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Avinash Sable, India's steeplechase star, is set to make his Diamond League Final debut in Brussels, Belgium on Saturday, September 14. The event marks a significant opportunity for Sable to redeem himself after a disappointing performance at the Tokyo Olympics, where he finished 11th.The Diamond League Final, held over two days for the first time, will feature an elite field of athletes from across the globe, including a record number of Olympic medalists. Sable's participation in the men's 3000m steeplechase event is a testament to his impressive season, which saw him finish 14th in the overall Diamond League standings.Despite not initially qualifying for the final, Sable's inclusion was secured after four athletes ranked higher than him withdrew due to injuries. This opportunity is particularly significant as it marks the first time two Indians will compete in the Diamond League finale.Sable's journey to the Diamond League Final has been marked by both triumphs and setbacks. He set a new national record in the 3000m steeplechase earlier this year, but his Olympic performance fell short of expectations. However, Sable remains determined to prove his worth on the global stage.The Diamond League Final will be a challenging test for Sable, who will face stiff competition from the likes of Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco and world champion Conseslus Kipruto of Kenya. Nevertheless, Sable's determination and resilience make him a formidable contender.The event will be telecast live on Sports18 3 and Sports18 1 HD TV channels in India, and live-streamed on the JioCinema app and website.

National record holder Avinash Sable will make history as the first Indian to compete in the Diamond League Final in the 3000m steeplechase event. The season-ending event will be held in Brussels on September 13, and Sable will join star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra in representing India.Sable earned his spot in the final despite finishing 14th in the overall Diamond League standings with three points. However, four athletes ranked higher than him have withdrawn from the event, including Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia, Geordie Beamish of New Zealand, Ryuji Mura of Japan, and Hillary Bor of the USA.The 29-year-old Sable has had a remarkable season, setting a new national record of 8:09.91 in the Paris leg of the Diamond League on July 7. He also finished 14th at the Silesia leg with a time of 8:29.96 on August 25.Sable's performance at the Paris Games was disappointing, as he finished 11th with a time of 8:14.18. However, he made history by becoming the first Indian to reach the Olympic final in the men's 3000m steeplechase.Chopra, a two-time Olympic medalist, also qualified for the DL final after finishing fourth in the overall standings. He accumulated 14 points from his two second-place finishes in the one-day meets held in Doha and Lausanne.The Diamond League Final is a prestigious event, with the winner receiving a Diamond Trophy, $30,000 prize money, and a wild card for the World Athletics Championships. The runner-up will receive $12,000, and the prize money decreases for each subsequent place.Sable and Chopra's participation in the Diamond League Final is a testament to their exceptional talent and hard work. Their performances have not only brought glory to India but have also inspired countless young athletes to pursue their dreams.

Indian middle-distance runner Parvej Khan, who recently gained recognition for his impressive performances in the NCAA circuit in the United States, has been provisionally suspended after failing a dope test. The 19-year-old faces a potential four-year ban if found guilty of doping.Khan's provisional suspension was confirmed by a source privy to the development. The date of commencement and the nature of the banned substance remain undisclosed. It is believed that his dope sample was collected during the National Inter-State Championships in Panchkula, where he competed for the first time since the National Inter-State Championships in Bhubaneswar in June 2023.Khan's suspension comes as a major setback for the young athlete, who had emerged as a rising star in Indian track and field. He became the first Indian to qualify for the final of a track event in the NCAA Championships earlier this year, representing the University of Florida on scholarship.Hailing from a humble farming family in Haryana, Khan's journey to the top has been marked by determination and hard work. He won the 1500m gold at the 2022 National Games and has consistently improved his personal bests.Khan's provisional suspension serves as a reminder of the importance of clean sport and the consequences of doping. The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) is responsible for enforcing anti-doping regulations in India and ensuring the integrity of sports competitions.The outcome of Khan's case will be closely watched by the Indian sporting community and beyond. If found guilty, he will face a significant setback in his career and will serve as a cautionary tale for other athletes tempted to engage in doping.

