Asian Athletics: India's Sachin Yadav wins javelin silver; Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem bags gold
In the absence of two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra, both the Indian javelin throwers produced personal best efforts.
Rising star Sachin Yadav sent his spear to 85.16m in his last attempt to finish behind Pakistan's reigning Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem, who was appearing in his first competition since the Paris Games last year. The Pakistani fetched the gold with a 86.40m throw.
Competing in his maiden major international meet, Sachin narrowly missed the World Championships qualification mark of 85.50m, and blamed his twin injuries — to the ankle and shoulder — for the shortfall.
'I'm not satisfied, but yes, I'll go back with a medal and a personal best,' said the 25-year-old, who had a previous personal best of 84.39m.
Asked whether he could breach the qualifying mark in the next 2-3 months, with the World Championships scheduled in Tokyo this September, he remained hopeful.
'Once I return, I'll give my all in training. I've made some mistakes that affected my preparation. For instance, I had injuries — first in my ankle, then in my shoulder — which prevented me from training properly,' he said.
'I can't say exactly how much time I'll need, but I will try to give my best in the next competition and aim to qualify with a good distance,' added Sachin who hails from a farmer's family at Khekra village near Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh.
Fellow Indian Yashvir Singh also impressed with a personal best of 82.57m for a fifth-place finish.
India's first medal of the day came through Kujur, who ended a decade-long wait for the country in the men's 200m with a bronze.
It was India's first in the event since Dharambir Singh's bronze in the 2015 edition.
The 21-year-old from Odisha delivered a standout performance, clocking a national record of 20.32 seconds, bettering his own mark of 20.40s set earlier this year at the National Federation Senior Athletics Competition.
Highly impressed with Animesh Kujur's rapid progress, Adille J Sumariwalla, former president of the Athletics Federation of India and a former sprinter himself, hailed the youngster as one of the best in the country.
'He's an absolutely outstanding athlete. He's doing very, very well. And if he can just improve his start a little more, he'll be almost impossible to beat,' Sumariwalla said.
'He's one of those very, very talented sprinters among the best I've seen in India.' Japan's Towa Uzawa won gold with a time of 20.12s, while Saudi Arabia's Abdulaziz Abdu I Atafi took silver in 20.31s.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
26 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Karnataka HC directs State govt to file status report on Bengaluru stampede by June 10
A day after the celebrations of the IPL victory of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) led to the death of 11 persons and injuries to 47 others following chaos and stampede at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium, most of the injured persons were discharged from hospitals. Except for six persons, who continue to be under treatment in various hospitals, all the others were sent home, doctors said on Thursday. The tragedy unfolded near the gates of the stadium, where over 2 lakh fans had gathered to mark RCB's historic first title win in 18 years. Overcrowding and narrow passageways led to a deadly rush. Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh each to the families of the deceased and free treatment to the injured persons. The Karnataka High Court, after taking suo motu congnisance of the matter, issued notice to the State, and tasked it to file a detailed status report by June 10. The State government on Thursday admitted before the High Court of Karnataka that it did not prepare to handle such a huge crowd of around 2.5 lakh on June 4 during the event organised at M. Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru to celebrate RCB's victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, which witnessed a stampede resulting in death of 11 persons and injuring 56 others. 'Narender surrendered to Adani, China': Congress ups ante with fresh jibe at PM The Congress on Thursday upped the ante with its 'Narender-surrender' jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he 'surrendered' before billionaire Gautam Adani as well as to China. There was no immediate response from the government or the Adani Group over the Congress's accusations, but the business conglomerate has, in the past, rejected all such allegations against it. Congress leader Ajoy Kumar said the duo of Mr. Adani and Mr. Modi has left behind the Jai-Veeru duo from the film 'Sholay'. 'The process of Narendra Modi's surrender before (U.S. President Donald) Trump has happened after many years of practice,' Mr. Kumar said at a press conference at the Indira Bhawan, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in New Delhi. 'Wherever Narendra Modi goes or whatever Adani wants — he gets the contract.... The diplomatic moves of India's prime minister have helped industrialist Mr A to expand his international business interests in ports, airports, electricity, coal mining and weapons,' the Congress leader claimed and cited examples from various countries. 