Things You Didn’t Know About The Indian Golfer, Diksha Dagar
Indian golfer, Diksha Dagar will participate in the Women’s Individual Stroke Play (Round 4) at the Paris Olympics 2024. Dagar is one of the last hopes for India to clinch a medal at the Paris Olympics 2024. She would be accompanied by another Indian, Aditi Ashok during the event. Read who is Aditi Ashok and why is she rated so high here. Coming back to Diksha Dagar, she is a rising star in the sport of golf and has been making waves recently. Here is a fact file which might help you know Diksha Dagar more. FACT FILE – DIKSHA DAGAR SR. NO FACT 1 Born deaf; began wearing hearing aids at age 6; later had a cochlear implant fitted 2 Started playing golf at age 7, alongside her brother Yogesh Dagar, who is also profoundly deaf 3 Initially coached by her father, Colonel Narinder Dagar, a former scratch golfer and Indian Army officer 4 Inspirational role models: Novak Djokovic and Tiger Woods 5 Represented India at the Espirito Santo Trophy in 2016 and 2018 6 At 17, won her first professional event at the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour in 2018; also won the Singapore Ladies Amateur Open 7 Won a silver medal at the 2017 Summer Deaflympics; first Indian to win a Deaflympic medal in golf; won gold at the 2021 Deaflympics 8 Competed for India at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia 9 Turned professional in early 2019 10 At 18, became the second Indian woman to win on the Ladies European Tour; won the 2019 South African Open 11 Member of the winning team in the 2021 Aramco Team Series – London, alongside Olivia Cowan, Sarina Schmidt, and Andrew Kelsey 12 Olympic appearances: Tokyo 2020 (due to South African Paula Reto’s withdrawal) and Paris 2024 13 Nominated for the Arjuna Award in 2023, India’s second-highest sporting honor India would be banking Diksha Dagar as she sets her target to bag a medal and make India proud. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: India’s Last Medal Hope on Day 15
All eyes are now on India’s athletes as the nation prays that one of its breeders shines to add to the medal count at Paris Olympics 2024. With India currently at 69 with five bronze and a silver, this shifts focus to the last glimpse of chances in securing more honours. Here’s what India would be having on its plate today at the Paris Olympics 2024. Wrestling: Reetika Hooda’s Decisive Bout In wrestling, Reetika Hooda was the last Indian still in the fray for a medal from the sport. Hooda will be competing in the women’s 76 kg freestyle category and opening her campaign against Bernadett Nagy of Hungary. Bernadett Nagy herself is no ordinary wrestler, having twice finished as the European Championships’ bronze medalist. This presents a big challenge to her. A win for Hooda will not only assure her a passage to the next round but may well set up a meeting with the top-seeded Aiperi Medet Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan. Golf: Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar in Medal Quest Next in line will be golfers Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar, who will feature in the Women’s Individual Final. As far as the potential of these players is concerned, both are competent enough to net a podium finish and improve India’s position at the medals table. The Paris Olympics 2024 is heating up and India is holding its bated breath, hoping its campaign at the Games comes out triumphantly at the end. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: India Brings Home Bronze In Hockey
It turned out to be a historic win for Indian hockey as the national team captured the bronze medal at Paris Olympics 2024—the country’s second consecutive Olympic medal in the game (1st in Tokyo, now in Paris) since a 52-year hiatus. This achievement highlights the resurgence of India’s rich hockey legacy that had remained dormant since their last medal in 1972. A Dramatic Final The last match played was between India and Spain, where the Indians came out very strong. Though slow to get off the blocks, an early Spanish lead was netted home by none other than Indian captain Harmanpreet Singh. Singh netted two exceptional dragflicks that turned the game for India. The first of these came with just 20 seconds left in the first half, while the second came three minutes into the second half and was a neat, low flick that found the far corner. Defensive Masterclass This victory takes India to its 13th Olympic medal in hockey and the fourth bronze. The crucial defense, led ably by veteran goalkeeper Sreejesh and bolstered by Amit Rohidas in the final quarter, turned out to be the most important factor. Sreejesh played the farewell game, pulling off a number of critical saves to thwart late attempts by Spain for a comeback, including those of the crucial penalty corners. Nail-Biting Final Moments The last quarter became nail-biting when Spain pushed hard, and though India’s defense was at times unconvincing in judgment, it held. Rohidas’s effective rushes at the penalty corners and Sreejesh’s goalkeeping ensured that the lead the team had managed was never relinquished. Recipe For Success What worked for Coach Craig Fulton was the strategy of a strong defensive unit, and the players could sustain the pressure. It was Harmanpreet Singh’s ten goals that made all the difference in India’s victory and ranked him as one of the top scorers in the tournament. India Rejoices While the team celebrates its victory, the actual significance of back-to-back medals will take some time to sink in. The win reinstates India’s place at the Olympic podium and reignites the nation’s love for its historic sport. “Hockey is back,” said captain Harmanpreet Singh aptly, and it was a moment of pride for Indian sports. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
