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Indian Express
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
Arjun Erigaisi, Nihal Sarin, Vidit Gujrathi and Anish Giri to headline Chennai Grand Masters event
India No. 1 and World No. 4 Arjun Erigaisi will headline the 2025 Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters event, one of the strongest tournaments (by average ratings) in India, set to take place in the chess capital from August 6 to 15 this year. Joining Arjun in the classical super tournament — a crucial event for FIDE Circuit Rating points in the 2025 cycle — will be top Indian stars like Nihal Sarin and Vidit Gujrathi in the Masters section. Meanwhile, the Challengers section will feature young talents like Leon Luke Mendonca and R. Vaishali. Harika Dronavalli, India's second-highest-rated woman in live ratings, and B. Adhiban will also compete in the Challengers. Reigning world junior champion Pranav V, who won last year's Challengers event ahead of Mendonca and Raunak Sadhwani, has earned a spot in the Masters category this time. Among the international players, former World No. 3 Anish Giri (Netherlands) and Freestyle Grand Slam Weissenhaus leg winner Vincent Keymer (Germany) are the two highest-rated confirmed players, with at least three more overseas names yet to be confirmed. The participation of last edition's winner Aravindh Chithambaram, along with fellow Chennai lads Gukesh and R. Praggnanandhaa, remains unconfirmed due to a packed chess calendar. This year, the expanded 20-player field across both categories will compete for a total prize fund of Rs 1 crore (Rs 75 lakh for Masters and Rs 25 lakh for Challengers). Anish Giri confirmed his availability to The Indian Express, stating: 'I will play a small rapid and blitz event in Estonia to warm up for the World Rapid & Blitz Team Championship in London. Then comes the Zagreb Grand Chess Tour. After that, I'll take part in the Chennai GM, Grand Swiss, European Team Championship, and World Cup — all classical events.' With five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand long been emphasising the need for a regular high-rated invitational tournament in India and his desire to see it as a yearly tradition, the Chennai event has grown into a key fixture. Within the rules, when the tournament was organised for the first time in late 2023 by Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT), it served as a platform — a final chance for Gukesh and Arjun who were running for the coveted spot in the 2024 Candidates tournament through FIDE Circuit Ratings of 2023 cycle. Winning the Chennai Grand Masters would have almost guaranteed the Candidates spot to either of them, and as it turned out, it was Gukesh who pipped Arjun with a better tiebreak after they tied for the first position, which thrust him to become the leader of Circuit Ratings. The then-17-year-old Gukesh narrowly secured the last Candidates spot after Arjun failed to win the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship outright, which almost became a requisite to reclaim the Circuit lead for Arjun. The rest was history: Gukesh defied expectations in a formidable Candidates field featuring Ian Nepomniachtchi, Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Praggnanandhaa, and Alireza Firouzja, emerging as the youngest winner in Candidates history. He then dethroned China's Ding Liren to become the youngest World Champion at 18.
Indian Express
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
Race walker Servin Sebastian's inspiring story: from nearly quitting four months back to winning bronze at Asian Athletics Championship
In January, Servin Sebastian was on the verge of quitting race walking. A family matter had affected his mental peace. He didn't have the mindspace to train. Servin had decided to head back home to his village, Edayathumangalam in Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu to be with his family, his army coach Ganapathi Krishnan, said. However, Ganapathi, a 2016 Olympian, didn't want Servin to drop out. He counselled Servin, the gist of his message was about not wasting an opportunity to win a 'big medal' and bring joy to his family. On Tuesday, Servin won his first international medal, a bronze at the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea. The top seven finishers bettered the meet record, Servin posted a personal best of 1 hour, 21 minutes and 14 seconds. China's Asian Games silver medallist Zhaozhao Wang (1:20:37) won gold and Japan's Kento Yoshikawa (1:20:46) took the silver. For Ganapathi, the Asian Championships silver is a proof of Servin's potential. He's also glad that the athlete who almost dropped out four months ago finished on the podium in Gumi. 'Servin was very stressed at the start of the year because of a family issue. It was understandable. But I told him he would be making a mistake if he gave up race-walking because he had potential. I told him to go home for 10 days and return. We used to talk everyday and I tried my best to keep him motivated but at the same time lend him an ear. If he trusts a coach then he will give his 100 percent,' Ganapathi said. The first person Servin spoke to after winning the silver medal was his mother Gracy. 'She was crying because of joy,' Servin told The Indian Express from Gumi, South Korea. His father Sebastian, a farmhand who earns Rs 250 a day, came on the line next. 'When I started off my father borrowed money to buy me shoes. Today I am happy I could give something to them in return. Winning a first international medal is a special moment. In 2023, I won silver medals at national competitions, then last year I won gold medals. Winning a bronze at the Asian Championships is the next step. I hope to qualify for the World Championships later this year,' Servin said. Servin is also elated about registering a personal best. Last year at the Indian Race Walking Championships in Chandigarh, Servin had qualified for the Paris Olympics by clocking 1:20.03, however, the results didn't stand because of faulty timing systems. 