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Monday,
September 1, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Anju makes history in
world athletics
Davenport struggles into quarter-finals
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Bhupathi-Mirnyi duo in third round BSF record biggest win in soccer league Sethi badminton body chief
BCCI considering
matches in J&K Lawrence School soccer champs Chandigarh Academy win Para gliding meet
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Anju makes history in
world athletics
Paris, August 31 And according to Powell, a gold medal is not out of the question for the 26-year-old from Chennai next year at the Athens Olympics. ‘’She has the potential to jump 7 metres and beyond. I hope we can move up to the gold next year,’’ said Powell, who won the 1991 gold in Tokyo by raising Bob Beamon’s famous world record to 8.95m. That would even eclipse the two silvers Norman D. Pritchard won in the 200m sprint and 200m hurdles 103 years ago at the 1900 London Olympics, which before today were India’s last athletics medals at a major meet. ‘’I am very happy for myself and my country. I was very confident ahead of the competition,’’ said Anju. The delighted medallist stands a good chance of ending India’s Olympic drought as her results in recent years have show steady progress to the top of her event. She won a Commonwealth Games bronze medal last year and then added an Asian Games gold. In 2002, she raised her personal best to 6.74m. Anju has given her husband and coach, Bobby, a lot of credit for her improvement since they started working together in 1998. He convinced her not to quit the sport after a string of injuries to her right ankle. Anju progressed from 6.20m to 6.74m in the last five years, but the key to further success could now be the partnership with Powell, with whom they have worked since March in the USA. “There were two reasons we went over. I needed further guidance as a coach, and we got the trip financed by the Government of India,’’ said Bobby George. He said that government support also allowed Anju to be the first Indian athlete to compete at European meets, where, for instance, she finished second in Stockholm. Powell admitted that he was taken by surprise when they approached him. ‘’I read something online. I thought, ‘What is this?’ but the contact was finally arranged through a friend, and we started working together in March,’’ he said. ‘’We have had a good first six months. Bobby has done a great job. I just want to add something,’’ said Powell. ‘’She jumped very well here (in Paris). She is a natural jumper. But we still need to crack a few things to make her better.’’ Bobby George was even slightly disappointed that Anju ‘’only’’ got the bronze with 6.70m, behind French winner Eunice Barber (6.99m) and silver medallist Tatyana Kotova of Russia (6.74m). ‘’I am a bit disappointed. It would have been nice to have heard the national anthem for 1 billion people,’’ he said. He now awaits another chance to hear the Indian Anthem on a global stage in 12 months time in the Atthens Olympics. — DPA
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A gift for India, says Anju George
Paris, August 31 Anju, an Asian Games gold medallist, became the first Indian ever to win a medal at the World Championships when she recorded a leap of 6.70 metres yesterday. “It is a gift for India,” said the athlete as the news of her achievement was lapped up by the fans, media and sports administrators with pleasant disbelief back in her country. But the 26-year-old Anju said she had felt “confident” right since the morning of the eventful day. “I was feeling confident when I woke up this morning,” she said. Perhaps a little more confident was her coach — the legendary Mike Powell who said he was now hoping for a gold from her. — PTI
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Celebration
time at Changanachery
Chennai, August 31 Anju’s family, residing in this municipal town of south-central Kerala, could not hide their jubilation as various people from the locality poured encomiums on the daughter-of-the-soil’s achievement. Anju’s mother Grace Markose was elated. “I am happy...the entire family and the people in the village are extremely happy,” she gushed when UNI spoke to her over phone from here. “I expected such a performance from her. I am confident that she would get a good jump and her yesterday’s feat of 6.70 m that fetched her a bronze is testimony to that,” she noted. “This will serve as a launching pad to win a medal in the Athens Olympics next year,” she added. Among those who called up Grace to congratulate her on her daughter’s performance included the teacher and headmistress of L.P. School where Anju had her primary education. The faculty of Vimala College in Thrissur, where she studied, also called up her to extend their congratulations. Sweets were distributed to celebrate the milestone achieved by Anju as her feat became the talk of the town. Among those who lauded her performance were Olympian Shiny Wilson, one of Anju’s sources of inspiration, Tamil Nadu Amateur Athletics Association president and Amateur Athletics Federation of India vice-president W.I. Davaram besides her employer —Chennai Customs. Her aim of winning a medal in Olympics was now within her reach, they noted. Shiny said the support Anju got from her coach-husband Bobby George had been vital in her career. “There is a saying that there is a woman behind every man’s success...In the case of Anju, it’s vice-versa,” she told UNI while talking from Pala in Kottayam district. It was Bobby’s planning and the useful tips helped Anju reach such a level and win laurels for the country, Shiny said. “I am very happy. Nobody has won medal in athletics for India in World Championship... It’s a great achievement and a reward for her hardwork,” she added. “It’s a great thing,’’ said Mr Davaram, who was instrumental in Anju going abroad to train under world-renowned Mike Powell. “In fact she has become the first Asian to win a medal in a jumping event.’’ The financial help rendered by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa for winning a bronze in Commonwealth Games and the gold in Asian Games further encouraged her to pursue the goal of winning medals at the international meet ahead of the Athens Olympics. Anju has another one more year before Olympics and can put in more effort to bring glory to India. Only three Indians have won Olympic medals —wrestler Jadhav in 1956 Olympics, tennis player Leander Paes and weightlifter Karnam Malleswari. — UNI
