Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Europe tour will help to prepare for CWG: Brasa

NEW DELHI: Playing against strong teams like Germany and Holland during the exposure tour to Europe will be ideal preparation for the Commonwealth Games, says India's chief hockey coach Jose Brasa.

A 22-member Indian squad left for Germany last night to compete in the four-nation Hamburg Masters tournament involving the Netherlands, Japan and the hosts from July 2.

It will be followed by a Test series in Belgium, France and Holland and the tour would culminate with two Tests against the Dutch on July 24 and 25.

"This European tour will play a major part in preparing for the upcoming Commonwealth Games at home and Asian Games in China in November. This tour will be a real hard test for the team before these two major championships," Brasa told PTI-Bhasha.

"We would be playing strong teams like Germany and Holland for the first after the World Cup and this will help players assess their actual fitness level. We would be up against the top two teams in the world and that will add to the experience of our players," Brasa said.

On being asked about India's medal prospects at the Commonwealth Games, Brasa said it would be too early to say anything.

"There is still time left for the Games. One can't say anything at this juncture. Let's wait for the announcement of the squad," he said.

Demanding more control in the day-to-day running of the team, Brasa said he needs full authority in the decision making process.

"The head coach must be given full power and control over matters like selection of the team for every big tournament. He should have his full say in players and staff selection, about captaincy and other issues," he said.

It is to be noted that in March, after the completion of the World Cup tournament here, Brasa had made the similar demand for more powers in his ambitious project -- Hockey India Plan 2010 April-December.

Talking about the European tour, Brasa said two changes have been made to the side with star striker Shivendra Singh, who is nursing an ankle injury and midfielder Arjun Halappa, given rest.

Drag-flicker Sandeep Singh, medio Ajitesh Roy and forward Hari Prasad have made a comeback while promising youngster Birendra Lakra Jr gets his first look into the senior squad.

Sandeep was dropped after the team's World Cup debacle. Last year India had toured Europe to play matches in England, Belgium, Spain and Holland.
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Petrokimia Endures Difficult Opener

Volleyball team Petrokimia Gresik Indonesia suffered through a difficult opening match in front of its home supporters at the Asian Women’s Club Championship.

Petrokimia, largely made up of national volleyball team players, lost 25-22, 25-20, 25-12 to Zobahan of Iran at Gresik Sports Hall on Saturday. The Iranians dominated the Group A match from start to finish.

“If the players had just kept their cool, I think we wouldn’t have suffered an easy loss like that,” Petrokimia coach Viktor Laiyan said. “They clearly looked nervous, so they didn’t play according to my game plan.”

While the Petrokimia players were nervous, Zobahan was clearly a cut above them.

Led by imports Tatiana Alvez Dos Santos of Brazil and Viktoria Brice of Latvia, Zobahan took the attacking initiative from the start. Dos Santos scored 13 points from her hard spikes which left the Indonesian side scrambling.

Petrokimia, meanwhile, played in monotonous fashion. Its attacks were easily read and its blocks failed to cope with the opponent’s attack.

“It was because our squad is still young . They easily lost their grip on the match because they lack experience,” Viktor said. “Zobahan’s imports are also very good, and I can say that those two players were who made them win the match.”

“This is a new team which we are preparing for the 2011 Southeast Asian Games. They’re still young and have lots of rooms to improve,” he added.

Captain Maya Puspita said she and her Petrokimia teammates were not good enough to win against Zobahan.

“We have been training together for less than a month, so we are still in the middle of the team building process,” she said. “We are still not good enough, but we believe we can play better in the next matches.”

Zobahan coach Molouk Sharif Zadeh said it was a relatively easy match but had kind words for his team’s opponents.

“We were dominating the match, but it was not that easy to win,” he said. “The Indonesian players, I think, have potential to be better, and they are still young, too.”

Petrokimia returns to the court today against Chinese Taipei of Taiwan.

Maya echoed Viktor’s call for Petrokimia’s players to improve on their Saturday performance.

“Of course we don’t want to lose twice in front of our fans. Chinese Taipei is a good team, but we’ll fight hard to win the match,” she said.

Chinese Taipei lost 25-16, 21-25, 17-25, 25-23, 15-7 against North Korea in its opener on Saturday.

