‘No one will remember if I finish 4th or 10th’: Abdulla Aboobacker eyes NR and Asian Games glory Learning from past mistakes but not dwelling too much on missed medals and focussing on the future is what an athlete’s life is all about.Triple jumper Abdulla Aboobacker knows it all too well.The 30-year-old Abdulla, a Junior Warrant Officer in the Indian Air Force, is ready for another crucial season in his career after a disappointing end to 2025. On the agenda this year are two mega events – Commonwealth Games (CWG), where he won silver in 2022, and the Asian Games.In an exclusive interview with Sportstar, Abdulla reveals how he is approaching the 2026 season, his thoughts on the qualification criteria for CWG and Asian Games and more:-When did you end your 2025 season and begin your off season?I ended my season at the World Championship in Japan (where he failed to qualify for the final). Then, I started the off season at the Air Force base in Bengaluru. Even now, I have taken part in two competitions but it is still the off season. I haven’t started my season yet.Did you take a break after the World Championships?After the World Championships, I took a one-and-a-half-month break. Then, I went to Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) for rehab and strength and conditioning before joining training at Air Force in December. Since then, I have been training there under coach Harikrishnan along with Karthik Unnikrishnan & long jumper Siddharth Mohan Naik.Did you make any changes in your technique or strategy during the off season?Last year, I hit my peak in the off season itself. I thought I’ll start with explosive speed and then, maintain stability. I jumped 17.19m in the first competition itself. I did so well in the off season but could not be consistent later. I could not do the off season properly.This year, I thought that I’ll compete in two events in the off season itself but won’t hit my peak yet. If I peaked too soon, it will cause issues later in the year when there is Asian Games in September-October. Gold medal winner Eldhose Paul, left, of India and compatriot and silver medal winner Abdulla Aboobacker celebrate after the men’s triple jump final at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. | Photo Credit: AP Gold medal winner Eldhose Paul, left, of India and compatriot and silver medal winner Abdulla Aboobacker celebrate after the men’s triple jump final at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. | Photo Credit: AP My target is to put in full effort during the Federation Cup now.My coach told me to do only three jumps during the first two competitions. I did three jumps during the Indian Open Jumps Competition. In Indian Athletics Series 1, I did three. I felt I was jumping well and could potentially break the National Record (17.37m), so I attempted a fourth one but it was a foul.Then I thought that it is okay. There is good competition this year with Praveen (Chithravel) and also, Selva Prabhu who cleared 17m (17.05 at the NCAA Indoor Championships). So, I feel we can break the NR at the Fed Cup.How do you see the qualification criteria set by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for CWG and Asian Games? You can’t qualify by meeting the entry standard once. You have to take part in two meets, state championships, Fed Cup and then, at Inter-State, which will be the final selection trial, to achieve the entry standard again.Our target is the Asian Games. Jumping at the state meet and nationals will provide experience and help our coordination. If this is my mentality, then I won’t feel any pressure or mental stress.If we think about why AFI is doing this while our focus is just on one competition, then we won’t be able to concentrate. We have to be ready for anything. I feel the federation is right as they want consistent performances. If I do well in one event and I’m down in the next, even they’ll start doubting.What is your main goal for this season? You have already achieved the qualifying mark for Asian Games (16.28m). And CWG shouldn’t be a problem either.The qualification standard for CWG is 16.89m. In my first two events, I did 16.83m and 16.82m. So, it is manageable. What’s in my mind is that I won silver at last CWG while Eldhose Paul won gold. In that same competition, there was a Jamaican triple jumper, Jordan Scott, who is doing well globally now. He did 17.52m in 2025. Right now, he is close to 17.30-17.40. My mindset is to compete with him and beat him. He won silver in World Indoors and is a consistent jumper.For Asian Games, the Chinese and the Korean teams are good competitors.Triple jump is such an explosive and technical discipline. How do you manage injuries?Injuries will come and go in sports. JSW supports so much that I just need to make one call and everything will be ready before I go to IIS for rehab. That’s why, I don’t feel any tension.Right now, I’m training at the Air Force base but in case I need any help in terms of facilities or focussed rehab, I can put in a request here and go to IIS.I had heel pain in 2022 and 2025. Back pain, ankle pain…. All this is normal since we are pushing our bodies a lot.I notice the symptoms early and adjust my recovery accordingly. I am not alone. I have a big support system behind me.At the last Asian Games, you finished fourth. Does it still bother you that you came so close to a medal?Actually, even at CWG, the difference between Eldhose and me was one centimetre. Next year, at the Asian Games, the gap between me and Praveen, who finished third, was six centimetres.This time, I don’t want it to be so close and therefore, I’m targeting bigger jumps.The last Asian Games was three years ago and I can’t do anything about it. But it felt really bad to finish fourth because finishing fourth, 10th or 100th is all equal in terms of participation value. No one will even remember if I finished fourth or 10th.Nevertheless, now it is about focussing on the future.Published on Apr 14, 2026 #remember #finish #4th #10th #Abdulla #Aboobacker #eyes #Asian #Games #glory

