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The Candidates Tournament, a prestigious chess event, concluded recently with an Indian teenager making history. However, for other Indian participants, the aftermath has been a mix of emotions and introspection.Vidit Gujrathi, making his Candidates debut, finished sixth. His defeat to Ian Nepomniachtchi in Round 11, despite escaping two losing positions, left a lasting impact. "It shattered me," he admitted. "I didn't manage my emotions well. I need to be mentally tougher." Gujrathi's tournament included two victories over world No. 3 Hikaru Nakamura and eight decisive games, but also five losses. "I took risks, but when you play with fire, you can burn yourself," he said. "I have no regrets, but I have to wait two more years for the next Candidates."Praggnanandhaa, 18, made an impressive debut, showcasing innovative opening strategies. While he missed some opportunities, he acknowledged the significance of his fifth-place finish. "Gukesh's win shows that our generation is ready," he said. "I tried to fight with both colors, but I needed to score more wins."Koneru Humpy, 37, finished tied second in the Women's Candidates. Despite personal challenges, she played better in the second half. "I didn't expect to finish second," she said. "I was just trying to save rating points." Humpy, a renowned female player, has yet to win a Women's World Championship.The Candidates Tournament has left a lasting impact on these Indian players. For Praggnanandhaa, it's a source of motivation. For Vidit, it's a challenge to overcome disappointment and set new goals. For Humpy, it's a reminder of the sacrifices and challenges of balancing chess with motherhood.

San Diego Padres have acquired two-time batting champion Luis Arraez from the Miami Marlins in a four-player deal. The Padres will only be responsible for the major league minimum salary, as the Marlins will cover the majority of Arraez's remaining salary.Arraez, 27, won the 2022 AL batting title with the Minnesota Twins and the 2023 NL crown with the Marlins. He is a two-time All-Star and has hit over .300 in four of his five previous major league seasons.In exchange for Arraez, the Padres sent first baseman Nathan Martorella, outfielders Dillon Head and Jakob Marsee, and right-hander Woo-Suk Go to the Marlins.Arraez is expected to be a key addition to the Padres' lineup, which is currently 4 1/2 games behind the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers. He is known for his exceptional contact skills and ability to put the ball in play.The Marlins, on the other hand, are rebuilding and are looking to acquire young talent. Martorella, Head, Marsee, and Go are all considered to be promising prospects.The trade has been met with mixed reactions. The Marlins are disappointed to lose Arraez, who was a popular figure in the clubhouse. However, the Padres are excited to add a player of his caliber to their team.Arraez is expected to make his Padres debut soon. He will be a valuable asset to the team as they look to make a run at the playoffs.

The use of long-term injured reserve (LTIR) has become a contentious issue in the NHL, with teams like the Vegas Golden Knights facing scrutiny for their perceived manipulation of the salary cap.Vegas has placed captain Mark Stone on LTIR each of the past three seasons, allowing them to exceed the cap by his salary until the playoffs begin. This has enabled them to acquire key players like Jack Eichel and Tomas Hertl.Critics argue that this practice gives Vegas an unfair advantage, as they can essentially add players to their roster without having to shed salary. The NHL, however, maintains that it closely monitors LTIR usage and ensures that teams are not abusing the system.General manager Kelly McCrimmon insists that the league is fully involved in all LTIR decisions and has access to players' medical information. He argues that the system is legitimate and that injuries are thoroughly scrutinized.However, some experts believe that the LTIR rules are open to interpretation and that teams may be exploiting loopholes. Hart Levine of PuckPedia notes that the timing of Stone's recovery from a lacerated spleen this season raised eyebrows, as he was activated off LTIR just in time for the playoffs.Other teams have also used LTIR to their advantage. The Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2015 after adding players at the trade deadline while Patrick Kane was on LTIR. The Tampa Bay Lightning repeated as champions in 2021 with Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos on LTIR.The NHL and NHL Players' Association have not yet discussed potential changes to the LTIR rules, but it remains a topic of debate. Some possible solutions include limiting teams to replacing only a percentage of the lost salary or simplifying the formula for calculating cap relief.

