Shooters off target for second day running

Tue, Nov 16 10 03:22 PM

S S Ramaswamy Guangzhou, Nov 16 (PTI) After their cornering glory in the Commonwealth Games and promising start to the competitions here, the much touted Indian shooters drew a blank at the range for the second day running at the Asian Games today with the pistol markswomen way off target. After bagging two silver and as many bronze medals, the shooters, who provided India with the golden touch in the CWG, put up a major flop show and left everyone wondering what has gone wrong with them. The women''s trio of Rahi Sarnobat, Annu Raj Singh and Anisa Sayyed flopped badly in the 25-metre pistol event as the trio failed to qualify for the finals in the individual category and finished a disappointing seventh in the team competition at the Aoti Shooting Range. Rahi was the best of the lot, finishing the qualifiers in the 10th position with 577 points (286 in the precision round and 292 in rapid). She shot rounds of 96, 94 and 96 in precision and followed it up with a better display in the rapid fire (96, 96, 99). Annu was no better as she shot 288 and 286 in the two rounds for an overall tally of 574 that fetched her the 18th spot - 97, 95, 96 in precision and 95, 96, 95 in rapid, while Commonwealth Games gold medallist Anisa finished a disappointing 26th with a tally of 566 points (282 and 284), well below her effort in Delhi last month. Anisa shot 97, 92 and 93 and 95, 93, 96 in the two segments, well below what she is capable of. The best qualifying effort came from Japan''s Mori Yukari (587) but her team finished only fourth. The Indian trio were no better in the team event as they finished seventh with an overall aggregate of 1717, six below bronze medal winning South Korea. Kazakhstan won the gold with 1731, while Mongolia (1725) and South Korea (1723) bagged silver and bronze respectively. India''s chief shooting coach Sunny Thomas conceded the women were totally off colour today and bemoaned that had Anisa shot slightly better and got six more points the team bronze would have returned with atleast a bronze. But Thomas added that Anisa complained of pain in her hand and also took medical help at the clinic inside the range. "Anisa shot 566 which was much below her 585 in Delhi. Had she shot six more points we could have secured the team bronze. But she had complained about some pain in her shooting hand for which she got treated at the clinic inside the range. She took some pain killers and participated," he said. "But I don''t want to tout that an excuse. If it had to happen it happened, that''s all," he said. .

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Suranjoy in pre-quarters of Asian Games

Tue, Nov 16 10 02:52 PM

Guangzhou, Nov 16 (PTI) Suranjoy Singh gave a resounding start to India''s campaign in the Asian Games boxing event by entering the fly weight (52kg) pre-quarterfinals with a thumping win over Thailand''s Chatchai Butdee here today. The 24-year-old Manipuri, who has won an astonishing seven international gold medals since April 2009, thrashed Butdee 7-2 in his and India''s opening bout at the Foshan Gymnasium here. Fresh from his seventh international gold at last month''s Commonwealth Games in Delhi, Suranjoy was as usual sharp in his movement and dodged his rival''s attempted attacks craftily. In the opening three minutes, Suranjoy took a measure of his rival and in between notched up a point through a left hook to take the edge. In the second round too, the Indian was not too aggressive and waited for Butdee to make the first move before striking hard on counter-attack to pocket two more points. Butdee, a South East Asian Games gold-medallist, went for all out attack in the final three minutes but Suranjoy took full advantage of the Thai''s dodgy defence to score through uppercuts and body punches. "I didn''t go all out in this fight. My body is always a bit stiff when I start out in a competition and it was the same today but in the end it was not too tough for me," Suranjoy told PTI. "I was slightly laid back in the final round and that is why I got hit twice, otherwise I would have kept the slate clean," he added. Suranjoy will now be up against Juseong Kim of Korea who got the better of Kazakhstan''s Miras Zakhupov 5-3 in his opening bout. "I have recorded his bout and will work out a strategy with my coaches," Suranjoy said when asked about his next bout. Tomorrow, two Indian boxers, including Olympic and World Championships bronze medallist Vijender Singh (75kg), will be in action. World number one Vijender, who won a bronze medal at the 2006 Doha Asian Games, will take on Yu Ting Yang of Chinese Taipei. World Youth champion Vikas Krishan (60kg) would be the other Indian boxer kicking off his campaign tomorrow. The 18-year-old, who won a bronze medal at the Youth Olympics in August, will be squaring off against Thailand''s Saylom Ardee in his Games opener. Ardee is a gold medallist from the prestigious King''s Cup hosted annually by Thailand.