‘No one will remember if I finish 4th or 10th’: Abdulla Aboobacker eyes NR and Asian Games glory
Learning from past mistakes but not dwelling too much on missed medals and focussing on the future is what an athlete’s life is all about.
Triple jumper Abdulla Aboobacker knows it all too well.
The 30-year-old Abdulla, a Junior Warrant Officer in the Indian Air Force, is ready for another crucial season in his career after a disappointing end to 2025. On the agenda this year are two mega events – Commonwealth Games (CWG), where he won silver in 2022, and the Asian Games.
In an exclusive interview with Sportstar, Abdulla reveals how he is approaching the 2026 season, his thoughts on the qualification criteria for CWG and Asian Games and more:-
When did you end your 2025 season and begin your off season?
I ended my season at the World Championship in Japan (where he failed to qualify for the final). Then, I started the off season at the Air Force base in Bengaluru. Even now, I have taken part in two competitions but it is still the off season. I haven’t started my season yet.
Did you take a break after the World Championships?
After the World Championships, I took a one-and-a-half-month break. Then, I went to Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) for rehab and strength and conditioning before joining training at Air Force in December. Since then, I have been training there under coach Harikrishnan along with Karthik Unnikrishnan & long jumper Siddharth Mohan Naik.
Did you make any changes in your technique or strategy during the off season?
Last year, I hit my peak in the off season itself. I thought I’ll start with explosive speed and then, maintain stability. I jumped 17.19m in the first competition itself. I did so well in the off season but could not be consistent later. I could not do the off season properly.
This year, I thought that I’ll compete in two events in the off season itself but won’t hit my peak yet. If I peaked too soon, it will cause issues later in the year when there is Asian Games in September-October.
Gold medal winner Eldhose Paul, left, of India and compatriot and silver medal winner Abdulla Aboobacker celebrate after the men’s triple jump final at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. | Photo Credit: AP
Gold medal winner Eldhose Paul, left, of India and compatriot and silver medal winner Abdulla Aboobacker celebrate after the men’s triple jump final at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. | Photo Credit: AP
My target is to put in full effort during the Federation Cup now.
My coach told me to do only three jumps during the first two competitions. I did three jumps during the Indian Open Jumps Competition. In Indian Athletics Series 1, I did three. I felt I was jumping well and could potentially break the National Record (17.37m), so I attempted a fourth one but it was a foul.
Then I thought that it is okay. There is good competition this year with Praveen (Chithravel) and also, Selva Prabhu who cleared 17m (17.05 at the NCAA Indoor Championships). So, I feel we can break the NR at the Fed Cup.
How do you see the qualification criteria set by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for CWG and Asian Games? You can’t qualify by meeting the entry standard once. You have to take part in two meets, state championships, Fed Cup and then, at Inter-State, which will be the final selection trial, to achieve the entry standard again.
Our target is the Asian Games. Jumping at the state meet and nationals will provide experience and help our coordination. If this is my mentality, then I won’t feel any pressure or mental stress.
If we think about why AFI is doing this while our focus is just on one competition, then we won’t be able to concentrate. We have to be ready for anything. I feel the federation is right as they want consistent performances. If I do well in one event and I’m down in the next, even they’ll start doubting.
What is your main goal for this season? You have already achieved the qualifying mark for Asian Games (16.28m). And CWG shouldn’t be a problem either.
The qualification standard for CWG is 16.89m. In my first two events, I did 16.83m and 16.82m. So, it is manageable. What’s in my mind is that I won silver at last CWG while Eldhose Paul won gold. In that same competition, there was a Jamaican triple jumper, Jordan Scott, who is doing well globally now. He did 17.52m in 2025. Right now, he is close to 17.30-17.40. My mindset is to compete with him and beat him. He won silver in World Indoors and is a consistent jumper.
For Asian Games, the Chinese and the Korean teams are good competitors.
Triple jump is such an explosive and technical discipline. How do you manage injuries?
Injuries will come and go in sports. JSW supports so much that I just need to make one call and everything will be ready before I go to IIS for rehab. That’s why, I don’t feel any tension.
Right now, I’m training at the Air Force base but in case I need any help in terms of facilities or focussed rehab, I can put in a request here and go to IIS.
I had heel pain in 2022 and 2025. Back pain, ankle pain…. All this is normal since we are pushing our bodies a lot.
I notice the symptoms early and adjust my recovery accordingly. I am not alone. I have a big support system behind me.
At the last Asian Games, you finished fourth. Does it still bother you that you came so close to a medal?
Actually, even at CWG, the difference between Eldhose and me was one centimetre. Next year, at the Asian Games, the gap between me and Praveen, who finished third, was six centimetres.
This time, I don’t want it to be so close and therefore, I’m targeting bigger jumps.
The last Asian Games was three years ago and I can’t do anything about it. But it felt really bad to finish fourth because finishing fourth, 10th or 100th is all equal in terms of participation value. No one will even remember if I finished fourth or 10th.
Nevertheless, now it is about focussing on the future.
Published on Apr 14, 2026
#remember #finish #4th #10th #Abdulla #Aboobacker #eyes #Asian #Games #glory

