Author: S Kannan

One does not need an opinion poll to decide who has emerged as the most popular athlete from the ongoing Paralympics in Paris. One name, many images and a wonderful smile, Sheetal Devi has charmed the world with her exploits in archery. Well before the competition proper had begun, there was a certain amount of intrigue over who this young Indian is and what is so special about her. Sheetal, just 17, has shown on and off the field she is an inspiration to millions as to what one can achieve against all odds. When Sheetal had shot 703 to…

The hunger for success and desire to keep pushing the performance level saw India’s Yogesh Kathuniya engaged in an gripping battle with Brazil’s Claudiney Batista in the men’s F56 category discus throw at the Paralympics on Monday. Yet, when Yogesh, who hails from Bahadurgarh in Haryana was seated with his legs belted inside the arena at the Stade de France, the Tokyo Paralympics silver medallist was unable to push as hard as he wanted against Batista. In the end, Kathuniya, who completed a prestigious Commerce degree at the well-known Kirori Mal College of Delhi University, was almost going through the…

Three US Open champions falling by the wayside even before the first week ended in New York has prompted some tennis fans and experts to say the best of Novak Djokovic is over, Carlos Alcaraz is beatable and ousted defending champion Coco Gauff is just another joker in the pack. One needs to go through what all Alcaraz and Djokovic underwent in the packed 2024 tennis season, where the Paris Olympics was also top priority. Alcaraz had begun the year shakily at the Australian Open. Former players who have now turned commentators were worried the Spaniard’s extremely physical game was…

Rubina Francis had ‘club foot’ from a young age. It was a problem as the inward turn of the feet would lead to a difficulty in balance. If one had watched her shoot in the 10-metre air pistol final at the Paralympics on Saturday evening in Chateauroux, the girl from Jabalpur showed she had forgotten all these problems long back. To shoot 211.1 points in the final and win bronze, this was path-breaking. No Indian had before this won a medal in Para pistol shooting and Rubina, 25, is indeed a champion with a difference. Already, Chateauroux has become a…

Chateauroux is turning out to be a happy hunting ground for India. Situated 275km away from Paris, this shooting venue saw India win three medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics with Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh and Swapnil Kusale shining. At the ongoing Paralympics, Avani Lekhara ensured India won its first gold medal in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle SH1 category. Adding more thrust to the Indian campaign in the same event was Mona Agarwal winning bronze. Last but not least, Manish Narwal clinching silver in the 10m Air Pistol SH1 on Friday was also an important medal for India. The…

These are troubled times for World No.1 winner Jannik Sinner. At the US Open second round in New York, on Thursday, the Italian did not have much trouble in outhitting Alex Michelsen in straight sets. The real problem for Sinner is continuing to deal with the chatter around him, having failed two dope tests in March at the Indian Wells tournament. It is well known, even before the season’s last Grand Slam began, Sinner was under scrutiny after he had flunked two dope tests for Clostebol. It had entered his body after he had been given a massage to relieve…

By default or design, the celebrations for National Sports Day, which happens to be the birth anniversary of hockey legend Dhyan Chand, began in Paris in the wee hours of Thursday at the Parade of Nations. As the much-awaited Paralympics was officially inaugurated, to watch India’s Para athletes on view along iconic spots in the French Capital was indeed defining. Yes, the date for the Paralympics inauguration was not decided by India. But the fact that it coincided with National Sports Day is destiny. For all those who complain from the comforts of couches and sofas that India is ‘not…

Eighty four Indian athletes attempting to win a rich haul of medals at the Paralympics over the next fortnight in Paris and Chateauroux has created excitement this time. It was heartening to read, in India, Doordarshan and Jio Cinema will be telecasting live the matches. For all those who think these athletes, also elite, do not have push beyond the limits, please rethink. There is definitely a change in India as far as Para athletes are viewed and a common feeling is the medal haul this time will be good. Predicting numbers in terms of medals which can be won…

The hype over 84 Indian athletes who will compete at the Paris Paralympics, starting on August 28 is justified. They have trained very hard and expectations of medals in the 25-plus region over the next fortnight is a realistic one. Not only have the athletes themselves spoken about it, Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) President Devendra Jhajharia has also stressed the results will be good. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic raging in Tokyo three years ago, the Indians won a historic 19 medals at the Paralympics. It was defining, as the able-bodied athletes had won seven medals in the Tokyo OIympics,…

If there is something called back-end support for elite athletes ahead of important assignments like the Paris 2024 Olympics and the Paralympics, which start in less than 48 hours, then the names of PT Usha and Devendra Jhajharia need to be taken in the same breath. One saw before the Paris Olympics, where India won six medals, that Usha – India’s star athlete of yesteryear – put in her best effort in organising support staff and also catering to personal coaches, physios and, of course, a strong medical team under Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala. Critics and naysayers may still say what…