Indian Junior Men's Hockey Team Embarks on European Tour with Rohit as CaptainThe Indian junior men's hockey team, under the leadership of defender Rohit, is set to embark on a European tour from May 20-29. The 20-member squad will play five matches across three nations—Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands—as part of Hockey India's initiative to provide the team with valuable exposure and experience.Rohit, who has been a key member of the Indian junior team for the past two years, expressed his excitement about the upcoming tour. "We have been training hard at our camp and have developed an understanding of each other's gameplay," he said. "It will be wonderful to play together against teams from other nations to help us build on our game and get better through this kind of exposure."The team's vice-captain, Shardanand Tiwari, echoed Rohit's sentiments. "This will be a wonderful experience and will go a long way in evaluating where we stand as a team and as individual players," he said. "It will be a great way to figure out our strengths and what areas we would need to touch upon."The Indian team will face a tough challenge during their tour, as they will be playing against some of the top junior teams in Europe. However, the players are confident that they can perform well and gain valuable experience."We are all very excited about this tour," said midfielder Ankit Pal. "We have been working hard in training and we are ready to give our best on the field. We know that the competition will be tough, but we are confident that we can perform well and make our country proud."The Indian team will play their first match on May 20 against Belgium in Antwerp, before playing the same opponents in Breda, Netherlands on May 22. India will then play the Netherlands' Club team Bredase Hockey Vereniging Push in Breda on May 23, followed by a game against Germany on May 28 in Germany. They will then return to Breda to play Germany once again on 29th May in their final match of the tour.

World champion Max Verstappen secured pole position for Saturday's sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix, but expressed dissatisfaction with his tire performance. Verstappen edged out Ferrari's Charles Leclerc by a mere 0.108 seconds, with Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez finishing third.Despite topping the earlier practice session, Verstappen struggled with tire grip during qualifying. "It felt pretty terrible," he admitted. "I didn't improve much on the soft, but I'll take it."Leclerc, who had a disappointing practice session, managed to improve his performance in qualifying. However, he acknowledged that Verstappen's pace was superior. "Max was very strong today," Leclerc said. "We need to analyze and see what we can do better."Australian Daniel Ricciardo impressed with a fourth-place finish in his McLaren. "I know it's in me, but did I expect a second-row start? Probably not," Ricciardo said. "It was wild. The laps were good, but it's hard to be really clean around here."McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finished sixth and ninth, respectively. Norris attributed his performance to pushing too hard. "I just pushed too hard," Norris said. "The car was feeling very good. Just silly to be honest."Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso secured seventh and eighth positions, while Haas' Nico Hulkenberg finished 10th.Mercedes endured a disappointing qualifying session, with both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell failing to advance to Q3. "We need to work overnight and make some improvements for the main qualifying," Russell said. "We need to try and get on top of our qualifying woes."In the earlier practice session, Verstappen set the fastest time, while Leclerc experienced a spin-out at Turn 16. The sprint race will take place on Saturday, followed by qualifying for Sunday's main race.

Cole Irvin's impressive scoreless streak continued on Friday night as the Baltimore Orioles shut out the Cincinnati Reds 3-0. Irvin extended his streak to 20 2/3 innings, allowing only two hits and striking out four batters in 6 1/3 innings.The game, delayed by rain for over two hours, saw Irvin dominate the Reds' lineup. After allowing a single to Elly De La Cruz in the first inning, Irvin retired 17 consecutive batters. He induced 11 groundball outs through six innings, showcasing his control and ability to keep the ball on the ground.The Orioles' offense struggled early against Reds starter Hunter Greene, who had thrown 14 scoreless innings coming into the game. However, Baltimore broke through in the seventh inning against reliever Emilio Pagán. Jorge Mateo led off with a single and stole second, setting the stage for Adley Rutschman's double that drove in Mateo. Ryan O'Hearn followed with a two-run homer to give the Orioles a 3-0 lead.Craig Kimbrel closed out the game for the Orioles, striking out the side in the ninth inning to earn his 11th save.The win marked Baltimore's fourth in five games, while the Reds dropped their third straight.