Learning from past mistakes but not dwelling too much on missed medals and focussing on the future is what an athlete’s life is all about.

Triple jumper Abdulla Aboobacker knows it all too well.

The 30-year-old Abdulla, a Junior Warrant Officer in the Indian Air Force, is ready for another crucial season in his career after a disappointing end to 2025. On the agenda this year are two mega events – Commonwealth Games (CWG), where he won silver in 2022, and the Asian Games.

In an exclusive interview with Sportstar, Abdulla reveals how he is approaching the 2026 season, his thoughts on the qualification criteria for CWG and Asian Games and more:-

When did you end your 2025 season and begin your off season?

I ended my season at the World Championship in Japan (where he failed to qualify for the final). Then, I started the off season at the Air Force base in Bengaluru. Even now, I have taken part in two competitions but it is still the off season. I haven’t started my season yet.

Did you take a break after the World Championships?

After the World Championships, I took a one-and-a-half-month break. Then, I went to Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) for rehab and strength and conditioning before joining training at Air Force in December. Since then, I have been training there under coach Harikrishnan along with Karthik Unnikrishnan & long jumper Siddharth Mohan Naik.

Did you make any changes in your technique or strategy during the off season?

Last year, I hit my peak in the off season itself. I thought I’ll start with explosive speed and then, maintain stability. I jumped 17.19m in the first competition itself. I did so well in the off season but could not be consistent later. I could not do the off season properly.

This year, I thought that I’ll compete in two events in the off season itself but won’t hit my peak yet. If I peaked too soon, it will cause issues later in the year when there is Asian Games in September-October.

Gold medal winner Eldhose Paul, left, of India and compatriot and silver medal winner Abdulla Aboobacker celebrate after the men’s triple jump final at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
| Photo Credit:
AP

lightbox-info

My target is to put in full effort during the Federation Cup now.

My coach told me to do only three jumps during the first two competitions. I did three jumps during the Indian Open Jumps Competition. In Indian Athletics Series 1, I did three. I felt I was jumping well and could potentially break the National Record (17.37m), so I attempted a fourth one but it was a foul.

Then I thought that it is okay. There is good competition this year with Praveen (Chithravel) and also, Selva Prabhu who cleared 17m (17.05 at the NCAA Indoor Championships). So, I feel we can break the NR at the Fed Cup.

How do you see the qualification criteria set by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for CWG and Asian Games? You can’t qualify by meeting the entry standard once. You have to take part in two meets, state championships, Fed Cup and then, at Inter-State, which will be the final selection trial, to achieve the entry standard again.

Our target is the Asian Games. Jumping at the state meet and nationals will provide experience and help our coordination. If this is my mentality, then I won’t feel any pressure or mental stress.

If we think about why AFI is doing this while our focus is just on one competition, then we won’t be able to concentrate. We have to be ready for anything. I feel the federation is right as they want consistent performances. If I do well in one event and I’m down in the next, even they’ll start doubting.

What is your main goal for this season? You have already achieved the qualifying mark for Asian Games (16.28m). And CWG shouldn’t be a problem either.

