Bengaluru, July 1 (IANS) With the Indian team gearing up for the Paris Olympic Games which is 25 days away, excitement is mounting in P.R. Sreejesh’s household where his family eagerly awaits the hockey star to play his fourth Olympic Games, a record so far held by the legendary Dhanraj Pillay.

In a freewheeling conversation with Hockey Te Charcha, Familia – a special series launched by Hockey India ahead of the Olympic Games where family members of Indian hockey stars share insights into the support system at home that allows the players to chase their dreams, Aneeshya Sreejesh opened up about the champion’s journey in the sport.

“We were classmates and have known each other for 22 years. I was an athlete at that time. I have seen his whole journey, right from when he was struggling. It is great to see him achieve his goals now.”

An ayurvedic doctor herself, Aneeshya juggles her career while taking care of everything at home when her husband is away, showing the incredible amount of support from the family that goes into having a successful career like Sreejesh. “The real struggle is spending time away from him. He’s doing really well for the country so taking care of the kids at home is the least I could do,” she said modestly.

Ahead of the Paris Olympic Games, Aneeshya said, there is immense excitement back in Kochi where Sreejesh resides. “We are all really excited for the Paris Olympics, which will be his fourth one. This is truly special and we all expect nothing less than gold.”

Nostalgic about his career which has lasted nearly 20 years including his days as a Junior India player, Aneeshya pointed out his career-threatening knee injury in 2017 to be the most challenging phase.

“The injury he had in 2017 was the most challenging one in his career. He thought he wouldn’t be able to play again. But he took it on with a lot of strength and dedication and that’s why he’s at the level he is at now. It was around the time our son (Sreeansh) was born. I think spending time with our son helped Sreejesh look at the injury phase positively,” she said.

The Indian men’s hockey team beat Germany to win a bronze medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, with Sreejesh playing a crucial role, bringing much joy to the nation and his family in particular. Speaking about the elation back at home, Aneeshya said, “It was a great moment filled with happiness, pride, and relief. I don’t really know what the exact emotion was but it was certainly a very special moment. Professionally, that was the most precious and valuable moment in our life.”

Age plays a massive factor in any elite sport but the 36-year-old Sreejesh continues to be a livewire, bringing his infectious energy onto the field and lifting the spirits of everyone on it.

“He always says a goalkeeper’s life is like wine. With time, they become more efficient and get better in quality. He tries to become better with every day,” she said, admiring his outlook.

Speaking about the Sunehra Safar event hosted by Hockey India in Bengaluru ahead of the Asian Games in 2023, where families of the players were called up on stage to receive the player’s jerseys, Aneeshya said, “It was a really nice experience for the kids as well as for me. The kids realised how great their father was. I thank Hockey India for organizing such an event.”

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 1 (IANS) Mumbai City FC has announced the appointment of Clifford Rayes Miranda as Assistant Coach and Denis Kavan as Strength & Conditioning Coach. Both will join Head Coach Petr Kratky’s staff on a two-year contract.

Clifford is an AFC Pro Licence holder, having previously worked as an assistant coach with FC Goa, Odisha FC, and Mohun Bagan SG. During his tenure, Clifford has achieved significant success, including winning the ISL League Winners’ Shield with FC Goa and Mohun Bagan SG. Additionally, he led Odisha FC to victory in the 2023 Super Cup. A former India national team footballer, he has also previously coached the Indian U-23 men’s team.

“I am delighted to join Mumbai City FC and Petr Kratky’s coaching staff. This is a dynamic set of players and a top-quality team. The club has consistently raised the standards in Indian football, and together, I believe we can achieve great things. I am excited to contribute to the club’s ongoing success and help push the boundaries even further,” said Clifford Rayes Miranda to the Mumbai City FC media team.

Meanwhile, Kavan, a fitness coach hailing from the Czech Republic, has previously worked with several clubs across Europe and Asia, including Jablonec (Czech Republic), FC Dinamo & Gaz Metan (Romania), Panevezys (Lithuania), FC Seoul & Hanyang University (South Korea), Pafos and Karmiotissa (Cyprus), Botev Plovdiv (Bulgaria), and most recently Sepsi OSK (Romania). This upcoming season will mark his foray into Indian football as he looks to help the players at the Club with his expertise.

