On the final day of the 38th National Games swimming competitions, held at the Manskhund Swimming Pool, Golapar, Haldwani, athletes from across the country delivered exceptional performances

On the final day of the 38th National Games swimming competitions, held at the Manskhund Swimming Pool, Golapar, Haldwani, athletes from across the country delivered exceptional performances. Leading the charge, Karnataka showcased its supremacy, claiming several gold medals and proving its strength in the sport. On Tuesday, in the Women’s 100m Breaststroke, Harshita Jayaram H from Kerala emerged victorious, clinching the gold with a time of 1:14.34. Saanvi Yogesh Deshwal from Maharashtra secured the silver at 1:16.37, while Jyoti Bajirao Patil, also from Maharashtra, earned the bronze with a time of 1:17.36, as per a press release from 38th National Games.

Vidit Shivshankar J B from Karnataka dominated the Men’s 100m Breaststroke, claiming the gold with an impressive time of 1:03.97. The silver went to Dhanush C Suresh from Tamil Nadu, who finished in 1:04.51, while Rana Deepak Kumar Singh from Jharkhand secured the bronze with a time of 1:04.57.

The Women’s 100m Freestyle saw Dhinidhi Desingu P S from Karnataka claim gold with a remarkable time of 57.34 seconds. Titiksha Rawat from Delhi followed with silver at 59.38 seconds, and Aditi Satish from Maharashtra bagged the bronze with 59.49 seconds.

In the highly competitive Men’s 100m Freestyle, Srihari Nataraj from Karnataka stood out, winning the gold with a time of 50.65 seconds. Geetesh Shah from Maharashtra took silver at 51.61 seconds, while Rishabh Anupam Das, also from Maharashtra, earned bronze with 51.71 seconds.

The Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay saw Karnataka’s team claim the gold with an outstanding time of 4:03.91. Tamil Nadu secured silver with a time of 4:10.61, while Maharashtra completed the podium with bronze at 4:11.09.

With an impressive tally of gold medals, Karnataka emerged as the dominant force in swimming on the final day of the National Games. The Manskhund Swimming Pool in Haldwani served as the perfect stage for these thrilling competitions, showcasing the nation’s finest swimmers and offering an exciting spectacle for the audience.

Coming to a football event in Haldwani, the semi-finals of women’s football saw Odisha and Haryana secure remarkable victories, booking their spots in the final.

In the first semi-final, Odisha defeated Delhi 5-1. Rebecca Zamthianmawi scored Delhi’s lone goal, while Odisha’s Pyari Zaxa netted one with Malti Munda scored a brace while Sumitra Hembram and Jabamani Tudu got their names on the scoresheet.

In the second semi-final, Haryana triumphed over West Bengal 4-1. Ranjita Devi scored the only goal for West Bengal, while Haryana lead by captain Mamta (7′ & 28′), Neha (23′), and Sharda (54′) led their team to a convincing victory.

Odisha and Haryana will now face each other in the final, with football enthusiasts eagerly awaiting this exciting showdown.

American Gretchen Walsh broke her own 100m butterfly world record on Saturday, clocking 55.09sec in the heats at the Tyr Pro Swim Series.

American Gretchen Walsh broke her own 100m butterfly world record on Saturday, clocking 55.09sec in the heats at the Tyr Pro Swim Series meeting in Orlando, Florida. Walsh had set the previous world record of 55.18sec at the US Olympic trials in Indianapolis on June 15 last year, although she settled for silver in the event at the Paris Olympics behind teammate Torri Huske. Walsh’s record came a day after the two-time Olympic relay gold medallist joined Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom as the only women to break 25 seconds for the 50m butterfly, clocking 24.93 to win the final.

