Category: Sports

Ethan Nwaneri, aged 15 years and 181 days, created Premier League history on Sunday by becoming the youngest ever player in the English top flight. He beat the record previously held by Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott, who was 16 years and 30 days when he represented Fulham in 2019.

Nwaneri came off the bench in stoppage time as Arsenal’s clinched a 3-0 victory at Brentford on Sunday.

It was expected that Nwaneri would spend the season with Arsenal Under-18s, but he was quickly promoted to the Under-21s following his brilliant performances.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was falling short of midfield options as Captain Martin Odegaard and senior player Oleksandr Zinchenko were injured. “We are pretty short and opportunities come when issues arise,” said Arteta. “We have the opportunities to bring young players on.”

Mikel Arteta said it was “pure gut feeling” during training that let him offer a Premier League debut to Ethan Nwaneri and added that he knew the schoolboy was ready to take on the challenge from the moment he looked in his eyes.

“I told him yesterday that he was going to be with us and that I wanted him to experience how it is to be in the hotel, to prepare for the game, to be around the boys, and [told him] that he had to be ready. If you are going to be on that bench, you have to be ready. The boy just looks into your eyes and he is ready.” Said Arteta.

In an effort to ease fears raised by LGBTQ activists, Qatar’s ruler said all fans will be welcome at the World Cup “without discrimination.”

Organizers have worked to assure rights groups that same-sex couples will not face discrimination at the tournament, which begins on November 20. However, the organizing committee and government officials expect that the World Cup’s million-plus attendees will respect local cultural norms.

At the UN General Assembly, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani said that Qatar will open its doors to all without any discrimination and enjoy football and its amazing atmosphere. During the World Cup buildup, Qatar has focused on the rights of women and the LGBT community, including lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgenders, and queers.

The emir said, “The world will see that one of the small and medium-sized countries is able to host global events with exceptional success, in addition to its ability to provide a spacious ambience for diversity and constructive interaction between people.”

Post this comment, FIFA reaffirmed that LGBTQ rainbow flags will be allowed in and around the stadium. Meanwhile, the organising committee chief Hassan Al-Thawadi said at a conference in New York, “We don’t believe in public displays of affection but we are also ingrained towards welcoming everyone from all backgrounds.”

Ace wrestler Bajrang Punia became the first Indian to win four medals at the World Wrestling Championships by clinching a bronze in the current edition, in Belgrade, Serbia, on Sunday.

Bajrang, who claimed a bronze in last year’s Tokyo Olympics, put in a great effort to reach to 11-9 win on points over Sebastian C. Rivera of Puerto Rico in the contest for the bronze medal in the 65 kg category.

Bajrang had lost in the quarter-final to John Michael Diakomihalis of the U. S, but qualified for the bronze medal bout through the repechage round where he beat Vazgen Tevanyan of Armenia 7-6 by points.

 The famed Indian wrestler had earlier won a bronze in 2013, silver in 2018, and bronze in 2019. With the medal win in Belgrade, his tally of bronze becomes three.

India had sent out a 30-member team for the ongoing World Championships but produced a dismal performance, winning only two medals.

Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Ravi Kumar Dahiya was defeated early on and could not achieve a podium finish.

Other than Bajrang, Vinesh Phogat secured her second World Championship bronze medal in the women’s 53kg category by defeating Emma Malmgren of Sweden 8-0.

Vinesh Phogat today earned the distinction of becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to win two medals at the World Championships as she won a bronze in the 53kg category by defeating Emma Jonna Malmgren of Sweden.

The 28-year-old Vinesh had also won a bronze in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, in the 2019 edition. It was an extraordinary comeback for Vinesh after she was surprisingly defeated in the qualification round to beat Malmgren 8-0 in the bronze medal playoff.

She had faced defeat in the hands of Khulan Batkhuyag of Mongolia on Tuesday. She got to the bronze playoff through the repechage round after Batkhuyag entered the final.

In the repechage round, Vinesh first defeated Zhuldyz Eshimova of Kazakhstan by a fall decision. She moved further to the bronze medal round after Leyla Gurbanova could not compete due to injury.

In the 57kg category, 2021 world bronze medalist Sarita Mor won her opening match 4-2 against world U-23 bronze medalist Hannah Taylor of Canada. Sarita then lost against Anhelina Lysak of Poland 0-7. In the 68kg category, Nisha Dahiya will battle it out for bronze tomorrow. She reached the semifinals after defeating Sofiya Georgieva of Bulgaria 11-0 but later lost 4-5 to reigning junior world champion Ami Ishii of Japan.

Indian driver Jehan Daruvala, 23, claimed his fourth win in Formula 2 as he stood on the highest step of the podium for the Feature race at the Temple of Speed, Autodromo Nazionale Monza, and Italy.

This was Daruvala’s first win this season and his second consecutive win at the venue, having won the sprint race here in the previous season. The Italian race weekend proved a successful one for Daruvala as he finished third in Saturday’s sprint race.

An excited Daruvala commented, “What a weekend. It’s been a long time coming. We’ve had the win taken away from us for one reason or another on more than one occasion this year. But we’ve kept our heads down, kept believing, kept pushing and we’ve finally done it. And what a venue to do it at too! Monza is up there with one of my all-time favorite tracks and standing on the top step of this incredible podium, out over the main straight with the Indian national anthem playing out, feels so, so special.”

