***********Rio Olympics 2016******************

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Wrestler Narsingh Yadav CAS Verdict could come out at 6:30 PM...

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PV Sindhu Creates History, Enters Rio 2016 Badminton Ladies Singles Final

PV Sindhu created history and assured India would go away with a medal in the ladies singles badminton tournament as she defeated Japan's Nozomi Okuhara 21-19, 21-10 to enter the final.

 

HIGHLIGHTS

• 1PV Sindhu has entered the Olympic final in her maiden appearance
• 2Nozomi Okuhara was playing in the knock-out stage for first time
• 3PV Sindhu will face Carolina Marin in the final

PV Sindhu created history and ensured India would walk away with a medal in the ladies singles badminton tournament as she defeated Japan's Nozomi Okuhara 21-19, 21-10 to enter the final at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Sindhu used her height and better serve to her advantage as she raced away to a 3-1 lead in the first game. Okuhara hung in and managed to keep touch with the Indian but Sindhu continued to maintain her advantage. A couple of unforced errors reduced Sindhu's lead to 15-13 but the Indian held her nerve and clinched the first game 21-19.

In the second game, Okuhara started better and pulled things back after Sindhu had raced away to an early lead. At 9-9, the game was delicately poised but Okuhara made some errors and her judgment at the net was poor as Sindhu seized the initiative to win 11 straight points and win the second game 21-11.

Speaking to NDTV after the win, Sindhu said that her target is gold. "'I didn't take it easy at any point. I feel she played a good game, there were many rallies. The final will be my biggest match. Marin is a tough opponent and I will give my best."

Sindhu also stated that she will try and make Abhinav Bindra's wish come true of becoming only the second Indian individual to ever win an Olympic gold medal. Bindra had tweeted

With this win, Sindhu became the first Indian female badminton player to enter the final of the ladies singles event in the Olympics. In the final, she will play Carolina Marin for gold.

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PV Sindhu Promises Best In Her 'Biggest Match' Vs Carolina Marin In Rio 2016

PV Sindhu, in her maiden Olympics, dismissed Japan's Nozomi Okuhara in straight games to enter the Rio 2016 badminton final. She will play world No. 1 Carolina Marin.

 

 

HIGHLIGHTS

• 1PV Sindhu has assured India a medal in badminton
• 2This is the first time an Indian badminton player as entered final
• 3Carolina Marin is the No.1 ranked player

Yellow is turning out to be lucky colour for PV Sindhu. She painted Rio red on Thursday with a commanding 21-19, 21-10 Rio 2016 semifinal win against Japan's Nozomi Okuhara at the RioCentro Pavilion.

In a Games where there have been little hurrah for India, 21-year-old Sindhu has raised hopes of a badminton gold after Sakshi Malik's historic Olympic medal. But a measured Sindhu told that the final against world champion Carolina Marin on Friday evening at 7: 30 PM IST will be a 'tough' job.

"My target is gold and I will play my heart out. It will be the biggest match of my career," said Sindhu, a world championship bronze medallist.

On Thursday night, wrestler Sakshi Malik created history by winning a bronze medal, India's first in Rio 2016. India's girl power is surely coming to the fore towards the end of the Summer Games.

 

Sindhu has been in blistering form in Rio. Using her height and reach against Okuhara, the Hyderabad girl used her telling aggression to win the big points in the first game. She was ruthless in the second and won 11 points on-the-trot to storm into the final.

"I didn't take it easy at any point. I feel she played good too and there were so many rallies," Sindhu told soon after her momentous win.

There was praise from her coach Pullela Gopichand.

"She has played fantastic in every match. She will give her best shot against Marin," said Gopichand.

Carolina Marin has been in great form. The left-handed Spaniard demolished the reigning Olympic champion Li Xuerui 21-14, 21-16 in less than an hour. The Chinese was gutted after suffering a knee injury down 18-16 in the second game.

Sindhu understands the enormity of playing a world champion like Carolina.

"I will prepare well for Marin," a tired but a very happy Sindhu signed off.

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Babita Kumari loses 1-5, fails to make repechage stage: As it happened

India's Babita Kumari lost her opening bout 1-5 to Maria Prevolaraki of Greece at Rio 2016 Olympics.