American Gretchen Walsh broke her own 100m butterfly world record on Saturday, clocking 55.09sec in the heats at the Tyr Pro Swim Series meeting in Orlando, Florida. Walsh had set the previous world record of 55.18sec at the US Olympic trials in Indianapolis on June 15 last year, although she settled for silver in the event at the Paris Olympics behind teammate Torri Huske. Walsh’s record came a day after the two-time Olympic relay gold medallist joined Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom as the only women to break 25 seconds for the 50m butterfly, clocking 24.93 to win the final.

Another exciting PKL Player Auction for Season 12 concluded on Sunday after a weekend of intense bidding action.

Another exciting PKL Player Auction for Season 12 concluded on Sunday after a weekend of intense bidding action as the 12 franchises built teams worthy of providing a healthy competition for the upcoming season. 10 crorepatis were the top highlight of Day 1, as two-time champion Mohammadreza Shadloui joined the Gujarat Giants for a whopping Rs 2.23 crores. With him in the 2 Crore group was Devank Dalal, the Best Raider in PKL 11. He was signed by Bengal Warriorz for Rs 2.205 crores, making him the fifth-most expensive player in the PKL Player Auction after Shadloui’s bid on Saturday.

The new Final Bid Match (FBM) rule was also seen in action across the two days, allowing teams to buy back their released players by matching the final auction bid price, for either one or two seasons. While five players were retained for two seasons, nine players were retained for one season.

Category C was a golden opportunity for the all-rounders, with the likes of Nitin Rawal, Gurdeep and Dheeraj earning high bids. Nitin joined Jaipur Pink Panthers for a fee of Rs 50 lakhs, while Gurdeep was signed by Puneri Paltan for Rs 47.10 lakhs and Dheeraj will don the Bengaluru Bulls jersey after earning an impressive bid of Rs 40.20 lakhs.

However, it was raider Akash Shinde who took the top bid in this category, moving to Bengaluru Bulls for Rs 53.10 lakhs.

In what was one of the most surprising moves of the Player Auction, an exciting bidding war saw U Mumba secure the services of Aanil Mohan for an impressive Rs 78 lakhs – the highest-ever bid in Category D in PKL history.

The all-rounder from Himachal Pradesh won the highest bid across both categories on Day 2, with Uday Parte getting the second-highest bid in Category D. He was signed by Jaipur Pink Panthers Rs 50.10 lakhs.

Speaking about the Player Auction, Anupam Goswami, League Commissioner of Pro Kabaddi League said, “It is very positive that the momentum of the PKL 12 Player Auction Day 1 has been maintained on Day 2. The teams have displayed strong interest in Categories C and D, especially through the Rs 78 lakh buy for PKL debutant Aanil Mohan, the highest ever for a Category D player in our League’s history. Such fresh players often form the backbone of a team, and investing in their growth is key to building competitive squads for the long term. Of course, the emergence of 10 ‘Crorepati’ players this season reflects a balanced market, where both established names and new talent are being valued appropriately. It sets the tone for another competitive season ahead.”

Aanil Mohan, who was signed by U Mumba, shared his excitement at the end of the Player Auction, “It feels very exciting to finally be a part of the PKL and to see my hard work paying off. I am also thankful to U Mumba for their efforts in signing me for the upcoming season and hope to leave a mark. Mumba has nurtured a lot of Raiding stars in the past and I hope I can follow in their footsteps. Playing in this league is a dream come true and I will do my best to ensure I can repay the faith put in me.”

In one of the most exciting moves during the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) 12 Player Auction, legendary raider Naveen Kumar has signed with defending champions Haryana Steelers for Rs 1.20 Crores

In one of the most exciting moves during the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) 12 Player Auction, legendary raider Naveen Kumar has signed with defending champions Haryana Steelers for Rs 1.20 Crores, marking his much-anticipated return to his home state and setting the stage for what promises to be an electrifying season. The PKL Season 8 champion, who amassed 1102 Raid Points for Dabang Delhi K.C. during his stellar six-season tenure, entered the PKL Player Auction for the very first time since making his debut. He expressed his joy at wearing the Steelers jersey.

