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Nethra Kumanan, India's lone female sailor with an Olympic berth, candidly reflects on her disappointing Asian Games performance, where she narrowly missed a podium finish and an Olympic quota. "It was a huge slap in the face," she admits.Despite setbacks in several qualifying events, Nethra persevered and secured her Paris Games berth at the "last minute" of the Last Chance Regatta. Finishing among the top three sailors from the Emerging Nations Program (ENP) in the women's dinghy ILCA 6 in Hyeres, France, she earned her second Olympic appearance."It feels incredible," Nethra says. "It's mostly been a relief, because I've known I've been capable of this since last year."For the Tokyo Games, Nethra qualified as the best Asian in the continental qualifying event. However, for Paris, she faced a series of disappointments in four qualifying events. The closest she came was at the second Worlds this year, where she was "two points away from making it."The long road to qualification tested her patience and mental resolve. "It's been a lot of reflection, a lot of work," she says. "It's been hard dealing with it, but I'm happy I found a way."The fourth-place finish at the Asian Games was particularly disheartening. With the help of her psychologist, Nethra delved into introspection. "I've always had to work hard on how to deal with my mind and stress," she says. "But at some point, I had to accept that this is the hand I've been dealt, and I had to deal with it."Despite the setbacks, Nethra believes she is a more skilled and experienced sailor heading into Paris than she was in Tokyo, where she finished 35th. "I know I am capable of results in the top half at these Games," she says. "My level has certainly improved. I'm faster, a lot more experienced."World Sailing's ENP program has been instrumental in her qualification quest, providing financial support and coaching assistance. Nethra also credits her training base in Gran Canaria and her Hungarian coach, Tamas Eszes.With an additional French coach in Marseille, where the sailing events will be held at the Olympics, Nethra is confident in her preparation. "I feel like I will be better prepared for this Olympics than I was in Tokyo," she says. "I'll be training at the venue and have the inputs of a local coach."Nethra's focus is now on performance rather than simply participating in the Olympics. "The first one was an incredible experience, and that's what I took from it," she says. "Now I know more of what to expect in terms of pressure and grandeur. I'll be focussed more on performance in Paris rather than just being at the Olympics."

The New York Rangers have swept the Washington Capitals in the first round of the NHL playoffs, showcasing their dominance in all aspects of the game. Their victory marks the first time a team has advanced to the second round this season.The Rangers' success stems from their depth and balance, with 10 players scoring goals and 14 registering points against Washington. Igor Shesterkin, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, continued his stellar play, stopping 94 of 101 shots faced.New York's special teams were also a key factor, scoring two short-handed goals and killing off 15 of 17 Capitals power plays. Their 5-on-5 play was equally impressive, allowing them to overcome some tight games."We showed it every game," said Vincent Trocheck, the Rangers' leading goal-scorer in the series. "The sign of a good team is when there is depth and balance."The Rangers' next challenge will likely be the Carolina Hurricanes, who are up 3-1 on the New York Islanders. The Rangers won two of their three games against Carolina this season, but also lost 6-1 in January.However, the Rangers have the advantage of extra time off, which they believe will be beneficial after going through seven-game series in each of the first two rounds of the 2022 playoffs."The seven-game series will pile up on you, so, yeah, obviously that's a big factor, I think, to keep as fresh as we can," said captain Jacob Trouba.The Rangers' depth has allowed them to keep their players' ice time under 23 minutes per game, a significant advantage over the Capitals, who relied heavily on top defenseman John Carlson due to injuries."Anyone can play against anyone," said defenseman Braden Schneider. "We balance out well and everyone knows their role and plays hard doing it."The Rangers' success on the road is particularly impressive, as they have home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. Game 1 against the Hurricanes or Islanders will be at Madison Square Garden, giving them a chance to rest and prepare for the next step in their journey towards their first championship since 1994.

