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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 Olympic javelin star Neeraj Chopra has set his sights on a podium finish at the 2025 Tokyo World Championships, aiming to add to his impressive medal collection. After a successful season that saw him secure a silver medal at the Paris Olympics and a second-place finish at the Diamond League finale in Brussels, Chopra is determined to continue his winning streak.Despite battling an adductor muscle niggle throughout the year, Chopra remains optimistic about his fitness. He plans to consult with doctors to determine the best course of action for his injury, but assures that he will be fully fit for the upcoming season.Chopra's focus is not only on his physical health but also on refining his technique. He acknowledges the need for improvement and will work closely with his renowned German biomechanics expert, Klaus Bartonietz, to enhance his performance.Reflecting on India's Olympic performance, Chopra expressed satisfaction with the overall medal count but noted the potential for further improvement. He highlighted the numerous fourth-place finishes and believes that with continued effort, India can achieve even greater success in future Olympic Games.Chopra's ultimate goal is to break the 90m mark, a feat he has come close to achieving in the past. He remains determined to surpass his personal best and establish himself as one of the world's top javelin throwers.

The Indian Under-17 women's wrestling team faced an unfortunate setback at the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan, after missing their scheduled flight back home following their triumphant performance at the World Championships. The team, comprising nine wrestlers and three coaches, was booked on separate flights, leading to the confusion and delay.The coaches, Jai Bhagwan, Shilpi Sheoran, and Rekha Rani, were scheduled to depart on an Emirates flight (EK904) at 6:10 pm with a stopover in Dubai. Their connecting flight was set for 3:55 am, with an estimated arrival time of 9:05 am in Delhi.However, the wrestlers' flight (QR401) with Qatar Airways was initially scheduled to depart at 8:30 pm and arrive in Doha at 11:10 pm. However, the flight status indicated that it had departed at 6:18 pm, raising concerns about whether it had been rescheduled.Sources within the Indian contingent expressed frustration over the separate flight arrangements for the coaches and wrestlers, particularly given the young age of the athletes. "The young women wrestlers have missed the flight. There is a lot of confusion what actually happened. The young wrestlers should not have been booked in a separate flight. SAI should have booked them in the same flight. They are kids," said a source.Efforts were underway to secure the wrestlers on the first available flight, with the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) working to make arrangements for their overnight stay. "See, the WFI is suspended. We are not in full control. We never book young wrestlers and coaches in separate flights. Arrangements are now being made for wrestlers' overnight stay, there is no flight available for Saturday. They will be booked in the first available flight," said a WFI official.The Indian women's wrestling team had a remarkable performance at the World Championships, winning its first-ever team title with 185 points. They secured five gold medals, one silver, and two bronze medals, entering nine weight categories.

Vinesh Phogat's illustrious wrestling career came to an abrupt and heartbreaking end at the World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. The 29-year-old, who has been a dominant force in the sport for over a decade, was disqualified from the final due to being 100 grams overweight.Phogat had qualified for the Paris Olympics 2024 in the 50kg weight category, having dropped down from her usual 53kg. She faced a daunting task in her opening bout against defending champion Yui Susaki, who had been unbeaten since 2010. However, Phogat pulled off a dramatic 3-2 victory, leaving her in tears of joy.She continued her impressive run by defeating Ukraine's Oksana Livach in the quarter-final and Cuba's Yusneylys Guzman in the semi-final. But her hopes of a gold medal were dashed when she failed to make weight for the final.Phogat's disqualification sent shockwaves through the wrestling community. She immediately announced her retirement, citing the incident as the final straw in a series of setbacks. Last year, she had been involved in protests against the former chief of the Wrestling Federation of India, Brij Bhushan Singh.Former Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra expressed his sympathy for Phogat, but emphasized the importance of adhering to the rules of the sport. "Sport is always governed by rules," he said. "If you don't govern sport by rules then there is no sport."The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) was scheduled to give its verdict on Phogat's appeal for a joint silver medal on Saturday, but the decision has been postponed.Phogat's disqualification marks a sad end to a remarkable career. She has won two World Championship bronze medals, three Commonwealth Games gold medals, and multiple medals in Asian Games and Asian Championships. Her determination and fighting spirit have inspired countless young wrestlers in India.

