Category: Sports

Vithya Ramraj dominated the women’s 400m hurdles at the Federation Cup in Kochi on Wednesday, winning gold and breaking the meet record. The race included a large number of participants, but Vithya knew she was ahead the moment she passed the first hurdle. From that point forward, it was a solo challenge.

Running without actual competition might make pushing boundaries difficult. Vithya accepted this, stating that she had no one to chase and needed to find inspiration within herself. Her technique was simple: smash every hurdle with force and retain the word “speed” in her head throughout the run.

She ran 56.04 seconds, about three seconds ahead of the next competitor. While this timing earned her a spot at the upcoming Asian Championships, it fell short of her personal best of 55.42.

Her personal best also happens to be India’s national record, which she shares with famous athlete PT Usha. Both clocked the same time: Usha at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and Vithya during the Asian Games heats in Hangzhou. It’s been 41 years since the record was established, making it the longest-standing national record in Indian women’s sports.

A UAE-supported project is leading the global movement for inclusive education. The Special Olympics Global Centre for Inclusion in Education has set an ambitious plan to ensure that children with disabilities have equal access to quality education and school sports. This agenda, unveiled at the 2025 Global Disability Summit in Berlin, was created by a research collaboration that included experts from renowned universities such as Harvard, Yale, and NYU Abu Dhabi.

The project is supported by a $25 million contribution from President Sheikh Mohamed, a legacy of the 2019 Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi.

Dr. Jackie Jodl from Special Olympics International addressed the need to build learning environments that value all children. She emphasised that inclusion should prioritise friendship, value, and long-term structural change over isolated attempts.

The study advocates for explicit cultural definitions of inclusion, improved educator training, and the appropriate use of artificial intelligence. According to UNESCO data, just 17% of nations legally implement inclusive education, emphasising the importance. The centre, which operates in 59 nations, intends to present its initial findings later this year. Its purpose is straightforward: to change global ideas and promote sustainable inclusion from the ground up.

Pole vaulter Dev Meena continued his extraordinary rise by breaking the national record once more at the 28th National Federation Athletics Championships, which took place on Tuesday at the Maharaja’s Stadium. Only two months after breaking the record at the National Games in Dehradun, the 20-year-old from Madhya Pradesh raised the bar to 5.35 meters. Despite his record-breaking performance, Dev fell short of the Athletics Federation of India’s 5.51-meter qualification standard for the upcoming Asian Championships. Reflecting on the day, he admitted that the rain had an impact on his performance and expressed hope for a 5.40-meter clearance later this year.

In the men’s long jump, Tamil Nadu’s P. David startled national record holder Jeswin Aldrin with a 7.94-meter gold leap in the fourth round. David had already crossed the 8-meter mark at the 2023 State Championships in Tirunelveli and expected to perform better. Jeswin, representing Reliance, set a personal best of 7.83 meters until cramps caused him to withdraw from his final three attempts.

Rupal Chaudhary of Uttar Pradesh staged a dramatic comeback in the women’s 400m to beat Tamil Nadu’s Vithya Ramraj in the final moments, clocking 52.55 seconds.

The torches for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games were unveiled during separate premiere events in Milan, Italy and Osaka, Japan. Four notable Italian athletes played a key role in presenting the torch designs, which capture the essence of Italian elegance and contemporary innovation. The design, called “Essential,” respects simplicity by gracefully integrating form and function.

Olympic cross-country skiing champion Stefania Belmondo, who lit the Olympic cauldron in Turin in 2006, praised the torch’s clear lines and intuitive build. She appreciated its simplicity and lightweight design at the Triennale di Milano, describing it as easy to carry and aesthetically pleasing.

Paralympic wheelchair fencing champion Bebe Vio mirrored Belmondo’s praise, calling the flame beautiful and subtle. Simultaneously, three-time Paralympic athletics champion Martina Caironi and Olympic figure skating bronze medallist Carolina Kostner presented the flame to the Japanese audience at Expo 2025 in Osaka.

The Olympic and Paralympic torches (blue-green and bronze) reflect sustainable design concepts. They are made of recyclable aluminium and brass, can be refilled up to ten times, and run on renewable gas, considerably decreasing production waste.

The torches will be displayed in Expo 2025’s Italia Pavilion before being moved to the Olympic Museum in Lausanne after the Games.

Holger Rune won the 2025 Barcelona Open in straight sets, defeating world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(6), 6-2. The Danish star delivered a strategically brilliant effort against Rafa Nadal, halting Alcaraz’s nine-match winning streak and denying him a third Barcelona title.

Rune’s victory, his fifth career title and first since 2023, represents a tremendous comeback for the 21-year-old, who overcame defending champion Casper Ruud and Karen Khachanov on his way to the final. His strong performance in Barcelona moved him four slots up the ATP rankings, from 13th to 9th.

Following the match, Rune said that his plan was influenced by Novak Djokovic’s overwhelming victory over Alcaraz in the 2024 Olympic final. He added that when under pressure in the first set, he told himself to remain calm and focused on consistency, much like Djokovic did during that match.

Rune stated that he visualised the Olympic final to help guide his thinking. “I told myself, ‘Make him play. Do not force the shots.’ “That helped me stay composed,” he added.

Despite his initial nerves, Rune immediately adjusted, rediscovered his rhythm, and won a hard-fought first set. The momentum propelled him through a clinical second set, and now he aims to win his first Masters 1000 title.