'Narenderji has hurt his country's relations with her neighbours as well as with other countries by brazenly promoting Mr A's ambitions. The growth of the Mr A Group outside India over the past decade or so has been closely aligned with the diplomatic efforts of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi,' he alleged. Many of 'Mr A's' international deals were struck soon after Mr. Modi's official visits to certain countries or after heads of government visited India, Mr. Kumar claimed. Alleging that Mr. Modi had also 'surrendered' before China, he said 'Narender-Surrender' must apologise to the country for his 'clean chit' to the neighbouring country on its invasion of Indian territory in 2020. Mr. Kumar claimed that China has vowed to stand by Pakistan in defending its 'sovereignty' and 'territorial integrity', and called it its 'iron-clad friend'. 'China's foreign minister, Wang Yi, recently gave a statement that his country would continue to stand by Pakistan in upholding its sovereignty, territorial integrity and national independence. China has supplied arms worth over $20 billion to Pakistan,' Mr. Kumar claimed. The Congress had said on Wednesday (June 4, 2025) that it is wrong to think that 'Narendra Modi is India and India is Narendra Modi', as it slammed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its criticism of Rahul Gandhi over his dig at the Prime Minister, and doubled down on the 'Narender-surrender' jibe. Mr. Gandhi had said in Bhopal on Tuesday (June 3, 2025) that 'as soon as Trump signalled from there, picked up the phone and said, 'what are you doing Modiji? Narender, surrender'.... And Modiji obeyed Trump's orders with Ji Huzoor''. Urging people to remember 1971, Mr. Gandhi said that back then, a phone call had not been made, but the United States had sent its 7th Fleet, weapons, and an aircraft carrier. However, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi did not surrender and stated that she would act in the national interest. Referring to the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Mr. Gandhi said they are habituated to writing 'surrender letters' since Independence. The BJP has accused Mr. Gandhi of insulting the armed forces with his 'surrender' barb at Mr. Modi, saying it amounted to undermining the success of Operation Sindoor. Trump announces travel ban affecting dozen countries including Afghanistan and Iran U.S. President Donald Trump is resurrecting the travel ban policy from his first term, signing a proclamation Wednesday (June 5, 2025) night preventing people from a dozen countries from entering the United States. The countries include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. In addition to the ban, which takes effect at 12.01 a.m. Monday (June 9, 2025), there will be heightened restrictions on visitors from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. 'I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people,' Mr. Trump said in his proclamation. The list results from a January 20 executive order Mr. Trump issued requiring the departments of State and Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence to compile a report on 'hostile attitudes' toward the U.S. and whether entry from certain countries represented a national security risk. During his first term, Mr. Trump issued an executive order in January 2017 banning travel to the U.S. by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries — Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. It was one of the most chaotic and confusing moments of his young presidency. Travelers from those nations were either barred from getting on their flights to the U.S. or detained at U.S. airports after they landed. They included students and faculty as well as businesspeople, tourists and people visiting friends and family. The order, often referred to as the 'Muslim ban' or the 'travel ban,' was retooled amid legal challenges, until a version was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. The ban affected various categories of travellers and immigrants from Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Syria and Libya, plus North Koreans and some Venezuelan government officials and their families. Mr. Trump and others have defended the initial ban on national security grounds, arguing it was aimed at protecting the country and not founded on anti-Muslim bias. However, the president had called for an explicit ban on Muslims during his first campaign for the White House. Odisha police turn Medha Patkar, activists away from Rayagada where resistance against bauxite mining simmering Several activists led by Medha Patkar were stopped by the Odisha Police and turned away after they arrived in Rayagada district to address a public meeting on World Environment Day, early Thursday. District authorities cited potential law and order concerns, stating that the activists' presence could inflame tensions in the region, where local tribals are opposing bauxite mining in the Sijimali Reserve. 