SL vs IND: Sri Lanka Tame India after 27 Years
After 27 long years, Sri Lanka has managed to end its losing streak in ODI series against India. The last time the island nation was successful against India was back in 1997 when the former defeated India by a margin of 3-0. Sri Lanka Sets Challenging Target Sri Lanka, through its sterling performance, managed to trounce India in the third and final ODI by 110 runs to notch up their first-ever series victory over India in the 50-over format since 1997. This victory was therefore a huge one, given that it came just after they failed to qualify for the upcoming Champions Trophy. India Faces Tough Chase Thanks to Avishka Fernando’s impressive 96 runs, Sri Lanka set a 248-run target. In the first two ODIs, India had struggled to chase targets of 231 and 241; a highest target of the series against Sri Lanka on a dry, difficult pitch was always going to be tough. India started well in their chase with the smashing of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli on the other hand misfired. The other Indian batters fell quickly in the face of some good spin magic by Wellalage and lost six wickets in under 13 overs. Dunith Wellalage was the star for Sri Lanka with his left-arm spin, picking four of the first six Indian wickets. He removed Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. India’s middle-order collapse saw them lose a record 24 wickets to spin in this series, any bilateral ODI series. At 92/6, India still had Shivam Dube and debutant Riyan Parag at the crease. Parag, included to beef up the middle order, was bowled by Jeffrey Vandersay. Another change in the team, Rishabh Pant replacing KL Rahul, didn’t make much of a difference. Also know more on Riyan Parag’s ODI debut for the Indian Cricket Team against Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Seals the Win Wellalage cleaned up Kuldeep Yadav to claim his fifth wicket as India’s innings folded for 138 in 26.1 overs. Nine of India’s wickets fell to spin, and Wellalage became the first spinner to take a five-wicket haul against India more than once. Sri Lanka’s Strong Start Earlier, Sri Lanka openers Pathum Nissanka and Fernando shared a solid 89-run opening stand. Axar Patel broke the opening stand as Nissanka was dismissed. Fernando batted well as he hit a half-century before getting out to Parag, who ended up taking three wickets. Despite losing the middle order, Kusal Mendis scored a final overs fifty to help Sri Lanka add 31 runs in the last three overs. Memorable Series Win for Sri Lanka The total proved to be more than adequate as Sri Lanka pulled off a memorable series win – its first set of back-to-back ODI victories over India since August 2010. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: Vinesh Phogat Aims For Gold In 50 kg Wrestling Final
A year of protest against the federation chief. Slept on pavements for 40 days. Was beaten, dragged by the police. Nearly immersed all her medals in the Ganga. Underwent knee surgery. Sealed her Olympic spot after an unforgiving qualification process. Became the 1st Indian woman wrestler to qualify for three successive Olympics. And now at Paris Olympics 2024, she’s beaten the unbeatable defending champ, won two more bouts to become the first Indian woman to reach a wrestling Olympic final. Words fail to appreciate what Vinesh Phogat has just done. Historic Achievement Vinesh Phogat has created history by becoming the first Indian woman to make it to an Olympic wrestling final. Phogat achieved this feat by defeating Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman 5-0 in the semifinal of the women’s 50 kg category at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Tuesday, 07th August, 2024. Dominant In The Semifinal Vinesh Phogat, participating in the 50 kg weight category for the first time, showed her class when she won the bout through a points decision. The win assured India of a medal in the event and took Phogat into the gold-medal match to be held on Wednesday, where she will face USA’s Sarah Ann Hildebrandt. Story Of The Semi-Final In the semifinal bout, Phogat first got her point due to passivity by Guzman. Later on, availing a second passivity warning against her opponent in the second round, she bagged four points and cemented her position for the final. Here’s Phogat’s journey to the semi-finals of Paris 2024. Impressive Form At Paris 2024 Phogat’s journey to the final of the Paris Olympics 2024 has been excellent. Barely a few days ago, she had made news when she beat defending champion Yui Susaki of Japan in the round of 16. She then carried her fine form into the next round by beating Ukraine’s Oksana Livach in the quarterfinals. Awaits Gold-Medal Bout With her recent performance, Vinesh Phogat is now only the second Indian woman wrestler to secure an Olympic medal after Sakshi Malik managed the feat. The wrestling fraternity and Indian sports enthusiasts keenly await her performance in the final bout as she aims to bring home a piece of gold. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: Vinesh Phogat Enters Semi Finals in Women’s 50kg Freestyle Wrestling
