Others

Maharashtra displayed remarkable resilience and fighting spirit to secure a thrilling 5-4 victory over former champion BPCL in the 95th MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup All-India hockey tournament held in Chennai on Friday, September 20, 2024.Despite trailing 0-2 and then 1-3, Maharashtra staged a stunning comeback in the third and fourth quarters. Aditya Lalage, a current junior world cupper, and Stephen Swamy each scored a brace, while Mayur Dhanavde added another goal to propel Maharashtra to victory.BPCL had taken an early lead through Tejas Chavan and Rajinder Singh, but Maharashtra's Mayur Dhanavde reduced the deficit in the 22nd minute. However, Sunil Somwarpet restored BPCL's two-goal advantage in the 40th minute.Undeterred, Maharashtra fought back with determination. Aditya Lalage and Stephen Swamy scored in quick succession in the 45th and 46th minutes to level the match. Lalage then completed his brace in the 51st minute, giving Maharashtra the lead for the first time.BPCL managed to equalize through Varun Kumar's stroke in the 53rd minute, but Maharashtra refused to be denied. Stephen Swamy scored his second goal in the 51st minute, securing the victory for his team.In another match, Odisha registered an easy 4-1 victory over last year's finalist, Karnataka. Ekka Rahul, Tirkey Rajat Akash, Kangadi Satish, and Chetan Mallappa scored for Odisha and Karnataka, respectively.National Centre of Excellence (NCOE, Bhopal) also emerged victorious, defeating Central Secretariat 3-2. Rajat Minz, Parmod, and Hassan Basha scored for NCOE and Central Secretariat, respectively.

Sharmila Devi, a promising young forward, has made a remarkable comeback to the Indian women's hockey team. Her unwavering determination to improve and her relentless work ethic have been instrumental in her return to the national side.After a nine-month absence, Sharmila returned to the Indian team in February 2024 during the FIH Hockey Pro League game against China. The 22-year-old from Haryana faced challenges during her time away from the national team, missing out on the Asian Games and Olympic Qualifiers.However, Sharmila remained mentally strong and focused on her training. She dedicated herself to improving her game, working on both her offensive and defensive skills. Her hard work paid off when she finally got her chance to take the field against China."I was more than excited to be wearing the Indian jersey once again," Sharmila said. "It felt very rewarding for all the work that was put in."Despite India's loss in that game, Sharmila vowed to continue giving her best. She believes in the importance of consistency and is committed to helping the national team achieve success."Every time we step onto the field, we give our hundred percent," Sharmila said. "I will work hard to consistently do well for the national team and help us win more and more games as time goes by."Sharmila's journey serves as an inspiration to young athletes. Her determination, resilience, and unwavering belief in herself have paved the way for her comeback. She is a testament to the power of hard work and the importance of never giving up on one's dreams.

The Miami Marlins staged a remarkable comeback to defeat the Colorado Rockies 7-6 in 10 innings on Tuesday night, making the Rockies the first team since 1900 to trail in each of their first 29 games.Trailing 5-0 after the first inning, the Marlins rallied with five runs in the ninth to tie the game. In the 10th, Ryan McMahon gave the Rockies a 6-5 lead, but the Marlins responded with two runs to secure the victory.Dane Myers drove in the game-winning run with a single to right field, scoring Bryan De La Cruz. The throw home was off-target, allowing De La Cruz to slide in safely.The Rockies' historic losing streak continued, as they became the second team in MLB history to trail in each of their first 29 games. The only other team to accomplish this feat was the 1910 St. Louis Browns.Despite the early deficit, the Marlins never gave up. They chipped away at the Rockies' lead, scoring two runs in the third and one in the fifth. In the ninth, they loaded the bases with no outs and forced in three runs to tie the game.The Marlins' bullpen played a crucial role in the victory. Tanner Scott allowed McMahon's RBI double in the 10th, but Jalen Beeks gave up the game-winning hit to Myers.Jordan Beck, a 23-year-old outfield prospect, made his major league debut for the Marlins and went 2 for 4 with a single in his first at-bat.The Marlins snapped a seven-game losing streak with the victory, while the Rockies extended their losing streak to 10 games.

Detroit's Tigers rallied from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Saturday night, snapping the Royals' four-game winning streak. The Tigers' victory was fueled by a five-run seventh inning, highlighted by Matt Vierling's three-run homer.Trailing 3-1, Detroit's offense came alive in the seventh against Royals reliever Chris Stratton. Jake Rogers drew a walk to start the rally, followed by singles from Riley Greene and Mark Canha, driving in Rogers. Wenceel Perez flew out to the right-field wall, allowing Greene to advance to third, and Kerry Carpenter tied the game with a base hit. After Spencer Torkelson popped out, Vierling launched Stratton's 1-2 sinker over the left-field fence, giving the Tigers a 6-3 lead.The Royals attempted a comeback in the ninth inning, scoring twice off Tigers closer Jason Foley. However, Vinnie Pasquatino's flyout to deep center ended the game, securing the victory for Detroit.Despite committing four infield errors, the Tigers managed to overcome the Royals' early lead. Alex Faedo earned the win with two innings of relief, while starter Casey Mize allowed three runs, two earned, in five innings. Royals starter Brady Singer allowed one run in five innings.The Royals took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning on RBI groundouts from Maikel Garcia and Salvador Perez. They extended their lead to 3-0 in the second inning with Garcia's RBI single, set up by a pair of Tigers errors.The Tigers got on the board in the bottom of the second inning when Colt Keith scored on Zach McKinstry's triple. However, Singer prevented further damage by getting Javier Báez and Rogers to ground out before striking out Greene.The teams will conclude their weekend series on Sunday with Tigers' ace LHP Tarik Skubal facing RHP Michael Wacha.

