Interaction with 45th Chess Olympiad Gold Medalist – Grandmaster R. Vaishali
The 45th Chess Olympiad Gold Medalist – R. Vaishali, recently spoke to the media team of the Sports Authority Of India. This is what she had to say. Reflections On Historic Chess Olympiad Gold? Yeah thank you very much. I’m very very happy to be part of such a historical golden winning team. It’s such a memorable tournament. Both the sections we won Gold. The Indian men’s team clearly dominated the field. They were tied with four points difference and the women’s team had set back in the tournament but I’m Very happy because we managed to recover from it and as a team we won the tournament. The last two rounds were really crucial for us to win to secure gold. I’m very happy the girls delivered when required. On Tasting Victory Alongside Brother Praggnanandhaa Yeah it’s very special for our family. In the previous Olympiad in Chennai, we won bronze. We were really close to winning gold, we missed out in the last few rounds and both myself and PR won one bronze medal. We were on the same Podium. Now I’m very happy we both stood on the same podium in gold medal. It’s truly a special moment for our family. On Her Mother’s Relentless Support And Dedication Yeah she (Mother) has been our incredible support for us throughout our journey. She has always been accompanying us to most of the tournaments and it’s not easy for her especially when we have tournaments. Sometimes we have different tournaments. We play different events, both myself and Praggnanandhaa so sometimes she travels with me and the next day immediately she has to travel with Prag (Praggnanandhaa). These traveling are like quite tiring but she never says anything about it . She sacrifices so much so that we can just focus on our game. She makes sure that everything is fine and also thanks to our father. He’s the one managing all the logistics and we are grateful to our parents. On Learning The Best Life Lessons From Her Mother All of us work hard and it’s not every day you get the result. I mean sometimes you don’t see the result right away but she (mother) has always pushed us you know to work hard and someday you will see the result yeah. Not to worry so much about it. Our parents mainly see our efforts what we are putting in and they believe that we get the results. I mean the results will come if you work hard, that’s what they have always taught us since the beginning. On Being The World Grandmaster In 2023 And Future Goals Yeah it’s a long journey. I’ve been playing chess for the last 15 years. I completed the grandmas title last year. It’s one of my most dreamed moment for me. I’ve been dreaming of uh becoming Grandmaster Since I started playing chess and definitely one of the highlights of the last year. Now I’m currently Indian number three and I would like to improve my rating and ranking further and of course to improve my game to become stronger. That’s my goal, not just to focus on the game, to work hard and the results will come and in the next few days I’ll be traveling to London for the Global Chess League. So I’m looking forward to it. It’s the Global Chess League where players from all over the world come together. It’s like you can call it the IPL. It has contestants from all over the world from different countries like there are Indian players in my team. It’s like six franchise, where they form a team and yeah I’m very happy I’m Ann and S is also playing we both are in the same team so it would be nice to be playing alongside him. Media Team – Sports Authority Of India
Paris Paralympics 2024: Dharambir’s Golden Throw Breaks Records
India’s Dharambir catapulted himself into history books with a sensational gold medal win in the men’s club throw F51 event at the Paris Paralympics 2024. A Victory of Records While the 35-year-old boy from Sonipat, Haryana, won gold and topped the podium, the sensational throw of 34.92m also broke the Asian record. And just for kicks? He did it on his fifth attempt – talk about saving the best for last! Double Delight for India And here comes the cherry on the cake: compatriot Pranav Soorma took the silver, thus ensuring a fantastic 1-2 finish for India. The victory took India’s medal count to 24 in this particular edition of the Paris Paralympic Games-higher than ever for the nation! As such, India has moved up to an overall ranking of 13th and is having quite a time in the Paris Paralympics. Dharambir’s Story: An Inspiring One Dharambir’s tale goes far beyond the winning throw. Quite literally, a tragic accident while diving in a canal in his village that left him without the use of his lower body below the waist saw him take life lying down; he soared over. Guided by mentor and para-athlete Amit Kumar Saroha, Dharambir dived head-first into para-sports in 2014, qualifying for the 2016 Rio Paralympics just two years later. Thence, he has picked up medals right, left, and center, including two silvers each at the Asian Para Games and a bronze at the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships. Resilience Pays Off Indeed, he has achieved some serious success, and no wonder it saw him snatching the Bhim Award in 2022. With government support behind him, Dharambir surely proved that nothing was too big-or too far away-for him to surmount. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris Paralympics 2024: Nitesh Kumar: From IIT Grad to Paralympic Gold – A Smash Hit!