 

India’s challenge in women’s freestyle wrestling ended after Babita Kumari failed to advance in the 53 kg category on Friday. Up against Maria Prevolaraki of Greece in the opening round, the Indian wrestler managed just a single point and found going tough against a good opponent. There was an agonising wait for Babita after she lost her opening round. Had her opponent advanced to the final, she would have got another shot at medal but that was not the case today as Maria failed to advance beyond the quarters. On Thursday, Sakshi Malik ended India’s wait for a medal with a bronze in the 58kg category but it was disappointment for Vinesh Phogat who was out injured in the second round of 48kg category.

As it happened

2023 hrs IST: Bad news for Babita. There won’t be a chance for her at the repechage as her opponent Maria has lost in the next round

1923 hrs IST: Babita Kumari will now have to wait and hope Maria reaches the final to get a shot at repechage

1920 hrs IST: Maria produces really good defensive skills and holds on to beat Babita Kumari 5-1

1919 hrs IST: Babita once again going for aggressive play but Maria turns it around to add two more to her score. 5-1

1918 hrs IST: Babita gets a point as Maria fails to make most of 30-second advantage

1917 hrs IST: Maria stops herself from being pushed out. Babita nearly got that one point but the Greek wrestler does well to keep herself inside

1915 hrs IST: Maria leads 3-0 after the first period

1915 hrs IST: Babita has the hold of Maria’s foot but it doesn’t work out. In reply, Maria turns things around and gets two points. 3-0 up now

1913 hrs IST: Maria pushes Babita out of safety zone. Gets first point. Leads 1-0

1912 hrs IST: Cagey start from both early on. Babita showing quick feet to get some space for her but Maria holding on to keep the Indian at bay. 0-0

1912 hrs IST: Babita Kumari’s bout is up next!

1836 hrs IST: Babita Kumari’s first round is against Maria Prevolaraki of Greece.

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Narsingh gets the final nod to compete

Narsingh Yadav finally got the nod from the Court of Arbitration for Sports to compete in the Rio Olympics.

 

 

Narsingh Yadav finally got the nod from the Court of Arbitration for Sports to compete in the Rio Olympics.

WADA had appealed the clean chit given to Narsingh by the NADA to the CAS.

He successfully had his weight-in and will now compete tomorrow in the 74kg bout.

All of India will now be hoping that Narsingh is able to put behind all this and focus on his bouts to get India another medal.

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Rio Olympics 2016: Aditi Ashok raises visions of medal, three shots off lead

 

The 18-year-old was just three shots behind the leader, Stacey Lewis of US after firing a second successive three-under 68, which included five birdies against a couple of bogeys, to move to six-under 136.

 

 

Rio de Janeiro, Aug 18 :  Teen Indian golf sensation Aditi Ashok raised hopes of an Olympic medal as she stood just three strokes off the pace at tied 7th after the second round of the Women’s Individual event here today. The 18-year-old was just three shots behind the leader, Stacey Lewis of US after firing a second successive three-under 68, which included five birdies against a couple of bogeys, to move to six-under 136. Lewis, who shot 70 on the first day went on a birdie spree with 10 birdies and two bogeys for a round of 63 that gave her the top position at the midway mark. She is nine-under 133.

Britain’s Charley Hull (68-66) was second at eight-under, while Marianne SKarpnord (69-66), Larsen Nicole Boch (67-68) and Inbee Park (66 and two-under through 13 in second) were all at seven-under in shared third place. Aditi (68-68), with four others was in 7th place. Speaking about her round, Aditi, who plays on the Ladies European Tour said, “I shot three-under both days, so that’s pretty consistent for me. I dropped a few shots today, a couple of shots and I could have been a few shots better, but I’m happy going into the weekend”

On the importance of her performance for the game back in India, the teenager, who has been a pro for just six months said, “I think it would be big in India, and also being a golfer, a woman golfer, it will definitely boost the popularity of the sport. “That’s what I’m hoping to do. In India and also all over the world, because golf is in the Olympics for the first time, so I think it would make golf more public among the general people who watch golf, not just the golf fans who watch it right now.” Speaking about the conditions, Aditi added, “It was a bit windy. It was windy for me on the back nine. But it’s different — it played different yesterday and it played different today because of the wind. I’m enjoying it.”