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Aditi braves injury to enter badminton 2nd round

Tue, Nov 16 10 02:38 PM

S S Ramaswamy Guangzhou, Nov 16 (PTI) Aditi Mutatkar braved a calf injury en route to a straight-game triumph over Sri Lanka''s Thilini Jayasinghe as Indian shuttlers began their individual campaigns at the Asian Games on a bitter-sweet note here today. Aditi beat her rival 21-11 21-19 in just 19 minutes after gaining a comfortable 10-point leads in both games. Aditi hit four smash winners, the same as her rival, and the two were also more or less matched well in net play. But the Indian woman had a clear edge otherwise. Aditi will meet fourth seed Erika Hirose of Japan, quarter-finalist in the World Championship this year, in the pre-quarterfinals. The Japanese got a first round bye. In women''s doubles, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa, fresh from their Commonwealth Games women''s doubles gold, sailed through against the Thai pair of Savitree Amitrapai and Punyada Munkitchokecharoen. The Indians were leading 21-13 when their rivals after one of them got hurt. But the second doubles pair of Aparna Balan and Prajakta Sawant exited after losing tamely to Malaysia''s N G Marylen Poaulen and Woon Khe Wei 21-17 21-7 in a 20-minute drubbing. Indian coach P Gopichand said it was a decent beginning by the women today. "But the main matches are yet to come," he added. Gopi also revealed that another woman entrant Trupti Murgunde is flying back home tonight after picking up an ankle injury and would miss the event. The Indian pair will take on the top Chinese combination of Tian Oing and Zhao Yunki, seeded second, in the next round and Jwala said that she and her partner need to be patient as it will be a unique experience playing against them in front of their home crowd. "Against China we need to be patient but persistent. I have always enjoyed playing against the Chinese. Playing them on their home ground will be a one-of-a-kind experience," she said. Ashwini said the match would not be easy though she had adjusted well to the conditions here. "I am going to enjoy our match against China. I''ve adjusted well to the conditions here. At the start of my other matches I got a little frustrated and eager to win but Jwala calmed me," she said.

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Harrison apologises for woeful performance against WBA champ Haye

Published>Tue, Nov 16 10 02:22 PM

London, Nov.16 (ANI): Audley Harrison has apologised for his woeful performance against David Haye on Saturday night.

Harrison was convinced he was the man to end the Hayemaker's reign as WBA world heavyweight champion.

But his challenge was halted in dramatic fashion during the third round of the title showdown at Manchester's MEN Arena.

The BBC quoted the 39-year-old Londoner, as saying: "To my family, my team and the fans who got behind me on this journey to overthrow David Haye and become heavyweight champion, I'm sorry I was unable to walk through the door and fulfil my destiny.

He added: "I can promise I cut no corners in training and did all I could do in getting myself ready both physically and mentally for Saturday's fight." (ANI)

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Man U's American owners to pay off PIK loans

Published>Tue, Nov 16 10 02:08 PM

London, Nov.16 (ANI): Manchester United's American owners have revealed that they will pay off their high interest payment-in-kind (PIK) loans, estimated to be worth around 220 million pounds.

The loans were borrowed from three US hedge funds to help finance the Glazer family's 790 million pound takeover of the club in 2005, reports the BBC.

The BBC understands the club's joint chairman Joel Glazer has written to the lenders and said the loan would be paid in full on November 22.

The football club's total debts are estimated at more than 720 million pounds.

It is not yet clear how the Glazer family will raise the money to pay off the PIK loans. (ANI)

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Asian Games boxing: Indian boxer Suranjoy moves into second round

Published>Tue, Nov 16 10 01:52 PM

Guangzhou, Nov 16 (IANS) Indian boxer Suranjoy Singh won 7-2 against Thailand's Chatchai Butdee in the first round at the Asian Games here Tuesday.

Suranjoy took a 1-0 lead in the first round and blanked the Thai in the second round when he opened up a 4-0 lead.

Butdee, however, managed to get two points in the final round, but Suranjoy rained blows and won the bout 7-2.

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Shooters misfire again at Asian Games

Tue, Nov 16 10 01:48 PM

Guangzhou, Nov 16 (PTI) Indian shooters drew a blank for the second successive day in the Asian Games after they failed to qualify for the final round of the women''s 25m pistol individual event and finished a lowly seventh in the team competition here today. The women''s 25m pistol -- individual and team -- was the only shooting event which featured Indian today but much to the dislike of the fans there was disappointment in store. Rahi Sarnobat finished 10th in the individual qualifiers with a score of 577 after managing 286 in precision and 291 in rapid, while Annu Raj Singh came 18th at 574 (288+286) and Anisa Sayyed 26th with a tally of 566 (282+284). The trio could not make much of an impact in the team event as well, finishing seventh with 1717 points after combining for 856 in precision and 290 in rapid.

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