Four-time Junior World Championship medallist Esow Alben hit by bikers during training ride
Esow Alben, the first Indian to win a medal at a cycling World Championship at any level, said that he was hit from behind by two bikers on Wednesday while he was on his training ride. Esow, 24, was training on the road near the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex and said in a lengthy Instagram post that he was in his lane and 'disciplined' while the bikers were 'speeding at over 100kmph'.
Esow described the incident in a lengthy post on his Instagram along side a video in which he can be heard getting into an argument with what seems to be the two bikers. While the latter can be heard blaming him for riding in the 'middle of the road', onlookers can be heard siding with Esow. He also included images of his visibly damaged cycle. His buttock and hands had bruises and the rear wheel of his cycle was broken from the impact.
'I'm grateful to be safe, with only a few scratches. Thank you to my coach, team coach, and the officer who stood by me and are helping with the investigation,' Esow said in his caption to the video he posted.
'This could've been worse—not just for me, but for any cyclist on the road. To everyone out there: We cyclists are not in your way. We are humans. We are athletes. We represent our nation. Respect cyclists. Give us space. Give us safety.'
The 24-year-old Esow from Andaman and Nicobar Islands resides and trains at the SAI Cycling Academy, which houses a top-class velodrome. The facility at the IG Sports Complex has got recognition from the world body UCI. Esow is the first Indian cyclist to win an individual medal at a global level, a silver in keirin event at the 2018 junior track world championships. He won a silver in sprint and a bronze in keirin in the 2019 edition also.
Cycling Federation of India Secretary General Maninder Pal Singh said it was a 'minor' accident and Esow 'is fine now'. 'He (Esow) has been given first aid and he is fine now. It was a minor accident and he is at his room. He should be able to train again tomorrow,' Singh told PTI. 'He was on a routine training ride on the road (near IG Sports Complex). He was behind a bus and then hit by a bike.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
34 minutes ago
- Mint
Vijay Mallya credits himself for launching Deepika Padukone, Katrina with Kingfisher Calendar: ‘Picked the right talent'
Ex-businessman Vijay Mallya created a storm on the internet with his first-ever appearance in a podcast. He joined Raj Shamani to talk about his Kingfisher empire, life and more. During the conversation, he also took credit for launching Bollywood actors like Deepika Padukone and Katrina Kaif during their early days through the popular Kingfisher Calendar. Talking about how the careers of the calendar girls took off after posing for him, he proudly declared that he picked the right talent. When asked about the success of the models who rose to fame after appearing in his calendar, Mallya said, "Well, because we chose the right girls. I mean, whether it was Deepika Padukone or Katrina Kaif, we had all the heroines and the stars on the calendar in their younger days.' When noted that these models featured in the calendar weren't celebrities at the time but later became popular, Mallya remarked, 'We picked well, we picked the right talent.' Besides Deepika and Katrina, the calendar also featured popular faces like Yana Gupta, Karishma Kothak, Bruna Abdullah, Nargis Fakhri, Esha Gupta, Lisa Hayden, Saiyami Kher, Sobhita Dhulipala, Nora Fatehi, Shubra Aiyappa, and others. Vijay Mallya fled India in 2016 after being accused in a bank loan default case of over ₹ 9,000 crore. In the interview, he also said that he might come back to India if he is assured of a fair trial. When asked about returning to his country, Mallya said, 'If I am assured, Absolutely I will. I will think about it seriously.' 'But you should also be aware that there are other people who the government of India is targeting for extradition from the UK back to India, in whose case they have got judgment from the High Court of Appeal that Indian detention conditions are violative of the ECHR [European Convention on Human Rights],' he also added. "I'm sorry, and therefore they can't be sent back," he also said. "The plea was basically the prolonged detention without trial, for which we all know there are numerous examples. They just lock you up and throw away the key. That's not justice," he mentioned. Since 2016, Mallya has been staying in London.
Time of India
36 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Gutted': Sam Bird pours out feelings in Instagram post as he misses 24 Hours of Le Mans — his favourite race
Image credit: Sam Bird/Instagram Formula E driver Sam Bird has penned a note to share his feelings as he is forced to skip the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. The NEOM McLaren driver will be seen competing at the Jakarta E-Prix, which is scheduled to take place on June 20 and 21. He has now revealed the reason behind his absence from the race which he says is his favourite race of the year. Sam Bird misses taking part in 24 Hours of Le Mans race Sam Bird used to be a regular face at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race since 2014, but he has not participated in the race since he joined the NEOM McLaren Formula E team in 2023. Sharing a bunch of throwback pictures from the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, Sam Bird wrote on Instagram, 'Le Mans is only a week away!!! Gutted I'm not racing this year in what is my favourite race of the calendar year. The teamwork, dedication, rivalries, the ups and downs of emotions all bubbling up over a 24 hour period. Best of luck to everyone taking part. I hope to be back slinging a car through Porsche curves soon enough. ' Reacting to his post, a fan wrote, 'It was always great to watch you race in LeMans especially when both you and Filipe took part in the race, last time when you raced there I watched the LIVE for 22hrs. Miss that feeling.' Another said, 'Hope to see you in at least a McLaren GT3 but a hypercar in 27.' One more said, 'I'm sure you'll be back behind the wheel soon.' A fan added, 'Hope to see you in McLaren Hypercar!!!' Another said, 'We sure do miss you Sam!' In Formula E, Sam Bird took part in the Shanghai E-Prix last weekend. He is yet to bag a podium spot this season. In an Instagram post after the race, he wrote, 'Hard battles this weekend out in Shanghai. P7 in race one and a challenging race two in the wet with no reward. Lots learnt and we move onto Jakarta. Thanks to @mclarenfe for giving us a great car especially in the dry.' Also Read: Jakarta to London via Berlin: All you need to know about the remaining 2025 Formula E calendar Sam Bird is still hoping for a better season. He is in the 17th position in the Formula E Driver Standings for this year with just 27 points and no podium.
News18
43 minutes ago
- News18
From Sydney To Panama And Canada: The Indian-Origin Man Behind A Global Smuggling Ring
Last Updated: Gurvindar Singh is at the centre of a massive two-year investigation by Australia's Multi Agency Strike Team (MAST) A 42-year-old Sydney-based man of Indian origin, Gurvindar Singh, has been accused of heading an international drug and tobacco trafficking syndicate that spanned multiple continents and used legitimate freight channels to smuggle illicit goods into Australia. Massive Two-Year Probe By Australia's Elite Strike Team Gurvindar Singh is at the centre of a massive two-year investigation by Australia's Multi Agency Strike Team (MAST), a coalition involving the NSW Police, Australian Federal Police (AFP), Australian Border Force, NSW Crime Commission, AUSTRAC, the ATO, and other enforcement bodies. He faces multiple serious charges, including five counts of importing commercial quantities of controlled drugs and illegal tobacco, as well as directing a criminal group and dealing with the proceeds of crime. According to authorities, Gurvindar Singh orchestrated the import of 50 kilograms of cocaine concealed in cement bags from Panama, 280 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine shipped from Canada and over 20 million illicit cigarettes smuggled from the United Arab Emirates, allegedly using a freight company operating out of Punchbowl in southwestern Sydney. Two Canadian nationals of Indian origin, Aman Kang (24) and Mani Singh Dhaliwal (31), were also apprehended. Authorities allege they were recruited by Gurvindar Singh to retrieve and distribute the cocaine shipment. About the Author Mallika Soni When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?" First Published: June 07, 2025, 20:23 IST