Vaishali Rameshbabu's remarkable comeback at the Candidates Tournament has been a testament to her resilience and determination. After a disastrous start with four consecutive losses, the 22-year-old Indian prodigy rallied to win five straight games, finishing tied second with 7.5 points.Vaishali's turnaround began with a crucial victory over Nurgyul Salimova in Round 10. The Bulgarian was on the verge of victory but self-destructed, giving Vaishali the breakthrough she desperately needed."In such tournaments, luck plays an important role," Vaishali acknowledged. "It's not entirely about how well you prepare or play."Despite her initial setbacks, Vaishali remained confident in her abilities. "I knew I wasn't a favorite by rating, but I'd beaten most of the players in the field before," she said.Her most satisfying win came against top seed Aleksandra Goryachkina in Round 11. Vaishali played the Alapin Sicilian with precision and went on to win with a Knight underpromotion."I could have settled for a draw, but I was looking to take every chance that came my way," she said. "I'm pretty proud of that game."Vaishali's comeback was not without its emotional challenges. "After three losses in a row, I completely gave up," she admitted. "But I was determined to get back in shape and fight."Her brother, Praggnanandhaa, provided support during her struggles. "We would discuss our games, but I didn't want to burden him with my emotions," Vaishali said.On the final day of play, Vaishali and Praggnanandhaa witnessed the thrilling conclusion of the Open section. "We could feel the pressure and tension even though it wasn't us playing," Vaishali said. "I felt happy to see Gukesh make it in the end."Vaishali's comeback story is a reminder of the importance of perseverance and resilience in competitive chess. "I may not have won the tournament, but those last few wins certainly made a huge difference," she said.

Sharath Kamal, the 41-year-old Indian table tennis legend, has pulled off a stunning upset at the prestigious Singapore Smash tournament. On Wednesday, he defeated world No. 13 Darko Jorgic of Slovenia 3-1 (8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9) to advance to the singles Round of 16.Kamal, who is currently ranked 88th in the world, displayed remarkable resilience after losing the first game. He fought back to claim the next three games, showcasing his exceptional skills and determination. This victory marks a significant comeback for Kamal, who has faced challenges in singles competition in recent times.The veteran paddler has been working tirelessly in the off-season to regain his peak form. His goal is to excel at the World Team Championships, which offer Paris Olympics spots. While he contributed to India's team success at the World Championships last month, his performance in Singapore suggests that he is returning to his best.After winning three qualifying rounds, Kamal defeated Nicolas Burgos 3-0 on Monday. His triumph over Jorgic further solidifies his resurgence. With the team spot for the Paris Games secured, Kamal's singles revival could make him a contender for individual representation in Paris.In the women's doubles, Asian Games bronze medallists Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee suffered a 3-1 (4-11, 14-12, 3-11, 9-11) defeat to the Romanian-Spanish pair of Adina Diaconu and Maria Xiao in the Round of 16.

The Orlando Magic staged a remarkable comeback to defeat the Washington Wizards 119-109 on Wednesday night, snapping the Wizards' 16-game losing streak.Trailing by 21 points in the second quarter, the Magic rallied behind Franz Wagner's 28 points and Paolo Banchero's 25 points. Orlando's defense held Washington to just 44 points in the second half, leading to the largest comeback of the season for the Magic.Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks held off a late surge from the Cleveland Cavaliers to secure a 112-101 victory. Saddiq Bey led the Hawks with 23 points, while Jarrett Allen paced the Cavaliers with 18 points and 19 rebounds.In Philadelphia, the Memphis Grizzlies overcame a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat the 76ers 115-109. Jaren Jackson Jr. had a dominant performance with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and six blocks.The Los Angeles Clippers rallied from a 20-point deficit to edge out the Houston Rockets 122-116. Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 28 points, while Alperen Sengun had a triple-double for the Rockets with 23 points, 19 rebounds, and 14 assists.

The Indian women's table tennis team displayed resilience and determination in their final group tie against Spain at the 2024 World Team Table Tennis Championships in Busan, South Korea. Trailing 0-2, the team rallied back to secure a 3-2 victory and advance to the knockout stage as the second-best team in Group 1.Ayhika Mukherjee, who had previously delivered a momentum-shifting win against Hungary, once again stepped up for India. Facing Elvira Rad in the crucial third rubber, Ayhika displayed her fighting spirit and emerged victorious with a 3-2 (11-8, 11-13, 11-8, 9-11, 11-4) scoreline.Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula then completed the comeback for India. Manika defeated Maria Xiao 3-0 (11-9, 11-2, 11-4), while Sreeja overcame Sofia-Xuan Zhang 3-1 (11-6, 11-13, 11-6, 11-3).The Indian men's team also secured a spot in the knockout stage, albeit with a less convincing performance. They defeated New Zealand 3-0 in their final Group 3 tie, finishing third with two wins and two losses.The Indian teams' quest for a team quota for the 2024 Paris Olympics, awarded to the quarter-finalists, continues on Wednesday. The women's team faces Italy in the Round of 32, followed by a potential clash with fourth-ranked Chinese Taipei in the Round of 16. The men's team will take on Kazakhstan for a place in the Round of 16, where they could face hosts Korea.Ayhika Mukherjee's consistent performances have been a key factor in India's success at the tournament. Despite being ranked 153 in singles, she has delivered crucial wins against higher-ranked opponents, including world No. 1 Sun Yingha.The Indian women's team's comeback against Spain showcased their mental strength and ability to perform under pressure. Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula also played their part in the victory, contributing important wins in the deciding rubbers.The Indian men's team, on the other hand, will need to improve their overall performance if they want to make a deep run in the tournament. They face a tough challenge against Kazakhstan in the Round of 16, followed by a potential clash with Korea, who defeated them 3-0 in the group stage.