'As soon as we got off the train in the early hours of Thursday, a large contingent of police personnel stopped us and said we were not allowed to leave the railway station. We are not criminals. We had come to Rayagada to speak about the importance of protecting the environment,' said Medha Patkar over phone from Rayagada. Within hours, fellow activists Lingaraj and Narendra Mohanty were forced to leave the district. A public meeting had been planned under the banner of Maa Maati Maali Surakshya Manch, Kashipur at Sunger Hatapada, where hundreds of tribals were expected to gather to hear the activists. Sunger Hatapada is located just a few kilometres from the Sijimali Bauxite Deposit, where the Vedanta Group has proposed mining 9 million tonnes of ore annually over an area of 1,549 hectares. Vedanta, one of India's largest aluminium producers, has operated its alumina refinery in Lanjigarh, Kalahandi district, without a captive bauxite mine since 2007. The company has been seeking a steady supply of raw material, making Sijimali a key target. Similar resistance had earlier derailed a mining project in the Niyamgiri hills, where the Dongria Kondh, a particularly vulnerable tribal group, successfully opposed plans to mine bauxite. The Odisha Mining Corporation, a state-run PSU, was to supply the ore to Vedanta. In Rayagada, tensions have been simmering around the Sijimali deposit for the past couple of years. Tribals allege that the district police, under pressure from the company, have been using force to suppress the people's movement against mining. An order signed by the Rayagada District Collector has barred 24 activists from entering the district for two months starting June 4. They have also been prohibited from participating in any protests or sit-ins. The Eastern Ghats hill ranges that cut across Kalahandi, Rayagada, and Koraput districts are rich in bauxite. Apart from Vedanta, private players such as the Adani Group and the Aditya Birla Group are either exploring or have already established infrastructure to mine the mineral. The National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), a Navaratna public sector unit, has a strong presence in Koraput district, where it is already extracting bauxite from the Panchpatmali reserve and is preparing to mine the Pottangi reserve. 'Why is the present Odisha government afraid of environmentalists and nature lovers visiting their beautiful State at the invitation of Adivasis—the true guardians of nature?' asked Ms. Patkar. 'How can we, as citizens of India, be stopped from marking a day dedicated to pledging our commitment to protect the Earth, its green cover, its farms and forests, and honouring those who have preserved them for generations?,' asked Ms. Patkar. In Brief: Assam flood situation grim, 7 lakh affected Assam's flood situation remained grim on Thursday, with nearly seven lakh people affected in 21 districts and the water level of major rivers showing a rising trend, officials said. The death toll in the first wave of the floods and landslides rose to 19, with two deaths reported on Wednesday. One person went missing in the Cachar district. Nine major rivers, including the Brahmaputra at three places, were flowing above the danger level across the state, while River Barak was flowing above the danger mark in the Cachar district, and its tributaries were also showing a rising trend, with some rivers flowing above the red mark. Calcutta High Court grants interim bail to social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli The Calcutta High Court on Thursday granted interim bail to social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli, who was arrested by Kolkata Police for a social media post on Operation Sindoor. The 22-year-old student was arrested in Gurugram and brought to Kolkata on a transit remand. The High Court, while granting interim bail to Ms. Panoli, said 'at this point there is no need of custodial interrogation'. The Calcutta High Court directed Ms. Panoli to furnish a bail bond of ₹10,000. Earlier, Kolkata Police had defended the arrest of social media influencer and law student, stating that the posts made by her amounted to 'hate speech' and should not be conflated with freedom of expression. Ms. Panoli's arrest sparked political outrage, with the Opposition BJP accusing the Mamata Banerjee-led government of 'State-sponsored repression'. North Korea's Kim says he'll 'unconditionally support' Russia's war against Ukraine North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told a visiting top Russian official that his country will 'unconditionally support' Russia's war against Ukraine, the North's state media reported on Thursday, the latest sign of expanding cooperation between the two nations. In April, the two countries officially confirmed North Korean troops' deployment to Russia for the first time, saying that soldiers of the two countries were fighting alongside each other to repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russia's Kursk border region. At the time, Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked North Korea's participation in the war and promised not to forget their sacrifices. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow.