Defending champion Federbrau of Thailand earned its first win in Group B by defeating KT&G Ariels of South Korea 25-12, 20-25, 25-23, 25-17.

On Sunday, Kazakhstan side Zhetyssu snatched its second victory in its group after a 25-20, 25-21, 26-24 defeat of VTV Binh Dien of Vietnam. Zhettysu leads the Group B standings with four points after also coming out on top 25-16, 25-23, 20-25, 25-22 against Chinese club Tianjin Bridgestone on Saturday.

The top four top teams in each group advance to the quarterfinals, with the tournament winner receiving a place at the FIVB Club World Championship in Doha on Dec. 14-21.


Antara, JG
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Ace archer sets eye on gold

Guwahati, June 27: Arjuna awardee archer Jayanta Talukdar has set his eyes on medals in the Delhi Commonwealth Games and the Guangzhou Asian Games as part of his preparation for the 2012 London Olympics. The former world champion, currently ranked 11th, feels there are certain aspects which the Archery Federation of India needs to pay attention to during the grooming of the archers.
Talukdar, who is in the city after being part of the Indian team that annexed the gold in the recent World Cup meet in Antalya, had a brief chat with The Telegraph at his residence here regarding his views on different aspects of archery in India in general and Assam in particular. Excerpts:
TT: Do you feel any change in your performance this time compared to your earlier appearances in the World Cup since 2006?
Talukdar: Yes, my result in the indivi

dual event declined this time because I won a bronze in Antalya last year and this time, I finished fifth. But the overall performance was better than last year. It is because of the new format of scoring implemented by the FITA where the points scored in the earlier sets are not carried forward to the subsequent ones. We now have to win every set to be the eventual winners. I hope to adapt the new format by the time I take the field in the Shanghai (4th stage of the World Cup) in August-September.
TT: Any other factors responsible for the decline in form?
Talukdar: To some extent it is the burnout factor. We are too much into competitions. In the past five months we participated in 11 tournaments, which is over two meets per month. This is something the Archery Federation of India should look into. Our counterparts in North and South Korea and other better-rated countries do not participate so much in the early stage. They do it in the later stage so that they get the desired result in the main meets like the CWG or the Asian Games. The participation in the later stage helps them to be in peak form at the time of the main meets.
In our case, we become too fatigued and complacent by the time we participate in the bigger events because we have had enough since the beginning.
TT: A word about your preparation for the Delhi Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games?
Talukdar: We are practising in Calcutta. I am focused on winning medals in both the mega events as part of my preparation for the London Olympics.
But the intense heat in Calcutta is taking a toll on our practice. We practise from 5.30am and can hardly continue till 10.30am and in the evening we can venture out by only 4.30pm. The worst sufferers because of the heat are Tarundeep Rai, Chekrovolu Swuro, L. Bombayla Devi and myself because we hail from colder places. However, it can’t be helped because there are no proper archery centres in colder places. We have appealed for a change but could not find any alternative and are by now getting used to it.
TT: What do you feel about archers from Assam?
Talukdar: Our state is undoubtedly a gifted one with abundant talent. But I often come across archers who lack a professional attitude towards the sport. Ever since I joined the Tata Archery Academy, I have come across a number of talented archers from our state who have joined the academy and left soon after they get a job. I would like to mention Rajib Basumatary and Runu Swargiary who are quite talented but they did not exploit it properly. That should not be the attitude.
I was offered lucrative jobs and sponsorships many times, but I never gave up the academy because I don’t want to lose the facilities I am availing there. Every sport is thoroughly professional these days and to excel we need to be dedicated and even make sacrifices to our personal interests at times.
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Korea win the ACC Track Asian Cup 2010 in Kuala Lumpur



Malaysian and Iranian cyclist chasing each other during the men's sprint event at ACC Track Cycling Asian Cup 2010 for Malaysia round in Kuala Lumpur. 26/06/2010
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A 'village' turns into an international city

