Author: S Kannan

Jannik Sinner, the Italian world No. 1, is in the news for all the wrong reasons, a day ahead of the season’s last Grand Slam, the US Open, which starts in New York on Monday. Sinner may have got away very lightly after testing positive twice for Clostebol, an anabolic steroid, during the Indian Wells tournament in March 2024. What has transpired after that has caused immense heartburn among fellow tennis players and coaches, as the International Tennis Integrity Association (ITIA) has given him a clean chit. If at first, the outspoken Nick Kyrgios slammed Sinner as a dope cheat…

S.Kannan in Paris As the curtains come down on the Paris 2024 Olympics tonight, pessimists in India will say winning just six medals is below par. After all, winning 10 medals was a realistic expectation. Truth to tell, the tally is just one below from what was achieved in Tokyo three years ago. If one takes into account more than half a dozen fourth place finishes this time, it is clear, Indian could have won more medals. The point is, at one stage, the first three medals came only from shooting, with pistol prodigy Manu Bhaker herself featuring in two…

S.Kannan in Paris The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Saturday bestowed the prestigious Olympic Order on Abhinav Bindra in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Olympic movement. The 2008 Beijing Olympics 10m air-rifle gold medallist is the Vice Chair of the Athletes Commission and has made a phenomenal impact as an athlete, mentor and also in a movement which is very important in global sports. “From a young age, it is the Olympic rings which gave meaning to my life. And it was a privilege to be able to pursue my Olympic dream for over two decades. Post my…

S.Kannan in Paris Watch Neeraj Chopra inside the javelin arena and away from it, the images are so different. As India’s greatest ever track and field star won a silver medal in the Paris Olympics on Thursday night at the Stade De France, it is clear he has touched heights which were unthinkable. During the course of several conversations, what stands out is that Neeraj is still such a simple young man who has so much left in him, as a competitor. Even when he spoke of the “adductor” injury which has been bothering him for such a long time,…

S.Kannan in Paris The famous Chhatrasal Stadium in New Delhi has produced many wrestling champions. On Friday night, Aman Sehrawat brought the cheers back, as he demolished Darian Toi Cruz on points to win a bronze medal in the men’s freestyle 57kg category at Paris 2024. From the time Aman entered the arena, touched the floor and then his heart, he looked a picture of confidence. Perhaps, just for the first one minute, Aman was trying to understand the strategy from Darian, who lacked any solid plan. As the seconds passed, Aman was in brilliant form. He did not attempt…

S.Kannan in Paris The joyous scenes when the Indian hockey team won a big medal were to be seen in Paris — on the hockey turf, the dressing room as well as the streets near the Yves De Manoir Stadium. Given the mass connect, which the sport has with fans and players, India winning a second Olympics bronze medal in succession is important for the sport, sponsors, and the next generation to take over. When Hockey India sacked coach Graham Reid and Craig Fulton took over just a short period before the Asian Champions Trophy and the Asian Games in…

S.Kannan in Paris This was one rivalry between India and Pakistan played out between two friends in the javelin arena at the Paris Olympics. On Thursday evening, there was a strong breeze, yet Arshad Nadeem, tall and muscular at 6-foot-4, sealed gold with an effort of 92.97 metres, an Olympic record. In sharp contrast, the Indian superstar, Neeraj Chopra, had a tough day, as he could not find rhythm. Yet, when Neeraj ran in and released the javelin in his second attempt, he had touched 89.45m, his season’s best. More on the rivalry later, but what Neeraj has achieved, winning…

S.Kannan in Paris This Indian hockey team continued its dream run by winning a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, pipping Spain 2-1 in the playoff on Thursday. At the Yves De Manoir Stadium, Indians inside the arena wept in joy and cheered PR Sreejesh, as almost the entire team piled on top of him after the final hooter. This was his last match, his last hurrah, and the goalkeeper had every reason to cry. As the team took a victory lap, carrying Sreejesh on their shoulders, Hockey India president, Dilip Tirkey, got emotional. “This medal is so important for…

S.Kannan in Paris Mirabai Chanu was touted as a strong medal prospect by one and all. No, the diminutive weightlifter herself never said it, but the key men surrounding her — coach Vijay Sharma and President of the Indian Weightlifting Federation, Sahdev Yadav — made such claims. At the competition arena of the Paris 2024 Olympics on Wednesday evening, spread over two hours, Mirabai hardly looked competitive and managed just an aggregate of 199kg in the 49kg section to finish fourth. One more fourth-place finish is not the story really, from an Indian in Paris. This effort, or the lack…

S Kannan in Paris This is one of the most bizarre stories of disqualification in an Olympics. Vinesh Phogat, who was due to fight her gold medal bout in the 50kg category at Paris 2024 on Wednesday, tipped over the scales by just 100gm and was disqualified. Even as all kinds of bizarre stories broke out on “wrongdoing and how her weight could have gone up” after she fought three bouts on Tuesday, it was put in perspective by Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, head of the Indian medical contingent in Paris. Dr Pardiwala mentioned that it was normal for weight…