LIV Golf Adelaide 2023: A Resounding Success, Setting New BenchmarksLast year's LIV Golf Adelaide event set a high standard for the new league, attracting over 77,000 fans. However, this year's edition surpassed all expectations, raising the bar even higher.More than 94,000 spectators witnessed the action at The Grange, with early broadcast figures indicating close to a million viewers in Australia alone. These numbers do not include users of the LIV Golf + app, which has become a popular platform for following the league.The local government's support for the tournament was evident, with nearly 40% of attendees traveling from out of state. While these numbers may pale in comparison to some PGA Tour events and major championships, they are a testament to the league's growing popularity.Despite criticism of sparsely attended events like Jeddah, LIV Golf's presence in Saudi Arabia is seen as a responsibility to grow the game in the region. The tournament's relocation to populous cities like Riyadh is expected to further boost attendance.One of the key highlights of LIV Golf Adelaide was the enthusiastic embrace of the team aspect. The all-Australian Ripper GC emerged victorious, defeating the all-South African Stingers GC in the first-ever team playoff.The team format has gained significant traction this year, with Crushers GC, led by Bryson DeChambeau and featuring Anirban Lahiri, becoming a fan favorite. Their comeback wins in Jeddah and Hong Kong have captivated audiences.Critics who argue that team competition is difficult to understand are dismissed by LIV Golf officials. The format is simple: the best three scores count on the first two days, while all four scores count in the final round.LIV Golf has also made a concerted effort to cater to fans, offering affordable ticket prices, providing ample information, and supplementing golf with entertainment. Their fast-paced TV broadcast has also received positive feedback.As LIV Golf moves to Singapore this week, expectations are high. While attendance may not reach the same levels as Adelaide, a crowd of around 30,000 over three days would be considered a success.

Alex Ovechkin, the NHL's second-highest goal scorer in regular season history, has faced criticism for his playoff performances. Despite winning the Stanley Cup in 2018, Ovechkin has been held without a goal or assist in a playoff series for the first time in his career. In the recent first-round sweep by the New York Rangers, Ovechkin managed only five shots on net.Ovechkin acknowledged his poor performance after the Game 4 loss. "I didn't play well," he said. "I don't have that kind of touch. I try to find a different way to put the puck in."The Rangers' suffocating defense made it difficult for Ovechkin to create scoring chances. New York's Vincent Trocheck poked away Ovechkin's best opportunity in Game 4, and the Russian superstar was largely neutralized throughout the series."He's been doing it for so long," Trocheck said. "He's arguably one of the best, if not the best, goal-scorers of all-time. We had to pay a little bit more attention to him on the penalty kill. Obviously, we're extremely focused on him."Rangers winger Artemi Panarin remained tight-lipped about the team's strategy for shutting down Ovechkin. "It's a secret," he said.Igor Shesterkin, the Rangers' goaltender, also played a key role in limiting Ovechkin's impact. "The defense was awesome," Shesterkin said. "All four games, they played in front of him and didn't let him do anything."At 38 years old, Ovechkin's future in the NHL playoffs is uncertain. Washington missed the playoffs last year, and with an aging core, it's possible that this was Ovechkin's final postseason appearance."I hope I'm still going to get a couple chances," he said.

The Würth 400 of NASCAR Cup Series 2024, held on Sunday, witnessed an intense race with Denny Hamlin emerging victorious. Starting from the sixth position on the grid, Hamlin drove a flawless race, leading for 100 laps and ultimately crossing the finish line first.Kyle Larson, starting from the 21st position, put up a strong performance to finish second. Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch, both from Joe Gibbs Racing, finished third and fourth, respectively. Chase Elliott, Noah Gragson, and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top six.Alex Bowman, Daniel Hemric, and Tyler Reddick also had impressive runs, finishing in the top 10. Ross Chastain, A.J. Allmendinger, and Josh Berry were among the other notable drivers who finished in the top 15.The race was not without its share of drama. Daniel Suárez, who started 31st, had a strong run but was involved in a late-race incident that dropped him down the order. Brad Keselowski, starting from 24th, also had a disappointing race, finishing 30th after experiencing mechanical issues.The Würth 400 saw several lead changes and close battles throughout the race. Hamlin's victory marks his first win of the 2024 season and solidifies his position as a top contender for the championship.

Toronto's Blue Jays snapped the Los Angeles Dodgers' six-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory on Sunday, thanks to a solid outing from Kevin Gausman and timely hitting from Alejandro Kirk.Gausman, making his third start of the season, allowed just five hits and one run over seven innings. He struck out five batters and walked none, earning his first win of the year. The Blue Jays' bullpen, led by Yimi García, Tim Mayza, and Jordan Romano, held the Dodgers to just one hit over the final two innings to secure the victory.Kirk, who had been mired in an 0-for-11 slump, went 3-for-3 with a solo home run in the second inning. His homer gave the Blue Jays their first lead since the fifth inning of Tuesday's loss at Kansas City. Daulton Varsho and Isiah Kiner-Falefa also drove in runs for Toronto.The Dodgers' lone run came on a solo homer by Freddie Freeman in the sixth inning. Shohei Ohtani, who was making his first appearance against the Blue Jays since being traded to Los Angeles, had a deep drive to center field in his first at-bat, but Varsho made a leaping catch on the warning track.The Blue Jays improved to 4-12 when scoring three or fewer runs, while the Dodgers dropped to 15-10 on the season.