On Tuesday, 06th August, 2024, Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat created a career-high by making it to the semifinals of the women’s 50kg freestyle wrestling at the Paris Olympics 2024. In a thrilling quarter-final, Vinesh overcame three-time Oksana Livach of Ukraine, a gold medallist at the Commonwealth Games, to win 7-5. This will be the first time Vinesh has ever appeared in an Olympic semifinal. Semifinal vs Yusneylys Guzman That is a tantalizing semi final encounter up next with Cuba’s Yusneylys Guzman, who won the gold in the Pan American Games 2023. Guzman is a formidable greco-roman wrestler and will be one of the obstacles on Vinesh’s path to the final. A Bit Earlier A bit earlier in the competition, Vinesh shocked the reigning Olympic champion, four-time World Champion Yui Susaki from Japan with a 3-2 narrow victory. That win took special prominence as Susaki did not let any of her opponents score a point in the competition of the Tokyo Games. Cementing Her Place At Paris 2024 Vinesh confirmed her place at the Paris Olympics 2024 by reaching the final of the Asian Olympic Qualifier this year, where she outmaneuvered Laura Ganikyzy in the semifinal. This achievement marked a kind of streak with her performance and don’t-give-up quality on the international stage. A Historic Achievement for Indian Wrestling To say that Vinesh’s campaign in the Olympics was not anything but a series of struggles would be an understatement. She lost in the quarterfinals in both Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. During Rio in 2016, she suffered a disastrous ACL injury in the midst of battle and due to that had to retire, thus ending her campaign. Vinesh Phogat, competing in her third straight Olympic Games, became the first female Indian wrestler to very well start with the journey in Paris, unbeaten, best in many ways. Now, the fans will be looking at her next encounter against Guzman to break into the final of Paris Olympics 2024. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shteye
Paris 2024: India faces Germany in do-or-die hockey semis
In a keenly awaited semifinal at high-stakes Paris Olympics 2024, India is up against World champion Germany at the Yves du Manoir Stadium on Tuesday, 06th August, 2024, with the challenge of defending without its key player, Amit Rohidas. Rohidas got a red card in the quarter-final match against Great Britain and has been suspended for one game; the appeal by Hockey India to get the order reversed was turned down. Resilient Defense: India’s Strength Though Rohidas was missing, India showed some steel to fight out three quarters without their main player against Great Britain before bucking up a great defense that has increased manifold compared to the earlier pool matches. The victory came and now it will face an even more supreme German side that is adept at offense, scoring the most number of goals in the tournament while winning five out of its six matches. Past Encounters and Current Expectations While India had mixed results against Germany this year, with a victory and defeat in the FIH Pro League last June, the Olympic stage is intense and should raise the competition a notch higher. In the case of Rohidas, which affected the strategy of rolling substitution by the team, Manpreet will be called upon to essentially cover up at the back. On the other side, India’s strengthened defense needs to be extra cautious against Germany’s prolific scorers Christopher Ruhr and Justus Weigand. At the same time, drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh will also have a significant role in maximizing the potential created from penalty corners as much as possible without Rohidas, both as a penalty corner extractor and rusher. Anticipation for a Thrilling Match Germany would look towards carrying the winning momentum forward after getting the better of Argentina in the quarters, while India will look forward to rise to the occasion as it has done so many times in times of adversity. It’s going to be a great game of hockey with both teams promising a high level of hockey. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: Avinash Sable Qualifies for Men’s 3000m Steeplechase Final
Indian runner Avinash Sable timed 8:15.43 and finished 5th on Monday 05th August, 2024. Aggressive is the word to describe this race; Sable, leading right up to the 1000m mark, eased into the top four. Sable stayed in front with Kenyan runner Abraham Kibiwot and the Ethiopian Samuel Fireru throughout most of the race but fell into third place as the race continued. He maintained a decent pace, though and at the bell remained in contention, being joined by Kibiwott, Fireru, and Japan’s Ryuji Miura, who had moved his way into the top five that would guarantee a place in the final. Last Lap and Performance Although overtaken by four competitors in the home straight, Sable clung to 5th position, with the discernibility of those athletically top separating themselves ahead and the rest behind. Significantly, Sable’s performance included the likelihood of being even better had he not checked too many times to see his position while the race was on. Impressive Pre-Olympics Form Sable takes solid form going into the Olympics in Paris. Ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024, he bettered his personal best to 8:09:91 at the Paris Diamond League, which on 7 July got him the 6th place at a top-class field. This was the first time in his career that Sable made it under that 8:10 time. Confidence/Competitive Edge Some of his confidence came ahead of the Diamond League, where he stated that he was in the best shape of his career. The tight competition at the Diamond League was emphasized by a close finish, with all the runners from 4th to 6th position finishing within 0.50s of each other. Looking Ahead to the Final Sable’s progression and recent performances set a promising tone as he prepares for the final, with the men’s 3000m steeplechase event being one of the anticipated highlights of the Paris Olympics 2024. Also read about how Avinash Sable dreamt big here. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: Avinash Sable; A Small Town Boy Who Dreamt Big