In the 2,000 years of its existence, Delhi has seen many makeovers. Post-1911, the British laid out New Delhi outside the Mughal Shahjahanabad. With his stately sandstone structures and tree-lined avenues, British architect Edwin Lutyens created the imperial Delhi.
Post-Independence, the 1982 Asian Games brought in a few flyovers and five-star hotels and stadia to the national capital that was often referred to as an "overgrown village".
Now, the Commonwealth Games are giving Delhi another makeover. This time, however, the pitch is different. Sleek signages, public art installations, landscaping, escalators for overhead bridges and subways, information panels and kiosks and giant LED screens to guide people — the authorities have, for once, gone beyond the basics. Delhi is transforming itself from an "overgrown village" to an international city.
"From 1982 to now, there is a change in the imagination of what a good city should be. We are no longer creating things for its use value only. We are seeing to it that it adds to the quality of the city, making it look pleasant, and keeping pace with cities across the globe," said K.T. Ravindran, chairman Delhi Urban Arts Commission.
Emulating the best
The authorities are busy replicating the best civic practices from across the globe. "The idea to install billboards and LED screens comes from Las Vegas. Tehbazari kiosks idea comes from cabin shops in Bangkok's night bazaars; waterless toilets from New York and Washington," said an MCD official.
Urban design
Delhi's makeover is no longer about just urban planning. Urban design is the new mantra. "The aim of the urban design is based on the premise that one will not only see, but feel the surroundings, too," Ravindran said.
"It was decided that the landscaping would have to merge with the surroundings. Also, pedestrians were the deciding factor while reconstructing those stretches," said Anand Tiwari, spokesman NDMC.
"The streetscaping being carried out in the New Delhi area is an example of that. The lion-heads, the colour of the sandstone used for laying walkways, the green buffer zone are reflective of translating the experience of being in that place," said K.T. Ravindran.
Sportsmen to Delhiites
While the Asian Games focussed on facilities for sportspersons, in the Commonwealth Games, people are the focus. "In 1982, Delhi's priority was to create sports facilities, connecting the Games village at Siri Fort to the venues, and facilitating the movement of athletes and officials. There were no foreign consultants involved," said P.R. Mehta, former president of Council of Architecture. "But for the Commonwealth Games, all the sports facilities and the improvement work have the involvement of foreign consultants. Public movement is an important consideration and many facilities, such as renovating the walkways, construction of foot-over bridges and subways, are being provided for this only," he added.
Global concerns
To ensure that Delhi doesn't become a concrete jungle, the civic agencies are carrying out extensive greening of their areas. "Environment and heritage conservation are two important factors in all Games-related projects. For instance, streetscaping is linked to the environment. Earlier, no space was left around the base of the tree, but now aesthetically-pleasing tree guards have been designed that help the tree grow. So it serves a dual purpose," said Mehta.
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17 Athletes Book Tickets To Guangzhou Asian Paralympic Games

KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 (Bernama) -- Seventeen athletes have qualified for the Guangzhou Asian Paralympic Games in China from Dec 12-19.

National Sports Council (NSC) paralympic director Mohd Safrushahar Yusoff said more athletes would be picked once all the trials were completed by September.

"Our objective is to improve the athletes' world ranking for the Asian Paralympic Games and the 2010 and 2011 world paralympic championships," he told Bernama here Monday.

Performance at the Asian Paralympic Games would also determine qualification for the 2012 World Paralympic Games in London.

Safrushahar said 11 powerlifting athletes who had qualified would compete in the International Paralympic Council Championship at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa here on July 25-31.

"Six athletes will represent Malaysia at the IPC World Track Championship in New Zealand in January next year," he added.

Sixty-four elite paralympic athletes in athletics, swimming, powerlifting and archery are training fulltime at NSC.

-- BERNAMA
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ASIAN GAMES - Lin Dan and Xie Xingfang join Volunteer Hall of fame

Lin Dan and Xie Xingfang joined the volunteer service of the 16th Asian Games and became members of the Asian Games Volunteer Hall of Fame at an appointing ceremony in Shenzhen, China last month.

"It felt like the sanctity of winning an Olympic gold medal when I received the letter of appointment. And I will cherish this opportunity to serve the Asian Games and actually go out to help others," said Lin.

