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Indian kudo player Sohail Khan has etched his name in history by becoming the first Indian to win a medal at the senior level in international kudo events. At the prestigious Eurasian Cup 2024 in Yerevan, Armenia, Khan clinched a bronze medal in the -250 PI men's category, showcasing his exceptional skills and determination.Khan's journey to the podium was marked by a series of impressive victories. In the Round of 16, he displayed his grappling prowess by submitting Kazakhstan's Dastan Utimanov. In the quarterfinals, he outmaneuvered Georgia's Dvaladze Vasili with a 2-0 score.The semi-finals presented a unique challenge as an Armenian athlete withdrew due to injury. Khan, along with Russia's Ermakov Ilia and Iran's Mohsen Baghi Nasrabadi, engaged in a three-player affair to determine the winner.Khan faced a setback in his first match against Ermakov Ilia, losing 0-2. Ermakov went on to secure the gold medal with a 6-0 victory over Nasrabadi.In the battle for the silver medal, Khan faced Nasrabadi. Despite his valiant efforts, Khan narrowly missed out on the silver, losing by the slimmest of margins."Competing at the Kudo Eurasian Cup 2024 has been an incredible experience," said Khan after his historic achievement. "Winning the bronze medal for India is a proud moment and motivates me to strive for even greater heights. This is just the beginning, and I am determined to push my limits and aim for gold in the future."Khan's success is a testament to his unwavering dedication and the guidance of his coach, Dr. Mohd Aijaz Khan. Together, they have fulfilled their dream of bringing home the first international kudo medal for India.

Mansi Ahlawat's bronze medal in the women's 59kg category at the World Championships has extended India's medal-winning streak at the prestigious event. However, the men's freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestlers failed to secure any medals, returning empty-handed.Ahlawat, who trains at Sir Chhotu Ram Akhada under coach Mandeep, defeated Canada's Laurence Beauregard 5-0 in the bronze medal bout. She had earlier lost her semifinal 1-4 to Mongolia's Sukhee Tserenchimed after winning three consecutive bouts on Wednesday.Manisha Bhanwala (65kg) also came close to a podium finish but lost her bronze play-off 2-8 to Japan's Miwa Morikawa. Bhanwala had bounced back in contention after winning her repechage round 7-2 against Mongolia's Enkhjin Tuvshinjargal.Kirti (55kg) and Bipasha (72kg) could not reach the medal round.In men's freestyle, Sandeep Mann (92kg) made the repechage round but lost the bout by technical superiority to Slovakia's Btyrbek Tsakuklov. Udit (61kg), Manish Goswami (70kg), and Parvinder Singh (79kg) could not make the medal round.India's Greco-Roman wrestlers, as usual, struggled as Sanjeev (55kg), Chetan (63kg), Ankit Gulia (72kg), and Rohit Dahiya (82kg) faded early in the competition.Despite the men's wrestlers' disappointing performance, Ahlawat's bronze medal has given India something to cheer about at the World Championships. The 23-year-old wrestler has shown great promise and will be one to watch in the future.

India's junior men's hockey team clinched a thrilling bronze medal at the Sultan of Johor Cup after a nail-biting 3-2 shootout victory over New Zealand on Saturday. The match ended in a 2-2 stalemate in regulation time, setting the stage for a tense penalty shootout.Goalkeeper Bikramjit Singh emerged as the hero for India, making three crucial saves in the shootout. Strikers Gurjot Singh, Manmeet Singh, and Sourabh Anand Kushwaha converted their penalties with precision, securing the victory for their team.Earlier in the match, India had taken an early lead through goals from Dilraj Singh and Manmeet Singh. However, New Zealand fought back in the final quarter with goals from Owen Brown and Jonty Elmes, forcing the match into a shootout.India started the match with a strong attacking display, creating several scoring opportunities. Dilraj Singh opened the scoring in the 11th minute, assisted by Mukesh Toppo. Manmeet Singh doubled India's lead in the 20th minute with a brilliant field goal, assisted by Anmol Ekka and Mukesh.New Zealand struggled to create scoring chances in the first half, but they came out with renewed determination in the fourth quarter. Brown scored in the 51st minute, assisted by Bradley Rothwell, and Elmes equalized in the 57th minute, setting up the dramatic shootout.In the shootout, Bikramjit Singh made three outstanding saves, denying New Zealand's attempts to score. Gurjot Singh, Manmeet Singh, and Kushwaha converted their penalties with confidence, securing the bronze medal for India.