In the heart of Paris, the Lebrun brothers, Felix and Alexis, are making history in French table tennis. Their journey began at a tender age, with Felix's unwavering desire to join his father in the sport.Growing up in a family of paddlers, the brothers were exposed to the game from an early age. Their father, Stephane, and uncle, Christophe Legout, were both accomplished table tennis players. While they dabbled in other sports, ping pong remained their true calling.Felix, the younger brother, quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the world No.5 and the only non-Chinese player in the top five. Alexis, ranked 16th, has also made his mark, notably defeating the then world No.1 Fan Zhendong last year.Together, they led the French team to silver at the World Team Championships in Busan, losing only to China. Their rise to global stardom is attributed to their intense training with each other during the Covid pandemic and the guidance of their first coach, Nathanael Molin.Felix has captured the 2023 European Games gold and several WTT Contender titles, while Alexis has won three consecutive national titles. Their success has made them future challengers to the Chinese dominance in the sport.Despite their sibling rivalry, the Lebruns share a close bond. Alexis is proud of his brother's achievements, while Felix acknowledges his brother's superiority in official matches.Off the court, they spend time together traveling, playing games, and discussing table tennis. Their mother, Dominique, is overjoyed by their success and the strong bond they share.The Lebrun brothers are determined to continue their ascent in the rankings, win major tournaments, and break new ground in world table tennis. Their journey is a testament to their talent, hard work, and the unwavering support of their family.

Neeraj Chopra, India's reigning Olympic javelin throw champion, is poised to defend his title at the upcoming Paris Olympics. His remarkable performance at the World Championships, where he qualified for the final and the 2024 Paris Olympics with a first attempt of 88.77m, has solidified his status as a formidable contender.Chopra's journey to the top has been marked by consistent excellence. At the Tokyo Olympics, he etched his name in history by securing India's first-ever athletics gold medal with a best throw of 87.58m. He became the second Indian after Abhinav Bindra (2008) to win an individual gold at the Olympics and the first Indian since independence to earn a medal in athletics at the Games.Post-Tokyo, Chopra has maintained his impressive form. In June 2022, he set a new personal best of 89.30m at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland, breaking his own national record. He further surpassed his record with a throw of 89.94m at the Stockholm Diamond League, where he finished second.Chopra's historic silver medal at the Oregon World Championships in July 2022 was followed by a gold at the Lausanne Diamond League, which also qualified him for the Zurich final. He emerged victorious in the final with a throw of 88.44m, becoming the first Indian to do so and securing his spot at the 2023 World Championships.In May 2023, Chopra topped the Doha Diamond League with an 88.67m throw, propelling him to the top of the men's javelin rankings by World Athletics. His golden performance at the World Athletics Championships in August 2023, with a throw of 88.17m, further cemented his dominance. He concluded the season with a silver medal at the 2022 Asian Games, achieving a season-best throw of 88.88m.Chopra's unwavering determination and exceptional talent make him a strong favorite to defend his Olympic title in Paris. His consistent performances and unwavering focus on improvement bode well for India's hopes of another historic triumph in athletics.