The qualification standard for CWG is 16.89m. In my first two events, I did 16.83m and 16.82m. So, it is manageable. What’s in my mind is that I won silver at last CWG while Eldhose Paul won gold. In that same competition, there was a Jamaican triple jumper, Jordan Scott, who is doing well globally now. He did 17.52m in 2025. Right now, he is close to 17.30-17.40. My mindset is to compete with him and beat him. He won silver in World Indoors and is a consistent jumper.

For Asian Games, the Chinese and the Korean teams are good competitors.

Triple jump is such an explosive and technical discipline. How do you manage injuries?

Injuries will come and go in sports. JSW supports so much that I just need to make one call and everything will be ready before I go to IIS for rehab. That’s why, I don’t feel any tension.

Right now, I’m training at the Air Force base but in case I need any help in terms of facilities or focussed rehab, I can put in a request here and go to IIS.

I had heel pain in 2022 and 2025. Back pain, ankle pain…. All this is normal since we are pushing our bodies a lot.

I notice the symptoms early and adjust my recovery accordingly. I am not alone. I have a big support system behind me.

At the last Asian Games, you finished fourth. Does it still bother you that you came so close to a medal?

Actually, even at CWG, the difference between Eldhose and me was one centimetre. Next year, at the Asian Games, the gap between me and Praveen, who finished third, was six centimetres.

This time, I don’t want it to be so close and therefore, I’m targeting bigger jumps.

The last Asian Games was three years ago and I can’t do anything about it. But it felt really bad to finish fourth because finishing fourth, 10th or 100th is all equal in terms of participation value. No one will even remember if I finished fourth or 10th.

Nevertheless, now it is about focussing on the future.

Published on Apr 14, 2026

Source link
#remember #finish #4th #10th #Abdulla #Aboobacker #eyes #Asian #Games #glory

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Deadspin | Capitals, Blue Jackets play finale with all eyes on Alex Ovechkin <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28716152.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28716152.jpg" alt="NHL: Pittsburgh Penguins at Washington Capitals" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 12, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) smiles while waving off a handshake line by the Pittsburgh Penguins after their game at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images  </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Alex Ovechkin may be playing his final NHL game when the Washington Capitals visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>Or he may not be. Either way, he isn’t playoff-bound, as the Philadelphia Flyers’ 3-2 shootout win over the Carolina Hurricanes eliminated both the Capitals and the Blue Jackets from playoff contention.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time leading goal-scorer, is nearing the end of his 21st NHL season and is in the final season of a five-year contract. The 40-year-old left wing, who has scored 929 regular-season goals, has announced he will not make a decision regarding his future until this summer.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>There was no ceremony of any kind during Washington’s final home game, a much-needed 3-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. Fans chanted “one more year” and the Penguins stayed on the ice after the game for a ceremonial handshake, but a smiling Ovechkin waved them off after Washington won its third straight game.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>“The fans always support me, support the organization, team, boys,” Ovechkin said. “It was loud. It was the energy (that) we need. You can see how the boys played.”</p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>Washington (42-30-9, 93 points) and Columbus (40-29-12, 92 points) were still alive in the playoff hunt until Philadelphia (42-27-12, 96 points) wrapped up third place in the Metropolitan Division on Monday.</p> </section><section id="section-7"> <p>After a disastrous six-game losing streak that knocked them down the standings and closer to elimination from playoff contention, the Blue Jackets have split their past four games, the latest being a 3-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Sunday.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-8"> <p>Mason Marchment and Adam Fantilli scored, and Jet Greaves made 19 saves for the Blue Jackets.</p> </section> <section id="section-9"> <p>“We’re all very, very disappointed in how it went tonight,” Blue Jackets coach Rick Bowness said Sunday. “The guys are heartbroken, we’re heartbroken, and now we’ve lost total control of what’s going to happen.”</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>Columbus tied the score 2-2 early in the third period, but Boston scored the go-ahead goal midway through the period.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>“I think we had to maybe up our urgency a little bit,” Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski said. “I thought in the third we had a lot of grade-A chances to either take the lead or tie it back up. We missed on a few of them.”</p> </section><section id="section-12"> <p>In Washington on Sunday, Connor McMichael scored twice and had an assist and Ovechkin had an assist for the Capitals, who have won seven of nine. Logan Thompson made 24 saves for his fourth shutout of the season and second in three starts.</p> </section><section id="section-13"> <p>“I know our guys,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. “And I know that there was no way we were gonna throw the towel in and just cruise in and hopefully play .500 hockey and ride it out. … I knew we would not pack it in, and we were gonna fight to win hockey games.”</p> </section><section id="section-14"> <p>Thompson is 5-1-0 with a 1.90 goals-against average and .942 save percentage against Columbus. Greaves, expected to start for the sixth straight game, is 2-2-1 with a 1.80 GAA and a .943 save percentage versus Washington.</p> </section><section id="section-15"> <p>Washington leads the season series 3-0-0. The teams have not met since Dec. 7 when Thompson made 39 saves in a 2-0 Washington home win. The Capitals won 5-1 on Nov. 24 behind two goals from Jakob Chychrun and 5-1 on Oct. 24 when Ovechkin scored his 899th goal and added an assist.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-16"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #Capitals #Blue #Jackets #play #finale #eyes #Alex #Ovechkin

