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Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa emerged victorious in the fifth round of the Prague Masters, defeating compatriot Vidit Gujrathi in a thrilling encounter. However, D Gukesh suffered a disappointing loss to Czech Republic's David Navara, despite holding a strong position.Uzbekistan's Nodirbek Abdusattarov continued his impressive run, crushing Mateusz Bartel of Poland to become the sole leader with four points. Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran trails closely with 3.5 points, while Richard Rapport of Romania sits in third with three points.Praggnanandhaa, known for his aggressive style, kept pushing for an advantage against Gujrathi, who initially held his own. However, Gujrathi's misstep allowed Praggnanandhaa to launch a devastating attack, securing the win in 52 moves.Gukesh, on the other hand, had a comfortable position with an extra pawn in the endgame. However, Navara managed to turn the tables, exploiting Gukesh's errors and converting his advantage into a victory.Abdusattarov displayed his dominance against Bartel, opting for the Sicilian Dragon opening and quickly gaining the upper hand. The Polish Grandmaster struggled to find a response, and Abdusattarov sealed the win in just 28 moves.In the Challengers section, Grandmaster R Vaishali suffered a setback against Erwin L'Ami of Holland, while Arjun Erigaisi impressed in the Shenzen Masters by defeating Anish Giri of Holland.With four rounds remaining in the Prague Masters, Abdusattarov holds a commanding lead. Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh, and Navara share fourth place with 2.5 points each, while Gujrathi and Keymer trail with two points.

India's Olympic boxing aspirations suffered a setback at the World Olympic Boxing Qualifier in Busto Arsizio, Italy, as Deepak Bhoria (51kg) succumbed to a 2-3 split verdict against Azerbaijan's Huseynov Nijat on the opening day.Bhoria, who had edged out 2019 World Championships silver medalist Amit Panghal for a spot in the Indian squad, faced a formidable opponent in Nijat. The Azerbaijani boxer's pace and agility proved too much for Bhoria in the first two rounds, which he lost by identical 2-3 scorelines.Undeterred, Bhoria rallied in the final round, delivering some impressive blows to secure a 4-1 victory. However, it was not enough to overcome the deficit from the earlier rounds.Despite Bhoria's defeat, India still has hopes of securing Olympic quotas through Asian Games bronze medalist Narender (92kg) and Commonwealth Games 2022 bronze medalist Jaismine (60kg), who will face Germany's Nelvie Tiafack and Japan's Ayaka Taguchi respectively later on Sunday.The World Olympic Boxing Qualifier offers 49 quotas for the Paris Olympics, including 28 for men and 21 for women. India has already secured four quotas for the Games.

Jos Verstappen, father of reigning Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen, has raised concerns about the future of the Red Bull team amidst allegations of inappropriate behavior against team boss Christian Horner.Verstappen Sr. expressed his belief that the team is on the brink of collapse if Horner remains in his position. "There is tension here while he (Horner) remains in position," he told the Daily Mail. "The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can't go on the way it is. It will explode."Verstappen rejected claims that he played any role in the allegations against Horner, which were initially reported by Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. "That wouldn't make sense. Why would I do that when Max is doing so well here?" he said.Red Bull announced on Wednesday that Horner had been cleared of the allegations following an internal investigation. However, the subsequent leak of anonymous emails containing alleged WhatsApp messages from Horner has reignited the controversy.Several teams have criticized the lack of transparency in the investigation. Horner, who was accompanied by his wife Geri Halliwell in Bahrain, maintained that the team was united after Red Bull's one-two finish in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix."A one-two finish like this is the optimum and you don't get that without being absolutely united, having a strong team and great support from partners and shareholders," he said.Horner expressed confidence in his support from the Red Bull owners, including majority shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya. "Backing? Absolutely, yes. And I'll be there. Otherwise I wouldn't be here!" he said.Horner has led Red Bull to six constructors' championship wins and seven drivers' title triumphs since 2005. Last year's Red Bull car won a record 21 of 22 races, dominating the season.The allegations against Horner and the subsequent fallout have cast a shadow over Red Bull's start to the 2023 season. It remains to be seen whether the team can maintain its unity and success amidst the ongoing controversy.