In a historic triumph, the Indian men's recurve archery team stunned reigning Olympic champions South Korea 5-1 (57-57, 57-55, 55-53) to claim the gold medal at the Archery World Cup Stage 1 in Shanghai. This victory marks India's first World Cup men's team gold in 14 years and significantly boosts their chances of qualifying for the Paris Olympics.The Indian trio of Dhiraj Bommadevara, Tarundeep Rai, and Pravin Jadhav displayed remarkable resilience and precision against a formidable Korean team that included Tokyo Games gold medalists Kim Je-deok and Kim Woo-jin. Despite the absence of a coach due to a rule violation, the Indians remained composed and focused on their own performance.In the first set, both teams tied 1-1 with a score of 57. However, the Indians seized the momentum in the second set, delivering four 10s (three Xs) to Korea's two 8s, winning 57-55. They maintained their dominance in the third set, scoring 55-53, as the Koreans struggled to find a 10.Dhiraj Bommadevara, who has already secured an individual Paris Games quota, expressed his delight at the team's achievement. "This result gives us a big boost in the Olympic year," he said. "This medal feels good, especially with the amount of work we've been doing in the past couple of years, keeping just this Olympics in mind."The Indian men's team's victory is a testament to their hard work and determination. With two more spots available through world rankings and three more at the final qualification tournament, they are well-positioned to secure a quota for the Paris Olympics.Meanwhile, Deepika Kumari made a triumphant return to the World Cup stage after two years, winning the women's recurve silver medal. She defeated Korean archers Jeon Hunyoung and Nam Suhyeon before falling to Lim Si-hyeon in the final.

Maheshwari Chauhan, a rising star in Indian shooting, has secured India's 21st quota place for the upcoming Paris Olympics. On the concluding day of the ISSF Final Olympic Qualification Championship Shotgun in Doha, Chauhan clinched a silver medal in the women's skeet event, earning her a coveted spot at the prestigious sporting spectacle.Chauhan's journey to the Olympics has been marked by unwavering determination and relentless hard work. Competing in her maiden ISSF Final, she displayed nerves of steel and exceptional marksmanship. In the 60-shot final, she tied with Chile's Francisca Crovetto Chadid at 54 hits, forcing a shoot-off for the gold medal.Despite a valiant effort, Chauhan narrowly missed out on the top prize, losing 3-4 to Chadid. However, her silver medal performance was enough to secure India's second Paris quota place in the women's skeet event."I am thrilled. There has been a lot of hard work over the years to get here. I am a bit bummed about the shoot-off, but overall, it has been very satisfying," said Chauhan after the final.Chauhan's triumph is a testament to her unwavering dedication and the support she has received from her coaches and the Indian shooting fraternity. Her achievement is a source of pride for the nation and a beacon of inspiration for aspiring shooters.

Star Indian sprinter Hima Das is set to make her long-awaited return to the track at the Indian Grand Prix 1 in Bengaluru on Tuesday. The 24-year-old was provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) last year for three whereabouts failures in 12 months. However, a NADA Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel cleared her to compete again last month.Das's return is a major boost for Indian athletics. She is a former Asian Games silver medalist in the 400m and was part of the gold and silver-winning women's 4x400m and mixed 4x400m relay quartets in Jakarta in 2018. She was not named in the Hangzhou Asian Games team last year due to an injury.Das last ran a race in April 2022, when she won a gold in the 200m at the Indian Grand Prix in Bengaluru. She missed the entire 2023 season due to injury.Das's whereabouts failures came to light in September last year. Under World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules, any combination of three whereabouts failures within a period of 12 months constitute an anti-doping rule violation. Athletes included in the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) must provide full address for their overnight location, the name and full address of each location where they train, work or conduct other regular scheduled activities, as well as the usual time-frames of each activity. RTP athletes must also identify a 60-minute window and location for each day of the quarter, during which they must be available for testing. Failure to comply with whereabouts and testing obligations will result in a whereabouts failure.Das has faced a maximum two-year ban if proven guilty, which can be reduced to a minimum of one year depending on the degree of her fault. However, the NADA disciplinary panel cleared her to compete again, and she is now set to make her return at the Indian Grand Prix 1.