The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

SPORTS

Uma Bharti honours women weightlifters
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, April 29
Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Uma Bharti today felicitated the Indian junior women weightlifters who participated in the seventh Asian Junior Women and 15th Asian Junior Men’s Weightlifting Championships held at the Khonkaen province of Thailand from April 23 to 28.

The Minister hailed the team for bringing laurles to the country, with their hard work and dedication. Ms Uma Bharti exhorted the women lifters to foot their best foot forward in preparing for the forthcoming Women’s World Junior Weightlifting Championship to be held in Kathmandu next month.

The women lifters also called on Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Pon. Radhakrishnan, who complimented the lifters for their excellent performance.

P Sailaja lifted three gold medals in the 75kg category while Krishna Veni lifted a bronze medal in the 48kg category in the Asian Junior Women’s Weightlifting. The other members of the team who called on the Ministers were J Jayamma and Renu Bala.

The weightlifters will now leave for Patiala to attend the national camp for the Women’s World Junior Weightlifting Championship.

Secretary (sports) S S Sharma, director-general of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Shekhar Dutt and other senior officials of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, along with officials of the Indian Weightlifting Federation, were also present on the occasion.

The meeting also discussed provision of proper diet, food supplement and other facilities for the trainees at the national camp in Patiala.

Indian Navy team finish third in Hong Kong Challenge
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, April 29
Team India, comprising Commander Siddarth Panda and seaman Vijay Dahia, put India right on top in the global map of adventure racing, in what proved to be an exciting race through urban and rural Hong Kong.

The Indian Navy boys proved their mettle in this ‘intense battle of brain and brawn’ by coming first in the gruelling ‘City Dares Challenge’ held in Hong Kong.

Team India crossed the final line third in the international category of the Hong Kong AXN Challenge 2002, which was held in Hong Kong on April 20.

Losing narrowly to first-placed Team Hong Kong, which enjoyed home advantage, and fellow seamen from Thailand, who finished second, Team India outran the teams from Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines.

Despite being the oldest participant in the international category, 40-year-old Cdr. Panda and his teammate showed that the Indians were a force to be reckoned with from the outset.

Team India exhibited an almost unbeatable combination of grit and determination in the seven-hour race, which saw competitors swimming, assailing, kayaking, canoeing and canyoneering through Hong Kong’s thickets. Held in the spirit of Eco-Challenge, the gruelling adventure race, which has now become known as the Olympics of expedition racing, the teams were told of their challenges and routes only during the race.

The morning’s multi-discipline race took the most out of the participants, but Cdr. Panda and Dahiya showed their true competitive spirit and tenacity as they emerged champions in the City Dares Challenge, which took place in the afternoon.

Despite the language barrier, Team India performed the dares and ease and showed the ‘can-do’ spirit, which was admired by all other teams. Their counterparts from Thailand put up a strong challenge, but could only manage a second place. The teams from Philippines, Kong Kong and Malaysia finished third, fourth and fifth respectively in the City Dares Challenge.

The Hong Kong AXN Challenge was one of AXN’s big and exciting event, organised to create a buzz in everyday lives. Designes on the lines of hte AXN’s extremely popular show, Eco Challenge, the world’s toughest adventure race, the event was an endeavour to entrench the channel’s brand value by giving viewers an opportunity to interact with the channel directly. The Indian trials to select the Indian champions were held on March 9,2002 in Mumbai.

Victor bowls Young Friends to victory
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, April 29
A devastating bowling spell of 5 for 34 by Wilkinson Wilkin Victor helped Young Friends Club defeat Lal Bahadur Shastri Club by 87 runs in the first Gyan Prakash Memorial Under-17 Cricket Tournament, organised by the Madan Lal Cricket Academy, at the Mohan Meakin ground in Ghaziabad.

Young Friends, batting first, were helped to a decent total of 187 for 7 in 40 overs, thanks to the fine batting performances of Rahul Deewan, who struck a stroke-filled 70, and Ishan Bakshi, who scored 38.

In reply, the Lal Bahadur Shastri Club tumbled to 102 all out, with Wilkinson Wilkin Victor ripping through their batting line up like knife through butter.

Scores: Young Friends: 187 for 7 in 40 overs (Rahul Deewan 70, Ishan Bakshi 38, Simran Jeet Singh 3 for 53).

Lal Bahadur Shastri Club: 102 all out in 39.3 overs (Ansul Gupta 27, Wilkinson Wilkin Victor 5 for 34, Ajit Ranjan 3 for 12). Big win for Madan Lal Academy

Jayanti Devi cricket tourney: Dashing batting performances by Kavin Gupta, who hit an unbeaten 60, and Onant Jai Singh, who scored 40 not out, powered Madan Lal Cricket Academy to a crushing ten wickets victory against R P Academy in the Jayanti Devi Under-15 Cricket Tournament at the Gargi College ground in the Capital. Gupta’s quickfire knock was appreciated by all the crowd.

R P Academy, batting first, failed to cope with the varied bowling of the Madan Lal Academy players as Mohd Dawood, Varun Singh and Siddarth Bhardwaj were deadly and accurate in their spells, to dismiss RP Academy for a paltry total of 101.

The restrictive and productive bowling of Madan Lal Academy shackels R P Academy’s hope, though Ashish Joshi made 46, which gave some solidarity to the team, but in the later part of the game they can’t stck to the wicket.

In reply, Madan Lal Acadey reached the winning target without losing any wicket.