“I am excited to join the Mumbai City FC family and am confident that we can accomplish great things together. I eagerly anticipate coming to India and beginning this wonderful new chapter with my new team,” said Denis Kavan

“It will be exciting to work with Clifford and Denis in the upcoming seasons. Both are extremely talented in their own ways, and their presence in the setup will surely benefit the team. I hope we can push ourselves further this season at Mumbai City FC, and I am confident they will play significant roles in achieving that,” said Head Coach Peter Kratky.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) India put up a fighting display against badminton powerhouse Malaysia but were unfortunate to end on the wrong side of the 2-3 score line as their challenge in the Badminton Asia Junior Mixed Team Championships ended at the quarterfinal stage. The players will now participate in the individual championship beginning on Wednesday.

In the quarterfinals on Monday, India made yet another change to their mixed doubles pairing, combining Sanskar Saraswat with Shravani Walekar. The duo gave the team the lead with a 21-16, 13-21, 21-17 win over Kang Khai Xing and Noraqilha Maisarah. The Senior National Badminton Championship runners-up Tanvi Sharma then doubled India’s lead when she got the better of Siti Zulaikha 21-15, 15-21, 22-20 in the girls’ singles.

India looked on course for an upset win when Pranay Shettigar clinched the opening game against Muhammad Faiq. But he could not sustain the momentum and lost 15-21, 21-18, 21-19 in an hour and six minutes and Malaysia then grabbed the opportunity. Walekar and Navya Kanderi went down 16-21, 15-21 against Bui Ong Xin Yee and Carmen Ting and then the boys’ doubles combination of Bhargav Ram Arigela and Arsh Mohammad lost to Kang and Aaron Tai 18-21, 10-21.

Speaking about the team’s overall performance, Badminton Association of India (BAI) secretary Sanjay Mishra said, “I am extremely happy with the way the team fought and came within striking distance of a medal. Some of these youngsters were playing in such a competition for the first time but hardly showed any nerves. I am sure they will come up with a strong showing in the individual events starting two days later.”

The loss in the quarterfinals notwithstanding, the squad had a lot of positives to take from the competition as Tanvi Sharma remained unbeaten in all her matches and the changes in the mixed doubles combination worked well.

In fact, India did not lose any girls’ singles match as Navya Kanderi also punched above her weight to win the only rubber against Indonesia in the group stage.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) Enduring temperatures as low as -40 degrees Celsius, India’s top 10m rifle shooter Sandeep Singh found his resolve in the icy desolation of Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield, and spent months living in a tent, cooking his own meals, and contemplating his future.

At 28, Sandeep has already faced and conquered immense challenges. Earlier this year, he secured a berth for the Paris Olympics in the 10m air rifle event by triumphing in the fiercely competitive Olympic Selection Trials at New Delhi, Bhopal topping ahead of former world champion Rudrankksh Patil, Tokyo Olympian Divyansh Singh Panwar and Olympic quota winner Arjun Babuta.

“The trials were very good from my point of view and finishing on top was a relief to my journey but I believe my best is yet to come. To claim the quota for the Paris Olympics was my only aim and now since I will be representing India, I will try my best to secure a gold medal for the country,” said Sandeep Singh on the back-off Paris Olympic kit launch and send-off ceremony held by IOA.

The struggle began in his early years in Faridkot district, where Sandeep grew up in a lower-middle-class family. His father worked as a daily wager, and his two brothers are bike mechanics. With no background in sports, Sandeep’s path to becoming an elite shooter was unconventional. He used to run cross-country twice a day, covering 7-8 kilometers, to prepare for an Army entrance exam. This rigorous routine eventually paid off, earning him a position as a Sepoy in the Indian Army.

It was during his training in the Army that Sandeep first encountered shooting. Handling an INSAS rifle, an assault rifle that doubles as a light machine gun, he demonstrated remarkable aptitude. His superiors noticed his talent and encouraged him to pursue competitive shooting. This led to his participation in competitions at the Army Marksmanship Unit in Mhow, where he won several medals.