“I always thought I should play for Haryana Steelers, and finally I have become part of this team,” Kumar said following the auction, as quoted by the PKL press release.

“The entire team and management have placed their trust in me, and I want to justify that faith. This is a champion team, and I want to become a champion again,” he added.

Kumar’s acquisition makes him one of the 10 crorepatis from the PKL 12 auction, underlining his status as one of the most valuable players in the league. With his experience in the PKL as well as with the Services kabaddi team, he brings unparalleled experience to a squad already brimming with young talent like Vinay, Shivam Patare, and Vishal Tate.

Speaking about joining forces with the defending champions, Kumar emphasised the team’s championship mentality.

“We are the defending champions, and all players share the same winning mentality. We play as a cohesive unit. We have the confidence and belief that we will perform even better than last season and give our absolute best for the team,” he asserted.

The Naveen Express is particularly excited about working under head coach Manpreet Singh, whose passionate coaching style has become legendary in PKL circles.

“Manpreet sir was an excellent player and is now an outstanding coach – we’ve all heard about his reputation and seen his work. He’s passionate and aggressive in his approach because he constantly motivates his players. He brings tremendous energy, and his methods are exceptional. I’m really excited to play under his guidance,” Kumar noted.

The signing represents more than just a strategic acquisition for the Steelers – it’s a homecoming for Kumar, who is eager to contribute to his home state’s continued success.

“Playing for my home state means I need to give even more than my best,” he declared with determination.

“This season is going to be incredible. It’s going to be absolutely fantastic!” Kumar concluded.

As PKL Season 12 approaches, the addition of Naveen Kumar to an already formidable Haryana Steelers lineup has sent excitement levels soaring among fans. With the team now complete, the defending champions appear well-positioned to make another serious title run.

Mercedes’ George Russell grabbed a dazzling pole position and then enjoyed cracking a joke at rival Max Verstappen’s expense on Saturday.

Mercedes’ George Russell grabbed a dazzling pole position and then enjoyed cracking a joke at rival Max Verstappen’s expense on Saturday after clocking a sensational lap in qualifying for Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix. The 27-year-old Briton was delighted with what he described as “one of the most exhilarating laps of my life” and said, when asked about the prospect of starting alongside Red Bull’s four-time champion, that he had “a few more penalty points to play with”. His light-hearted jibe referred to his verbal rivalry with Verstappen since last season and their recent clash at the Spanish Grand Prix — where the Dutchman rammed into Russell’s car in the closing stages.

Verstappen was handed a timed penalty that dropped him to 10th and also given three points on his drivers’ super-licence, taking him to a total of 11 and within one point of a ban if he commits any further misdemeanors.

Fans in the capacity crowd at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve roared their approval as Russell warmed to his theme after clocking the only sub 1.11 lap of the weekend to date.

“We’re mates, so it’s all good,” insisted Russell, despite his tense and often strained relationship with Verstappen who, in Barcelona, said “give him some tissues” after their clash.

“But I’ve got a few more points on my license to play with so, yeah, let’s see,” Russell said.

It may have been good-natured fun, but it was also a reminder to Verstappen that he cannot risk repeating his “red mist” aggression and a possible race ban on Sunday.

Russell captured his first pole this year at the end of a thrilling session.

Russell clocked a best lap in one minute and 10.899 seconds to outpace Verstappen by 0.160 seconds.

“On my steering wheel, you’ve got the delta and I just saw every corner that I was just going one-tenth quicker and I got into the last corner and I was six-tenths off so I knew the lap was mighty,” Russell said.

“Crossing the line and seeing we were P1 was a real surprise, but I was so chuffed with it. It was probably one of the most exhilarating laps of my life, an awesome experience in front of this amazing crowd.”

Verstappen, who is third in this year’s drivers’ title race behind the McLaren pair Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, shook hands with Russell to congratulate him, but will harbour hopes of claiming an unprecedented fourth consecutive Canadian win.