Swapnil Kusale's father, Suresh Kusale, has expressed disappointment over the Maharashtra government's prize money of Rs 2 crore for his son's bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. He believes the amount is insufficient compared to the rewards given by other states like Haryana.Suresh Kusale claims that Haryana offers Rs 5 crore to its Olympic medalists, regardless of the medal's color. He questions why Maharashtra has established a prize money structure that does not adequately recognize the rarity of an Olympic medal from the state.He points out that Swapnil is only the second individual Olympic medalist from Maharashtra in 72 years, after wrestler K D Jadhav in 1952. He argues that such a rare achievement deserves a more substantial reward.Suresh Kusale also criticizes the government's decision to award Rs 5 crore to gold medalists, Rs 3 crore to silver medalists, and Rs 2 crore to bronze medalists. He believes this criteria is unfair, as it does not account for the fact that only a handful of athletes from Maharashtra have won individual Olympic medals.He suggests that the government should consider naming the 50-meter-three-position rifle shooting arena at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Sports Complex in Balewadi after his son. He also demands a flat near the stadium for Swapnil's convenience in training.Suresh Kusale's concerns highlight the need for a more equitable and merit-based approach to rewarding Olympic medalists in Maharashtra. He believes that the state should recognize the exceptional achievements of its athletes and provide them with the support they need to continue their success.

Hokato Hotozhe Sema, a Paralympics bronze medalist, has shared his inspiring journey of overcoming adversity and achieving sporting success. In 2002, a landmine explosion during an anti-terrorist operation in Jammu & Kashmir claimed his left leg below the knee, leaving him physically and emotionally scarred."I was mentally disturbed and in deep depression," Sema recalled. "I never thought I would be like this. I asked myself how I would walk because I don't have one leg."After his leg amputation, Sema faced immense challenges. The swelling and pain made it difficult to heal and walk properly. However, a visit to Pune's artificial limb center changed his life. The Indian Army provided him with an artificial limb, giving him hope and motivation."I have not seen an artificial leg till then in my life," Sema said. "Indian Army provided me with an artificial limb with a lot of hope. Because of that I am being able to stand in front of you."Inspired by others at the center who faced even greater physical challenges, Sema began to walk again, slowly and with determination. "It was like how a new-born child was taught how to walk by holding him," he said.In 2016, Sema was encouraged to take up shot put by a senior army official. He quickly excelled in the sport, competing in the National Para Athletics Championships the same year. His rise in para-athletics has been nothing short of inspiring.At the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Sema secured a bronze medal in the men's F57 category final with a career-best throw of 14.65 meters. He became the first Paralympics medalist from northeast India and the first Indian to win a medal in shot put at the Paralympics.Sema's journey is a testament to his resilience, determination, and the support he received from the Indian Army. He has not only overcome adversity but has also become a role model for others who face physical challenges.

Deepthi Jeevanji, a para-athlete from India, has triumphed over adversity to clinch the bronze medal in the women's 400m T20 category at the Paris Paralympics 2024. Despite falling short of her personal best, Deepthi's remarkable performance earned her a place on the podium behind Ukraine's Yuliia Shuliar and Turkey's Aysel Onder, the world record holder.Deepthi's journey to the Paralympics has been marked by resilience and determination. Born with intellectual disability, she faced relentless mockery and discrimination from her neighbors, who labeled her a "monkey" and urged her parents to abandon her. Undeterred, Deepthi's parents stood by her, providing unwavering support that fueled her passion for sports."I was born during an eclipse, so our neighbors kept speaking against me. They called me monkey and advised my parents to abandon me or leave me at an orphanage. But I ignored all the negativity and focused on my sport," Deepthi told India Today.Financial challenges also plagued Deepthi's family. Her parents were forced to sell their land to make ends meet. However, after winning an Asian Games medal, Deepthi used her earnings to buy back the land for her family.Deepthi's mother, Jeevanji Dhanalaxmi, recalled the taunts her daughter endured growing up. "Every villager who saw her and some of our relatives would call Deepthi pichi (mental) and kothi (monkey) and tell us to send her to an orphanage," she told The Indian Express.Despite the hardships, Deepthi remained focused on her athletic pursuits. She found solace in sweet rice and chicken, which her mother would prepare to comfort her after facing ridicule.Deepthi's bronze medal at the Paralympics is a testament to her indomitable spirit and the power of perseverance. It is a victory not only for her but also for all those who have faced adversity and triumphed over it.