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France stun USA in relay
Paris, August 31 The Americans had been favourites to win the relay, but without white they lost the race in a close finish yesterday when Christine Arron blew by Torri Edwards to give the host nation its second gold medal of the day. Eunice Barber had already won a dramatic victory in the long jump. The French team clocked 41.78 seconds to break the national record for the second time in 24 hours and set the fastest time in the world this year. The US squad finished in 41.83 for the silver and Russia took the bronze in 42.66. Allen Johnson of the USA captured his fourth 110-meter hurdles title and Jaouad Gharib of Morocco won a thrilling marathon race on eventful penultimate day at the championships. Ethiopia’s Tirunesh
Dibaba, just 18, won the women’s 5,000 with a powerful finish. Just minutes before the French relay win, Barber gave France its first gold medal of the competition by winning the long jump title on her final attempt. European champion Mirela manjani of Greece won the gold medal in the javelin with the best throw of the year, 66.52 meters. White could lose her gold medals in the 100 and 200 for a possible doping violation and might face a two-year suspension after testing positive for a stimulant. The positive test came after her win in the 100 and was for
modafinil, a substance contained in a drug to treat fatigue and sleepiness. “I have never taken any substance to enhance my performance,” white told reporters. The International Association of Athletics Federations was investigating the case to see whether to treat it as a doping violation. “If it ends as a doping case — at the moment all indications are toward that direction — then she will be deprived of the gold medal,” IAAF general secretary Istvan Gyulai told the Associated Press. Johnson, who won the final in 13.12 seconds in a 1-2 finish for the USA, has captured four of the last five 110 hurdles titles, losing only in 1999 to world record holder Colin Jackson of Britain, now retired. Terrence Trammel was second in 13.20 and Liu Xiang of china took bronze in 13.23. “It’s my fourth title and I wanted it more than anything,” Johnson said. “I’m incredibly glad to win here today. I love
paris, I have some friends here who came to watch me today.” Gharib pulled away from Spain’s Julio Rey as they entered the stadium and set a championship record of 2 hours, 8 minutes and 31 seconds to win gold in the second marathon of his career. Rey was seven seconds behind to take the silver and Stefano Baldini of Italy won the bronze in
2:09.14. Dibaba was the world junior cross-country champion and is the 5,000 world junior record holder. She won the gold medal in 14 minutes, 51.72 seconds. European champion Marta Dominguez of Spain took silver for the second consecutive time, finishing in 14:52.26. Edith Masai of Kenya was third in 14:52.30. “I can’t believe it,” Dibaba said. “It’s my first world championship and winning the title is an amazing thing for me.” Barber, who had won silver in the heptathlon, soared 6.99 meters to grab the gold ahead of European champion Tatyana Kotova of Russia. Kotova and Barber went into the final series tied at 6.74, but the Russian would have won the title because she had a longer second distance.— AP
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Davenport
struggles into quarter-finals
New York, August 31 Davenport, the 1998 U.S. Open champion, had a pain-killing injection on a pinched toe nerve before the season's last grand slam, and she appeared to be moving gingerly towards the end of the one hour, 52 minute match. She was happy to take advantage of the 19th seed's nerves and wild hitting in the first set, but Petrova improved in the second, which she took 8-6 in a tiebreak. Davenport never looked totally at ease but still dominated the deciding set. She meets Paola Suarez, the 24th seed from Argentina, or Russian Elena Likhovtseva in the last eight. Earlier, Justine Henin-Hardenne and Juan Carlos Ferrero handled one of the strangest days in US Open history like the champions they are, winning with character and poise despite the distractions. A court-closing oil spill, unsettling deja vu, a bothersome blimp, and a four-hour rain delay combined to make a bizarre day that ended with world number one Andre Agassi still waiting to finish his third-round match. Showers halted Agassi’s match against Russia’s Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the second set, relenting only long enough to allow one more point to be played, then returned and delayed the finish to today with Agassi leading 6-3, 0-1. When a motorized drying machine leaked oil across the Grandstand court, it was closed and two matches were moved, including Henin-Hardenne’s 6-1, 6-2 triumph over Japan’s Saori Obata yesterday. The second-seeded French Open champion from Belgium won on the same Court 11 where she was ousted from the US Open the past two years, facing down her Court of Doom in 55 minutes after waiting 10 hours to play the match. Henin-Hardenne will reach her first US Open quarter-final tomorrow if she beats Russia’s Dinara Safina. Spain’s third-seeded Ferrero, also a French Open champion, waited all day to spoil the 24th birthday of Argentina’s Juan Ignacio Chela, advancing 7-5, 7-5, 6-1 after “just playing cards all day and waiting for the rain to stop.” Ferrero made the day’s best shot in the third set, racing away from the net to chase down a lob. He fired a back-to-the- net, between-the-legs winner past a stunned
Chela, a shot identical to one Roddick put past Chela here a year ago. Next in Ferrero’s path is American Todd Martin, who beat compatriot Robby Ginepri 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (7/4) 6-4, 6-4 late in the tumultuous day. Fifth seed Guillermo Coria of Argentina beat France’s Gregory Carraz 7-5, 6-1, 7-5 in a match that began with five games on the Grandstand and ended on an outer court after a long delay in informing players of the switch.