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Narsingh Yadav cleared to participate at Olympic Games after WADA hearing

 

Olympic dreams remained alive for wrestler Narsingh Yadav after he cleared the appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in a hearing that took place today at Rio De Janeiro.

“This was an open and shut case, Narsingh was always cleared, a delay from NADA's end saw WADA appeal late. Hence it got very close to the bout, but we were confident Narsingh would be cleared as I had told you. Hence we didn't update him about the case either. We made sure he concentrated on his game and all turned out well,” confirmed one of the WFI officials.

The ace wrestler is scheduled to open his campaign in the men's 74-kilogram freestyle category on Friday, 19 August. He bagged the quota with a bronze medal finish at last year's World Championships and then returned positive for a banned steroid following a dope test on 25 June by the National Anti-Doping Agency. NADA’s disciplinary panel exonerated him of all charges, accepting the sabotage theory advanced by his legal team after three days of marathon hearings. 

Earlier, Narsingh was preferred over Sushil Kumar by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to take part in Rio Olympics that fuelled a major legal battle between them. But it's time for Narsingh to put his troubles aside and deliver his best to win a medal. Jordan Burroughs will pose a threat to him and is favorite to win the 74 kg division. For India, Sandeep Tomar and Yogeshwar Dutt are the other two wrestlers left to compete in the 57 kg and 65 kg divisions respectively.

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Narsingh Yadav cleared to compete at Rio 2016 Olympics

Narsingh Yadav's clearance by WADA comes as a relief for the wrestler, and will commence his 74kg campaign against Zelimkhan Khadjiev of France.

After some restless days in Rio, Narsingh Yadav has been cleared to compete at 2016 Olympics. Reports doing rounds suggest Narsingh will commence his 74kg campaign against Zelimkhan Khadjiev of France.

Narsingh’s clearance by WADA comes as a relief for the wrestler who has been grappling court cases, hearings and appeals in the build-up to the Games.

The latest twist did not come as a surprise as the WADA had exercised its right to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) the wrestler’s exoneration by a national anti-doping hearing panel in New Delhi. The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) had cleared the wrestler after he tested positive test for anabolic steroids.

The Indian Chef de Mission Rakesh Gupta was always confident and earlier informed that Narsingh will be coming to the wrestling arena at the Olympic Park for the weighing session at noon on Thursday.

“It’s unfortunate that the WADA chose to appeal so late against a decision by the National Anti-Doping Agency in India to allow Narsingh to enter the competition,” Gupta told reporters in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday night.

“Narsingh had come in Rio de Janeiro only following NADA’s clearance and the IOC and United World Wrestling’s approval. We then approached the Rio Olympic Organising Committee and filled in his entry form after they gave the green light. Now, we have to wait and see what happens at the hearing at CAS,” Gupta said. He said he was confident that Narsingh would be cleared.

Narsingh is scheduled to open his Rio campaign in the men’s 74 kilogram freestyle category on Friday, 19 August.

Narsingh, who bagged the quota with a bronze medal finish at last year’s World Championships, first returned positive for a banned steroid following a dope test on 25 June by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).

But NADA exonerated him of all the doping charges on 1 August, after postponing the verdict twice in July, saying he “was a victim of sabotage done by a competitor”.

Narsingh earlier overcame protracted legal hurdles to participate in Rio after getting dragged into a bitter courtroom tussle by two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar over representing the country in the 74kg freestyle category.

 

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India's schedule on day 14 Aug 19th at the Rio Olympics Games here

 

India's schedule on day 14  at the Rio Olympics Games here.

AUGUST 19 (all IST)

 

BADMINTON: Women's singles bronze/gold matches -- 1830 Hrs onwards 


GOLF: Round 3: Aditi Ashok (1600 hrs) 

WRESTLING: Men's 57kg and 74kg Freestyle (Sandeep  Tomar/Narsingh Yadav from 1830 hrs onwards) 

ATHLETICS: 

Men's 50km Race Walk Final: Sandeep Kumar (1630 hrs) 

Women's 20km Race Walk Final: Khushbir Kaur and Sapna (1300 hrs) 

Women's 4x400m Relay Heats: (0510 hrs on Aug 20) 

Men's 4x400m Relay Heats: (0540 hrs on Aug 20).