Scores: R P Academy: 101 all out in 24.3 overs (Ashish Joshi 46, Pranav Mahendra 36, Mohd Dawood 3 for 9, Varun Singh 2 for 13, Sidharth Bhardwaj 2 for 16).

Madan Lal Academy: 101 for no loss in 21.4 overs (Kavin Gupta 60 n o, Onant Jai Singh 40 n o).

14 teams for National League Volleyball
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, April 29
Eight teams in the men’s section and six teams in the women’s section are battling it out for supremacy in the National League Volleyball Championships for men and women, which got off to a fine start at the textile town of Tirupur in Tamilnadu on Sunday night.

In the men’s section, Group A comprises Indian Overseas Bank, Chennai, Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation, South Central Railway, Secunderabad and Cochin Port Trust. Group B comprises Punjab Police, Southern Railway, Cochin Refineries and Karnataka Postal.

In the women’s section, Group A comprises Southern Railway, Bangalore Club and Kolkatta Club while Group B is composed of Kerala State Electricity Board, Thiruvanathapuram, South Central Railway, Secunderabad and GKMF, Chennai.

In Monday’s matches, HSIDC will clash against South Central Railway, Southern Railway will meet Bangalore Club and Southern Railway take on Karnataka Postal in late evening.

The Super League matches will be held from May 5, according to Volleyball Federation of India secretary-general K Murugan.

Mr Murugan said the first and second-ranked teams in each group, after the preliminary league matches both in the men’s and women’s section, will qualify for the Super League. The matches are being held at the Nanjappa School grounds at Tiruppur.

Harvinder slams century
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, April 29
Harvinder Singh scored an unbeaten century and left-arm medium pacer Sune Singh claimed 4 for 34 to star in Delhi Police’s 49 runs victory against R N Colts in an A-I Division match of the DDCA League at the Khalindi College ground.

Scores: Delhi Police: 232 for 5 in 40 overs (Harvinder Singh 105 n o, Sanjay Lohia 50, Surender 2 for 31).

R N Colts: 183 all out in 39.5 overs (Malkhan Singh 57, Sune Singh 4 for 34).

Rajani Gandha beat Gush Club by four wickets in a Super A Division match at the Palam ground.

Scores: Gush Club: 183 all out in 38.1 overs (Prateek Pawar 66, Rajiv Kumar 3 for 34, Satish Sharma 2 for 24). Rajni Gandha: 185 for 6 in 33 overs (Mohsin Khan 50, Yogesh Gulati 31, Naman Khanna 3 for 33).

Delhi Club beat Delhi Gymkhana by two wickets in an A-II Division match at the Kotla II ground on Sunday.

Scores: Delhi Gymkhana: 155 for 8 in 40 overs (Varun Kumar Raj 19, Jagat Kaur 2 for 37, Wajahat 2 for 32). Delhi Club: 161 for 8 in 33.4 overs (Jeetender Chaudhary 50 n o, Amit Kumar 21, Vijay Kumar 4 for 32, Vikas Kumar 3 for 24).

Kuldeep stars in Mandal’s win
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, April 29
A fine all-round display by Kuldeep (3 for 34 and 30, 4x4) enabled Mandal XI beat Coca Cola Sports by two wickets to enter the final of the Corporate Cup Cricket Tournament, organised by Club House.

In the second semi-final, deadly bowling by Adil (6 for 13) helped New Holland beat Delphi Auto by nine wickets. Mandal will meet New Holland in the final. In a totally lop-sided title clash, Mandal XI played like a champion.

Scores: Coca Cola Sports: 155 all out in 24.3 overs (Rajnish 35, Kishore 35, Kuldeep 3 for 34, Sanjay 2 for 16).

Mandal XI: 156 for 8 in 24.5 overs (Rahul 51, 7x4; Kuldeep 30, 4x4; Ankush 2 for 27, Kishore 1 for 23). Rahul was adjudged the man of the match.

Delphi Auto: 98 all out in 20.4 overs (Sanjay 27, Hitender 14, Adil 6 for 13, Billeshwar 2 for 28).

New Holland: 99 for 1 in 17.4 overs (Rashid 35 n o, 6x4; Adil 25 n o, 4x4; Neeraj 1 for 16). Adil was named the man of the match.

ADMINISTRATION

Campaign against illegal vehicles nets
Rs 2.14 crore
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, April 29
The district administration, in a special campaign, has earned a revenue of Rs 2.14 crore from the operators of the vehicles plying without proper licences or requisite documents in this district. Mr S. N. Roy, Deputy Commissioner, told mediapersons here today that the administration had also recovered Rs 61.24 lakh as token tax from the operators of various categories of vehicles. The officials, he said, had also challaned 935 maxi cabs and these include 235 private buses, 13 school buses and 28 buses of cooperative societies.

He also disclosed that the officials had challaned 5,331 persons who failed to wear helmets, get horns, licences and identity cards etc. Of these, as many as 319 persons had no pollution control certificates, 48 no helmets, 76 no horns, 827 were without licences, 779 without registration, 703 without insurance, 85 were found overspeeding, 361 were found overloading and 894 were of the second category.

According to the DC, as many as 663 vehicles were also impounded under Section 207 of the Central Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The officials of the police and Excise and Taxation Department were also involved in this special campaign. The officials of the Excise Department also recovered Rs 8.87 lakh as penalty, Rs 9.53 lakh as token tax, Rs 2.48 lakh as passenger tax and Rs 1.13 lakh as penalty from the erring vehicles, he said.

He disclosed that the Department of Transport has issued 1,905 permits, 897 registration certificates, 431 renewal licences and 225 new licences during the campaign.