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Commonwealth Games 2026: Key Sports Dropped, Dealing Blow to India's Medal HopesIn a significant setback for India's aspirations at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, host city Glasgow has announced a revised roster of 10 disciplines, excluding key sports such as hockey, badminton, wrestling, cricket, and shooting. This decision has raised concerns about the impact on India's medal tally, as these sports have historically contributed a substantial number of medals.The move is part of Glasgow's efforts to keep the event budget-friendly and streamline logistics. The Games will be held across four venues, with a total of nine fewer events compared to the 2022 Birmingham edition. The pruned roster includes Athletics and Para Athletics, Swimming and Para Swimming, Artistic Gymnastics, Track Cycling and Para Track Cycling, Netball, Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting, Boxing, Judo, Bowls and Para Bowls, and 3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Wheelchair Basketball.The exclusion of hockey, badminton, wrestling, cricket, and shooting is a major blow to India's medal prospects. Hockey has been a consistent medal-winner for India, with the men's team claiming three silver and two bronze medals, while the women's team has also shone, clinching three medals, including a historic gold in 2002. Badminton has been another strong suit for India, with an impressive 31 medals to its name, including 10 gold, eight silver, and 13 bronze.Wrestling has also been a fruitful sport for India, yielding 114 medals, including 49 gold, 39 silver, and 26 bronzes. Cricket's reintroduction in 2022 saw the Indian women's team claim a silver medal. Shooting was a stronghold for India, with a staggering 135 medals, including 63 gold, 44 silver, and 28 bronze.The absence of these sports will significantly reduce India's chances of achieving a high medal count. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has acknowledged the setback, stating that the roster is a "massive setback to India's medal prospects."Despite the disappointment, the CGF has emphasized that the Games will deliver over 100 million pounds of "inward investment into the city" and is expected to support add an economic value of over 150 million pounds for the region. The body asserted that all this would be possible thanks to a model "that has been specially designed to not require public funding for the delivery of the Games."

India's Medal Hopes Soar at Paris Olympics 2024: Day 6 PreviewDay 6 of the Paris Olympics 2024 promises to be a thrilling one for India, with several medal contenders taking to the field. Badminton stars PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, and the men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will be in action.In shooting, Swapnil Kusale will aim to secure India's third medal in the 50m rifle 3-positions final. Sift Kaur Samra and Anjum Moudgil will also compete in the women's 50m rifle three positions qualification.Boxer Nikhat Zareen will face China's Yu Wu in the pre-quarterfinals of women's flyweight boxing. The Indian hockey team will face a tough challenge against Belgium in a men's Pool B match.Archery will see Pravin Jadhav compete in the men's individual 1/32 eliminations. In athletics, Akshdeep, Vikash, and Paramjeet Singh will participate in the men's 20km race walk final, while Priyanka Goswami will compete in the women's 20m race walk final.Golfers Gaganjeet Bhullar and Shubhankar Sharma will aim for glory in the men's individual finals. Vishnu Saravanan will represent India in the men's dinghy race, while Nethra Kumanan will compete in the women's dinghy race.In table tennis, India's women's singles players will compete in the quarterfinals.

India's Medal Hopes and Schedule for Day 4 of Paris Olympics 2024On the fourth day of the Paris Olympics 2024, Indian fans will eagerly anticipate the 10m air pistol mixed team bronze medal match, where Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh will face South Korea. Trap shooter Prithviraj Tondaiman also has a chance at a medal if he qualifies for the final.The Indian hockey team will aim to bounce back from their previous loss when they take on Ireland in a Pool B match. Three top Indian boxers - Amit Panghal, Jaismine Lamboria, and Preeti Pawar - will also be in action.Archery:* Women's Individual: Ankita Bhakat and Bhajan Kaur will compete in the 1/32 Elimination Round.* Men's Individual: Dhiraj Bommadevara will participate in the 1/32 Elimination Round.Badminton:* Men's Doubles: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will face Alfian Fajar and Muhammad Rian Ardianto of Indonesia in the group stage.* Women's Doubles: Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto will take on Setyana Mapasa and Angela Yu of Australia in the group stage.Boxing:* Men's 51kg Round of 16: Amit Panghal will face Patrick Chinyemba of Zambia.* Women's 57kg Round of 32: Jaismine Lamboria will compete against Nesthy Petecio of the Philippines.* Women's 54kg Round of 16: Preeti Pawar will face Yeni Marcela Arias of Colombia.Equestrian:* Dressage Individual Grand Prix (Day 1): Anush Agarwalla will participate in the event.Hockey:* Men's Pool B Match: India will face Ireland in a crucial match.Rowing:* Men's Singles Sculls - Quarter-finals: Balraj Panwar will compete in the quarter-finals.Shooting:* Trap Men's Qualification (Day 2): Prithviraj Tondaiman will aim to qualify for the final.* Trap Men's Final (subject to qualification): Tondaiman will compete for a medal if he qualifies.* Trap Women's Qualification (Day 1): Shreyasi Singh and Rajeshwari Kumari will participate in the qualification round.