Last year, Russell led from pole for 20 laps before pitting to hand the lead to Norris for five laps until he also pitted. Verstappen then took control to win ahead of Norris with Russell coming home third.

“I’m very happy with what we have achieved to be on the front row,” said Verstappen, having claimed Red Bull’s 200th front row start. “Tomorrow, we can have a solid race. We did the right thing with the tyres.”

‘Childish, annoying’

Asked about starting alongside Russell, the champion refused to comment, showing real irritation about the speculation on penalty points and bans.

“I’m not talking about it anymore,” he said, having already confirmed he would not change his aggressive style.

“It’s a waste of time to discuss this. It’s so childish and it is really annoying.”

Russell’s sixth career pole confirmed Mercedes’ potential for success at the high-speed Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

The late-session drama lifted the oft-warring pair clear of championship leader Piastri and Kimi Antonelli in the second Mercedes.

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton was fifth for Ferrari ahead of two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin, Norris in the second McLaren and Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari.

Impressive rookie Isack Hadjar was ninth for Racing Bulls and Alex Albon 10th for Williams.

Piastri, who leads Norris by 10 points in the title race after nine of this year’s 24 races, was happy to recover form after a difficult practice.

“To be honest, after how practice went, I am pretty happy,” he said. “We chose to go with softs … We wanted to keep it safe.

Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko has stated that their title ambitions will be all but over if the new upgrade package does not work.

Max Verstappen leads Red Bull into their home Austrian Grand Prix this weekend hoping a major upgrades package can boost his title defence before it is too late.  The four-time world champion, who still needs to avoid any on-track problems that could lead to a mandatory race ban, has won four times at the high-speed Red Bull Ring circuit in the Styrian Alps and will be backed by his ‘orange army’ of fans.  But he knows that combination may not be enough.

McLaren’s championship-leading duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who collided in Canada, are hoping to return to form after that rare off-day in a forecasted heatwave on a circuit expected to suit their car.

Last year’s winner George Russell of Mercedes, who took advantage of McLaren’s struggles in Montreal to win with aplomb ahead of Verstappen, will arrive with momentum and optimism, if wary of the heat.

“We are getting an update for Austria which will be refined for Silverstone,” Red Bull’s consultant Helmut Marko told Austria’s Kleine Zeitung.

“But if that doesn’t work then it will be difficult for the championship –- as if it is not difficult enough already.”

Breaking free of team chief Christan Horner’s more upbeat approach ahead of the 11th race of the 24-race season, Marko said he expected F1’s cost cap and the need to focus on preparation for next year’s sweeping regulation changes to curtail development this year.

“At some point people will say ‘That’s it for further development and for two reasons — time — the production of new parts takes time –- and the cost cap.”

He suggested that a key decision to focus entirely on the 2026 car would likely be taken next month.

Verstappen, whose Red Bull car has been unable to match McLaren for most of this year, is without a win in three races since the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in May.

He has won twice this season, at the high-speed Imola and Suzuka circuits, but struggled on slower tracks.

In the drivers’ championship, he trails McLaren’s Piastri, by 43 points, and Norris, by 21, and is two penalty points on his licence away from a ban.

Two of his current total will expire after this Sunday’s race. 

Red Bull’s weaknesses

Horner conceded that “our weakness at the moment is in the medium-speed type of corner… and in Austria, in the middle sector, there’s a bit of it there. We’ll see. If it’s hot, I expect McLaren to be stronger again.

“There’s a significant points gap between us and them, but we don’t give up on anything and we’re not even at the halfway point yet.”

In last year’s race, Verstappen collided with Norris as they fought for the lead, gifting Russell his victory. 

That tangle, and his “stupid” crash into Piastri in Montreal, may hang heavily for Norris this weekend as he attempts to rebuild his title bid without further mishaps.

With Russell confident and Mercedes also boosted by rookie Kimi Antonelli’s maiden podium finish in Canada, a closely-fought contest is in prospect involving all the leading teams.

