SPORTS

South India down Rohini to qualify for Super Six of DSA league
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, July 13
South India scored a facile 2-0 victory against Rohini to qualify for the Super Six of the Delhi Soccer Association B Division League Championship at the Nehru Stadium East ground.

Radhey Kishan opened the account in the 17th minute while Pradeep knocked in the second goal in the 45th minute. Rohini Club, which collected 15 points, also qualified for the Super Six. South India earned 13 points from six matches.

Nivia toyed with Delhi Students in a Group III match at the Ambedkar Stadium. Amit Kumar scored the first goal in the 15th minute while Hoshiar Singh added the second goal in the 28th minute.

Amit Kumar slammed home the third and fifth goals in the 33rd and 47th minutes while Rakesh scored the fourth goal in the 45th minute.

Nivia have totted up 15 points from five matches, and will play their last match against Goodwill at the Nehru Stadium on Monday. Nivia have entered the Super Six stage while Delhi Students failed to earn a point after five matches.

Delhi Tigers came from behind to beat Venus 4-2 in a Group I match.

Abhishek and Sanjay found the target to give Venus a 2-0 lead. However, after this sudden setback, Delhi Tigers charged in like a wounded animal to slot home four goals in a row. Delhi Tigers have earned six points from five matches while Venus have collected three points from four matches.

At the Nehru Stadium, Gulabi Bagh prevailed over Lodhi Club 5-1. Amit Kumar netted a hattrick for Gulabi Bagh when he scored in the 16th, 30th and 35th minutes while Hitesh and Amit Kaushik accounted for the other two goals. Tarun scored the lone goal for Lodhi Club.

Gulabi Bagh have secured ten points while Young Sports too have collected as many points, necessitating a play-off between the two teams in Group III on July 16 to decide the qualifiers for the Super Six. Indian Airlines have earned nine points from six matches.

Monday’s fixtures: Nivia vs Goodwill (3 p m); Paschim Heroes vs Shakti (5 pm)—Nehru Stadium. Columba’s Youngsters vs New Friends (3.45 pm); Venus vs Punjab Heroes (5 pm)—Ambedkar Stadium.

WRESTLING
Resentment over shifting of nursery from Sonepat to Kharkhauda
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, July 13
Resentment prevails among wrestlers and coaches over the shifting of the wrestling nursery from Subhash Stadium, Sonepat to Kharkhauda and reducing the number of trainees from 25 to 15.

The shifting order has reportedly been issued by the Director, Department of Sports, Haryana.

On condition of anonymity, a wrestling coach said that the shifting of the wrestling nursery and the reduction in the number of trainees would be a major set back to budding wrestlers of the district. Above all, it might even lead to the demoralization of the wrestlers, who could even loose interest in the sport.

Many of the other coaches who were taken aback by the decision of the Director, Department of Sports, Haryana, pointed out that it would severely affect the long-term prospect of wrestling in the district.

These coaches told the NCR Tribune today that instead of shifting the nursery from Sonepat to Kharkhauda, a more practical and useful step would have been to open a new wrestling nursery at Kharkhauda, as there was no shortage of youths wanting to take up wrestling in Sonepat district.

They said that they were in the process of establishing contacts with other coaches and would approach the Director of Sports, Haryana, and urge him to reconsider his decision in the interest of the boys.

Haryana to host sub-junior national korfball
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, July 13
The fourth Sub-Junior National Korfball Championship will be held in Haryana in September while the 11th Junior National Korfball Championship will be held in Gujarat in November 2003. The 17th Senior National Championship will be held in Goa in December. President of the Korfball Federation of India M. C. Gupta had been re-elected as the president of the Asia-Oceania

Korfball Federation for another four-year term at the recent meeting of the federation in Australia. India, who had won a bronze medal in the last Asian-Oceanian Korfball Championship in 2002, have qualified for the 7th World Korfball Championship, to be held in Holland in November 2003. This will coincide with the centennial celebrations of korfball.

Thirty-five probables have been selected by the federation and the first coaching was held at Agra from June 1 to 11. India had played host to the fifth World Korfball Championship in Delhi in 1995, and the Asian-Oceanian Championships in 1992 and 2002.

ESPN starts new interactive programme
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, July 13
ESPN Star Sports have introduced a 30-minute programme, Harsha Unplugged, to be telecast every Wednesday at 9 pm, which will primarily focus on getting national and international sportsmen and women closer to the Indian sports fans.

The main part of each show will focus on individual sportspersons, their relationships with people and the forces that influenced their respective careers.

From time to time, the programme will also cover a range of sports related subjects, will solicit opinions from a cross section of people, will initiate discussions among people and perhaps also have a people’s vote at the end of that particular episode.

The programme showcases sportspersons outside studios, in an environment comfortable to them. The channel brings 48 hours of sporting action from around the world on a daily basis. It offers a comprehensive cricket coverage, and also various other sports events.

District Badminton Championship from July 24
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, July 13
The District Badminton Championship will be organised at the local S M Hindu Senior Secondary School from July 24 to 29.

Officials involved with the championship also said that the district team for participating in the state championship will be selected during this championship.

Hence, the championship has an added importance for the players hoping to make it to the district team.