Indian Rowers team leaves for Italy

CHENNAI: The 17th Asian Games, to be held at Incheon in South Korea this year, may still be about six months away, but the Indian rowers are fine-tuning their skills before the premier event. To get some international exposure under their belt, the Indian team leaves for Italy to participate at the Memorial Paolo d'Aloja International Regatta to be held at Piediluco from April 11 to 13.

"The season in Europe is commencing with this event, and this will be our first international tournament of the year," coach Ismail Baig told TOI on Sunday, eve of the team's departure.

The team has prominent names such as Olympian Swarn Singh, Asian Games medalist Bajrang Lal Takhar, and Baig expects a good show from the team. "We are hopeful that this side will come up with a noteworthy performance. Doing well against teams from Europe will give a lot of confidence," Baig said.

Is this more or less the squad that will represent India in the Asian Games? "Most of the rowers in this team will be part of it (the Asiad). However , there is always scope for others to make it too," the Dronacharya Awardee mentioned.

In the 2010 Asian Games at Guangzhou, the rowing team had clinched 5 medals (1 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze) and Baig wants to comes up with an even better show this time. "With the national camp at the Hussainsagar Lake in Hyderabad in full swing, I am confident that we can deliver the goods. The most important thing is not to get ahead of ourselves, and execute our plans as we did so at Guangzhou. Our preparations have been good. Our timings too have got better. Also, in the last few seasons , we have had the opportunity to gauge our opponents, and that will stand us in good stead," Baig said.

The squad: 

Men's single scull: Swarn Singh Men's lightweight single scull: Dushyant Chauhan Men's quadruple scull: Shokender Tomar, Sonu, Vikram, Rakesh Raliya Men's eight: Ranjit Singh, Maninder Singh, Mohammed Azad, Kapil Sharma, Robin, Bajrang Lal Thakar, Manjeet Singh, Sawan Kalkal, Mohammed Ahmed Women's quad: Manjula, Chaoba Devim, Monalisha, Dittymol Varghese; Women's lightweight single scull: Amusana Devi

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Lingappa , Indian Coach won immense praise for his exploits as an athlete Turns 90

BANGALORE: Some of the finest athletes produced by Karnataka -including Olympian Kenneth Powell and Asian Games medalist Satish Pillai - returned to their alma mater at the Sree Kanteerava stadium on Saturday evening to celebrate the birthday of their coach N Lingappa who turned 90.

It was an impressive and well attended party hosted by the Indo-German sports club and its coach VR Beedu next to the track where Lingappa trained and produced champions since 1955 - a routine that continues even today.

Besides Powell and Pillai, former champions DY Biredar (marathon), Uday K Prabhu (400m), Jalaja Naresh (800, 1500), PC Ponnappa (400m), Nirmala Ponnappa (100, 200m), KN Sundara Raj Setty (100, 200) and A Naresh (triple jump) too were present to greet their tutor.

"It's our privilege to be here. Most of us have trained under Lingappa sir at this stadium during different periods of time and we are thankful to him for all the help he has done to us," Pillai said.

Lingappa cut the cake even as his pupils sang 'Happy Birthday.'

Remembering the olden days, Lingappa said his love for Bangalore made him stay. "I got an appointment letter to join NIS in the late '50s as a member of the faculty, but I decided against it," he told TOI.

Despite the lack of recognition - Lingappa is yet to receive the coveted Dronacharya award - life hasn't changed much for this great ambassador of athletics.

Lingappa travels almost 30km a day to get to the stadium and train his wards and he does that without charging a rupee. "When they win medals I'm happy," he said.

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Vietnam would need around $150 million to hold ASIAD 18.

According to sports expert Nguyen Hong Minh, the former head of the High Performance Sports Department, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has gathered opinions from related bodies on setting up a velodrome track at the National Sports Complex in My Dinh, Hanoi.

Minh said it was risky to let a foreigner invest in this kind of project, because betting could eventually be involved, a sensitive issue in Vietnam.

No more details have been released, but Minh suggested the ministry consider another process to set up a velodrome track to serve Asian Games 18 (ASIAD) and Vietnam bicycle racing in the future.

Minh admitted that velodrome racing was an essential part of ASIAD, but that the investment required was currently too great for Vietnam.

At the most recent answering session to the National Assembly’s Committee of Culture, Education, Youth, Pioneers and Children, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh said Vietnam would need around $150 million to hold ASIAD 18.