“We expect our rivals to be much more competitive in Austria,” said Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff. “The track should be a good test of our recent updates.”

Ferrari go into the weekend with less optimism.

“For us, the best thing is to take it race by race, try to maximise,” said Charles Leclerc. “It’s been a disappointing first part of the season, but we keep pushing. Let’s see where that takes us.”

Ace Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth suffered a loss in his opening round of the men’s singles event at the US Open 2025 badminton tournament

Ace Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth suffered a loss in his opening round of the men’s singles event at the US Open 2025 badminton tournament. Former world No. 1 Srikanth, currently 50th in the badminton rankings and seeded eighth for the BWF Super 300 tournament, lost 21-19, 12-21, 21-14 to the 77th-ranked Harry Huang of England on Wednesday, as per the Olympics.com. Following his inspiring run at last month’s Malaysia Masters, where he became only the second man in history to reach the final of a BWF Super 500 event after starting from the qualifiers, Srikanth was stunned in the first game on Wednesday despite leading 18-16 at one stage.

The Indian badminton player fought back in the second game to force a decider but ran out of steam to lose the match in just under an hour.

Srikanth’s compatriots Priyanshu Rajawat, Sankar Subramanian and Rithvik Sanjeev Satish Kumar also failed to cross the opening round hurdle in men’s singles.

World No. 38 Rajawat, the sixth seed, was upset 10-21, 21-12, 7-21 by Chinese Taipei’s 54th-ranked Yen-Chen Ting. Rithvik Sanjeev Satish Kumar, meanwhile, lost 21-18, 21-12 to France’s Enogat Roy.

Subaramanian went down to Chinese Taipei’s Jhuo-Fu Liao with a 21-13, 21-19 scoreline.

Ayush Shetty and Tharun Mannepalli, however, progressed to the second round, where they will face each other.

Fourth seed Shetty, world No. 34 and the best-ranked Indian man in Iowa, beat Magnus Johannesen of Denmark 21-17, 21-19 in his round of 32 match-up, while Mannepalli came from behind to beat France’s Arnaud Merkle 19-21, 21-18, 21-18.

In women’s singles, Anmol Kharb also rallied from a game down to beat Czechia’s Tereza Svabikova 16-21, 21-13, 21-19, while Aakarshi Kashyap’s entry into the second round was a lot more straightforward as she beat Chinese Taipei’s Ting Yu Liang 21-19, 21-10 in just 34 minutes.

World No. 66 Tanvi Sharma pulled off a huge upset as she beat Nguyen Thuy Linh of Vietnam, also the second seed, 21-19, 21-9 in straight games. Qualifier Ira Sharma also advanced to the round of 16 after her opponent, Yi-Ting Hung of Chinese Taipei, retired during the third game.

Tanya Hemnath and Shriyanshi Valishetty’s campaign ended early. Hemnath lost a three-game match to Amalie Schulz of Denmark, while Valishetty went down to the Ukrainian seventh seed Polina Buhrova in straight games.

In mixed doubles, top seeds Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto suffered a shock opening round exit after the 17th-ranked Indian pair lost to Chinese Taipei duo Yu Chieh Lin and Yu-En Hung, still unranked, 21-17, 16-21, 17-21.

Late entry Ayush Agarwal and Shruti Mishra’s 2-15, 15-21, 21-16 loss to the Guatemalan pair Christopher Alexander Martinez Salvador and Diana Corleto Soto later in the day also ended India’s run in mixed doubles badminton at the US Open.

Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra, in women’s doubles, and Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi, in men’s doubles, had progressed to the second round on Tuesday.