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India's schedule in Rio Olympics today

 

On Day 14 of the Rio Olympics, P.V. Sindhu will fight it out for the gold medal in Badminton.

Badminton

Women's singles finals between P. V. Sindhu and Carolina Marin at 6.55 p.m.

Athletics

Women's 20 km walk - finals at 11 p.m.

Men's 50 km walk - finals at 4.30 p.m.

Wrestling

In men's freestyle 57kg wrestling, Sandeep Tomar will take on Russia's Viktor Lebedev at 7 p.m.

Golf

In Women's individual round 3, Aditi Ashok will be seen in action from 4.00 p.m.

 

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Rio Games: Narsingh Yadav's Olympic dream over after 4-year doping suspension

RIO DE JANEIRO: It was just the perfect day for India at the Games here on Thursday. The hangover of Sakshi Malik's bronze was still there when PV Sidhu smashed her way into the women's badminton final in the morning.

It couldn't get better. Around midnight India time, news came in that the ad hoc division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) had appreciated India's presentation of wrestler Narsingh Yadav's case and that he would get to play on Friday morning.

Late in the evening, around 8.30pm here, a call changed all that. The CAS body had set aside the decision of the Indian anti-doping body, NADA, and slapped a four-year ban on Yadav. Yadav was to compete on Friday morning in the 74kg category ere and his name even figured in the draw after he cleared his medical and weigh-in on Thursday.

After this ban now, Yadav will be forced to vacate his room on the Games Village on Friday morning. The Indian delegation will try to put him up in a safe place, away from the prying eyes of the Indian media.

"The CAS panel did not accept the argument of the athlete that he was victim of sabotage and noted that there was no evidence that he bore no fault, nor that the anti-doping rule violation was not intentional. Therefore, the standard four-year period of ineligibility was imposed on the by the panel," an official release of CAS said.

Yadav's suspension begins immediately.

Indian contingent's chef-de-mission Rakesh Gupta was at a loss of words when asked about this ban. "It is so unfortunate. After getting the clearance from NADA, we had written to the world wrestling body, the International Olympic Committee and also the Organising Committee of the Rio Games. They had accepted Narsingh's entry and that is the reason he travelled with us," Gupta told TOI just minutes after the CAS decision came on Thursday night.

"When we were assured that everything was fine, then we suddenly got a letter from world anti-doping body WADA three days back that it had appealed against Narsingh's entry in the Rio Games. We asked for time but they gave us 48 hours. We tried to present our case and were confident but have got this shocking news now.

"Narsingh will be a shattered man today. His career has been ruined. It is so unfortunate," he added.

So what are the officials planning now? "He will have to be shifted out of the Village tomorrow (Friday) morning. Then we will make arrangements to send him home."

Narsingh Yadav's urine sample had tested positive for steroid methandienone on June 25 and July 5. He had alleged that he was victim of sabotage and that his food/supplement or urine had been tampered with.

After an enquiry, Nada found him not guilty and cleared him for Rio.

Narsingh Yadav's ban has raised some vital questions.

- Even if the Wrestling Federation of India's (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh believed that Yadav was innocent, like many others, why did NADA give Yadav a clean chit without concrete evidence?

- Where was the proof that his sample, food or supplements had been tampered with?

- Was there pressure from the government officials to clear Yadav's name? Incidentally, the WFI president is a Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) MP in Lok Sabha and a seasoned politician.

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My dream of winning the country a medal at the Rio Olympics has been cruelly snatched away from me, says Narsingh Yadav

Narsingh Yadav has maintained all along that his scandalous dope test was a result of conspiracy by rivals who spiked his food or drinks.

 

His dream of representing the country in Rio Olympics shattered after a verdict of the CAS, a devastated Narsingh Yadav today said that he will do everything to prove his innocence.