However, Deputy Minister of Finance Do Hoang Anh Tuan said it would be very difficult to mobilise enough finance for building a velodrome. The foreign partner interested in building the track, Korean-based KSPO, was highly committed, but required a not-yet-approved tax exemption.

In May 2013 the Government Office assigned the Hanoi People’s Committee to license the Vietnam Sports Platform Company (VSP) to build the project.

The Vietnam National Sports Administration forecasted an investor would need at least $200 million to build a velodrome, and another $300 million would be needed for support facilities such as hotels, shops and food and beverage outlets.

On the VSP website, the company reports it was established to help develop cycling as a sport in Vietnam.
Bicycle racing is a very popular international sport, but has yet to catch on in Vietnam. VSP, with the support of KSPO in Korea, would help introduce the sport through the velodrome project.
Accordingly, the project would include two phases. In the first, a mixed-use indoor cycling velodrome and accompanying shops and facilities would be set up. The second phase would consist of a 5-star hotel and serviced residences and a commercial plaza.Phase 2 would serve as additional lodging for the ASIAD, the website added.

Upon receiving initial approval from the prime minister, VSP formed a joint venture agreement with the National Sports Complex of Vietnam to form a public-private partnership with the goal of constructing the project.

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Malaysians Poor Show : Atheletics Incheon

LEE Hup Wei's debut outing this year was nowhere near his best as none of the five national athletes who have finished their events made an impression at the Australian Athletics Championships in Melbourne.
Hup Wei, who last competed at the Malaysian Open last September before suffering an injury, only managed to clear 2.12 metres yesterday before crashing out at 2.16m

It was far from the qualification mark of 2.20m for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and Incheon Asian Games.

Nauraj Singh Randhawa, who has already qualified for the two multi-event Games, also failed at 2.16m to place sixth overall, one spot ahead of Hup Wei.

The Malaysian Athletics Federation sent seven athletes Down Under in a bid to have them qualify early for the Commonwealth Games but might as well have kept them home.

Sea Games silver medalist Casier Renee Kelly missed out on making the women's hammer throw final by 25 centimetres on Thursday, the opening day of the four-day meet, after posting 46.61m, more than six metres off her personal best.

Men's hammer thrower Jackie Wong finished eighth after a 54.66m effort on Friday, more than five metres below the national record he set in winning Sea Games bronze last December.

Worse was to follow for pole vaulter Iskandar Alwi, who failed to set a mark after failing to clear his opening height of 4.60m, though luckily for him he had already booked his ticket to Glasgow and Incheon.
Two more athletes will take to the field today when shot putter Adi Alifuddin Hussin and women's high jumper Yap Sean Yee attempt to put on a better show than their national teammates. By Devinder Singh


Read more: ATHLETICS: Malaysians put up poor show - Other - New Straits Times http://w1.nst.com.my/sports/other/athletics-malaysians-put-up-poor-show-1.551781#ixzz2ySYt3vnn

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No unified Korean team at Incheon Asian Games

Unified team nixed due to recent tensions with North, even as Pres. Park pays lip service to increased inter-Korean cooperation
By Choi Hyun-june, staff reporter

The South Korean government announced that it would not permit the formation of a joint South and North Korean team during the 17th Asian Games, which will be held in Incheon in September, and that it would not allow the teams to enter the opening and closing ceremonies together. The government’s decision was motivated by recent incidents, including artillery exchange by North and South Korea around the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West (Yellow) Sea and small North Korean drones that crashed in South Korean territory. The fact remains that the South Korean government is declining to take part in even the most basic kinds of exchange and cooperation with North Korea just one week after Park made her Dresden address.
During a briefing on progress and plans for exchange and cooperation held on Apr. 4, the Unification Ministry expressed its position that having a unified Korean team, a joint entrance, shared cheering section, and a joint concert during this year’s Asian Games in Incheon would not be appropriate.

“In order to put together a unified Korean team, there are a lot of things we would have to decide, including the unified flag and the unified song,” said Lee Su-young, chief of exchange and cooperation for the Unification Ministry. “After deliberating with ministries concerned, including the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and the Office of the Prime Minister, we reached the conclusion that forming a unified Korean team and making a joint entrance would not be appropriate given the current situation on the Korean peninsula.”

Given that five months still remain before the Asian Games take place, it might have been premature for the South Korean government to make such a decision. “Some in the sports community are already talking about the unified Korean team, and the government made its decision this early because of expectations that it would also become an issue during the June 4 local elections,” said Lee.

However, the government’s announcement of its guidelines may itself reduce the chances for an improvement in relations between North and South Korea. Declining to put together a unified Korean team, which would have been difficult to pull off anyway, is one thing. But emphatically stating so far in advance that there will be no joint entrance or combined cheering sections - activities that have taken place several times in the past - could send the wrong kind of message to North Korea.

“This decision is the exact opposite of what Park said in her speech about increasing exchange and cooperation,” said Kim Chang-soo, director of research at the Korea National Strategy Institute. “Not only that, but in practical terms, the Korean public is not that interested in the Asian Games. It seems very indiscreet for the government to move so quickly to prevent the joint entrance and the creation of a unified team, which would have been necessary if only to ensure the success of the games.”

Nevertheless, the Unification Ministry is still allowing North Korea to take part in the Asian Games, and it has also indicated that it will provide any support that may be necessary for the North Korean team to join the games.

In addition, the Unification Ministry said that it would consider approving the plan to light the torch simultaneously on Halla Mountain and Baekdu Mountain, depending on how North Korea responds. This was the method used to light the torches in Sep. 2002, when the Asian Games were held in Busan. South and North have entered together at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, the Athens Olympics in 2004 and the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.

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Singapore National Olympic Council announced 210 membersINCHEON Asian Games

The Singapore National Olympic Council announced on Friday that 210 athletes from 18 sports have made the first cut to represent Singapore at September's Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.

Sailing, bowling, and swimming - the three sports that accounted for Singapore's four golds at the 2010 Guangzhou Games - were included in the list.

Singapore sent 240 athletes from 23 sports for the 2010 edition. More athletes will likely be added to the Incheon squad after the appeals committee convene again on April 24.

Singapore's Commonwealth Games squad also saw an addition of 11 athletes from gymnastics and weightlifting. That makes a total of 82 from seven sports who are headed for Glasgow, Scotland, in July.

- See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/sports/story/asian-games-210-athletes-18-sports-make-squad-septembers-incheon-games-20#sthash.xXcZh2zt.dpuf

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Vietnam ponders on decision to host Asian Games

Experts still show financial worries for the up coming Asian Games while officials race to prepare for the event.

When being asked by reporters at a conference about the East Asia Pacific economic update, World Bank's Country Director for Vietnam Victoria Kwakwa said they will not make a commitment to give loans to build the infrastructure for the 18th Asian Games. She said that it's not the World Bank's role and the government will not make loans for such purpose either.

Previously, leader of General Department of Sports and Physical Training said Vietnam now can provide 80% of infrastructure for the games. Leaders of the sport sector also promised that the state fund for the 18th Asian Games will not surpass USD150 million.
However, former director of the high sport achievement department under the Department of Sports and Physical Training Nguyen Hong Minh showed doubts about the announced numbers. He said that the 80% implies Vietnam's current number of stadiums but the stadiums that are qualified for Asian Games are much fewer.

"Vietnam has only 2% of the infrastructure ready," he added, "If we want to use Quan Ngua Stadium for gymnastic competitions then we'll have to build an additional building for sport-specific warm-up. Similarly, the stadium for track and field or karate must have more equipment. Each electronic board to announce the match's results may cost USD6,000-8,000." According to Minh, Vietnam needs to set up a board that can calculate all the expenses and provide the most exact numbers.
In early April, Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Nguyen Van Nen said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung had asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to submit reports as a reference to make a decision whether to go ahead with a plan to host the 18th Asian Games. He went on to say that Vietnam has yet to make a deposit for the organization of the Asian Games and two countries had returned their host positions in previous years.
An official from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said they submitted planning and organising reports to the government. "We have done all we can in order to host the 18th Asian Games. The rest depends on the government's and public's decisions."
A leader from General Department of Sports and Physical Training said South Korean partners had committed to help Vietnam with the stadium for track cycling. Vietnam may use hotels and even university dormitories instead of building new venues for accommodations. However, he said that all plans may change.

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The size of the contingent for the 2014 Asia Games in Incheon

The size of the contingent for the 2014 Asia Games in Incheon, South Korea would be decided by August 1, said Chef-de-Mission Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah.

Danyal who is also the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) vice president said a majority of the National Sports Associations have yet to submit their list of athletes and officials to the selection committee.

The Asian Games will be held from September 19 to October 4.

“The selection of athletes for the Asian Games will involve 29 associations and feature roughly about 600 athletes and officials. We will shortlist members of the contingent by August 1,” Danyal told reporters after chairing the Asian Games managers meeting at Wisma OCM, here yesterday.

Danyal said the Palm Garden Hotel IOI Resort, Putrajaya will be the centralised training camp for athletes from Sept 8 to 15. All athletes and officials must attend the centralised camp,” he said.

The 2014 Asian Games in Incheon will feature 36 sports, including eight sports that are not in the Olympic Games programme.



Among the sports to be contested are archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, canoe, kayak, cycling, equestrian, fencing, football, golf, gymnastics, hand ball, hockey, judo, pentathlon, triathlon, rowing, rugby, sailing, shooting, table tennis, taekwando, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting and wrestling.

The eight sports that are not in the Olympics programme are baseball, tenpin bowling, cricket, kabaddi, karate, sepak takraw, squash and wushu. — Bernama

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/sports/article/size-of-malaysian-asian-games-contingent-to-be-finalised-by-aug-1#sthash.LF2l1Yrr.dpuf

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Asian Games old-style cycling track

Cycling is a major source of potential medals for Hong Kong, whose ranks include top contenders such as Sarah Lee Wai-sze, Jamie Wong Wan-yiu, Cheung Kin-lok and Kwok Ho-ting and the venue will play a pivotal role in enabling them to perform to their best.


As hosts, South Korea, one of the major track cycling powers in Asia, will benefit from being able to practise on the track.

"You can't say there is any foul play by the organisers as long as they follow the rules of the international federation," said Hong Kong Cycling Association chairman Leung Hung-tak.

"Both the 250-metre or 333-metre venues are legitimate according to the International Cycling Union, although I would say 333-metre tracks are rarely used for international competitions these days.

"I know the Incheon outdoor venue has been there for a long time and perhaps the organisers want to save money by not building any new facility but by using the existing one."

Leung said the Hong Kong team had to adjust their build-up for the Games because of the venue issue.

"Normally we train in Guangzhou's velodrome, which was built for the 2010 Asian Games, but now we need to travel to Qinhuangdao, in northern China, where they have a similar track," said Leung.

"We want the riders to get used to the outdoor environment, including wind conditions and lighting, so that they can remain competitive."

Hong Kong coach Shen Jinkang, meanwhile, is considering sending a women's sprint team to Incheon to increase the city's medal chances.

Lee has been a dominate force in the individual sprint but it has been difficult to find a suitable partner for her in the team.

Meng Zhaojuan, who also took part in the individual sprint in the Guangzhou Games, in 2010, may be a logical choice, while Diao Xiaojuan, who will represent Hong Kong in the omnium in Incheon, is another option.

"We still have to check out the racing schedules before we make a decision as we need to find out how close these events will be," said the coach.

"The two individual events - sprint and keirin - will still be Lee's first priority."

The Incheon Games will include only the 10 Olympic disciplines, which means Lee will not be able to defend her title in the 500-metre time trial, an event in which she is the Asian record holder.

Hong Kong won a total of four golds, four silvers and one bronze medal in cycling in Guangzhou four years ago.

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Beng Hee is capable of delivering a gold medal for Malaysia

Beng Hee who has two Asian Games gold medals from 2002 and 2006, however has been facing a dip in form of late, mostly due to the age factor.

However, Pearson believes the world No. 27 can still go out with a bang as the main challengers for gold at the Asian Games are still within his range. They are world No. 18 Saurav Ghosal of India, world No. 33 Max Lee of Hong Kong as well as national No. 2 Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan.

“In a way, even an old dog can still learn new tricks and it depends on whether Beng Hee wants to go out with a sting, or just a damp squib,” said Pearson who arrived here last Thursday at Beng Hee’s request.

“The way I look at it, the other guys ... Saurav and Max are not out of Beng Hee’s range and he can still do it if he wants to.

“But, to do that he has to be more open-minded and be prepared to do better.

“Right now, I’m working a bit on the mental side with him, but it’s mostly technical.

“I’m getting him to be more aggressive especially in terms of his body language because he tends to be a little too passive at times.

“He’s got to be a bit more aware of his surroundings and be prepared to go for the shots at the right time. At the end of the day, it’s all about learning new things every day.”

Commenting on Massaro, Pearson admitted that while her squash is not the nicest to watch, she deserves credit for becoming the first Englishwoman to win the world title since Cassie Jackman in 1999.