Avinash Sable recently made headlines. The Indian steeplechase runner will now head towards the finals of Paris Olympics 2024. On 5th of August, 2024, Avinash Sable timed 8:15.43 in the men’s 3000m steeplechase event and ended in the top 5 and secured a spot in the final. Here’s a bit of his backstory. Early Life Born on 13 September 1994, in Mandwa, Beed district of Maharashtra, Avinash Sable’s childhood was spent entirely in a village upbringing. With his family members being farmers, he would often run or walk the 6 km between his home and school due to the lack of transportation facilities in his village. These experiences instilled in him the habit that he is pursuing today. Military Service and Athletic Transition Sable joined the 5 Mahar regiment of the Indian Army after his 12th standard. His service included a tough stint at Siachen Glacier from 2013 to 2014, followed by postings in the deserts of north-western Rajasthan and Sikkim from 2015. During this time, he was initiated into cross-country running by fellow colleagues, which eventually led to his steeplechase training. Breakthrough Avinash Sable’s potential was spotted in January 2017 during a cross-country race in Hyderabad by Army coach Amrish Kumar. Sable was far from being an athlete then. He weighed around 76 kgs then. Under Kumar’s guidance, he lost 20 kgs in three months that set the track for his success in athletics. After the setback of the ankle injury that ruled him out of the Asian Games qualification, Sable broke the 37-year-old national record at the Open National Championships in 2018 with a timing of 8:29.80. On his streak of record-setting, in 2019 he started the year with a new national record of 8:28.94 at the Federation Cup and took a silver at the Asian Athletics Championships in Doha. International Recognition In 2019 Avinash Sable became the first Indian male steeplechaser since way back in 1991 to qualify for the World Championships. At the World Championships, he bettered his national record to 8:21.37 and finished the final in 13th place. In 2020, he set a national record at the Delhi Half Marathon and finished seventh at the Summer Olympics in a national record time of 8:18.12. Again, in 2022, Sable broke other national records at the Indian Grand Prix with a timing of 8:16.21 and at the Meeting International Mohamed VI with 8:12.48. His performance in the Commonwealth Games sealed him a silver with a national record time of 8:11.20. Achievements and Future Prospects In 2023, Sable finished 35th at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships and took gold in the steeplechase and silver in the 5000 meters at the Asian Games. Avinash Sable is going to be a watched athlete heading into the finals of Paris Olympics 2024 as he eyes to strike gold for India. He will compete in the final on the night of 7th August (8th Aug) at 1:13 am IST. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: India Women’s Table Tennis Team Enters Quarterfinals By Beating Romania
It turned out to be a momentous debut for the India women’s table tennis team at Paris Olympics 2024 as they had an upper hand over Romania in a nail-biting 3-2 encounter to move into the quarterfinals. The historic win was achieved on Monday, 05th August, 2024, which turned out to be quite important as an Olympic milestone for the team. Dominant Start in Doubles The Sreeja Akula-Archana Kamath duo did just that, playing some quality table tennis to set the tone for the match with a strong display in the doubles event. They clinched an easy win over Romania’s Adina Diaconu and Elizabeta Samara with the score reads 11-9, 12-10, 11-7. That syncretism and strategic play gave India an early lead and confidence boost. Manika Batra in Singles Manika Batra carried forward the momentum, who also won in straight games against Bernadette Szocs. She dominated from the very beginning and took an 11-5, 11-7, 11-7 victory to bring India tantalizingly close to a quarterfinal berth. Romanian Comeback and the Decider However, the match became a nail-biter as Romania came back into the picture. Sreeja Akula fought valiantly against Elizabeta Samara but lost 11-8, 4-11, 11-7, 6-11, and 8-11 in one of the closest battles. This victory kept alive the tie and waged a four-game affair where Archana Kamath faced Szocs. Kamath did come up with a good fight but lost 5-11, 11-8, 7-11, and 9-11. Manika Batra Seals the Victory The final five-game decider naturally drew everyone’s attention as the score was locked at 2-2. Manika Batra did not miss the opportunity to shine, with a great show against Adina Diaconu. Composed yet aggressive, Batra sealed the issue for India with an 11-5, 11-9, 11-9 win to send the team into the quarterfinals. The challenge for India next will be the winner between the United States of America and Germany, which is scheduled for Tuesday. The Indian team’s scintillating debut and fighting spirit set the stage for what, by far, is going to be an exciting storyline in continuation of their journey at Paris Olympics 2024. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye