Diksha Dagar recovers late to finish in top 10 at PIF London golf
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New Indian Express
5 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Behind surfer Ramesh's bronze, a tale of resillience
FROM not qualifying for last year's Asian surfing meet to making history as the first Indian surfer to win a medal in an Asian meet, Ramesh Budihal has risen out of deep waters. On the coast, the Kerala-man has navigated the toughest of waves. It was a tougher challenge. He lost his father last year, in addition to the disappointment of qualification. On Sunday, Ramesh clinched bronze with a 12.60-point performance in the open men's final of the Asian Surfing Championship in Mahabalipuram. "My goal was to win gold. But I'm still proud to take the bronze. I am happy with the support from the team," he told this daily, a day after his performance. It took Ramesh three years to come to this stage and achieve this feat. "If we get more opportunities, we can put ourselves into higher performances and more medals," he added. In a way, this tournament was his last-chance saloon, and his give-it-all performance has earned him India's first medal in surfing at the continental event.
Time of India
34 minutes ago
- Time of India
Risky move but wanted a different challenge: Pol Moreno
Pol Moreno replaced club captain Odei Onaindia at FC Goa Panaji: Pol Moreno is much-loved at Racing de Santander where he spent the last four years. With almost 100 games and nearly 7,000 minutes in a Racing shirt, it was no surprise that there was an outpouring of affection when news of the centre-back's decision to leave the club became official. Joining the Spanish second tier club, the player said, 'was probably the best sporting decision I've ever made in my life,' so imagine how hard it would have been to accept the offer from FC Goa and dive into Indian football. 'With my age, it might be a risky move given the situation I was in, but it's something that I wanted to do,' Moreno told TOI after a training session at Bambolim on Monday. 'My family and I were very keen to make this move, try and take on a different challenge. At Racing, I didn't get to play as much as I wanted. To come here and be able to do that is something I love. That's one of the principal reasons why I made the move.' Of course, it helped the 31-year-old defender that there's heavy Spanish influence at Goa. The coaching staff is Spanish, there are four other Spanish players in the team, including the likes of Javier Siverio, Borja Herrera and Iker Guarrotxena, who have spent enough time in India. But the one whose advice proved crucial is Edu Bedia , the former Goa midfielder and club legend. Edu, Racing Santander's youth product, is now in-charge of the Spanish club's international operations. 'He spoke wonderfully well about the atmosphere at FC Goa and the ISL in general . Obviously that provided me with some calm, knowing it comes from someone who spent six years here, with his family. Getting references (from others) about how well the club and country functions in terms of football, always makes a positive impact in ensuring there is peace of mind when you sign here,' said Moreno. At Goa, Moreno replaced club captain Odei Onaindia , someone who hardly put a foot wrong in the two years that he spent at the club. Whether on or off the field, the Spanish defender always led by example. Moreno is experienced enough to know what's expected of him. He's getting into the groove but admits he was taken aback when he first set foot on Indian soil. 'Given such a wide contrast between the culture and people in the two countries, it does take a little bit of time to adapt,' said Moreno. 'During the first couple of days, there was a little bit of shock seeing the amount of poverty that there was around, the demeanour of people and how they interact with you on a day-to-day basis. I've been here for a month now and able to adapt, understand people, and their customs. The more time I spend here, the more I enjoy it.' On the field, Moreno has been pleasantly surprised with the domestic players catching his eye during pre-season. 'It's a good level to work and then move forward. I think, as foreigners, we need to do more; not just the coaches but as players too. We are coming here not only to play but also pass on whatever we have learned (at a higher level) to the players and everyone around us,' said Moreno.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Coach reveals how Praggnanandhaa dealt with tough times as Gukesh raced ahead
CHENNAI: The new-age rivalry in Indian chess is getting fiercer day by day. Three young Indian boys sit in the top-six of the live world ratings — R Praggnanandhaa at No. 4, Arjun Erigaisi next, and world champion D Gukesh close behind. But it's the duel between 20-year-old Pragg and 19-year-old Gukesh that stokes the flame. In fact, Pragg was the first to reach the Candidates among the two, after securing his berth at the World Cup in August 2023. Gukesh found his way later through the Chennai Grand Masters in December, clinched his spot, and went all the way to be crowned world champion. Meanwhile, Pragg's run at the Candidates in April 2024 didn't pan out as hoped; he finished fifth. The Chennai boy had told TOI earlier that the previous year had been a difficult period. Pragg's long-time coach, RB Ramesh, revealed how they paved the way for a comeback this year. 'First thing is he was playing a bit too much last year. And he is not used to playing so much. We always have some breaks in between where we can rest and go through what went wrong, what changes we have to make. But we didn't get that opportunity till the end of the year,' Ramesh said on the sidelines of the Chennai Grand Masters event on Monday. 'And then we spoke a lot...I gave my feedback; he gave his feedback. And what changes we need to make. These were the things we were discussing at the end of last year: 'Does it have a negative impact on you?'…Because Gukesh, rating-wise, went up. And then, Pragg was 2,740 in January (2024), and managed 2740 something in December as well. He had some ups and downs in between. So 'does others' performance have an impact on you?' These were some of the issues we discussed. And, he has been able to get results so far this year.' Ramesh said that for prodigies like Pragg, learning to share the stage with peers of the same age was something new. 'We are all human, and we are emotional people. So, it will have an impact when your competitors are doing better. It can affect you. At the same time, it can inspire you and motivate you. But you also don't want to be left behind. So, in a way, it's positive, but it can also be depressing and pressurising if you don't treat it in the right manner. I think everyone has to go through it. Initially, it was not very easy because they were young, and they didn't have the maturity. And also, it was new. 'For example, when Pragg won the World Under-18 Championship, he felt at that time he was the best player in the world. And suddenly there is a competition and that too someone of your age. This was new. But I think in the last two years, everyone kind of got used to this. So, they don't see them as contemporaries anymore, there's a healthy race.' Ramesh is crystal clear on how Pragg should chart his course forward. To brave the storm of doubts, rivalry, and pressure, the youngster needs to be self-reliant, the coach said. 'Ideally, if someone wants to be the world champion, he or she should not be looking for motivation and inspiration from others. The less reliant you are on others, the closer you will be to becoming a world champion. The more you rely on others, it's like you don't believe in yourself. In that sense, that has been our approach. He has to be very independent, make his own decisions, go through the hardships himself, learn to deal with them, and grow and evolve in the process. ' Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