Xie, who now undertakes the job as Deputy Director of the Recruitment & Deployment Office of GAGOC Volunteers Department, was also excited about being a member of the Asian Games Volunteer Hall of Fame. "It is a great honour for me and it carries a significant responsibility as well. I will do my bit to ensure the success of the Guangzhou Asian Games in the coming days," added Xie.
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PSB asks authorities to close camps for Asian Games

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) have asked the authorities of judo, karate, taekwondo, volleyball and handball to close their camps from June 30 because the said disciplines have been excluded from the list of the games in which the country would feature in the Asian Games slated to be held latter this year in China. Meanwhile, an official of the PSB while wishing anonymity said that the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) have submitted a list of 12 probables disciplines under consideration for the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games from which judo, karate, taekwondo, volleyball, handball and baseball have been omitted.
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New SingaporeSailing president to expand sport's prowess

SINGAPORE : SingaporeSailing tasted more international success on Sunday, this time at the prestigious Kieler Woche Regatta in Germany where national sailors Teo Wee Chin and Justin Wong won the 28-fleet men's Hobie 16 class, and Justin Liu and Sherman Cheng the 194-fleet boys' 420 class.

Preparing for this year's Asian Games in Guangzhou will be another key priority.

New SingaporeSailing president Benedict Tan, who succeeded Low Teo Ping as the new president, at the annual general meeting at the National Sailing Centre on Monday night, said continuing an all-rounded approach towards the sport's development here is necessary.

"We've to consolidate areas we're strong in, which means the base of our pyramid system... (but) I also want to see a more holistic development," Dr Tan, 42, told MediaCorp.

Presently head of the Singapore Sports Medicine Centre and Changi Sports Medicine Centre, Dr Tan will lead an eight-strong executive committee - six of whom are returning members.

The exco will also feature a new face in Rupert Ong, one of three vice-presidents, who is currently an associate director at PKWA Law Practice LLC and a coach at the SAF Yacht Club.

To get feedback, the new team will conduct focus group discussions with various stakeholders - including coaches, parents and sailors - next month.

Dr Tan, a former national sailor and 1994 Asian Games gold medallist (Laser), said catamaran, keelboat and windsurfing have lagged behind in recent years and sub-committees for them will be set up and headed by sailors with expertise in these events.

"We want to give that ownership back to them," said Dr Tan. "With their passion and vested interest, it can bring about a resurgence."

He also stressed the importance of continuity and building on his predecessor work.

During that time, SingaporeSailing became one of the Republic's top national sports associations (NSA), producing 14 world champions. Singapore also became the top sailing nation at the 2006 Asian Games, with five gold, three silver and two bronze medals.

The association also established a sailing infrastructure and built up its S$2.35 million reserves.

"It has been 12 glorious years... we've definitely left a footprint for sailing in Singapore," said Mr Low. "We have built a foundation for the sport to progress, and it has created a very sustainable growth pathway for the sport's future."

For the upcoming 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou from November 12 to 27, expectations are high for a repeat performance of four years' ago.

But with China winning five golds at the recent Asian Sailing Championship in Shanwei - the test event for the Asian Games sailing competition - and with classes like the Laser 4.7 not featuring this time, Dr Tan voiced caution.

"At the Asian Sailing Championship, we came back with two gold medals," he said.

"(For the Asian Games), we hope to win more than that, but we're facing a tough challenge. China, as hosts, will be solid and have homeground advantage. But our sailors are fighters and we'll give (our) best shot."

- CNA/al
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Asian boxing tourney set in RP

BOXING officials said the country's chances in the Asian Games this November will be tested under an international tournament on July 14 to 19 at the Philippine International Convention Center.
The Filipino boxers, who will be sent to training camps in Los Angeles and San Francisco on August and the Women's World Championships in Barbados this September, will have to face opposition from six other nations.