“Laura’s put in a lot of hard work because she was never the most natural player and she has had to change a lot in her game, especially her technique,” said Pearson.

“Her squash may not be the nicest to watch but she’s whole-hearted ... works hard, and she definitely deserves this win. She should be proud of herself.”

Pearson, who has been based in Harrogate, England, for the past 23 years, will join a sharing session with the national and state-based coaches for three days starting today, before heading home on Monday.

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Hosting the Asian sporting event may cost Vietnam over $300 million, double the initial estimate

My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi that was built for the 22nd Southeast Asian Games in 2003 and several relevant infrastructure constructions have been criticized as being wasted while costs for the 2019 Asian Games are estimated to rise to more than US$300 million. Photo: Ngo Nguyen

The government will likely have to spend over US$300 million hosting the Asian Games (Asiad) in 2019, double what it had previously announced.

Deputy Finance Minister Do Hoang Tuan Anh quoted a Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plan as saying that the government will have to prepare over VND5.47 trillion for the event.

The figure did not include VND820 billion ($38.67 million) in estimated expenses for the training of Vietnamese athletes who would take part in the Games, he said.

Anh was speaking at a meeting with the National Assembly’s Culture, Education, Youth and Children Committee on Tuesday, where lawmakers grilled Hoang Tuan Anh, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, over the possibility of getting enough funds together to host the event properly.

Previously when asking for the Prime Minister’s permission to bid on hosting the 18th Asiad, the ministry estimated that the event would cost Vietnam $150 million.

However, at the latest meeting, Anh said the previously estimated costs did not include infrastructure investment, because infrastructure was already part of local governments’ development plans.

It was not clear if the ministry’s latest proposed costs included investment in infrastructure.

One lawmaker who raised concerns over the event’s budget, Le Nhu Tien, vice chairman of the committee, said Qatar spent $2.8 billion hosting the event in 2006, China nearly $20 billion in 2010, and South Korea planned $1.62 billion this year.

Tien told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the sport ministry wanted to avoid alarming the public when announcing the package of $150 million, which was actually just part of total expenses.

He said all expenses related to the hosting of the Asiad must be calculated in detail instead of being “ambiguous,” otherwise the government and the National Assembly would get stuck in “a done deal.”

Local media have reported that several facilities in Ho Chi Minh City that were built or upgraded for the 22nd Southeast Asian Games have been abandoned, degraded or used for other purposes.

The Ky Hoa Petanque Club, with six international-standard petanque courts, has been turned into a car park.

It's not so bad for the Lanh Binh Thang Stadium, but it has hosted no major Judo competition despite being upgraded to host martial arts events during the SEA Games.

The Phu Tho Sports Complex, which required more than VND140 billion to turn it into a venue that could host taekwondo competitions during the same games, has not been used for major sport competitions since. It has become a popular exhibition venue now.

Tien, the lawmaker, said the My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi that was built for the 22nd SEA Games in 2003 and was also a waste.

"The stadium and several relevant infrastructure constructions have been wasted. Now, they have even leased some places to host weddings and other non-sport activities,” he said.

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Oman Hockey Association (OHA) is drawing a plan ahead of the 2014 Asiad

Following Oman's excellent performance in the Asian Games Qualifier in Bangladesh, the Oman Hockey Association (OHA) is drawing a plan ahead of the 2014 Asiad set to be held in South Korea from September 19 to October 4.

Speaking to Times Sporton Monday, OHA General Secretary Redha Taqi Al Lawati said arrangements have been made to help the national team achieve success at the Asian Games.  "We are doing everything possible to help our team achieve good results in the Asian Games," Redha said.

As part of the plan, the team will undergo external training camps in Germany and the Netherlands.

"We have not yet decided on the itinerary but this is one part of the plan to send the team for a rigorous training camps in Germany and Holland," he noted.

Oman won four games in the eight-nation Asian Games Qualifier in Dhaka before losing to Bangladesh in the title decider on Sunday. In the qualifying matches, Oman beat Chinese Taipei, Sri Lanka, Qatar and Singapore. In Sunday's final, Oman lost to Bangladesh 6-1.

OHA officials are satisfied with the performance of the Oliver Kurtz-coached team. "We are extremely happy with the performance of our team and, more than that, we are satisfied with the progress they are making as a team," Redha said.

According to Redha, the timing of the title decider could have affected Oman's show against Bangladesh.

