Latest news with #Juniors
India Gazette
2 days ago
- Sport
- India Gazette
Kolkata Thunder Blades beat U Mumba TT in season 1 of Dream UTT Juniors
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 8 (ANI): Season 1 of Dream Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Juniors concluded with a thrilling finale that showcased India's brightest U-15 table tennis talent. After two weeks of intense competition between young athletes from across the country, Ritvik Gupta and Swara Karmakar of the Kolkata Thunder Blades emerged victorious in a nail-biting final that ended 5-2. They beat U Mumba TT's Prateek Tulsani and Ananya Muralidharan at the EKA Arena in Ahmedabad on Sunday, as per a press release from UTT and Dream Sports Foundation. The tournament provided a unique platform for junior players to experience professional-level competition and learn alongside seasoned athletes, marking a significant milestone in Indian table tennis development. The awards were presented by Vita Dani, Co-promoter, Ultimate Table Tennis, Neel Shah, CEO of Dream Sports Foundation, and Sumit Pandey, COO of the Dream Sports Foundation. Speaking about the tournament, Neel Shah, CEO, Dream Sports Foundation said, 'The inaugural Dream UTT Juniors has been a remarkable success, providing our talented U-15 players with an invaluable opportunity to compete in a professional league format and learn from senior athletes. This tournament represents more than just competition - it is a crucial stepping stone that will help these young champions develop the skills needed to represent India on the global stage. We are proud to partner with Ultimate Table Tennis for this tournament -- strengthening our shared commitment to nurturing grassroots talent and shaping a stronger future for Indian table tennis.' The duo representing the Kolkata Thunder Blades were elated following their victory. 'The experience was incredible. I had so many opportunities to play alongside top players. I really enjoyed spending time with senior players Adriana Diaz and Quadri Aruna - they were very friendly and welcoming,' said Swara Karmakar. Her teammate Ritvik Gupta echoed the sentiment, adding, 'I never imagined I would get the chance to play in Dream UTT Juniors. It was always my dream to be part of UTT. This was my first time here, and coming as a player rather than just a spectator makes me incredibly happy.' A blistering start from Prateek saw him come back well against Ritvik to win the first set 11-10 in their boys' singles tie. The two youngsters fought tooth and nail, with Ritvik winning the second set 11-10. In the end, Ritvik gave the Kolkata Thunder Blades the early lead in the final with an 11-8 win in the third set. Ritvik and Swara of the Kolkata Thunder Blades made a strong start to their mixed doubles tie with an 11-4 win over U Mumba's Prateek and Ananya. Despite an impressive comeback from U Mumba in the second set, it was the Thunder Blades who won with an 11-9 score. In the final set of the mixed doubles, U Mumba secured the set with an 11-9 score to ensure the tie read 4-2 entering the girls' doubles. In the end, Swara sealed the trophy for her team with a 11-4 victory in the first set of the girls' doubles to confirm the trophy for the Kolkata Thunder Blades. Dream UTT Juniors Final: U Mumba TT vs Kolkata Thunder Blades -Prateek Tulsani vs Ritvik Gupta: 11-10, 10-11, -Prateek/Ananya vs Ritvik/Swara: 4-11, 9-11, 11-9-Ananya Muralidharan vs Swara Karmakar: 4-11. (ANI)
Indianapolis Star
5 days ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
'There's a lot of bragging rights.' Ertel goes for record 36 points as Juniors beat All-Stars
GREENFIELD — Other than the 80-plus degree temperature outside, it felt like March at Greenfield-Central High School on Wednesday night. The boys Indiana All-Stars were tested, pushed and eventually lost to the Junior All-Stars 117-114 in a game that was as physical and hard played as one at the end of the high school basketball season. Mt. Vernon's Luke Ertel was again the catalyst for the Junior All-Stars, setting a junior record vs. the seniors with 36 points. 'I obviously don't go around watching other all-star games around the country but, I mean, that was about as competitive of an all-star game as you could possibly get,' All-Stars coach Marc Urban of Chesterton said. 'The energy of the crowd was good. We just have to figure out how to play harder, longer. And make those tougher plays more consistently.' It appeared the senior All-Stars had put themselves in position to finally get some distance from the Juniors after Jeffersonville's Michael Cooper keyed a run to put the All-Stars ahead 92-83 with 8:50 left. A little more than a minute later, Crown Point's Dikembe Shaw fouled out for the Juniors, leaving the game with 26 points. Game over? No. The fun was just beginning. 