In a stunning reversal of fortunes, wrestler Narsingh was ousted from the Olympics yesterday and slapped with a four-year ban for flunking a dope test after the ad hoc division of Court of Arbitration for Sports overturned the clean chit given to him by the National Anti-Doping Agency.

“To say I am devastated at the decision of CAS would be putting it mildly. I have gone through so much over the last two months off the mat but the thought of fighting for the glory of the nation at the Games had kept me going. My dream of competing and winning the country a medal at the Rio Olympics has been cruelly snatched away from me twelve hours before my first bout,” Narsingh, who was to fight in men’s 74kg category, said.

“But I will do everything it takes to prove my innocence. It is all I have left to fight for,” he said in a statement issued by his sponsors JSW Sports.

The statement said that a review of the decision could be filed if further evidence is found pertaining to the claim of sabotage made by Narsingh.

“We will be pressing for a review of the decision that WADA would be amenable to if further evidence is found pertaining to sabotage,” it said.

“JSW Sports strongly believes in Narsingh’s innocence and will stand by the wrestler in doing everything to fight for justice,” it added.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had appealed against the NADA all-clear to Narsingh at the ad hoc division of the CAS at Rio, three days ahead of his scheduled opening bout at the Olympics.

“…the parties were informed that the application was upheld, that Narsingh Yadav was sanctioned with a four-year ineligibility period starting today and that any period of provisional suspension or ineligibility effectively served by the athlete before the entry into force of this award shall be credited against the total period of ineligibility to be served,” CAS said in a statement after the hearing, which lasted four hours last night.

“Furthermore, all competitive results obtained by Narsingh Yadav from and including 25 June 2016 shall be disqualified, with all resulting consequences (including forfeiture of medals, points and prizes). The CAS Panel did not accept the argument of the athlete that he was the victim of sabotage and noted that there was no evidence that he bore no fault, nor that the anti-doping rule violation was not intentional. Therefore the standard 4-year period of ineligibility was imposed by the Panel,” it added.

The verdict marked a painful end to the sordid controversy which began with the wrestler failing a June 25 test.

The 27-year-old’s name had appeared in the official Olympic schedule after he underwent the mandatory weigh-in. He was to take on France’s Zelimkhan Khadjiev in the qualification round but the CAS verdict has dashed all his hopes.

The embattled 74kg category grappler has maintained all along that his scandalous dope test was a result of conspiracy by rivals who spiked his food or drinks.

“WADA filed an urgent application before the CAS ad hoc Division to challenge the decision of NADA India to exonerate Narsingh Yadav following two positive anti-doping tests with methandienone on 25 June and 5 July 2016. The athlete asserted that he was the victim of sabotage (food/drink tampering) by another person. WADA requested that a 4-year period of ineligibility be imposed on the athlete,” the CAS further noted.

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Men's Wrestling 57kg freestyle

19:03 hrs IST: It's all over. Lebedev defeats Sandeep 7-3. If the Russian manages to qualify for the finals then Sandeep will come in contention for a bronze medal because of repechage system.

19:01 hrs IST: Just 30 seconds to go. Lebedev leads 7-3.

18:59 hrs IST: Lebedev defending extremely well. He leads 5-1. Can Sandeep do a Sakshi Malik?

18:57 hrs IST: Lebedev leads Tomar 3-0. Sandeep has his task cut out.

18:55 hrs IST: Sandeep gets a warning. 30 second clock on him now.

18:53 hrs IST: And here we go. Sandeep is up against Victor Lebedev (Russia)

18:50 hrs IST: Welcome all!

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Men's 50 km walk - finals 

Live India Athletics:

1831 hrs IST: Sandeep Kumar is 48th at halfway stage in 50km walk race. Time of 1:59:13.

1809 hrs IST: Sandeep Kumar stays 50th after 20km with time of 1:34:25. But he does fall behind further from the leader

1745 hrs IST: Sandeep Kumar has climbed another four places to stand 50th after 15km. Time of 1:10:18 and four minutes adrift of the leader Yohann Diniz of France

1736 hrs IST: Sandeep Kumar is 54th at the 10km stage in his 50km walk event. Time of 46:58

1710 hrs IST: Sandeep Kumar has begun his 50km walk event and he’s placed 57th after first 5 kms. Time of 23:49.

 

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