The Indian quartet of Jay Kumar, Neeru Pahtak, Rihan Chaudhary, and Sandramol Sabu made history at the World Athletics U20 Championships on Tuesday by qualifying for the 4x400m mixed relay final. The team's impressive performance marked the first time an Indian team had reached the final of this event at the global level.In the preliminary heats, the Indian quartet faced stiff competition from 20 other teams. However, they rose to the occasion, clocking a season-best time of 3:22.54s. This performance placed them second in their heat and third overall, securing their spot in the final.Australia's team, comprising Jordan Gilbert, Bella Pasquali, Jack Deguara, and Sophia Gregorevic, emerged as the top qualifiers with a time of 3:21.10s. Poland's quartet of Michał Kijewski, Wiktoria Gajosz, Stanisław Strzelecki, and Zofia Tomczyk also impressed, recording a season-best time of 3:21.92s to finish second overall.The Indian team's success is a testament to their hard work and dedication. They have been training tirelessly under the guidance of coach Sanjay Garnaik, who has played a pivotal role in their development.The 4x400m mixed relay final is scheduled to take place on Thursday, August 4th. The Indian team will be aiming to continue their impressive run and secure a podium finish. Their performance has already made history and inspired young athletes across the country.

Manu Bhaker's Father Addresses Marriage Speculation with Neeraj ChopraA viral video of Manu Bhaker's mother, Sumedha Bhaker, meeting Neeraj Chopra sparked a frenzy of speculation online, with many suggesting that she was inquiring about Chopra's suitability as a potential match for her daughter. However, Manu Bhaker's father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, has dismissed these rumors, stating that his daughter is "still too young" for marriage.In an interview with Dainik Bhaskar, Ram Kishan Bhaker said, "Manu is still very young. She is not even of marriageable age. Not even thinking about it right now." He also clarified that the viral video was simply a friendly interaction between his wife and Chopra, whom she considers like a son.Neeraj Chopra's uncle also addressed the speculation, saying, "Just as Neeraj brought the medal, the entire country got to know about it. Similarly, when he marries, then everyone will know."Manu Bhaker and Neeraj Chopra are both from Haryana and have achieved remarkable success in their respective sports. Bhaker is the most successful Indian woman shooter in history, while Chopra is the first Indian athlete to win an Olympic title in athletics.At the recently concluded 2024 Paris Olympics, Bhaker clinched a bronze medal in the women's 10m air pistol event, becoming the first Indian woman shooter to stand on the Olympic podium. Chopra, the Tokyo 2020 champion, won a silver medal in the javelin throw, despite managing only one valid throw.Despite their achievements and the speculation surrounding their personal lives, both Bhaker and Chopra remain focused on their careers. Bhaker is determined to continue her success in shooting, while Chopra is aiming to defend his Olympic title in Paris 2024.

Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, had to settle for a silver at the Paris Olympics 2024. Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem took the gold with a Games record throw of 92.97m. Despite becoming the only Indian track and field athlete to win multiple Olympic medals, Neeraj remains humble as ever.In a viral video, Neeraj was seen apologizing to the fans after failing to defend his javelin throw crown. "I don't have much to say, but I've brought something to show you (silver medal). Sorry, like last time, there was no national anthem played, what I had thought, didn't happen but medal is medal, I had worked hard and winning a medal for the country and taking a lap of the track with the flag, that's a different feeling all together," Neeraj told the fans in the viral video.Chopra bagged the silver at the Paris showpiece with a throw of 89.45m behind Pakistan's Arshad, who hurled the javelin to 92.97m, an Olympic record. Anderson Peters of Grenada came third with a throw of 88.54m among the field that included some high-profile javelin throwers like Julian Webber, Jakub Vadlejch, and Julius Yego.Neeraj expressed dissatisfaction with his performance and revealed that the last two to three years were not good for him in terms of fitness. "It was a good throw but I am not that happy with my performance today. My technique and runway were not that good. (I managed) only one throw, the rest I fouled," Neeraj said according to Olympics.com."(For my) second throw I believed to think I can also throw that far. But in javelin, if your run is not so good, you cannot throw very far," added Neeraj.The Indian ace javelin thrower, who also is the current Asian Games champion, said that injuries leading to his title defense in Paris made some difference and he will have to work on being injury-free and on his technique. "The last two or three years were not so good for me. I am always injured. I really tried hard, but I have to work on my injury (staying injury-free) and technique," the 26-year-old added.