The Paris Olympics shooting selection trials witnessed a fierce battle for spots, with nine out of 16 quotas in rifle and pistol events changing hands. The onus was on quota winners to defend their places, but even world championship medallists like Rudrankksh Patil, Mehuli Ghosh, and Akhil Sheoran were swept aside.Rhythm Sangwan and Esha Singh swapped places in the 10m pistol and 25m pistol events, respectively. However, the biggest casualty was Rudrankksh, the 2022 world champion and only the second Indian air rifle shooter after Abhinav Bindra to win a world title. Mehuli and Sheoran, who had secured Olympic quotas with bronze medals at the world championships, also lost their places.The selection trials were held over four rounds in Delhi and Bhopal, with the shooters' three best scores considered. The bonus points for quota winners were reduced to level the playing field.The new policy was introduced after the debacle in Tokyo, where shooters who had performed well in the qualification cycle failed to deliver at the Olympics. The trials were designed to select the team based on current form.In men's 10m air rifle, Sandeep Singh emerged as the surprise topper, ahead of quota winner Arjun Babuta and Rudrankksh. In women's 10m air rifle, Tokyo Olympian Elavenil came to the fore, while Asian Games medallist Ramita Jindal grabbed the second place. In men's rifle 3P, Aishwary Pratap Tomar topped and sealed his place, beside Swapnil Kusale.The final call to pick the team remains with the NRAI selection committee, but it will be difficult to make any changes considering that the team has been selected through a policy. Paris will put the new policy to test, and India will hope that the Worlds medallists are not missed too much.

India's para-athletes continue to shine at the World Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan, with Sachin Sarjerao Khilari claiming a gold medal in the F46 shot put event. Khilari's triumph marks India's fifth gold at the ongoing competition and is a testament to the country's growing prowess in para-athletics.Khilari, a defending champion in the event, shattered his own Asian record with a remarkable throw of 16.30m. His previous record of 16.21m was set in Paris last year. The Indian athlete's dominance was evident throughout the competition, as he consistently outperformed his rivals.With three days remaining in the championships, India has amassed an impressive 12 medals (5 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze). This tally surpasses India's previous best performance at the 2023 Paris iteration, where the team secured 10 medals.Khilari's gold medal is a culmination of years of hard work and determination. Hailing from a humble village in Maharashtra, the 34-year-old athlete overcame a childhood mishap that resulted in a disability in his left hand. Despite multiple surgeries, his arm never fully recovered.The F46 category in para-athletics is designed for athletes with moderately affected movement in one or both arms or the absence of limbs. These athletes must transmit power from their hips and legs into their throws.Khilari's success is not limited to the World Championships. He is also a Hangzhou Asian Games gold medalist and has qualified for the Paris Paralympics. The Indian athlete is confident of continuing his winning streak and bringing home another gold medal from the prestigious event.India's medal haul was further boosted by Dharambir's bronze medal in the men's F51 club throw. Dharambir, a Hangzhou Asian Games silver medalist, broke his own Asian record with a throw of 33.61m. The gold medal in the event went to Serbia's Zeljko Dimitrijevic, who set a championship record with a throw of 34.20m.India's performance at the World Athletics Championships is a testament to the country's commitment to promoting para-athletics and providing opportunities for athletes with disabilities to excel on the world stage.

Neeraj Chopra, India's Olympic gold medalist in javelin throw, is gearing up for his return to outdoor competition in 2024. The 26-year-old is currently training in Turkey and is confident of being in top form for the upcoming season.Chopra's preparation for the Tokyo Olympics was hampered by injuries, but he has since bounced back strongly. He won a silver medal at the 2022 World Championships and set a new personal best of 89.94 meters at the Stockholm Diamond League meet."I want to be in the best possible shape before Paris," Chopra said. "My training sessions have gone off really well so far. I always lay stress on fitness along with strength and technique."Chopra is not setting any specific targets for the upcoming season, but he is confident of continuing his good form."I have won medals in two World Championships, threw my personal best, won a dream Diamond League title, and even defended my gold at the Asian Games," he said. "All in all, I have been in great space and want to carry forward that momentum from May onwards."Chopra is aware of the increasing competition in javelin throw, but he is not fazed by it."What matters to me is staying 100 percent fit, being consistent during the season, and delivering on the day that matters," he said. "I think there are mistakes to fix and looking at the increasing competition all around, one has to keep improving."Chopra is a role model for young athletes in India and is an inspiration to many. He is a true champion and a credit to his country.