, pistol, rapid fire, shotgun, and trap (event) is going on. They have all trained hard and focus on what they have done in training,” concluded Sodhi.

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 30 (IANS) Syrian defender Thaer Krouma has signed a contract extension with Mumbai City, which will keep him with the Islanders until the summer of 2025.

Krouma had initially joined Mumbai City late in January 2024 on a short-term contract that had lasted until the end of the 2023/24 season. Since his arrival, Krouma had become a key player for the Islanders, strengthening the team with his crucial play and contributions. In his short time in the Indian Super League (ISL), the experienced defender played 13 games, making eight interceptions, 48 recoveries, and six blocks.

The 34-year-old Syrian was instrumental in Mumbai City’s successful 2023/24 season, culminating in their ISL Cup victory over Mohun Bagan SG with a 3-1 win in the final.

“I am thrilled to extend my stay with Mumbai City for another year. What began as an exciting challenge has turned into a truly enjoyable experience, playing in the light blue jersey. The team has shown immense trust in me, and as we strive for more success this year, I am committed to giving my all for the club. Mumbai City is one of the top teams in India, and we should always be competing for titles,” Krouma said in a statement.

Krouma was also a key part of Syria’s impressive run at the 2024 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar. The Syrian team conceded only two goals throughout the tournament before losing to Iran in a penalty shootout in the Round of 16.

Throughout his career, the versatile Krouma, who can also play in defensive midfield, has primarily played in his home country of Syria and the top-flight divisions of Iraq, Lebanon, and Bahrain.

Mumbai City FC head coach Petr Kratky said: “Krouma is a solid and formidable defender who brings creativity to our game, fitting seamlessly into our system. Last season, he proved incredibly reliable, and I am delighted to have him in the squad for the upcoming season. His experience at the highest level is invaluable, making him a key part of our setup. I wish him the best for the season ahead.”

–IANS

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