The Indian men's 4x400m relay team's Olympic aspirations were dashed on Friday as they finished 10th overall in the heat race, failing to secure a spot in the final round of the Paris Olympics.Despite clocking a season's best of 3 minutes and 0.58 seconds, the quartet of Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Muhammed Ajmal, Amoj Jacob, and Rajesh Ramesh could only manage a seventh-place finish in heat number 2. This placed them 10th overall out of 16 teams, with only the top three teams from each heat and the next two fastest across the two heats advancing to the final.Botswana (2:57.76), Great Britain (2:58.88), and the USA (2:59.15) emerged as the top three finishers in the heat, while Japan secured the fourth spot with a time of 2:59.48. India's failure to qualify for the final came as a disappointment, given their Asian record of 2:59.05 set at the 2023 Budapest World Championships.The Athletics Federation of India had high hopes for the men's 4x400m relay team to reach the final round, but their hopes were ultimately dashed. The women's 4x400m relay team also failed to qualify for the final, finishing 15th overall out of 16 countries in the round one heats.The quartet of Vithya Ramraj, Jyothika Sri Dandi, MR Poovamma, and Subha Venkatesan clocked 3:32.51 to finish eighth and last in heat number two. This placed them 15th overall, ending their Olympic dreams.

India's javelin star Neeraj Chopra has begun his Olympic title defense with a resounding performance in the qualification round at the ongoing Paris Olympics. Chopra's opening throw of 89.34m was his season best and just shy of his personal best (89.94m), securing him a direct entry into the final.Chopra's impressive throw in Group B was the second best of his career and showcased his remarkable fitness despite battling an adductor niggle in the lead-up to the Games. The 26-year-old reigning world champion topped the qualification round, which combined Group A and B, with his monstrous throw.Two-time world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada finished second in Group B with a throw of 88.63m, while Julian Weber of Germany, who won Group A with 87.76m, was third overall. Reigning Commonwealth Games champion Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan also qualified for the finals with a throw of 86.59m in Group B.Chopra's performance has sparked excitement among Indian fans, with cricketer Rishabh Pant making a bold promise on social media. Pant pledged to give Rs 1,00,089 to a lucky winner who likes and comments on his post if Neeraj wins gold on Thursday.Other Indian celebrities, including a parody account of star batter Virat Kohli, have also promised to reward fans if Chopra secures the gold medal. These gestures reflect the immense support and admiration for Chopra, who is widely regarded as one of India's greatest athletes.Chopra's qualification performance is a testament to his unwavering determination and exceptional talent. As he prepares for the men's javelin throw final on Thursday, the nation will be rooting for him to repeat his historic gold medal victory from the Tokyo Olympics.

Neeraj Chopra, India's golden boy of athletics, has embarked on his quest for Olympic glory once again at the Paris Olympics 2024. The Arjuna Award winner made a resounding start to his campaign, qualifying for the javelin final with an impressive throw of 89.34m in Paris.Chopra's performance has ignited a wave of optimism among Indians, who are eagerly anticipating another medal-winning performance from their star athlete. The javelin throw event is set to commence shortly, and the nation is holding its breath in anticipation of Chopra's title defense.Social media has been abuzz with reactions to Chopra's qualification, with many expressing confidence in his ability to clinch the gold medal. "Neeraj Chopra is ready to make history again with his golden arm," wrote one fan. Another added, "Golden boy Neeraj Chopra."If Chopra emerges victorious today, he will not only add a gold medal to India's Olympic tally but also become the first Indian athlete to win multiple individual gold medals at the Olympics. This would be a historic achievement for both Chopra and Indian sports.Chopra's journey to the Paris Olympics has been marked by determination and hard work. After creating history at the Tokyo Olympics by becoming the second Indian to win an individual gold medal, Chopra has continued to push himself to new heights.In Tokyo, Chopra clinched the gold medal with a throw of 87.58m in his second attempt. His victory marked a significant milestone for Indian athletics, as he became the first Indian to win an Olympic medal in a track-and-field discipline in over 120 years.Chopra's success has inspired a new generation of Indian athletes and has brought renewed attention to the sport of javelin throw. His performance in Paris is eagerly awaited, and the nation is confident that he will once again make India proud.