IIT graduate Nitesh Kumar, with a penchant for numbers and the willow, struck gold on his debut in the SL3 singles para-badminton category in the final at the Paris Paralympics 2024. At 29 years young, turning the tables on his long-time nemesis Daniel Bethell, he kept the audience on tenterhooks throughout the nail-biting final, finishing 21-14, 18-21, 23-21. The Ultimate Showdown: Nitesh vs Bethell Just imagine this: two behemoths colliding-the top two seeds-and bragging rights to boot in a match that did not just deliver, but exploded! Nitesh, who had lost his leg in a train accident at the tender age of 15, was as cool as cucumber cake even when his prosthetic leg needed a mid-match fix. He did not only break his nine-match losing streak against Bethell; he did so in style, snatching his maiden major singles gold medal. SL3: Where Strategy Meets Stamina This is no joke because the SL3 category is where players with severe lower limb disabilities give it their all on just half the badminton court. The result is longer rallies, more strategy and loads of skill. Nitesh was a maestro on the court, playing cool-headed brilliant games to force Bethell into mistakes shuttle by shuttle. How to Make a Champion Just when you thought it was all over, Bethell managed to claw his way back into the contest, taking the second game. However Nitesh was just not about to allow this gold to slip away from his grasp. In a heart-stopping decider, he held his nerve, played his game and sealed the deal with a roar that simply echoed through the arena. With this win, Nitesh not only secured a place for himself in the Paralympic hall of fame but also continued the golden streak for India in the category SL3. A journey from the classroom to the court is nothing less than inspirational; it proves that with grit and guts, you can smash any challenge that comes your way. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Sheye
Paris 2024: Neeraj Chopra Turns Custodian Of Hope As India Dreams For Gold
As Neeraj Chopra gets ready to beat the odds once more and compete for Olympic gold for a second time, the stakes couldn’t get any higher. Victory will make him the most decorated Indian athlete at the Olympics in any individual sport. Currently, shuttler PV Sindhu – with one silver and one bronze, wrestler Sushil Kumar – with one silver and one bronze, and shooter Manu Bhaker – with two bronzes hold two Olympic medals each, all post independence. Enthrown in a fantastic throw, which is the second-best of his career performance-wise, Chopra has thus silenced the biggest question that people had going into the Games: his fitness. The athlete had confessed to carrying an adductor niggle into the Games. Of course, his personal best remains an impressive 89.94 meters, achieved in 2022. This 89.34 meters he recorded is not only sealing his place as one among the top contenders but has also revived the hopes of millions of Indian fans who are awaiting the day—Thursday—when perhaps Chopra would cross the elusive 90-meter mark. Noteworthy is the fact that this effort stands as the second-best throw in the qualifying rounds at the Olympics, only after the legendary Jan Zelezny’s 89.39 meters during the 2000 Sydney Games. But right before Neeraj Chopra enters the fray to defend that gold, just so dear, let us take a moment to recollect those world-beating achievements that have defined this illustrious career. Year Competition Venue / Country Medal 2016 Asian U20 Championships Vietnam Silver 2016 World U20 Championships Bydgoszcz, Poland Gold 2017 Asian Championships Bhubaneshwar, India Gold 2018 Commonwealth Games Australia Gold 2018 Asian Games Jakarta, Indonesia Gold 2021 Tokyo Olympics 2020 Japan Gold 2022 World Championships United States Silver 2022 Diamond League Zurich Gold 2023 Diamond League Doha Gold 2023 World Championships Budapest, Hungary Gold 2023 Asian Games Hangzhou, China Gold 2024 Diamond League Doha Silver Neeraj Chopra once again has found himself as the custodian of dreams as India would be banking on him for that elusive Olympic gold medal at Paris Olympics 2024. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: Novak Djokovic Strikes Gold in Men’s Singles
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic won the gold medal in the men’s singles at the Paris Olympics 2024 following his victory over Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, 7-6[3], 7-6[2], in a pulsating final on Sunday, 04th July, 2024. The game was contested on Court Philippe Chatrier and ended up being an advertisement for Djokovic, who once again put on a truly impressive display of brio under pressure. Dramatic Battle and Triumph in Tiebreak The Paris Olympics 2024 Tennis – Men’s Singles Final was a rematch of their Wimbledon 2024 final, which Alcaraz had won. Djokovic showed good fighting spirit as he saved five breakpoints late in the first set before winning it in a tiebreak. He carried this momentum into the second set, where he would never drop his serve, finally claiming the win when a forehand winner sailed past Alcaraz out of reach during the second tiebreak. Celebrations and Emotional Moments It was clear to many that Djokovic was ecstatic, roaring up at the sky before falling to his knees at the center of the court. He then climbed into the stands to be embraced by his family and team. On the other side, Alcaraz, who had been seeking to add Olympic gold to his French Open and Wimbledon titles, was in tears as the match finally came to an end. Historic Achievement The win at Paris Olympics 2024 made Djokovic the fifth player, along the likes of Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams, who won all four Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal in singles, therefore attaining a Career Golden Slam. It also meant he became the oldest man to win an Olympic singles gold since tennis returned to the Olympics in 1988. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
