BOXING

Brijesh, Sagar and Sumit confirm medals for India at ASBC Asian U-22 & Youth Boxing Championships 2024

Indian pugilists Brijesh Tamta, Sagar Jakhar and Sumit registered victories to enter the semifinals and assured themselves of medals in the youth category of ASBC Asian U22 & Youth Boxing Championships 2024 in Astana, Kazakhstan on Monday.

Brijesh (48kg) started the day for India in a hard-fought bout against Uzbekistan’s Sabirov Sayfiddin, with both boxers winning one round each as it all came down to the third round which the youngster from India won 4-3 after the bout was reviewed.

Sagar Jakhar (60kg) and Sumit (67kg) clinched identical 5-0 victories against Thailand’s Kalaseeram Thanaphansakon and Korea’s Hong Seo Jin respectively. Jitesh (54kg) lost 0-5 against Kazakhstan’s Tulebek Nurassyl.

With these three medals, India is now assured of eight medals in the youth category as five women boxers Annu (48kg), Parthavi Grewal (66kg), Nikita Chand (60kg), Khushi Pooniya (81kg) and Nirjhara Bana (+81kg) will start their campaigns in the semifinals.

Rahul Kundu (75kg), Hemant Sangwan (86kg) and Lakshay Rathi (+92kg), and Laxmi (50kg), Tamanna (54kg), Yatri Patel (57kg), Shrusthi Sathe (63kg) will play their youth quarterfinals later today.

On Tuesday, Asian Games bronze medallist Preeti (54kg), who has already qualified for the Paris Olympics, will kickstart her challenge against Uzbekistan’s Uktamova Nigina in the women’s U-22 category along with Tammana (50kg) and Priyanka (60kg).

Meanwhile, Vishvanath Suresh (48kg), Akash Gorkha (60kg), Preet Malik (67kg), Kunal (75kg), Jugnoo (86kg) and Rhythm (+92kg) will be in action in the men’s U-22 category.

The finals for the youth and U-22 category will be played on May 6 and 7 respectively.

– Team Sportstar

GOLF

Diksha moves into Top-10 of LET Order of Merit after South African Open performance

Indian golfer Diksha Dagar moved into the Top 10 of the Ladies European Tour’s Order of Merit after another creditable finish at the South African Women’s Open.

Diksha is now ninth on the LET, with 455 points. England’s Bronte Law is on top, followed by this week’s winner Manon de Roey of Belgium.

Pranavi Urs is the next best Indian at 25th place in her rookie year.

Diksha is a near certainty for the upcoming Paris Olympic Games, which will be her second one, after a debut appearance in Tokyo. She will play alongside Aditi Ashok, who will play her third Olympic Games.

Diksha, who was third on the LET in 2023 with one win in Tipsport Czech Republic and Top 3 finishes in Amundi German Masters and the Hero Women’s Indian Open, has now had three Top-10s in 2024.

With the LET taking a break this week, Diksha will be back in action at the Aramco Ladies Korea next week along with Pranavi Urs.

In the next LET event, the Indians in action are Diksha, Pranavi and Vani Kapoor.

In the event after that, the Amundi German Masters, there will be six Indians with Diksha, Pranavi and Vani being accompanied by Tvesa Malik. Sneha Singh and amateur Avani Prashanth have also got invitation for the event.

– Team Sportstar

CARROM

Asian carrom championship: Aakankssha, Shainy wins womens’s doubles final

Aakanksha Kadam and Shainy Sebastian.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Aakankssha Kadam and Shainy Sebastian surprised multiple world champion Rashmi Kumari and K Nagajothi 21-25, 25-17, 25-17 in the women’s doubles final of the 6th Asian carrom championship in Maldives.

The men’s doubles title was also won by the Indian pair of K Srinivas and Mohd. Ghufran, who beat the Maldives duo of Ismail Azmeen and Hassan Nazim 25-15, 25-16 in the final.

Earlier, in the open swiss league, featuring 80 players from seven countries, including Korea and Singapore, Prashant More won the title.

– Team Sportstar