"Of course, all these preparations are geared toward an excellent showing in the Asian Games in Guangzhou this November," said Ed Picson, executive director of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines.
Patterned after the Mayor's Cup, the MVP International Friendship Cup offers $1,000 for every gold medal won. It has drawn nearly 80 fighters from China, Chinese-Taipei, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong.
The sixth participant, Mongolia, backed out a few days ago but Picson said Macau is willing to fill in the slot, "pending approval of their request to their government ministry."
"This is in response to the clamor from the international boxing community for the country to once again host a boxing tournament," said ABAP president Ricky Vargas.
"Most boxing officials have fond memories of the Mayor's Cup, and the new leaders at ABAP have been getting requests to revive the tournament."
The Mayor's Cup had drawn at least 20 countries during its heydays, and ABAP, said Picson, is starting small but hopes to eventually get bigger as before.
"But we'll do our best to revive its lost glory," Picson said.
The old boxing tourney has seen the rise of world amateur boxing champions like Russia's Konstantin Tszyu, Thailand's Somluck Kamsing, and North Korea's 1992 Barcelona Olympics champion Choi Choi Su.
The Mayor's Cup also paved the way for the discovery of local heroes, including Olympian brothers Mansueto and Roel Velasco, among others.
Philippine team
The Philippines will field two teams to compete in seven weight categories in the men's division and four of five categories in the women's class.
Expected to don the Philippine colors are Charly Suarez, brothers Rey and Victor Saludar, and Annie Albania. The young boxers are currently training under coach Nolito 'Boy' Velasco.
A fifth boxer, youthful Mark Anthony Barriga, was delisted after he underwent an appendectomy recently.
Box-offs are currently being conducted in Baguio City to determine the composition of the two RP teams. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)
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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Vijender, Sushil foresee medals galore for India in CWG

New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) Olympic bronze medallists Vijender Singh and Sushil Kumar today said Indian athletes are preparing hard for the fast-approaching Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games and the country can expect a rich medal haul in the twin events.


"Our practice is going on well in Patiala and we are working very hard for the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games," said the world number one boxer Vijender at the launch of 'Samsung Sports Ratna' program offering scholarships to 10 athletes across various sports disciplines for the 16th Asian Games to be held in Guangzhou, China in November this year.

The 10 athletes who were signed for the scholarship program are shooters Abhinav Bindra, Manavjit Singh Sandhu, Gagan Narang and Ranjan Sodhi, boxers Vijender, Akhil, Thokchom Nanao Singh and Mayengbam Suranjoy Singh, wrestlers Sushil and Ramesh Kumar
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Samsung's Asiad boost for Abhinav Bindra, Vijender

Mumbai, Jun 29 (PTI) Beijing Olympic Games gold medallist Abhinav Bindra and nine other top Indian medal hopes are part of the Samsung Sports Ratna programme launched today to help them in their training and preparations for the upcoming Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.

The other top shooters in the scholarship support programme are Manavjit Singh Sandhu, Gagan Narang and Ranjan Sodhi while boxing hopefuls Vijender Singh, Akhil Kumar, Nano Singh Thakchom and Mayengbam Suranjoy Singh along with grapplers Sushil Kumar and Ramesh Kumar complete the list.

Samsung's support was in line with its 'Olympic Ratna Programme' for the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, wherein it had supported top ranking athletes across individual sports disciplines with their training expenses while preparing for these multi-discipline events, a media release said.
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Singapore eye Young Lions trip