The inaugural day of the Paris 2024 Olympics witnessed a mixed bag of performances for the Indian contingent. While some athletes made their mark, others fell short of expectations.Shooting:India's shooting campaign got off to a disappointing start. In the 10m air rifle mixed team event, both Indian pairs failed to qualify for the medal matches. Arjun Babuta and Ramita Jindal finished 13th, while Elavenil Valarivan and Sandeep Singh placed 15th. In the men's 10m air pistol, Sarabjot Singh and Arjun Cheema failed to make the final eight. However, Manu Bhaker qualified for the final in the women's 10m air pistol, finishing third in the qualification round.Badminton:Lakshya Sen kicked off his Paris Olympics campaign with a straight-sets victory over Guatemala's Kevin Cordon in the men's singles. The Indian duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also secured a win in the men's doubles, defeating France's Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar. However, Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto suffered a defeat in the women's doubles, losing to South Korea's Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Yong.Hockey:The Indian Men's Hockey Team made a strong start to their Olympic campaign, defeating New Zealand 3-2 in a thrilling encounter. Goals from Mandeep Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, and Harmanpreet Singh sealed the victory for India.Table Tennis:Harmeet Desai advanced to the Round of 64 in the men's singles table tennis, beating Jordan's Zaid Abo Yaman 4-0. He will face Felix Lebrun of France in the next round.Boxing:Preeti Pawar progressed to the Round of 16 in the women's 54kg boxing, defeating Vietnam's Vo Thi Kim Anh by a unanimous decision.Rowing:Balraj Panwar finished fourth in the first heat race of the men's single sculls, failing to qualify directly for the quarterfinals.

The 2024 Paris Olympics kick off today with a thrilling lineup of events. Medals will be awarded in aquatics, cycling, fencing, judo, rugby sevens, shooting, and skateboarding.Shooting:India's shooting contingent will be eager to make a mark after disappointing performances in the last two Olympics. Sandeep Singh and Elavenil Valarivan will compete in the 10m air rifle mixed team final, while Arjun Babuta and Ramita will also be in action. Sarabjot Singh and Arjun Singh Cheema will participate in the 10m air pistol men's qualification.Hockey:India, the Tokyo Games bronze medallists, will begin their campaign against New Zealand. Harmanpreet Singh's team will aim to give a fitting farewell to veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who is competing in his fourth Olympics.Badminton:Badminton, which has brought India three medals in recent editions, will also commence on Saturday. Lakshya Sen, the 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, will face Kevin Cordon of Guatemala. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will take on French shuttlers Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar. Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto will compete against former All England champions Kim So-yeong and Kong Hee-yong of South Korea.Swimming:An epic rivalry will resume in the women's 400m freestyle, where Australian Ariarne Titmus and American Katie Ledecky will battle for gold. Canada's Summer McIntosh and New Zealand's Erika Fairweather are also contenders in this highly anticipated event.Rugby 7s:The men's rugby sevens event will conclude with back-to-back Olympic champions Fiji facing Australia and South Africa taking on hosts France in the semi-finals. The bronze and gold medal matches will take place later on Saturday evening.Other Events:Cycling, fencing, and judo will also feature on the first day of the Olympics. Skateboarding will make its Olympic debut, with medals awarded in the men's and women's street events.