— Reuters
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Bhupathi-Mirnyi duo in third round
New York, August 31 The top-seeded Indo-Belarusian pair lost the first set before stamping its authority to win the match 6-7 (7-9) 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 against Anthony Dupuis of France and Lee Hung-taik of South Korea last night. Bhupathi and Mirnyi had defeated Slovakian Dominik Hrbaty and Andre Sa of Brazil in their first round match on Wednesday. The Indian, partnering Paola Suarex of Argentina, has also moved into the second round of the mixed doubles event in the championship. — PTI
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BSF record biggest win in soccer league Chandigarh, August 31 Incidentally it is the biggest victory recorded by any team in the current league so far. The hero of BSF’s impressive win today was Kamal Kishore who scored three goals. After striker Gurjit Atwal put BSF ahead with a neat header in the eighth minute, Deepak Kumar made it 2-0 in the 13th minute. Shortly before half time, Kamal Kishore scored the third goal for BSF. After half time, RCF’s Manjinder Singh managed to pull one back but that was all they could achieve. Thereafter BSF started calling the shots once again and Amarjit made it 4-1. Kamal Kishore struck twice in the 70th and 72nd minutes and a minute before the long whistle Amanpreet made it 7-1 to complete the rout. Tomorrow, JCT will meet PSEB at Phagwara at 4.30 p.m.
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Sethi badminton
body chief Chandigarh, August 31 Later, Mr Sethi listed various plans to promote badminton in the city. He announced that any player of Chandigarh who wins the senior title in the national championships will be honoured with cash prize of Rs 1 lakh while the runners-up will get Rs 50,000. Mr Sethi said promising local badminton players would also be sent for exposure to foreign countries for
advanced training in Malaysia and Indonesia. He said the talent hunt programme would be made more popular. Mr Sethi said a monthly newsletter would also be published from October. |
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BCCI considering
matches in J&K Kolkata, August 31 “We are giving a serious thought of staging an international one-dayer or Test match in Jammu and Kashmir,” Cricket Board (BCCI) President Jagmohan Dalmiya today said. Mr Dalmiya said: “We are proposing an international cricket match in J & K in near future.”
— PTI |
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Lawrence
School soccer champs Chandigarh, August 31 The tournament, which is an annual feature, attracted top school teams like Military School Chail, BCS Shimla, APS Dagshai, Sherwood College,
Nainital, Pinegrove School, Doon School, Dehra Dun, YPS Mohali, besides the host school. Mr Harish Dhillon, Principal of YPS Mohali, gave away the prizes. Among those present were Mr D. Mountford and Mr AJ Singh, Headmasters of Sherwood College and Pinegrove School, respectively. Trishakti Rana of the host school was declared the highest scorer of the tournament while Ishan Yadav was adjudged the best player of the tournament. Aditya Piya of Sherwood College was adjudged the best goalkeeper. The tournament was declared open on August 28 by Major Kamal Padds.
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Chandigarh
Academy win Chandigarh, August 31 In the tie played between Chandigarh Academy and Sukhchain Academy, the first goal was scored by Ranjodh Singh in 20th minute through a field goal. After three minutes, he converted a penalty corner to make it 2-0. In the second half, Chandigarh Academy players again dominated the proceedings and Deepak Kumar scored the third goal in 37th minute. Ranjodh Singh was declared ‘man of the match’. In the second tie played between Rock Rovers and Hawks Academy, the first goal was scored in 46th minute by Hawks Academy. After two minutes, Rock Rovers equalised through a penalty corner. Goalkeeper Deepak Kumar of Rock Rovers was adjudged ‘man of the match.’ |
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Para gliding meet Dharamsala , August 31 The organization of the event by the tourism and sports departments will provide an opportunity to ensure that more and more adventure sports enthusiasts make Himachal their destination.
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Paris, August 31