Justin Thomas won his long-awaited PGA Tour title at the RBC Heritage, defeating Andrew Novak in a thrilling playoff at Harbour Town Golf Links in South Carolina. After 72 holes of competition, both players finished regulation play at 17-under par. Thomas, who had set the tone early in the competition by matching the course record with a stunning opening-round 61, finished with a bogey-free 68. Novak also shot a 68, overcoming a difficult front nine to be in contention.

In the playoffs, Thomas wasted no time, hitting a 21-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole after Novak missed his 35-foot effort. This is Thomas’ 16th career PGA Tour victory, and his first since winning the PGA Championship in 2022.

Thomas, visibly upset on the 18th green, reflected on the effort that had gone into his comeback, stating, “Winning is hard. It’s incredibly hard. I’ve worked hard and been patient and positive.”

Daniel Berger shot a final-round 65 to finish three strokes behind the leaders, tied for third with Mackenzie Hughes, Brian Harman, and Maverick McNealy. Tommy Fleetwood of England finished alone in seventh after a closing 70, despite starting the final round only three strokes behind.

KL Rahul added another feather to his cap by becoming the fastest Indian to hit 200 sixes in the history of the Indian Premier League. The record-breaking moment occurred during the Delhi Capitals’ match against the Gujarat Titans on April 19 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Rahul’s lone six of the game, a stunning shot over long-on off Mohammed Siraj, catapulted him to the coveted milestone.

Rahul achieved this milestone in just his 129th IPL innings, surpassing numerous renowned hitters such as MS Dhoni, AB de Villiers, and Virat Kohli. He is now third among the fastest players to reach 200 IPL sixes, trailing only Chris Gayle (69 innings) and Andre Russell (97 innings). Sanju Samson, the former Indian record holder, reached the mark in 159 innings.

Rahul’s current IPL season has been nothing short of remarkable. After joining the Delhi Capitals and losing captaincy, he recovered his aggressive streak. With 294 runs in just seven games and a strike rate of over 300, he responded strongly to critics who questioned his intentions after a disappointing season with the Lucknow Super Giants in 2024.

Rohit Sharma made Indian Premier League history again by becoming the first player to hit 100 sixes at Wankhede Stadium. This milestone was reached during the Mumbai Indians’ match against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2025 IPL season. Mohammed Shami fired the milestone six, which easily cleared the boundary at deep third man.

Rohit, who came on as an impact substitute, scored 26 off 16 balls, including three sixes. Despite their brief duration, the innings played a vital role in rewriting history. Despite this achievement, his quest for a major score this season remains unfulfilled, with several short-lived starts.

Only three other players—Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, and AB de Villiers—have previously scored 100-plus sixes at a single IPL venue, all at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Kieron Pollard of the Mumbai Indians follows Rohit with 85 sixes at the Wankhede.

Rohit is now second in the overall IPL sixes tally, with 286 sixes in 263 matches, trailing only Gayle, who blasted 357 sixes in 142 games.

Mumbai’s bowlers also sparkled on the night, holding Hyderabad to 162/5. Will Jacks was the star with 2/14, while Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Trent Boult each got a wicket to maintain control in the first innings.

In a moving story of perseverance and tenacity, 11-year-old Sohit Kumar of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, smashed the national archery record at the Under-15 Archery Championship in Guntur. Coming from humble roots, Sohit, whose father sells vegetables, scored an incredible 710 out of 720 in the tournament, outperforming even older opponents. He was the talk of the sports world after his outstanding performance earned him the gold medal.

Sohit, a Compound Archer, envisions a bright future. He hopes to represent India at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where compound archery will make its Olympic debut. “I am looking forward to the upcoming International Youth Championship trials, and I hope to do well and make my country proud,” Sohit told reporters.

An army physiotherapist saw Sohit’s ability and encouraged him to pursue archery. This brought him to Richpal Singh, a renowned coach and former Kargil War hero. Though Singh was first hesitant to teach Sohit owing to his age, he soon changed his mind after witnessing the boy’s raw potential. Singh later expressed his pride in Sohit’s achievement, noting that scoring 710 in the 40-meter event had never been done in this category before.

Sohit’s journey began at age ten when he competed in the Senior National Championship.

Virat Kohli put another feather on his already renowned cap by becoming the first Indian batsman to score 100 half-centuries in T20 cricket. Kohli made an unbeaten 62 off 45 balls during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s match against Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, marking a historic milestone.

This was his third fifty in the present 2025 Indian Premier League season, bringing his total T20 score to 100 half-centuries and 9 centuries in 405 matches. Kohli currently ranks second in the world in terms of most T20 fifties, trailing only Australia’s David Warner, who has 108 fifties and eight centuries in 400 games.

Kohli’s landmark moment came in the 15th over, when he lofted Wanindu Hasaranga for six. RCB, chasing 174, got off to a flying start with Kohli and Phil Salt forming an explosive 92-run opening stand. Salt’s blazing 65 from 33 balls established the tone for the pursuit.

Kohli later joined Devdutt Padikkal for an unbroken 83-run partnership. Padikkal’s 40 off 28 balls helped RCB cruise to win with nine wickets in hand and 15 balls remaining.

Earlier in the evening, the Rajasthan Royals had scored 173/4, due primarily to Yashasvi Jaiswal’s fluent 75.