Charlie Woods, the 16-year-old son of 15-time major winner Tiger Woods, won his first American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) title on Wednesday, taking a three-stroke victory in Florida

Charlie Woods, the 16-year-old son of 15-time major winner Tiger Woods, won his first American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) title on Wednesday, taking a three-stroke victory in Florida. The younger Woods fired a six-under par 66 final round to capture the Team TaylorMade Invitational at Streamsong Resort Black course, finishing on 15-under 201. It was the first victory in five AJGA starts for Charlie Woods, who fired eight birdies and two bogeys in the final round but closed with four consecutive pars to seal the triumph in the top US junior series.

A field of 71 included four of the nation’s five top-ranked juniors and 60 of the top 100. Woods was 606th in AJGA rankings but is expected to leap into the top 15 after the win.

Charlie Woods would be able to have talks with college coaches next month even though he wouldn’t be joining university teams before 2027 if then.

Woods was playing on a sponsor invitation in the event but will be exempt for AJGA invitationals the rest of this season.

Woods, who has won other age-group events, failed in an attempt to qualify for the US Open earlier this month.

World number one Jannik Sinner faces a potential semi-final clash against Novak Djokovic following Friday’s draw

Carlos Alcaraz will start his Wimbledon defence against Fabio Fognini while world number one Jannik Sinner faces a potential semi-final clash against Novak Djokovic following Friday’s draw. On the women’s side, reigning champion Barbora Krejcikova begins her campaign against 2025 breakout star Alexandra Eala on Centre Court. Spain’s Alcaraz, who has beaten Djokovic in the past two finals, arrives at the All England Club on a career-best 18-match winning streak.

He is aiming to become just the fifth man to win at least three straight Wimbledon titles in the Open Era after Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Djokovic.

The Spaniard, 22, has a 2-0 head-to-head record against Italian veteran Fognini.

Sinner’s pursuit of a maiden Wimbledon crown could hinge on a heavyweight semi-final clash with seven-time champion Djokovic.

The Italian opens against compatriot Luca Nardi at the grass-court major while Djokovic, competing at his lowest seeding (sixth) since 2018, will begin his campaign for a record-tying eighth Wimbledon men’s title against Frenchman Alexandre Muller.

Djokovic, who has been in every final since 2018, is seeded for a quarter-final meeting with British fourth seed Jack Draper, who starts against Argentina’s Sebastian Baez.

Krejcikova missed the first five months of 2025 with a back injury and was forced to withdraw from this week’s Eastbourne quarter-finals due to a thigh injury.

Filipino emerging star Eala, 20, captured the tennis world’s attention in March by defeating three Grand Slam champions — Jelena Ostapenko,  Madison Keys and  Iga Swiatek  — to reach the Miami semi-finals.

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka, hoping to progress beyond the semi-finals for the first time, opens against fast-rising Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine.

Second seed Coco Gauff, who beat Sabalenka in the French Open final earlier this month, starts against Nottingham finalist Dayana Yastremska.

The Championships start on Monday and finish on July 13.

The ongoing FIFA Club World Cup has entered the Round of 16 stage. The group stage is over while the next round will be starting on Saturday. Palmeiras, Botafogo, Benfica, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami CF, Flamengo, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Fluminense, Manchester City, Al-Hilal, Real Madrid, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund and Monterrey are the teams that have qualified for the knockout round.

The tournament has been expanded to 32 teams, divided into 8 groups of 4. The top two teams from each group have advanced to the knockout stage. Before the Round of 16 begins, let’s have a look at the top surprising performances in Club World Cup 2025 –

Flamengo Beating Chelsea 3-1

Flamengo produced a brilliant second-half fightback to beat Chelsea 3-1 at the Club World Cup as the Brazilian giants became the first team to qualify for the last 16 at FIFA’s lucrative new tournament.

Botafogo beating PSG 1-0

Botafogo pulled off one the biggest upsets of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 by beating Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the Rose Bowl.

Benfica beating Bayern 1-0

Benfica beat Bayern Munich 1-0 at the Club World Cup to progress to the last 16 as group winners.

Real Madrid 1-1 Al Hilal

Real Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw by Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal in new coach Xabi Alonso‘s debut at the Club World Cup.