'There's a lot of bragging rights,' Shaw said. The Junior All-Stars kept coming, tying the game on a shot by Ertel, who matched his point total in the win over the Kentucky Junior All-Stars on Sunday at Charlestown. The Juniors took a six-point lead with 3:45 left after the senior All-Stars were whistled for a technical. But the senior All-Stars were not done, getting it tied at 108-108 on a basket by Brady Koehler with 1:16 left. After Justin Curry made one of two free throws to put the Juniors ahead by one point, Ben Davis' Mark Zackery IV scored and IndyStar Mr. Basketball Braylon Mullins, playing his final game on his home floor, made two free throws with 28.9 seconds left to give the All-Stars a 112-109 lead. Then it really got crazy. Terrence Hayes Jr. of Gary 21st Century drove the lane, narrowly avoiding a travel call, and turned and whipped a pass to Lawernce North's Brennan Miller under the basket to bring the Junior All-Stars to within one point. A tipped pass led to a turnover and Haynes pushed ahead and tossed an alley-oop to Fishers' Kai McGrew, who laid the ball off the class just over the outstretched hand of the 6-9 Koehler for a 113-112 lead for the Juniors. Jeffersonville's Tre Singleton drove the left side of the lane, attempting to give the senior All-Stars the lead. But his shot was blocked by McGrew and Ertel corralled the rebound. His two free throws with 5.1 seconds remaining gave the Juniors a 115-112 lead. On the next possession, Zackery was fouled before the seniors could get a look at a 3-pointer. He made two free throws with 3.7 seconds left to cut the Juniors lead to 115-114. Miller was fouled and made two free throws for the Junior All-Stars before the ball was inbounded by make it 117-114. Mullins got off a final heave from beyond halfcourt that was just left of the basket and bounced off the backboard. 'It was a good test for the two games with Kentucky,' said Mullins, who finished with 17 points and four assists. 'We haven't played together at all and (the Junior All-Stars) got to play a game together. I'm not going to use that as an excuse. They played harder than us tonight. But I think we'll gel more this week and I think we'll be better this weekend.' The All-Stars will play the Kentucky All-Stars on Friday at Lexington Catholic High School before returning home for the rematch on Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Cathedral's Koehler, a Notre Dame recruit, matched Mullins for team-high scoring honors with 17 points. Singleton and Fishers' Justin Kirby each had 11 points. Dezmon Briscoe of Crispus Attucks had 10 points and nine rebounds and Zackery also had 10 points. 'We have a good rotation of guys,' said Mullins, a UConn recruit. 'It's just a matter of who wants to play hard or not. I think that's really going to determine how our team is going to play. I think we just didn't play hard enough. But I think our coach is going to get on us (Thursday) and we'll be better. There's no reason you should be losing to the juniors as seniors, especially playing one last time on this court.' Ertel's 36 points broke the record a junior against the seniors, a mark that was shared by Greg Oden and Eric Gordon with 29 points. Ertel is second all-time for points in junior-senior rivalry behind Park Tudor's Trevon Bluiett, who scored 44 for the seniors in 2014. Ertel left the game briefly with blood on his jersey in the second half. Urban joked that he needed to stay out of the game for a longer look at the jersey. 'I thought his effort and how competitive he was and how hard he played was outstanding,' Urban said. 'That was my first time seeing him live and he was really, really good.' Ertel called it 'just an all-star game at the end of the day.' But there was no denying how hard he played during the game. 'It's a joy playing with Luke,' Shaw said. 'On the court, he's a dawg. He fights tooth and nail. We could be going against first graders and I know he'd give 100 percent.'
Daily Record
01-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
Swinney plans political stunt at charity which had funding cut by SNP government
SUNDAY MAIL EXCLUSIVE: The First Minister's by-election blunder has been called hypocritical by Labour JOHN Swinney has been accused of 'rank hypocrisy' for planning a photo shoot at a charity that had its funding slashed by the government. Ahead of the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, the First Minister is due to go to Juniors in Hamilton tomorrow to campaign and speak to media. But the child poverty charity had its funding cut in 2023 and has had to fight to stay open ever since. Juniors helps thousands of single parents and disadvantaged families, runs a foodbank, clothing bank, benefits and money advice services as well as running a play cafe. They fundraised privately and even managed to get their 'Kindness cookies' and coffee on sale in Asda stores to help them keep going. Swinney's by-election blunder has been criticsed by Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie, who said: 'People will see this for what it is - rank hypocrisy. 'The SNP slashed funding for this group and now they want to use them as a political prop.' The veteran MSP said voters would 'get a chance to call time on SNP failure and choose a new direction' with her party when they take to the polls on Thursday. She said: 'We can see the consequences of SNP incompetence right across this community – people languishing on NHS waiting lists, high street shops struggling to stay open, and kids not getting the education they deserve.' An SNP spokeswoman said SNP councillors in South Lanarkshire had proposed funding for charities in the budget this year but blamed Labour councillors for voting against it. She said the government was "providing certainty to charities through the new multi-year fairer funding pilot" and said grants and food payments had helped 20,855 families in South Lanarkshire. She said: "The First Minister's top priority in government is eradicating child poverty, and we will continue to work towards that goal." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Egypt Today
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Egypt Today
Omar Talaat Mostafa Presents Ambitious Vision to Boost Egypt's Tourism Revenue Through Golf
The Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies commenced on Wednesday at the Madinaty and Katameya Dunes golf courses in Egypt, and will run until Saturday. The event, described as the first and largest Arab golf event of its kind, is also serving as a platform to highlight Egypt's ambitious vision to significantly increase its tourism revenues through golf tourism. Omar Hisham Talaat Moustafa, President of the Egyptian Golf Federation, speaking as a guest on the 'Mal'ab ON' programme with journalist Ibrahim Abdel Gawad, stated that the championship's activities would extend beyond sporting competitions. He explained that the event aims to offer unique experiences for families, featuring exciting shows and a golf festival held on the sidelines. An open invitation was extended to Egyptian families to participate and learn more about the sport. Discussing the golf industry from an investment perspective, Moustafa noted that many countries have successfully leveraged the sport to attract tourists and generate substantial income. He pointed out that Egypt received approximately 15 million tourists last year, with a strategic plan in place to double this figure to 30 million. Moustafa suggested that golf tourism could be a significant component of this plan. He drew comparisons, emphasising that Costa del Sol in Spain boasts over 70 courses, attracting around 1.2 million golf tourists annually. Similarly, the Turkish city of Belek, with 15 courses, welcomes 140,000 golf tourists each year. Moustafa explained that Egypt currently has 25 existing golf courses, which are visited by only 30,000 tourists annually. He stated that these courses have the capacity to host 50,000 rounds of golf per year, yet currently, no more than 10,000 rounds are played annually. He added that Egypt has the potential to attract a specific segment of tourists interested in playing the sport, noting that there is already high demand for such activities. He asserted that Egypt is well-positioned to implement this vision. 'The average duration of a golf tourist's trip is five days, with only two days dedicated to playing, while the remaining time is spent visiting tourist, heritage, and entertainment attractions,' Moustafa said. 'With a simple calculation, hosting an additional 40,000 golf rounds could attract 16,000 tourists per course in Egypt, totalling 400,000 new tourists.' Moustafa further elaborated on the economic benefits: 'Studies indicate that the spending level of a golf tourist is four times higher than that of an average tourist. This means that while the average spending of 15 million traditional tourists is approximately $15 billion, at an average of $1,000 per tourist, a golf tourist spends $4,000. If 400,000 tourists visit the country annually, this could generate $1.6 billion.' He recalled Egypt's successful hosting of an 'Asian Tour' international championship three years ago, which was broadcast in over 45 countries. 'This is the model Egypt can implement to attract golf enthusiasts, especially since Egypt possesses competitive advantages over the cities previously mentioned,' Moustafa stated. 'Tourists will have the opportunity to enjoy unique Egyptian coastal destinations, as well as tourist, archaeological, and heritage sites.' Mohamed Anwar, Vice President of the Egyptian Golf Federation, sought to dispel common misconceptions about the sport. 'Golf is not a sport for the wealthy or elderly as some imagine,' Anwar affirmed. 'The age range of golfers is varied, and it is a game played by children, youth, adults, and women. The stereotype some hold about this sport has changed globally, where the sport was viewed narrowly until the 1990s. That perception has completely changed in the world and must change in Egypt too. Incidentally, most players in Egypt belong to middle-class families, not the wealthy class as some believe.' Adding to the discussion, Egyptian international golfer Captain Amr Abou El Ela noted the growing trend of this type of tourism in the Arab region. 'Dubai has become a major destination for golfers, and Agadir in Morocco and Port El Kantaoui in Sousse, Tunisia, have become among the most important destinations for players in the Arab region,' Abou El Ela said. 'Egypt has a great opportunity to benefit from its tourism assets to attract this type of tourism.'
Winnipeg Free Press
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Defence continues cross-examining complainant at hockey players' sex assault trial
Defence lawyers are expected to continue cross-examining the complainant today in the sexual assault trial of five hockey players. The woman, who cannot be identified under a publication ban, agreed under cross-examination Wednesday that she took on a 'porn star persona' as a coping mechanism while in a hotel room with the men in June 2018. The complainant said that was the role the men were putting her into and she believed she wouldn't be able to leave unless she did what they wanted. A composite image of five photographs show former members of Canada's 2018 World Juniors hockey team, left to right, Alex Formenton, Cal Foote, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube and Carter Hart as they individually arrived to court in London, Ont., Wednesday, April 30, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nicole Osborne Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote have all pleaded not guilty to sexual assault. McLeod has also pleaded not guilty to an additional charge of being a party to the offence of sexual assault. Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Sign up for The Warm-Up All of the accused were part of Canada's 2018 world junior hockey team and were in London, Ont., for events marking their gold-medal performance at that year's championship. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2025.