SINGAPORE, 29 June 2010 The Singapore Asian Games team will be leaving on Wednesday 30 June for Yangon to play two friendly games against the Myanmar Senior Team on 2 and 4 July.
From 22 players named in the squad, 18 are from the Young Lions team who are currently fifth in the Great Eastern - YEO’S S.League and have been unbeaten for the past eight matches.
Defenders Hidhir Hasbiallah from Gombak United and Sengkang Punggol’s Shahir Hamzah have been included to bolster the team’s defence, with Woodlands Wellington’s forward, Rizawan Abdullah, making up the remaining players from the other S.League clubs.
Of the 22 named, three players namely, Zulfahmi Arifin, Hidhir and Rizawan have been called up to the Under -23 team for the first time.
The tour will provide the Asian Games team with valuable international experience, having played their last game against SEA Games Gold medallist, Malaysia in a 1-0 win back in April.
National Coach Radojko Avramovic believes that the experience will give the players excellent exposure.
“At this age, players need to play more international games to help them grow. We believe that Myanmar will provide our young players with a good test. This is a good learning experience and they will have adjust and adapt to international opponents.
“Looking forward, we need to expose these players for more such games, in order to prepare them for future international tournaments like the Olympic Games qualifiers and SEA Games.”
The Asian Games team leaves for Yangon on 30 June and are due back on 5 July.
INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY MATCHES
MYANMAR NATIONAL TEAM v SINGAPORE ASIAN GAMES TEAM
Match Details
Myanmar National Team v Singapore Asian Games Team
Date: 2 July 2010 (Friday)
Time: 1530 hrs (local time)
Venue: Youth Training Center
(No details for 2nd friendly given in original mail shot)
SINGAPORE ASIAN GAMES TEAM
S/N
Name
Club
Position
DOB
1
Hidhir Hasbiallah
Gombak United FC
DF
25-Mar-1989
2
Shahfiq Ghani
National Football Academy - U18
MF
17-Mar-1992
3
Shahir Hamzah
Sengkang Punggol FC
DF
7-Apr-1989
4
Rizawan Abdullah
Woodlands Wellington FC
FW
4-Aug-1987
5
Jasper Chan
Young Lions
GK
7-Nov-1988
6
Eddie Chang
Young Lions
DF
10-May-1990
7
Eugene Luo
Young Lions
FW
20-Jan-1991
8
Madhu M Mohana
Young Lions
DF
6-Mar-1991
9
Izwan Mahbud
Young Lions
GK
14-Jul-1990
10
Afiq Yunos
Young Lions
DF
10-Dec-1990
11
Faritz Abdul Hameed
Young Lions
MF
16-Jan-1990
12
Fadhil Noh
Young Lions
FW
4-Mar-1989
13
Fairoz Hasan
Young Lions
Young Lions
FW
26-Nov-1988
14
Fazli Ayob
Young Lions
FW
24-Jan-1990
15
Hafiz Abu Sujad
Young Lions
MF
1-Nov-1990
16
Izzdin Shafiq
Young Lions
MF
14-Dec-1990
17
Khairul Nizam
Young Lions
FW
25-Jun-1991
18
Khalili D'cruz
Young Lions
FW
14-Aug-1991
19
Nazrul Ahmad Nazari
Young Lions
MF
11-Feb-1991
20
Safuwan Baharudin
Young Lions
DF
22-Sep-1991
21
Zulfahmi Arifin
Young Lions
MF
5-Oct-1991
22
Gabriel Quak Jun Yi
Young Lions
MF
22-Dec-1990
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Samsung India kicks off its program for the 16th Asian Games at Guangzhou, China

Digital technology leader, Samsung India Electronics Pvt. Ltd. today kicked off its Asian Games Program with the launch of the Samsung 'Sports Ratna Program' whereby the Company is providing scholarship support to 10 top Indian athletes as they prepare for the forthcoming Guangzhou Asian Games. Samsung India is the 'Official Partner' for the Indian Contingent and Samsung Electronics, the parent Company, is the 'Prestige Partner' to the 16th Asian Games being held at Guangzhou, China from November 12-27, 2010.

Samsung 'Sports Ratna Program' is in line with the Samsung 'Olympic Ratna Program' carried out by the Company for the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, wherein the Company had supported top ranking athletes across individual sports disciplines with their training expenses while preparing for the games. Abhinav Bindra, Gold Medal Winner at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, has been a Samsung Olympic Ratna for both the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2008 Olympic Games. His association with Samsung continues into the 'Sports Ratna Program' for the 16th Asian Games.

The other athletes who are part of the Samsung 'Sports Ratna Program' for 16th Asian Games are :

Shooters : Manavjit Singh Sandhu; Gagan Narang; Ranjan Sodhi

Boxers : Vijender Singh; Akhil Kumar; Nano Singh Thakchom, Mayengbam Suranjoy Singh

Wrestlers : Sushil Kumar; Ramesh Kumar

Announcing the launch of the Samsung 'Sports Ratna Program', Mr. J. S. Shin, President & CEO, Samsung South West Asia stated, "Sports has a special place in the hearts of the people in India as in other parts of the world. At Samsung too, we have had longstanding association with major sporting events around the globe. In India, beyond consistently providing support for the Indian Contingent to the Asian Games and Olympics over the years, we have instituted the Scholarship Program with the objective of nurturing and developing Indian sporting talent. Encouraged by the success of our 'Olympic Ratna Program' at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, this year we have increased the number of athletes being supported for the Asian Games to 10 sports persons. Our association with the Asian Games to support the Indian Contingent and these top performing athletes is our contribution to enriching the sporting culture in the country."