His success at Mhow paved the way for national recognition. In 2018, Sandeep won a silver medal at the National Championships, a victory that secured his promotion to Havaldar and a place in the national shooting squad. Despite being a reserve shooter for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, a subsequent dip in form saw him return to his unit, eventually leading to his posting in Siachen for six months between 2021 and 2022.

“I was really disappointed with my performance after not making the cut for the Tokyo Olympics and for that mental preparation, I went to serve in the Army. The greatest honour for me is to represent my country at the highest level and serving in the Indian Army has taught me the importance of it,” he recalls.

In April-May of 2024, Sandeep faced the ultimate test at the Olympic Selection Trials. Competing against world champion shooter Rudrankksh Patil, Sandeep relied on his rigorous training and unyielding focus. He topped the trials with stunning scores in qualification — 634.4, 632.6, 631.6 and 628.3 (out of a possible 654), the latter the lowest after having all but qualified on his first three scores – which gave him an edge even without the bonus points.

However, Sandeep remains determined to perform better in Paris and believes that his best is yet to come. “I have been training hard and I have shot more than the points which I scored in the trials. I am training on my concentration and focus and will try to implement it in the Olympics.

–IANS

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Chennai, July 1 (IANS) India women’s team defeated South Africa by 10 wickets in the one-off Test at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Monday. Chasing the target of 37 runs, Indian openers Shafali Verma (24 not out) and Shubha Satheesh (13 not out) took the hosts to a comfortable victory to continue their domination in the multi-format bilateral series.

South African batters demonstrated exceptional mental resilience, fighting back against a formidable Indian bowling attack to stay in the game as they finished the third day of a one-off women’s Test against India at 232 for 2 but only to get bowled out early in the fourth and final day on 373.

Chasing the target of 37 runs, India closed the game in half an hour as Shafali Verma (24) and Shubha Sateesh (17) took the hosts to a 10-wicket victory. For her 229 runs in the match–a maiden double century in the first inning helped Shafali to secure the ‘Player of the Match’ award.

Sneh Rana, who claimed eight wickets in the first inning went on to take two more to become only the second Indian bower after Jhulan Goswami to finish with 10 wickets in a women’s Test. Deepti Sharma and Rajeshwari Gayakwad picked up two wickets apiece.

Earlier, India declared their first inning at a mammoth 603/6, placing immense pressure on South Africa. After being put on the back foot, South Africa showcased their tenacity, thanks to Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp who helped Africa cut down the deficit and set up an intriguing final day.

On the second day, their partnership held firm, helping South Africa reach 236/4 at stumps. Yet, on Sunday morning, Sneh Rana’s sensational spin bowling turned the game on its head.

Rana, exploiting the turn and bounce from the pitch, decimated the South African lineup, adding five more wickets to her tally from the previous day. She finished with figures of 8-85, orchestrating a collapse that saw South Africa lose six wickets for just 30 runs to bowled out for 266.

India enforced the follow-on with a significant lead of 337 runs, putting South Africa under immense pressure. They faced an early setback when

Deepti Sharma trapped Anneke Bosch lbw in the first over. However, South Africa’s fighting spirit shone through as Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus stitched together a monumental partnership. The duo batted through 66 overs across the second and third sessions, building a 190-run stand—the highest partnership for any wicket in South

African women’s Test history. Wolvaardt scored 122 runs off 314 balls with 16 fours before Rajeshwari Gayakwad accounted for her wicket. Harmanpreet Kaur got the crucial wicket of Luus, who chipped in with a handy 109-run knock.

The pitch slowed down as the day wore on, and the South African pair grew more accustomed to the low bounce. Luus, after 234 minutes on the field, reached her maiden Test hundred, becoming only the second South African woman to score a century in India.

The struggle for South Africa also continued on the fourth day as they lost wickets early in the day. Nandine De Klerk’s late resilience of 61 helped the Proteas set India a target of 37 runs.

Brief scores:

India 603/6 decl in 115.1 overs & 37/0 in 9.2 overs (Shafali Verma 24 not, Shubha Satheesh 13 not out) beat South Africa 266 & 232/2 in 88 overs (Sune Luus 109 not out, Laura Wolvaardt 93; Harmanpreet Kaur 1-24, Deepti Sharma 1-56) by 10 wickets.

–IANS

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