'What happened last year was not in my control. But I had to accept my fate. It was not the fault of athletes. I am someone who does not think about the past. Today, I am happy that I could also clock a personal best that will remain in the record books,' Servin, an Indian army havildar, said. He started off as an 800 metre runner but a hamstring injury when he was 16, forced him to change course. A trainee at the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri hostel, Servin's career as a 800 metre athlete had hit a roadblock. However, his coach Indira asked him not to despair. 'Indira ma'am asked me to try race walking. It took me a while to get the hang of it, but because of the hamstring injury it was the best option for me,' Servin said. Coach Indira cajoled him to take the next important step in his career — appear for selection trials of the Indian army. Servin was inducted in 2018 and initially trained in Hyderabad, before moving to the Army Sports Institute (ASI) in Pune four years later. Since then Ganapathi has been his coach. Technical tweaks Ganapathi recalls that Servin needed a few technical tweaks if he was to progress. Indian walkers have been disqualified overseas because of technical faults — three at the 2018 Asian Games. Ganapathi too has seen red paddles when he was an active athlete. 'What generally happens in India is that coaches and athletes try to get as fast as possible without focussing on the technical aspects. That is because they want quick results. What happens in international competition is that till about 10 kilometres Indian walkers are doing well but once the speed picks up they are not able to keep pace without committing a foul. This also happens because they get tired. Indian walkers have great potential if they correct technical flaws early,' Ganapaty said. In Servin's case what needed correction was what is called the 'bounce' or both feet in the air. 'In race-walking at least one foot needs to be in contact with the ground at all times. So, in the off-season I helped him iron out technical issues by giving him longer training sessions but at a slower pace so there is no 'bounce'. He will only get better from here on,' Ganapathi said. With an Asian bronze medal under his belt, Servin knows what it takes to rub shoulders with some of the best in the continent.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Athletes aren't born, they're scientifically made here
Chennai: Hailing from a poor family in Thanjavur, 28-year-old Rosy Meena Paulraj, a national gold medallist in pole vault in 2022 with 4.2m and bronze medallist in the Asian Games, struggled to keep her aspirations alive for the Olympics. Rehabilitation, training, and nutritional support were simply unaffordable in private centres. Her Olympic dream got a fresh lease of life as the Tamil Nadu govt launched a cutting-edge Sports Science Centre — the first of its kind in the state — in the heart of the city to sculpt world-class athletes through science and precision. Inaugurated a month ago by sports minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, the 3-crore facility set up by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) is already attracting medal-winning athletes like Rosy. Located at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the centre offers everything under one roof: biomechanics analysis, reflex calculator, sprint training with automated timers on 40-metre tracks, and cryotherapy (ice/heat) rehab. It also offers massage therapy, sports nutrition, ball and rubber balancing, and psychological counselling, with over ten staff members taking on different roles. Around 25 athletes train here daily in disciplines ranging from fencing and kite surfing to javelin and pole vault, apart from sprint. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo "For pole vault, the initial run and body posture are key. In this centre, the real-time camera helps with identifying delays in the initial thrust. The coach here helps me correct it," said Rosy, who trains here every evening at 4 pm. She also receives strength training and cardio here. As it is located right in the Nehru Stadium, athletes can stay in the hostel to train whenever they want. Nineteen-year-old P Aravindhan, who participated in the World Fencing Championship, said he is training here to recover from a knee injury. "They do cryotherapy, generating ice through the machine. Apart from this, balancing training and rope strength training are also done. The facility helps in overall improvement," he said. The centre is free for international, national, and state event athletes who are in the high-performance category. The rest need to pay up to Rs 5,000 for 10 sessions. Saju Joseph, manager of the centre, said recovery is an important factor in sports, apart from training. "We study injury patterns and provide not just corrective treatment but also identify the cause. If athletes are wrong in posture, it could hurt a certain muscle. Hence, we correct the posture," he said, adding that injury recovery involves massage training. "We have psychologists to understand why some athletes have a delay in initial thrust during a sprint when the gun shoots, and relieve related anxiety," he said. In this centre, nutritionists also provide food suggestions to help athletes reduce carbs and improve protein intake. "TN athletes at home naturally consume idly, dosa, poori, or pongal as breakfast. This doesn't have any protein. We recommend small changes with the addition of chickpeas, soya, chicken, egg, and beef, which could increase protein intake and strength. We also follow it up in this centre every day when they come," said J Lavanya, sports nutritionist at the centre. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
The Hindu
09-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Carrom champion coaches youth, hopes to land a govt. job
