Latest news with #SeniorNationalChampionships
The Citizen
12-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Limpopo fencers shine at national championships
POLOKWANE – The Fencing Federation of South Africa hosted the Senior National Championships in Midrand on May 3 and 4, where top fencers from across the country competed for national titles in the épée, foil and sabre categories. Despite facing financial constraints, Limpopo fielded a small but determined team of nine senior fencers. The delegation included five athletes from the Sello Maduma Fencing Academy (SMFA), three from the University of Limpopo (UL) Fencing Club, and one from Firebirds Fencing Club. 'Despite the small team, Limpopo made a big impact,' said Renuka Ramroop, veteran fencer and chairperson of the Limpopo Fencing Association. Leading the team was SMFA's Rahul van Manen, who delivered a standout performance by earning three medals across all three disciplines. Van Manen, ranked third nationally in senior men's épée heading into the championships, won silver in a tightly contested final – narrowly losing by a single point to South Africa's top-ranked fencer. This result elevates him to second place in the national rankings. He went on to claim another silver medal in the senior men's foil, defending the gold he won earlier this year in Gqeberha. Though he narrowly missed repeating his title, his consistent performance now ranks him as the number one foil fencer in the country. He also secured a bronze medal in the sabre event, capping off an impressive all-round showing. Ramroop said that all Limpopo athletes advanced beyond the individual pool stages and improved their national rankings, a reflection of the province's rising competitiveness. UL fencers Katlego Matladi and Mpho Mpe fought tenaciously, while SMFA's Sebastian Austin delivered a strong performance, now ranked 10th nationally in senior men's épée. With Van Manen at number two and Austin at number ten in the national épée rankings, Limpopo now boasts two fencers in the top 10 – a significant milestone for the province. The female fencers also made their presence felt. Safiya Khan Patel was placed eighth in the senior women's épée and continued to show promise in the foil category. Ramroop herself earned a bronze medal in the veterans' division and maintains her national number three ranking. In the team event, Limpopo's Team A, comprising Matladi, Mpe, Austin and Van Manen, secured a bronze medal. The team staged a remarkable comeback, overturning a four-point deficit in the final three minutes to win 45–43. 'Although fencing is still developing in Limpopo compared to other provinces, our athletes continue to show exceptional talent and determination. They are proving they can compete with the best and bring home medals,' Ramroop said. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
India Gazette
09-05-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
Hardik, Manpreet, Harmanpreet have guided me: India hockey player Rajinder Singh
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 9 (ANI): India hockey player Rajinder Singh shared his experience of playing with the men's hockey team and revealed that skipper Harmanpreet Singh, Manpreet Singh, and Hardik have helped him a lot. Rajinder made his senior debut in October last year during a two-match series against Germany, and eight months later, he has become a pivotal part of the Indian men's hockey team. The midfielder is currently training at the Senior National Camp at SAI Bengaluru ahead of India's FIH Hockey Pro League 2024/25 matches in Europe. Talking about the ongoing camp, Rajinder said, as quoted from Hockey India, 'The preparations are going really well. We are working a lot on our fitness. Some players are focusing on fitness, while others are working on stick-and-ball skills, so it's a combination of both. The earlier camp before the Senior National Championships was solely focused on fitness, but now we are doing a bit of everything.' India played the home leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League in Bhubaneswar in February this year, where they bagged fifteen points with five wins in eight games and are currently placed third in the points table. Their three losses came against Spain, Germany, and England, all of whom they defeated in the reverse fixtures. Reflecting on the team's performance in the tournament so far, and talking about the matches ahead, Rajinder said, 'There were quite a few ups and downs in Bhubaneswar, but we learned a great deal from them. We still have video sessions on those matches as we prepare for the upcoming leg. The teams we'll be facing next are very strong, so we need to perform at our best. Our aim is to qualify for the 2026 World Cup through the Pro League.' 'During the Bhubaneswar leg, we realised that while we were making circle entries, we struggled to convert our chances. Right now, we're focusing a lot on our game inside the circle to ensure we convert field goals. We don't want to rely heavily on penalty corners,' he added, discussing India's current strategy. At just 22, Rajinder has already become a core member of the team and a key presence in the midfield. Hailing from Haryana, he rose through the ranks of the junior team, with whom he won the Sultan of Johor Cup in 2022 and the Junior Asia Cup in 2023. He shared his experience playing with the senior squad and said, 'I've learned a lot during my time with the senior players. They guide us youngsters well, and whenever we make mistakes, they show us how to handle the situation, stay calm, and focus on our game.' Rajinder credited senior players Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, and captain Harmanpreet Singh for his rapid development over the past few months. 'Hardik paji and Manpreet paji play in the midfield with me, so they guide me a lot. After every mistake, Hardik Paji tells me what I should do next. Even Harman paji often calls out to me from behind to guide my positioning,' he said. Rajinder has been in fine form this year. He also played a crucial role for the Hyderabad Toofans in the Hockey India League 2024/25 season, helping the franchise finish as runners-up. He continued to build on that momentum and impressed during the opening games of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024/25, featuring in seven out of India's eight matches. India's European leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League is scheduled for June, where they will face formidable opponents in the Netherlands, Argentina, Australia, and Belgium. When asked about his personal goals for the upcoming tournament, Rajinder replied, 'The teams we are about to face play an extremely aggressive and attacking style of hockey. I want to focus on my defence because I don't want any player to dodge past me or break through my defence. They play a very physical game, so I will ensure I play shoulder-to-shoulder with them.' (ANI)
United News of India
09-05-2025
- Sport
- United News of India
Hardik, Manpreet & Harmanpreet have helped me a lot: Rajinder Singh