Now the Formula 2 championship will move on to Abu Dhabi for the season finale. “This weekend’s result couldn’t have come at a better time as we now head to Abu Dhabi for the season finale. The Yas Marina track is another venue I like, and I won there last year. So going there on the back of a weekend like this one gives us a major boost, ” said Daruvala

Indian women cricket team opener Smriti Mandhana hit a match-winning unbeaten fifty after off-spinner Sneh Rana claimed three wickets to hand the team a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over England in the second T20 International and level the series 1-1. England’s decision to bat first on Tuesday night went wrong as Indian bowlers performed brilliantly to reduce the hosts to 54 for five in less than 10 overs.

England found it difficult to play in the starting overs, losing wickets regularly before teenager Freya Kemp (51 not out of 37 balls) and Maia Bouchier (34 off 26) scored a 65-run partnership to build their innings.

But then Rana took the wicket of Bouchier in the 18^th over, breaking the dangerous-looking partnership, and almost finishing the game for England. Kemp and Sophie Ecclestone tried hard and took England to 142 for six and gave their bowlers a reasonable score to defend.

Rana was a show stealer for India finishing her spell with 3 for 24 from her four overs, while Renuka Singh (1/30) and Deepti Sharma (1/21) picked up one wicket each. India strongly began their chase with Mandhana (79 not out of 53) and Shafali Verma (20) adding 55 runs in the first six overs.

19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz of Spain beat Casper Ruud 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (1), 6-3 in the U.S. Open final on Sunday to clinch his first Grand Slam title and become the youngest man to be ranked No. 1 in ATP rankings.

Alcaraz, considered the next big thing in men’s tennis, became the youngest Grand Slam champion since fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal, 19, lifted the trophy at Roland Garros in 2005. He won three consecutive five-set matches to reach his first Grand Slam final.

When Alcaraz arrived at Flushing Meadows, he was World No. 4. However; he left the hard-court major after climbing to the top spot, becoming the youngest player to rise to the No.1 ranking since 1973.

“It is something I have dreamt of since I was a kid. To be No. 1 in the world, to be champion of a Grand Slam, is something I have worked really, really hard for,” Alcaraz said during the trophy ceremony.

“It is tough to talk right now. I have lots of emotions. This is something I have tried to achieve. All the hard work I have done with my team and my family. I am just 19 years old. All the tough decisions have been with my parents and my team as well. It is something that is really special for me.”

The Diamond League Finals were won by Olympic gold medalist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra on Thursday. In his second attempt, Chopra threw 88.44 m – his fourth career best – and that became his winning throw. During his next four throws, he threw 88.00 meters, 86.11 meters, 87.00 meters, and 83.60 meters.

In his fourth attempt, Olympic silver medalist Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic threw 86.94m to finish second. A best of 83.73m was clocked by Julian Weber of Germany. In addition to being the Olympic champion, he is a silver medalist at the World Championships and a Diamond League champion.

He had achieved all of this in a short period of time. A gold medal was awarded to him at the Tokyo Olympics last August. This season, he has thrown over 88m six times, demonstrating his consistency. With his 89.94m mark this season, he holds the national record.

Having previously finished seventh and fourth in 2017 and 2018, Chopra made his third appearance in the Diamond League Finals. A wild card for the Budapest, Hungary, World Athletics Championships of 2023 was also awarded to Chopra as well as the Diamond Trophy and USD 30,000 prize money.

After a spectacular 26-ball 68 against Hong Kong, Suryakumar Yadav was still beaming when he walked into the press conference. When he’s out in the middle these days, India’s T20 stalwart seems to be having a ball, and even during the 11-minute conversation, he wore a charming smile.

Even though Surya’s unbeaten knock came against a semi-professional team, his dominance was impressive. Virat Kohli bowed to Surya and followed him back to the dressing room after propelling India to a target that had exceeded Hong Kong’s batting credentials.

While Kohli usually plays eye-catching knocks and grabs the spotlight, his brilliance was nearly overshadowed by Surya’s. When Kohli was struggling to regain his form, Surya’s nonchalance in dismissing Hong Kong’s disciplined attack astonished him.

Surya himself is trying to absorb the growing appreciation. He was smitten by Kohli’s gestures and said, “It was a heartwarming gesture from Virat Kohli. I have never experienced it. I was wondering why he wasn’t walking ahead and then when I realised, I asked him to walk together. He is much more experienced than me.

His delivery and form are everything that was expected from coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma. This is what the duo promised this times team to play: ultra-aggressive and fearless.

The India racketlon team beat Britain 137-101 to win its first-ever Nations Cup title in Graz, Austria. The tournament was held from August 23 to 29.

Racketlon is a combination sport in which the contestants have to play four racket sports: table tennis, badminton, tennis, and squash.

Captain Ashutosh Pednekar of the Indian Navy played a big role in giving the team its maiden victory over the weekend. The other competitors of the winning squad were Vikramaditya Chaufla, Adarsh Vikram, Sidharth Nandal, Varinder Singh, and Karan Taneja.

Chaufla, who had represented India in the World University Badminton Championships in 2012 bagged a silver in the singles C category. He later partnered with Karan Taneja to win a silver in the men’s doubles as well.