Indian shot-putter Hokato Sema, a landmine blast survivor, has etched his name in history by securing a bronze medal for India at the Paralympic Games in Paris. The 40-year-old Army man from Dimapur, Nagaland, achieved his career-best throw of 14.65 meters in the men's F57 category final on Friday.Sema's journey to the podium has been marked by resilience and determination. In 2002, while participating in an anti-terrorist operation in Jammu & Kashmir's Chowkibal, he lost his left leg in a landmine blast. However, this setback did not deter him from pursuing his passion for sports.In 2016, at the age of 32, Sema was encouraged by a senior army official at the Pune-based Artificial Limb Centre to take up shot put. He quickly showed promise and soon began competing in national para athletics championships.At the Paralympics, Sema started with a mediocre throw of 13.88 meters. But he quickly found his rhythm, touching the 14-meter mark on his second throw and improving further with a heave of 14.40 meters. His best throw came in his fourth attempt, surpassing his personal best of 14.49 meters and securing him the bronze medal.Iran's Yasin Khosravi, the two-time para world champion and Hangzhou Para Games gold medalist, clinched the top spot with a Paralympic record of 15.96 meters. Brazil's Thiago Dos Santos took the silver with his best throw of 15.06 meters.Sema's success is a testament to his indomitable spirit and the power of sports to transform lives. He has become an inspiration for countless others who have faced adversity and overcome challenges.

India's Deaf Shooting Team Shines at World Championship, Pranjali Dhumal Bags BronzeIndia's deaf shooting team has made a remarkable start at the 2nd World Deaf Shooting Championship 2024 in Hanover, Germany, with Pranjali Dhumal clinching a bronze medal in the Women's 25m Pistol event.Dhumal's impressive performance saw her qualify for the finals with a deaf world record and deaf world championship record of 571. In the finals, she displayed nerves of steel, hitting three out of five shots in the eighth series to edge out Lana Skeledzija by a single point and secure the bronze medal. She finished with a score of 29, behind the Ukrainian pair of Sofiia Olenych and Halyna Mosina, who secured gold and silver respectively.Anuya Prasad also put in a strong performance, finishing fifth in the finals with a score of 21 after qualifying with a score of 558. Vedika Sharma, the third Indian shooter, ended the qualification with a score of 473.The Indian team's success continued in the men's 10m Air Pistol event, where Abhinav Deshwal won silver and Shubham Vashist won bronze. The duo also teamed up with Chetan Sakpal to clinch the team silver medal.The 16-member Indian Deaf Shooting team has made a bright start to the championship, which runs until September 7, 2024. Indian shooters will compete in the Air Rifle and Air Pistol disciplines. The squad includes top shooters like Dhanush Srikanth and is accompanied by an interpreter and coaches Preeti Sharma (Pistol) and Sanjeev Rajput (Rifle).

Para-athlete Deepthi Jeevanji returned to India on Thursday as a national hero after securing a bronze medal in the women's 400m T20 final at the ongoing Paris Paralympics. Jeevanji, making her Paralympic debut, showcased exceptional speed and determination throughout the competition.In the final, Jeevanji started strongly but faced a challenge in the final phase of the race. Despite her best efforts, she finished behind Ukraine's Yuliia Shuliar (gold) and Turkey's Aysel Onder (silver). However, her time of 55.82s was enough to secure a podium finish and add to India's growing medal tally.Jeevanji's bronze medal is a testament to her hard work and dedication. She qualified for the final with a sensational run in the qualification round, finishing first in her heat with a time of 55.45s. Her performance in Paris has not only brought glory to India but also inspired countless aspiring athletes.India's Paralympic contingent has enjoyed a remarkable run in Paris, with several athletes achieving podium finishes. Para-athletes Dharambir and Pranav Soorma claimed gold and silver medals, respectively, in the men's club throw F51 final. Ajeet Singh and Sundar Singh Gurjar also secured silver and bronze medals in the men's javelin throw F46 event.In addition to Jeevanji's bronze, India has also won gold medals in para archery, para shooting, and para-shuttle. Para-archer Harvinder Singh made history by winning India's first-ever gold medal in para archery at the Paralympics. Para-shooter Avani Lekhra and javelin thrower Sumit Antil also contributed to India's gold medal count.The Indian contingent's success at the Paris Paralympics is a testament to the country's growing support for para-sports. The athletes' achievements have not only brought pride to the nation but also raised awareness about the abilities and potential of individuals with disabilities.