The World Relays in the Bahamas this weekend has attracted the world's top sprinters, including Noah Lyles, Marcell Jacobs, and Femke Bol. India has also sent its relay teams to the event, with the aim of securing Olympic qualification spots for Paris 2024.The Indian men's 4x400m team, which set an Asian record at the World Championships last year, has been training in the Bahamas for a month to acclimatize to the unpredictable weather conditions. The team includes Amoj Jacob, Arokia Rajiv, Avinash Krishna Kumar, Rajesh Ramesh, Noah Nirmal Tom, Muhammed Ajmal, Muhammed Anas Yahiya, and Yashas Palaksha."The biggest challenge for us is the climate," said Rajiv. "It's very unpredictable here, with heat, rain, strong winds, and chilly days. But coming here early and training for almost a month has helped us adapt."The Indian women's 4x400m team is also aiming for Olympic qualification. The team includes Dutee Chand, Hima Das, MR Poovamma, and Sarita Gayakwad.The top two teams from each heat on Saturday will earn their Paris spots as well as a place in the World Relays final. There will be a second shot on Sunday for the remaining teams in another round where the top two teams from each heat will be rewarded with Olympic berths.The Indian relay teams are confident of their chances of qualifying for Paris. "After last year, everyone is confident enough to run at the big stage," said Noah. "It will not be easy here, because every team is good. But the team is motivated and confident of achieving what we're here for."

Indian golf is set to make a grand debut at the 2024 Paris Olympics, with leading professionals Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar poised to represent the nation. Ranked 47th and 52nd respectively on the Olympic Golf Rankings, the duo is expected to secure their spots among the 60 elite golfers teeing off at the prestigious Le Golf National on August 1.Bolstered by the unwavering support of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports' Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), Sharma and Bhullar are confident in maintaining their high rankings and qualifying for the Games. Sharma, recently upgraded to the TOPS Core group, expressed his gratitude for the government's initiative, acknowledging the unique financial challenges faced by golfers."TOPS is a remarkable program that empowers athletes representing India at the highest level," Sharma said. "Golf involves significant expenses, so any support from the government is invaluable. I am determined to meet the nation's expectations and give my all in the Olympics."The financial assistance provided by TOPS will cover Sharma's participation in nine DP World Tour events, two Major championships (the United States Open and British Open), coaching fees, physiotherapy and dietetic services, travel expenses, and living allowances.Sharma has meticulously planned his preparation for the Olympics, following a rigorous schedule. "I am content with my progress and confident in my abilities," he said. "It's not about overcoming challenges but about executing a flawless week. I am optimistic about our chances."Sharma holds immense respect for his senior on the professional circuit, Gaganjeet Bhullar. "Gagan is a champion, and I admire his winning mindset," Sharma said. "Together, we can inspire each other to bring glory to India in Paris."Bhullar, an 11-time Asian Tour champion and 2006 Asian Games silver medalist, is equally eager to excel in Paris. "Being included in TOPS is an honor," Bhullar said. "While I have received support from sponsors, there are still areas that need strengthening. I plan to enhance my team with a psychologist, caddie, and fitness coach.""Shubhankar is younger, but I have witnessed his talent firsthand," Bhullar added. "We are both excited for our Olympic debut. Golf is unpredictable, and a few exceptional rounds can significantly impact the outcome."With the support of TOPS and their unwavering determination, Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar are poised to make history as India's first Olympic golfers. Their journey to Paris 2024 is a testament to their talent, hard work, and the unwavering support of the Indian government.

Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma displayed resilience on Friday, making the cut at the Volvo China Open in Beijing despite a challenging second round. The 27-year-old carded a one-over 73, bringing his total score to five-under for 36 holes.Sharma's round started promisingly with a birdie on the ninth hole. However, he encountered setbacks on the back nine, dropping shots on the 12th and 14th holes. Despite these setbacks, Sharma remained composed and finished the day in a tie for 32nd place.Fellow Indian golfer Om Prakash, who had a promising start with a 70 on the first day, faltered in the second round. He carded a two-over 75, missing the cut by a narrow margin. Prakash's round was marred by a double bogey, two bogeys, and two birdies.At the top of the leaderboard, Sebastian Soderberg continued his impressive form. The Swede shot a blistering seven-under 65, propelled by six birdies on the back nine. Soderberg now holds a commanding three-shot lead over England's Paul Warring, who is at 13-under. Italian Guido Migliozzi is in third place at 12-under.Sharma's performance at the Volvo China Open is a testament to his determination and skill. Despite facing challenges, he managed to make the cut and remains in contention for a top finish. The tournament concludes on Sunday, and Sharma will be hoping to continue his strong play and secure a podium spot.