India's Olympic Odyssey Begins: Day 1 Schedule UnveiledThe stage is set for the Paris Olympics 2024, and India's athletes are poised to make their mark from the very first day. On July 26, a host of Indian stars will take to the field, court, and range, eager to showcase their skills and bring glory to their nation.Badminton: Shetty and Rankireddy Lead the ChargeIndia's badminton contingent will be spearheaded by the dynamic duo of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy. The pair will face Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar of France in their men's doubles group match, aiming to secure a top spot in their group.Shooting: Eyes on the TargetIndia's shooters will also be in action on Day 1. Sandeep Singh and Elavenil Valarivan, along with Arjun Babuta and Ramita Jindal, will compete in the 10m air rifle mixed team qualification. They will need to finish in the top four to advance to the gold medal match.Hockey: Men in Blue Face New ZealandThe Indian men's hockey team will kick off their Olympic campaign against New Zealand in a Pool B match. The team will be looking to start their tournament with a strong performance and set the tone for the rest of their matches.Boxing: Preeti Pawar's Olympic DebutPreeti Pawar will make her Olympic debut in the women's 54kg boxing category. She will face Thi Kim anh Vo of Vietnam in the opening round, with a victory securing her a spot in the Round of 16.Rowing: Panwar Balraj Takes to the WaterPanwar Balraj will represent India in the men's single sculls rowing event. He will be aiming to qualify for the main draw of the competition and make a strong impression on the Olympic stage.Table Tennis: Harmeet Desai's Preliminary ChallengeHarmeet Desai will face Zaid Abo Yaman of Jordan in the men's singles preliminary round of table tennis. A victory will earn him a place in the main draw of the Round of 64.Tennis: Bopanna and Balaji Aim for Round of 16Rohan Bopanna and N Sriram Balaji will team up in the men's doubles first round match of tennis. They will face Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Fabien Reboul of France, with a win securing their place in the Round of 16.

India's Olympic aspirations soar as they set their sights on surpassing their record medal haul at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The nation's athletes will strive to build upon their impressive performance in Tokyo, where they secured seven medals, including a historic gold in javelin throw by Neeraj Chopra.Chopra remains India's brightest medal prospect, having consistently showcased his dominance in the sport. His exceptional throws have propelled him to the forefront of global javelin competition, making him a strong contender for another podium finish in Paris.Badminton, another area of strength for India, may witness a shift in focus towards the men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty. The duo's recent world No. 1 ranking and current third-place standing bode well for their chances of making a significant impact in Paris.The Indian men's hockey team faces a formidable challenge in Pool B, which includes hockey powerhouses like Australia, Belgium, and Argentina. Despite their bronze medal triumph in Tokyo, the team's recent form has raised concerns. They will need to rediscover their winning ways to navigate the highly competitive group.Shooting, a discipline where India has traditionally excelled, will rely heavily on female shooters Sift Kaur Samra and Manu Bhaker. The duo's exceptional skills and experience will be crucial in India's quest for a medal in this event.An unexpected surprise may emerge in equestrian, where India will field a representative for the first time. Anush Agarwalla, a rising star in dressage, has demonstrated his potential with bronze and gold medals at the 2022 Asian Games. His performance in Paris could potentially add another dimension to India's medal hopes.

Bollywood Stars Who Traded Sports for StardomIn a recent interview, Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan revealed his past as a tennis enthusiast. The actor, who was once a part of the Maharashtra State Championship, had to give up the sport at his father's request. This revelation has shed light on the hidden athleticism of many Bollywood celebrities who once pursued professional sports before embracing the world of cinema.Deepika Padukone: Badminton ProdigyDeepika Padukone, known for her roles in films like "Piku" and "Padmaavat," was a national-level badminton player under the guidance of her father, Prakash Padukone, a badminton legend. She gave up the sport at age 16 to pursue modeling and acting.John Abraham: Football StarJohn Abraham, who will soon be seen in "Vedaa," was a professional football player in his youth. He played as a center forward in the Indian A-Division. His passion for football continues through his co-ownership of NorthEast United FC, a team that is making waves in Indian football.Saqib Saleem: Cricket AspirantSaqib Saleem, known for his role in "83," played cricket until he was 20. He aspired to play for the Indian national team but couldn't fulfill his dream. However, he got to live it out on screen in the film.Aparshakti Khurana: Cricket CaptainAparshakti Khurana, who has starred in films like "Stree" and "Luka Chuppi," was the captain of the Haryana Under-19 cricket team before becoming an actor.Rahul Bose: Rugby RepresentativeRahul Bose, known for his roles in "Midnight's Children" and "Bulbbul," represented India in rugby for 11 years. He is now the President of the Indian Rugby Football Union.These actors have demonstrated that athleticism and artistic talent can coexist. They have left a mark not only on the big screen but also on the playing field, inspiring others to pursue their passions in both sports and entertainment.