Deadspin | Reds get first look at Cardinals RHP Dustin May Jul 18, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Dustin May (3) throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images With both sides attempting to gain ground in the National League wild-card race, the St. Louis Cardinals host the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a three-game series on Friday night. The Cardinals have dropped five of seven games since the All-Star break and sit 1 1/2 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks for the final NL wild-card spot. St. Louis also is a half-game behind the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are currently the first NL team out of the playoff picture. Trying to stay afloat in the playoff chase, the Reds enter their third consecutive road set riding a pair of series victories. Cincinnati, which is six games behind the Diamondbacks, took two of three from both the Colorado Rockies and the Seattle Mariners. Since St. Louis’ Dustin May hurled a one-hit shutout against the San Diego Padres on June 15, little has gone right for the right-hander. In five starts since the gem, May (5-7, 4.78 ERA) is 0-1 with a 9.92 ERA. May threw five innings for the first time in more than a month on Saturday, but he surrendered five runs on eight hits while striking out six and walking four in a 5-3 loss at Arizona. Despite May’s rough patch, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol has confidence the 28-year-old can find his rhythm again. “He’s competed well. He went through a stretch there where he gave us some really good outings,” Marmol said. “After the complete game, there have been some ups and downs, but he’s good enough to get out of this.” Making the 91st appearance (77th start) of his major league career, May will face Cincinnati for the first time. Among the Reds getting their first look at May will be All-Star first baseman Sal Stewart. The 22-year-old ranks fourth in the majors with 74 RBIs after knocking in nine runs across the club’s first two series since the midseason break. “I think there are guys that relish those opportunities,” Cincinnati manager Terry Francona said of Stewart’s success with runners on base. “He’s so strong and he’s got great hitter’s hands. The ball just jumps off his bat.” Despite the RBI surge, Stewart is batting just .130 (3-for-23) since the break. On the mound, Rhett Lowder (3-7, 5.75 ERA) will be chasing a bounce-back effort for Cincinnati. After appearing as a starter for his first 13 outings of the year, Lowder made three appearances out of the bullpen before re-emerging in the rotation after the All-Star break. Last time out, the 24-year-old right-hander lasted just 2 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs on 11 hits in a 10-3 loss to the Rockies on Saturday in Denver. He struck out two and didn’t walk a batter. “(Colorado) was just being aggressive and I was probably leaving too many thick pitches for them. Balls were just finding holes,” Lowder said of that outing. “It was very frustrating.” Lowder has thrown eight scoreless innings across a pair of starts against the Cardinals during his career. He faced St. Louis on June 7, allowing just one hit but walking five across three scoreless innings in a no-decision. The Reds lost 5-3. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Reds #Cardinals #RHP #Dustin

#Deadspin #Reds #Cardinals #RHP #Dustin">

mwasimuddin125 0

Jul 18, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Dustin May (3) throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

With both sides attempting to gain ground in the National League wild-card race, the St. Louis Cardinals host the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a three-game series on Friday night.

The Cardinals have dropped five of seven games since the All-Star break and sit 1 1/2 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks for the final NL wild-card spot. St. Louis also is a half-game behind the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are currently the first NL team out of the playoff picture.

Trying to stay afloat in the playoff chase, the Reds enter their third consecutive road set riding a pair of series victories. Cincinnati, which is six games behind the Diamondbacks, took two of three from both the Colorado Rockies and the Seattle Mariners.

Since St. Louis’ Dustin May hurled a one-hit shutout against the San Diego Padres on June 15, little has gone right for the right-hander. In five starts since the gem, May (5-7, 4.78 ERA) is 0-1 with a 9.92 ERA.

