Always there to help Delhi football: Chhetri
NEWDELHI: Sunil Chhetri says he is always there to help develop the sport in the national capital, where he was brought up.
The 34-year-old was Friday conferred the first ever Football Ratna honour by Football Delhi.
“I am honoured by the kind gesture of Football Delhi and recognising me with the Football Ratna award.
“My support will always be there for the development of football in Delhi and I am sure the current management is working hard to develop football in Delhi and make Delhi a model football state in India,” Chhetri said.
Football Delhi president Shaji Prabhakaran, formerly administrator at the All India Football Federation and FIFA, presented the award to Chhetri.
“We are inspired by the spectacular achievements of Sunil. His professionalism, dedication, discipline and passion, on and off the field, is an example not only for the football fraternity but also for every Indian to dream big and achieve something spectacular in life,” Prabhakaran said.
“It is a great honour for us to confer the first ever Football Ratna to Sunil Chhetri and we express our gratitude and thanks to Sunil for his time and inspiration to develop football in Delhi,” he added.
GAURAV, NIKHAT ADVANCE IN STRANDJA
NEW DELHI: Commonwealth Games gold medallist Gaurav Solanki (52kg) advanced to the men’s pre-quarters, while former junior world champion Nikhat Zareen (51kg) made the women’s quarterfinals of the 70th Strandja Memorial Boxing Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Zareen defeated Italy’s Giovanna Marchese in her opening clash, while Solanki got the better of American Abraham Perez.
Solanki, also a gold-winner at India Open and the Chemistry Cup last year, will be up against Kazakhstan’s Anvar Muzaparov in the last-16 stage.
Zareen, a multiple-time national medallist, will face Bela- rus’ Yana Burym next . Also advancing to the pre-quarters in the men’s competition was Ankush Dahiya (60kg) who beat Azerbaijan’s Sarkhan Aliyev.
In the women’s 60kg category, Neeraj defeated Bulgarian Aslahan Mehmedova.
In the men’s category, world championships bronze medallist Gaurav Bidhuri (56kg) bowed out following a first-round loss to local favourite Emanuil Bogoev in a split decision. Pinki Jangra was also beaten by Filipino Irish Magno in a split verdict.
IRFAN, SOUMYA CLAIM TOP HONOURS
CHENNAI: K T Irfan of Kerala and hi s s t a t e - mate B Soumya emerged winners in the 20 km race walk (Elite) in the 6th Open National Race Walking Championship here on Saturday.
Irfan won the race in a time of 1:26:18.00, well below the world championship qualification standard of 1:22:30. He was followed by Devendar Singh (Haryana) in second place and Sandeep Kumar (Haryana) in third place.
In the women’s (Elite) event, Soumya won with a time of 1:40:25.00 while Priyanka (UP) and Ravina of Haryana took second and third places.