At a modest home in Washermenpet, barely spacious enough to fit a carrom board, a nearly five-feet gold trophy lies tucked away among piles of clothes, utensils, and personal belongings. It belongs to 21-year-old L. Keerthana, the winner of the 52nd Senior National Carrom Championship held recently in New Delhi. She lives with her single mother and two brothers. At just 21, Ms. Keerthana is already a source of inspiration. She not only practises, but also coaches younger players at the residence of her mentor, M. Nithyarajan, in Royapuram. He runs a free informal carrom training centre for children of daily-wage workers at his residence. Ms. Keerthana's journey has been anything but easy. She was introduced to carrom by her father, a daily-wage labourer, when she was in the third grade. Encouraged by his interest, she and her siblings began playing regularly under his guidance. However, in 2019, her father passed away. Financial struggles forced Ms. Keerthana to step away from the game to work and support her family. Without having cleared her 10th grade exams, her job prospects were limited. 'My mother never asked me to stop playing carrom,' Ms. Keerthana recalls, adding: 'But watching her struggle every day as a domestic worker made me realise that playing carrom alone wouldn't put food on the table. So I took up a job at a steel company assembling cookers.' Six months later, Mr. Nithyarajan — whom she had known since her early carrom-playing days at a local club, through his children who also play carrom — was registering participants for a State-level tournament in Madurai. When he invited her to participate, she hesitated, knowing she could not afford the travel expenses. But with the support of Mr. Nithyarajan, the Tamil Nadu Carrom Association (Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu) and the Chennai District Carrom Association, she entered the tournament and won a prize. That victory rekindled her passion and confidence. Encouraged by Mr. Nithyarajan, also a former hockey player, she resumed playing full-time, and soon began winning regularly. 'Ms. Keerthana coached my daughter, and thanks to her guidance, she went on to win a medal. That made me want to support Ms. Keerthana in return. But more than that, she is an excellent player. Her talent deserves to be recognised,' he said. Her most significant achievement was in March 2025 when she clinched the first place in both the women's singles and women's team categories at the national championship in New Delhi. According to Mr. Nithyarajan, her win in the women's singles is Tamil Nadu's first in 15 years. Today, Ms. Keerthana teaches carrom at St. Kevin's Anglo-Indian Girls' Higher Secondary School in Royapuram, earning a modest stipend. But she dreams of securing a government job. Mr. Nithyarajan is working to arrange a meeting with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Deputy Chief Minister and Sports Development Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin to request government support for her. 'My dream is to help other children learn carrom and guide them towards a better future,' says Ms. Keerthana, who aspires not only to win more titles but also to train and uplift young talent, helping them become champions, and secure stable careers through the sport.
The Hindu
03-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Indoor stadium remains incomplete in Pudukottai for eight years
Athletes in Pudukkottai have urged the State government to complete the long-stalled construction of a multipurpose indoor stadium at the district sports ground, which remains unused for the past eight years. The stadium project was sanctioned in 2017–18 with an initial estimated cost of ₹1.5 crore to construct a facility measuring 16 metres in breadth and 30 metres in length. It was part of a larger initiative by Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) to establish Multipurpose Indoor Stadiums in 20 districts, each with a budget of ₹1.5 crore. However, during a review led by the then Collector S. Ganesh, it was decided to scale up the structure to 30 metres by 60 metres, at a revised cost of ₹4.62 crore, to meet international standards. The additional funds were to be mobilised through public contributions. Following this, the Public Works Department (PWD) awarded the construction contract and work commenced. A sum of ₹1 crore was collected from the public and contributed through the State's Namakku Naame scheme, under which the government matches contributions in a 1:2 ratio. While the core building structure was completed, funds under the scheme were not released, leaving the project without essential installations such as doors, windows, and sports infrastructure. Despite being envisioned as a world-class facility, the indoor stadium project remains incomplete. Sources said, the stadium can seat up to 1,000 spectators and is intended to support a wide range of indoor sports, including volleyball, basketball, badminton, boxing, and taekwondo. It is equipped to host international-level shuttle tournaments with space for eight badminton courts, and features removable flooring to accommodate up to four volleyball courts and other team or individual sports. Planned amenities include separate toilet blocks for men and women, dressing rooms for women athletes, and four administrative rooms. A recent visit by the State Legislature's Public Accounts Committee, headed by MLA K Selvaperunthagai, expressed dissatisfaction over the delay. The project was also flagged in a recent report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. When contacted, a senior official from the Department of Sports and Youth Welfare said the indoor stadium was constructed by the PWD, while the Namakku Naame contributions were handled by the Rural Development Department. 'Due to the involvement of multiple departments, the ₹3 crore matching grant under the scheme was never released,' the official explained. The official added that the ₹1 crore collected from the public has since been reimbursed to the contractor, along with the originally sanctioned ₹1.5 crore. A fresh proposal seeking ₹4.66 crore to complete the remaining works and install training infrastructure has been submitted to the government. 'Work will resume once financial approval is obtained,' the official said.