Bengaluru, May 9 (UNI) Rajinder Singh made his senior debut in October last year during a two-match series against Germany, and eight months later, he has become a pivotal part of the Indian Men's Hockey Team. The midfielder is currently training at the Senior National Camp at SAI Bengaluru ahead of India's FIH Hockey Pro League 2024/25 matches in Europe. Talking about the ongoing camp, Rajinder said, 'The preparations are going really well. We are working a lot on our fitness. Some players are focusing on fitness, while others are working on stick-and-ball skills, so it's a combination of both. The earlier camp before the Senior National Championships was solely focused on fitness, but now we are doing a bit of everything.' India played the home leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League in Bhubaneswar in February this year, where they bagged fifteen points with five wins in eight games and are currently placed third in the points table. Their three losses came against Spain, Germany, and England — all of whom they defeated in the reverse fixtures. Reflecting on the team's performance in the tournament so far, and talking about the matches ahead, Rajinder said, 'There were quite a few ups and downs in Bhubaneswar, but we learned a great deal from them. We still have video sessions on those matches as we prepare for the upcoming leg. The teams we'll be facing next are very strong, so we need to perform at our best. Our aim is to qualify for the 2026 World Cup through the Pro League.' 'During the Bhubaneswar leg, we realised that while we were making circle entries, we struggled to convert our chances. Right now, we're focusing a lot on our game inside the circle to ensure we convert field goals. We don't want to rely heavily on penalty corners,' he added, discussing India's current strategy. At just 22, Rajinder has already become a core member of the team and a key presence in the midfield. Hailing from Haryana, he rose through the ranks of the junior team, with whom he won the Sultan of Johor Cup in 2022 and the Junior Asia Cup in 2023. Sharing his experience playing with the senior squad, he said, 'I've learned a lot during my time with the senior players. They guide us youngsters well, and whenever we make mistakes, they show us how to handle the situation, stay calm, and focus on our game.' Rajinder credited senior players Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, and captain Harmanpreet Singh for his rapid development over the past few months. 'Hardik paji and Manpreet paji play in the midfield with me, so they guide me a lot. After every mistake, Hardik paji tells me what I should do next. Even Harman paji often calls out to me from behind to guide my positioning.' Rajinder has been in fine form this year, also playing a crucial role for the Hyderabad Toofans in the Hockey India League 2024/25 season, helping the franchise finish as runners-up. He continued to build on that momentum and impressed during the opening games of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024/25, featuring in seven out of India's eight matches. India's European leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League is scheduled for June, where they will face formidable opponents in the Netherlands, Argentina, Australia, and Belgium. When asked about his personal goals for the upcoming tournament, Rajinder replied, 'The teams we are about to face play an extremely aggressive and attacking style of hockey. I want to focus on my defence because I don't want any player to dodge past me or break through my defence. They play a very physical game, so I will ensure I play shoulder-to-shoulder with them.' UNI BM
Hans India
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
‘Hardik, Manpreet and Harmanpreet have helped me a lot': Rajinder Singh on playing with senior squad
Bengaluru: Rajinder Singh made his senior debut in October last year during a two-match series against Germany and eight months later, he has become a pivotal part of the Indian men's hockey team. The midfielder is currently training at the Senior National Camp at SAI Bengaluru ahead of India's FIH Hockey Pro League 2024/25 matches in Europe. Talking about the ongoing camp, Rajinder said, 'The preparations are going really well. We are working a lot on our fitness. Some players are focusing on fitness, while others are working on stick-and-ball skills, so it's a combination of both. The earlier camp before the Senior National Championships was solely focused on fitness, but now we are doing a bit of everything.' India played the home leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League in Bhubaneswar in February this year, where they bagged fifteen points with five wins in eight games and are currently placed third in the points table. Their three losses came against Spain, Germany and England - all of whom they defeated in the reverse fixtures. Reflecting on the team's performance in the tournament so far and talking about the matches ahead, Rajinder said, 'There were quite a few ups and downs in Bhubaneswar, but we learned a great deal from them. We still have video sessions on those matches as we prepare for the upcoming leg. The teams we'll be facing next are very strong, so we need to perform at our best. Our aim is to qualify for the 2026 World Cup through the Pro League.' 'During the Bhubaneswar leg, we realised that while we were making circle entries, we struggled to convert our chances. Right now, we're focusing a lot on our game inside the circle to ensure we convert field goals. We don't want to rely heavily on penalty corners,' he added, discussing India's current strategy. At just 22, Rajinder has already become a core member of the team and a key presence in the midfield. Hailing from Haryana, he rose through the ranks of the junior team, with whom he won the Sultan of Johor Cup in 2022 and the Junior Asia Cup in 2023. Sharing his experience playing with the senior squad, he said, 'I've learned a lot during my time with the senior players. They guide us youngsters well, and whenever we make mistakes, they show us how to handle the situation, stay calm, and focus on our game.' Rajinder credited senior players Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh and captain Harmanpreet Singh for his rapid development over the past few months. 'Hardik paji and Manpreet paji play in the midfield with me, so they guide me a lot. After every mistake, Hardik paji tells me what I should do next. Even Harman paji often calls out to me from behind to guide my positioning.' Rajinder has been in fine form this year, also playing a crucial role for the Hyderabad Toofans in the Hero Hockey India League 2024/25 season, helping the franchise finish as runners-up. He continued to build on that momentum and impressed during the opening games of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024/25, featuring in seven out of India's eight matches. India's European leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League is scheduled for June, where they will face formidable opponents in the Netherlands, Argentina, Australia and Belgium. When asked about his personal goals for the upcoming tournament, Rajinder replied, 'The teams we are about to face play an extremely aggressive and attacking style of hockey. I want to focus on my defence because I don't want any player to dodge past me or break through my defence. They play a very physical game, so I will ensure I play shoulder-to-shoulder with them.'
