Absence of big stars mars inaugural WC
LONDON : Poland’s world record holder Anita Wlodarczyk produced the season’s best women’s hammer throw but many of the big names of track and field were conspicuously absent from the inaugural Athletics World Cup, the sport’s new two-day team event.
A lively crowd despite swathes of empty seats in the London Stadium, to be expected given the 66,000 capacity, witnessed Wlodarczyk’s throw of 78.74 metres in the opening session of the twoday meet. The world and Olympic champion also struck gold in the same stadium at the London 2012 Games and at the 2017 world championships.
Jamaica’s Commonwealth Games champion Janieve Russell won the 400m hurdles with ease, but her time of 55.10 was unimpressive. China’s fastest male sprinter Xie Zhenye won the men’s 200m in 20.25 while Pascal Martinot-lagarde took the men’s 110m hurdles in 13.22 — the latter time a personal season’s best for the Frenchman.
There was also an upset in the women’s 100 metres, with Ashley Henderson of the United States (11.07 seconds) finishing ahead of Olympic champion Elaine Thompson of Jamaica (11.09).
World 100m champion Justin Gatlin, world indoor 60m record holder Christian Coleman, Diamond League 100m leader Ronnie Baker and Noah Lyles — the cream of U.S. sprinting — all stayed away. So too did Britain’s finest, including women’s 100 metres national record holder Dina Asher-smith.
SHUTTLERS LOSE 4-1 BUT MAKE QUARTERS
NEWDELHI:BARRING Lakshya Sen, none of the Indians could stand in front of the clinical Koreans as they went down 1-4 in their last Group C match but still managed to qualify for the quarterfinals of Asian Junior Badminton Championships at Jakarta on Sunday.
India were expected to put up a semblance of fight against the third-seeded Koreans, but the resistance came only in the form of Lakshya, who revived India’s hope with straight games 21-14 21-13 win over Kim Hyeong Jung in the men singles of the mixed team events.
Having finished second behind Korea in the group, the Indians entered the quarterfinals where they will take on mighty Japan on Monday.
WOMEN’S HOCKEY TEAM LEAVES FOR WORLD CUP
NEW DELHI: The members of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team departed for the Hockey Women’s World Cup on Sunday afternoon. The event will be held between 21 July and 5 August in London.
This is the first time in eight years that the Indian Women’s Hockey Team will appear at the prestigious event.
The Indian team is grouped in Pool B with Olympic Champions England, World No 7 USA and Ireland. In their first match on July 21, the team will take on hosts England.
VINESH GRABS GOLD IN SPAIN
NEWDELHI:INDIAN wrestler Vinesh Phogat grabbed a gold at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, conceding just one point in five bouts en route the dominating title victory.
The 23-year-old Vinesh outclassed Canada’s Natasha Fox 10-0 in the final to claim her second consecutive gold. She had won gold at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in the 50kg category. It was the last tournament for Vinesh before the Asian Games, beginning August 18 in Jakarta and Palembang.
Maryland United 5 (Christopher Fernandes 2, Mohith Gatty 2, Brabourne Rodrigues) beat Gorai FC 0. Ruthless SC 3 (Hekmat Singh, Kevin Silva, Ramesh Singh) beat Friends FC 0.