New Indian Express
38 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
I'm not too far away: Sindhu after fighting defeat; Satwik-Chirag win
The last time PV Sindhu beat a top-10 ranked rival in the BWF circuit was October last year. Needless to say, the shuttler has predominantly struggled to replicate that kind of touch since then. On Thursday, Sindhu, displaying shades of her well-known fighting prowess, was in sight of repeating that feat but she agonisingly missed out. On the other hand, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty had to put up a fight before securing a win. Up against Pornpawee Chochuwong, a World No 8 from Thailand, in the ongoing Indonesia Open, Sindhu fought tooth and nail to be in contention until the closing stages of the marathon match that lasted 78 minutes. However, Pornpawee, the India Open runner-up, held her nerves to walk away with victory. The eventual score read 20-22, 21-10, 21-18 in the 27-year-old's favour. It was yet another setback for Sindhu. However, the double Olympic medallist is encouraged by her latest effort. "A lot to learn from this match and this tournament as well and prepare for the next event," she said after the match. "Having a new coach, it took some time to come together and accordingly work you get a new coach, sometimes it takes time. Both need to understand each other. Things are going well and of course, there's a lot of scope to improve. I think we are on the right track," she noted. Sindhu, who has four first-round exits this year, has struggled against to find any sort of rhythm this year. Given her current predicament, the last few days have been slightly better for the 29-year-old. She had beaten Nozomi Okuhara in the opening round. Just a few days ago, she had stretched China's Yue Fie, the 2020 Olympic champ and current World No 5, before losing in three games during the Singapore Open. "Playing like this, I'm positive that I'm not that far away (from big wins). But it's just one tournament at a time for me and it's also important to go back and learn from the mistakes because every tournament is new. I think it's not too far away," she assessed.
News18
41 minutes ago
- News18
PV Sindhu Opens Up On Lengthy Title Drought: 'I Am Positive That It Is Not Really...'
Last Updated: PV Sindhu has discussed her adjustment with new coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama and remains positive about future titles despite recent struggles. Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu has said that it took her a bit of time to get together with her new coach and put things in their place, and although a title has eluded her for six months now, she is positive that it is not far away and she would look to take one tournament at a time. Sindhu has struggled for consistency this year, with deep runs eluding her despite training under well-known Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama. On Thursday, Sindhu's inability to close out matches came to the fore again as she let slip a 15-11 lead in the decider to lose 22-20, 10-21, 18-21 to Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong in the second round of the Indonesia Open. Fought hard. These are the ones that sting. Long 3 setter that I should have won. But the work's been solid, and I'm feeling so much kasih, Indonesia. Istora Senayan and the Indonesian crowd stunning as usual ❤️ — Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) June 5, 2025 'I've a new coach. We started playing in January. It took some time to actually come together and work together accordingly. Sometimes it takes time for both to understand each other as a coach and a player," Sindhu said after her match. 'But things are going on well and of course there's a lot of scope to improve as well, and I think we are on the right track," Sindhu added. The star Indian shuttler, who suffered a hamstring injury during training in Guwahati four months back, has faced early exits against the likes of Thuy Linh Nguyen, Putri Kusuma Wardani and Kim Gaeun this year as well. 'I'm positive that it's (top-rung ranking) not far away, but I think again, it's just one tournament at a time for me. It's also important to go back and learn from your mistakes because every tournament is fresh, every tournament is new," Sindhu said. 'But I think it's not too far away. I can see that, and I'm positive. And of course, my coach and I are working hard to come up. So yeah, I hope that we'll be there soon," Sindhu added. The star Indian shuttler, who has won five world championship medals, including a gold, believes that badminton has evolved over the last 10 years. 'The game has changed, I would say, in terms of I think back then in 2016, I think it was more of an attacking game. But I think now it's more of like, you know, long rallies and, you know, it's more of the clear and drops," Sindhu said.