Max Verstappen's dominance continued unabated as he cruised to a commanding victory in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, extending his winning streak to eight races. The reigning world champion started from pole position and never looked back, leading every lap to secure a one-two finish for Red Bull with teammate Sergio Perez.Despite the ongoing drama surrounding team principal Christian Horner, Red Bull remained unfazed, with Verstappen delivering a flawless performance. Horner's wife, Geri Halliwell, joined him before the race and celebrated on the podium, adding to the team's jubilation.Carlos Sainz Jr. finished third for Ferrari after a spirited battle with teammate Charles Leclerc. However, Ferrari's hopes of challenging Red Bull were dashed as they struggled to match the pace of the Austrian team.Verstappen's victory sets the tone for the longest-ever F1 season, with 24 races scheduled. The Dutchman's near-perfect record from 2023, where he won 19 of 22 races, suggests that he is poised to repeat his success.Horner, who has been embroiled in controversy, expressed relief at the team's focus on racing. "The result today demonstrates where the whole team's focus is," he said. "We move onwards."Perez's climb from fifth to second showcased Red Bull's superiority, while Sainz's podium finish was a welcome return to form for the Spaniard. Leclerc's challenge faded after a poor start, leaving him to settle for fourth.George Russell finished fifth for Mercedes, followed by Lando Norris for McLaren and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton. Oscar Piastri of McLaren and the Aston Martin duo of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll rounded out the top 10.

Gonzaga Bolsters NCAA Tournament Hopes with Victory over Saint Mary'sMORAGA, Calif. - No. 23 Gonzaga Bulldogs secured a crucial 70-57 victory over No. 17 Saint Mary's Gaels on Saturday night, bolstering their chances of an NCAA Tournament berth.Graham Ike led the Bulldogs with 24 points, continuing his impressive streak of scoring at least 20 points in seven consecutive games. Ryan Nembhard contributed 20 points and 10 assists, while Ben Gregg added 12 points.Saint Mary's, who had won 16 straight games, struggled to contain Gonzaga's offense. The Bulldogs shot 64% in the first half, building a 44-28 halftime lead. Aidan Mahaney led the Gaels with 16 points, while Mitchell Saxen added 13.Gonzaga's victory was particularly significant as they had lost to Saint Mary's at home earlier in the season. The Bulldogs have now won eight straight games since that defeat, including three Quad 1 victories.The win puts Gonzaga in a strong position heading into the WCC Tournament. The Bulldogs are now 24-6 overall and 14-2 in conference play. Saint Mary's, who clinched the WCC title on Thursday, will also participate in the tournament.Gonzaga's streak of 24 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances was in jeopardy before this recent surge. However, their impressive run has put them in a good position to receive an at-large bid if necessary.Saint Mary's, on the other hand, will need to rely on their defense and ball protection to continue their success in the WCC Tournament. They will face a tough challenge in the semifinals against either Gonzaga or BYU.

The Columbus Blue Jackets, the worst team in the Eastern Conference, stunned the Chicago Blackhawks, the worst team in the Western Conference, with a 5-2 victory on Saturday night. The win snapped the Blue Jackets' two-game losing streak and dropped Chicago to 0-4-2 in its last six games.Alexandre Texier opened the scoring for Columbus just 33 seconds into the game, taking advantage of a giveaway by Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones. Boone Jenner doubled the lead with a deflection of Zach Werenski's shot at 14:05 of the first period.The Blackhawks finally got on the board with 2:28 left in the first on Philipp Kurashev's goal, but the Blue Jackets responded with two more goals in the second period. Mathieu Olivier scored at 3:09, assisted by Werenski, and Cole Sillinger made it 4-1 midway through the period.Johnny Gaudreau added an empty-netter for Columbus in the final minute of the game. Elvis Merzlikins made 26 saves for the Blue Jackets, while Arvid Soderblom stopped 26 shots for the Blackhawks."I don't think there's any pressure on us now," said Merzlikins. "The last few games we're playing against teams and not even looking at where they're at in the standings, top or in the bottom."The Blackhawks have now lost six straight games and are 1-6-3 in their last 10 home games. They will start a three-game road trip on Monday in Colorado."It was a really sloppy game right from the start," said Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson. "We played really slow. They kept coming at us. It's a bad combination. We went down the wrong path."The Blue Jackets, meanwhile, will host Vegas on Monday.