"They were playing so well in all the games and, therefore, going down 6-1 was rather unfortunate," Redha said. "I think it has mostly to do with the timing of the matches. There should have been a break before the title decider. With four consecutive games at a stretch, I feel our players may have been tired but we will have to wait and see the coach's report to know what went wrong," he informed.

"Bangladesh was playing on their home turf and thus the advantage was with them. We wasted 12 short corners. That is something strange," he said.

"But we are pleased with the performance. The boys are doing extremely well and the level of their playing skills has certainly improved. We look forward to a good show in South Korea during the Asian Games," Redha added.

'Work harder for Asiad'
Meanwhile, hockey veteran Saiyed Ali Sibtain Naqvi urged the Oman team to work hard to face some of the toughest teams from the continent at the Asian Games.  "If they want to survive in the Asian Games against them, they need to seriously improve their level of playing," the former Oman coach said.

According to Naqvi, six Asian teams that include India, Pakistan, Japan, Malaysia, China and host South Korea could prove a stiff challenge for Oman.

"They are the best sides in Asia and could prove a big challenge for Oman. There is no doubt that we have good talents and they have done well in the qualifier but they need to work hard for a better performance in the Games," Naqvi added

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Sri Lanka Cricket Squad - 17th Asian Games Incheon, Korea

Sri Lanka Cricket has named a 25-man provisional squad for the 17th Asian Games, scheduled to be held from 19th September to 04th October 2014 in Incheon,Korea. National Selection Committee has nominated the following squad:






 17th Asian Games Squad – Incheon, Korea
1.       Dimuth Karunaratne
2.       Upul Tharanga
3.       Udara Jayasundara
4.       Niroshan Dickwella
5.       Ashan Priyanjan
6.       Kithruwan Vithanage
7.       Angelo Perera
8.       Jehan Mubarak
9.       Romesh Buddhika
10.   Mahela Udawatte
11.   Asela Gunaratne
12.   Bhanuka Rajapaksha
13.   Chathuranga De Silva
14.   Seekuge Prasanna
15.   Dilruwan Perera
16.   Ramith Rambukwella
17.   Akila Dhanjaya
18.   Suraj Randiv
19.   Shaminda Eranga
20.   Vishawa Fernando
21.   Chaminda Bandara
22.   Ashan Jayaratne
23.   Dushmantha Chameera
24.   Charith Jayampathy
25.   Sachith Pathirana

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India outsmarted Pakistan 36-31

India outsmarted Pakistan 36-31 to win the third South Asian Handball Championship at an outdoor court at the Genesis Global School here Wednesday.

India, who beat Pakistan also in the league stage, shrugged off a shaky start to get the better of the reigning South Asian Games champions. Bangladesh beat Afghanistan to finish third in the five-nation competition.

Greenidge D'Cunha starred for India scoring 12 goals and got good support from his captain Nayachandra Singh. Tariq Iqbal and Uzain Atif shared seven goals apiece for Pakistan.

Pakistan gave India a tough fight in the first half with the score tied at 18-18. India upped the pace of the game in the second half and the Pakistani team could do little to match that. The home team's conversion rate also improved and at one point had a nine goal advantage before Pakistan reduced the lead in the 60 minute contest (two halves of 30 minutes each).

The game had the intensity of a typical India-Pakistan clash with players of both teams not shy to use the cuss words.

Pakistan captain Tahir Ali said his team gave its best despite missing important players.

"India had a strong team while six of our key players were not released by the army. We did well to match India early on but the boys could not defend well in the second half. They were short on temperament too," Ali told IANS, adding that the whole squad had a great time in India. Their stay also included a customary visit to the Taj Mahal.

Ali concluded by saying the quality of referring was rather average.

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Actress and boxer Lee Si-young will not participate in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games

Actress and boxer Lee Si-young will not participate in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games in September as she failed to enter the final tryouts on Tuesday. She also missed the previous two tryouts.

"She didn't have enough time to build up her skills for the bout," said Kim Won-chan, manager of Incheon City boxing team. "But we will keep working on her conditioning with the aim of getting her into the World Championships on Jeju Island in November,"

Lee became known as a pugilist after winning the women's 48-kg category in the National Amateur Boxing Championships in 2011. She also won the Seoul Amateur Boxing Match in 2012 and the National Amateur Boxing Championships in 2013.

She is expected to focus on acting for a while as she has been cast as the female lead in the new KBS drama "Golden Cross," which will start airing early April.

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