Discus thrower Gowda retires

NEW DELHI: Top discus thrower Vikas Gowda retired after competing at the highest level for more than 15 years, during which he became the first and only Indian male to win Commonwealth Games medal in the discipline. He won gold in Glasgow, 2014.

The retirement of the fourtime Olympian, who will turn 35 on July 5, has not come as a surprise as he has not taken part in any major international event since winning a bronze in the Asian Championships last year in Bhubaneswar.

ANAND SPLITS POINTS

STAVANGER (NORWAY): Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand played out an easy draw against American Hikaru Nakamura in the second round of Altibox Norway Chess tournament.

After conceding a draw with white against Levon Aronian of Armenia, Anand got the favour returned although he had to work relatively harder to maintain parity against Nakamura, often termed as his nemesis.

For the record, the American went for a rare sixth move in the Queen’s gambit declined and Anand admitted he was a “confused a lot” by this approach.

However, as it turned out, the surprise remained just that and did not contain much venom as Anand got a healthy position with some strategic manoeuvres. Anand is on one point, half point behind leader Carlsen

FC PUNE AND COACH POPOVIC PART WAYS

NEWDELHI: Indian Super League franchise FC Pune City and its head coach Ranko Popovic have parted ways.

The Serbian manager, who guided the team to semi-finals in 2017-18, opted to call it a day with the Stallions as he is looking for challenges.