The Tampa Bay Lightning snapped their four-game home losing streak with a thrilling 4-3 shootout victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night. The win propelled the Lightning into a tie with the Detroit Red Wings for the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot.Victor Hedman sealed the victory in the sixth round of the shootout, while Andrei Vasilevskiy made 28 saves in regulation to tie Tiny Thompson for 49th place in NHL wins with 284.Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli scored second-period goals to tie the game at 2-2 after Montreal's Joel Armia and Jake Evans had given the Canadiens an early lead. Tyler Motte's short-handed goal with 9:42 remaining in regulation pulled Tampa Bay even again after Josh Anderson had put Montreal ahead 3-2.Nikita Kucherov, the NHL's leading scorer, picked up an assist to extend his point streak to 11 games. He now has 105 points on the season.The Canadiens, who are 2-7-2 over their last 11 games, were coming off a 4-3 shootout loss to the NHL-leading Florida Panthers on Thursday night. Cayden Primeau stopped 30 shots during regulation for Montreal.In overtime, Montreal killed off Cole Caufield's hooking penalty, despite Tampa Bay getting four shots during the man advantage.The Lightning will host the Calgary Flames on Thursday night, while the Canadiens will play at Nashville on Tuesday night.

Nashville's Predators extended their remarkable winning streak to eight games with a dominant 5-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night. Cody Glass stole the spotlight with his first career hat trick, leading the Predators to their impressive triumph.The Predators' relentless attack began in the first period when Glass opened the scoring with a well-placed shot assisted by Colton Sissons. However, the Avalanche responded swiftly with a goal from Nathan MacKinnon, who has been on a scoring tear lately.In the second period, Glass struck again, showcasing his offensive prowess with a multi-goal performance. Juuse Saros, the Predators' goalie, played a crucial role in preserving the lead with a key save on a partial breakaway by MacKinnon.The Predators' dominance continued in the third period as Ryan O'Reilly extended their lead with a power-play goal. Glass sealed the victory with an empty-net goal in the final minute, completing his hat trick and sending the home crowd into a frenzy."It was a thrill," said Glass, who had only scored two goals before this game. "We have a great team here. To be on an eight-game win streak, everybody is pulling on the same rope."The Predators' winning streak is now tied for the second-longest in franchise history, matching their 10-game run from 2018. Their relentless defense and opportunistic offense have been key factors in their recent success."I like our relentlessness," said Predators coach Andrew Brunette. "I think we're connected. We're taking away time and space at a high level right now. That comes from work ethic. That comes from trust."Despite the loss, the Avalanche remain a formidable opponent. Coach Jared Bednar acknowledged that his team played well for 40 minutes but faltered in the third period."I thought we were competitive, played hard, really good game for 40 minutes," Bednar said. "But I'd say third period, it's like they got better and we got worse in the third."The Predators will look to extend their winning streak when they host the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night. The Avalanche, meanwhile, will return home to face the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night.

National long jump record holder Jeswin Aldrin's disappointing performance at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Glasgow on Saturday has raised questions about his current form. The 22-year-old, who held the world lead for a few months in 2023 with his 8.42m jump, could only manage a 7.69m effort, finishing a lowly 13th.Aldrin's performance was particularly disappointing considering his recent international outings. In three other events last month, he had recorded jumps of 7.70m, 7.74m, and 7.83m. He had also finished eighth in the Hangzhou Asian Games last year.The Indian long jumper's struggles in Glasgow were evident from the start. He cleared 7.69m in his first attempt but fouled the next two. With only three attempts allowed in the qualifying round, Aldrin was unable to improve his mark and was eliminated along with eight other competitors.The top eight long jumpers after three rounds were permitted to have another three attempts. Reigning Olympic and world champion Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece won gold with a best jump of 8.22m, while 19-year-old Mattia Furlani (8.22m) of Italy and Carey McLeod (8.21m) of Jamaica were second and third respectively.Aldrin's performance in Glasgow is a setback for the Indian athlete, who has been touted as a potential medal contender at the upcoming Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. However, it is important to note that Aldrin is still young and has time to improve. With the right training and support, he can still achieve his full potential.