Sindhu Starts Season With a Win
Indian shuttler PV Sindhu continued her rampaging run to clinch the Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold title with a straight-game win over Scotland’s Kristy Gilmour.
The third-seeded Indian prevailed 21-15 21-9 in a 32-minute clash to clinch her fifth Grand Prix Gold title to avenge a 2013 loss to the Scot, their only previous encounter before Sunday’s match.
This is also Sindhu’s second Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold title, having won it in 2013 as well. She also completed a hat-trick at the Macau Open Grand Prix Gold in November last year.
Brazilian Legend Ronaldinho In India
Hundreds of football fans turned up as Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho inaugurated the Sait Nagjee Cup football tournament that starts on the 5 February in Kozhikode.
Ronaldinho handed over the Nagjee trophy to the organisers to mark the inauguration of the tournament, to be played from 5-21 February, at a civic reception hosted to honour him at the Kozhikode beach.
RonaldinhoFootball has the power to unite the people. It has given me an opportunity and taught me universal values of friendship and unity. I am supporting the work carried by Football for Peace Global and proud to be the Guest of Honour of Nagjee International Club Football tournament and becoming a footballer for peace.
Chelsea Deny Arsenal Top Spot
Arsenal missed their chance to go back to the top of the Premier League after being forced to play with 10 men for much of the 1-0 home defeat by London rivals Chelsea on Sunday.
Arsenal’s German defender Per Mertesacker was sent off after 18 minutes for denying a goalscoring opportunity to Diego Costa, who scored the only goal five minutes later from a cross by Branislav Ivanovic.
The result preserved the defending champions’ unbeaten record under experienced Dutchman Guus Hiddink, who took over as interim manager last month following Jose Mourinho’s sacking.
Government Should Not Be In Sports: Abhinav Bindra
Olympic champion shooter Abhinav Bindra, on Sunday, said government should not be in the business of sports as it’s neither their job nor can they do it well.
“The government should really not be involved in the business of sports because it’s not their job. They can’t really do it well,” Bindra said at a session on sports at the Tata Steel Kolkata Literary Meet (TSKLM).
He said world sport was at such a competitive level that professionals were needed to handle everything as they knew how to run sports and take decisions.
Abhinav Bindra, Olympic Gold MedalistThe government is doing whatever they can do. They have their own way of functioning, audits, accounting processes which takes time and unfortunately all athletes do not have time. Funds should come when needed. It is not the ideal situation.
Sachin and Sports Legends Sing National Anthem
On Sunday, Sachin Tendulkar released the video The Sports Heroes, in which he along with Sunil Gavaskar, Sania Mirza, Mahesh Bhupathi, Dhanraj Pillay, Bhaichung Bhutia, Gagan Narang and Sushil Kumar sing India’s national anthem.
The video, directed by Abhijit Panse and produced by former India cricketer Nilesh Kulkarni, is aimed to inspire the younger generation towards sports.
To read more about Sachin’s memories from his playing days and singing the national anthem at packed stadiums, click here.
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