Lauding Samsung's continued support and commitment to the Asian Games and Olympic programs, Mr. Suresh Kalmadi, President of the Indian Olympic Association said, "I hope that the 'Samsung Scholarship' for individual players and the Company's support to the Indian Olympic Association for the entire team will yield strong and positive results resulting in a richer medal tally for the country."

Mr. Randhir Singh, Secretary General of the OCA and Member, International Olympic Committee appreciated the initiative taken by Samsung towards supporting the training of the individual athletes and its commitment to strengthening the global sports movement by supporting global sporting events like the Asian Games and the Olympics.

Samsung India's association with the Indian Olympic Association commenced with the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games and ever since the Company has supported the Indian Contingent to the Y2000 Sydney Olympics, Y2002 Busan Asian Games, the Y2004 Athens Olympics, the 2008 Beijing Olympics and now the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.

For further information, please contact:

Samsung India
Ruchika Batra
Tel: 0124-4881234
Email ruchika.b@samsung.com
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Judo takes to the mat for Asian Games test event

Guangzhou, China - The test events continue in Guangzhou ahead of the 16th Asian Games in November. On Thursday it was the turn of judo, with China's strength in depth evident at the Huagong Gymnasium of the South China University of Technology.

A burning sun greets visitors to the national youth judo championships on Thursday. The action is fierce inside Huagong Gymnasium, too.
The four-day National Youth Championships from June 24-27 have attracted 194 male judokas and 182 female players in 16 weight categories; together with the 137 technical support staff from the 47 teams, this makes for a total entry of 513 in the Chinese Judo Association-sanctioned event.
With a big crowd in attendance and two mats in operation, organisers were able to test all aspects of a judo championship in a truly competitive environment - ideal preparation for the Asian Games in November.  
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Sports Ministry undecided, Asian Games bid in jeopardy

New Delhi, Jun 29 With just 24 hours to go and the Sports Ministry yet to grant approval, India's bid for the 2019 Asian Games now looks in jeopardy.



The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had written to the Sports Ministry, seeking permission to bid for the Games but with just one day to go, the Ministry has not made up its mind yet.

"We have not decided anything yet," a Ministry official told PTI.

An exasperated IOA official lashed out at the Ministry for its attitude and said, "This is preposterous. We sought the Ministry's permission to bid for the event and they are still sitting on it knowing fully well that tomorrow is the deadline.

"We have not asked for any money, just sought their approval but they have not bothered to respond yet," he said. - (Agencies)
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Vijender a fan of Messi, Ronaldo


Vijender Kumar
NEW DELHI: At a time when the world has caught the football fever, leading Indian boxers are training hard for the Commonwealth Games at the National Institute of Patiala (NIS) under national coach Gurbux Singh Sandhu. Despite the tough training schedule, the boxers have an eye too on the ‘beautiful game’.

"I like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. I don’t have any favourite team as such but I support the team that is winning. We are able to watch only the first match of the day, since we need to get up early for training next day," said Beijing bronze medalist Vijender Kumar. Vijender was speaking on the sidelines of the Samsung’s Sports Ratna scholarship programme for the Guangzhou Asian Games. The games are scheduled for 12-27 November this year.

Refereeing bloopers in the World Cup and the demand for the increased use of technology notwithstanding, Vijender wants the world body and the leading nations to take a stand on the use of technology in boxing.

"Let them have something in place and take a stand, we will follow it," he said. Vijender said he was proud to be the first to carry the Queen’s baton when it entered India through the Wagah-Attari border on June 25.

Beijing Olympics gold medalist Abhinav Bindra, Manavjit Singh Sandhu, Gagan Narang, Ranjan Sodhi (all shooting), Vijender Singh, Akhil Kumar, Nanao Singh, Suranjoy Singh (boxing) and grapplers Sushil Kumar and Ramesh Kumar have been selected for the programme wherein the company will support their training expenses.

Samsung India’s association with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) dates back to 1998 when they supported the Indian contingent for the Bangkok Asian Games. 
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