May threw five innings for the first time in more than a month on Saturday, but he surrendered five runs on eight hits while striking out six and walking four in a 5-3 loss at Arizona.

Despite May’s rough patch, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol has confidence the 28-year-old can find his rhythm again.

“He’s competed well. He went through a stretch there where he gave us some really good outings,” Marmol said. “After the complete game, there have been some ups and downs, but he’s good enough to get out of this.”

Making the 91st appearance (77th start) of his major league career, May will face Cincinnati for the first time.

Among the Reds getting their first look at May will be All-Star first baseman Sal Stewart. The 22-year-old ranks fourth in the majors with 74 RBIs after knocking in nine runs across the club’s first two series since the midseason break.

“I think there are guys that relish those opportunities,” Cincinnati manager Terry Francona said of Stewart’s success with runners on base. “He’s so strong and he’s got great hitter’s hands. The ball just jumps off his bat.”

Despite the RBI surge, Stewart is batting just .130 (3-for-23) since the break.

On the mound, Rhett Lowder (3-7, 5.75 ERA) will be chasing a bounce-back effort for Cincinnati.

After appearing as a starter for his first 13 outings of the year, Lowder made three appearances out of the bullpen before re-emerging in the rotation after the All-Star break. Last time out, the 24-year-old right-hander lasted just 2 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs on 11 hits in a 10-3 loss to the Rockies on Saturday in Denver. He struck out two and didn’t walk a batter.

“(Colorado) was just being aggressive and I was probably leaving too many thick pitches for them. Balls were just finding holes,” Lowder said of that outing. “It was very frustrating.”

Lowder has thrown eight scoreless innings across a pair of starts against the Cardinals during his career. He faced St. Louis on June 7, allowing just one hit but walking five across three scoreless innings in a no-decision. The Reds lost 5-3.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Reds #Cardinals #RHP #Dustin">Deadspin | Reds get first look at Cardinals RHP Dustin May

Jul 18, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Dustin May (3) throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

With both sides attempting to gain ground in the National League wild-card race, the St. Louis Cardinals host the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a three-game series on Friday night.

The Cardinals have dropped five of seven games since the All-Star break and sit 1 1/2 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks for the final NL wild-card spot. St. Louis also is a half-game behind the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are currently the first NL team out of the playoff picture.

Trying to stay afloat in the playoff chase, the Reds enter their third consecutive road set riding a pair of series victories. Cincinnati, which is six games behind the Diamondbacks, took two of three from both the Colorado Rockies and the Seattle Mariners.

Since St. Louis’ Dustin May hurled a one-hit shutout against the San Diego Padres on June 15, little has gone right for the right-hander. In five starts since the gem, May (5-7, 4.78 ERA) is 0-1 with a 9.92 ERA.

May threw five innings for the first time in more than a month on Saturday, but he surrendered five runs on eight hits while striking out six and walking four in a 5-3 loss at Arizona.

Despite May’s rough patch, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol has confidence the 28-year-old can find his rhythm again.

“He’s competed well. He went through a stretch there where he gave us some really good outings,” Marmol said. “After the complete game, there have been some ups and downs, but he’s good enough to get out of this.”

Making the 91st appearance (77th start) of his major league career, May will face Cincinnati for the first time.

Among the Reds getting their first look at May will be All-Star first baseman Sal Stewart. The 22-year-old ranks fourth in the majors with 74 RBIs after knocking in nine runs across the club’s first two series since the midseason break.

“I think there are guys that relish those opportunities,” Cincinnati manager Terry Francona said of Stewart’s success with runners on base. “He’s so strong and he’s got great hitter’s hands. The ball just jumps off his bat.”

Despite the RBI surge, Stewart is batting just .130 (3-for-23) since the break.

On the mound, Rhett Lowder (3-7, 5.75 ERA) will be chasing a bounce-back effort for Cincinnati.

After appearing as a starter for his first 13 outings of the year, Lowder made three appearances out of the bullpen before re-emerging in the rotation after the All-Star break. Last time out, the 24-year-old right-hander lasted just 2 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs on 11 hits in a 10-3 loss to the Rockies on Saturday in Denver. He struck out two and didn’t walk a batter.

“(Colorado) was just being aggressive and I was probably leaving too many thick pitches for them. Balls were just finding holes,” Lowder said of that outing. “It was very frustrating.”

Lowder has thrown eight scoreless innings across a pair of starts against the Cardinals during his career. He faced St. Louis on June 7, allowing just one hit but walking five across three scoreless innings in a no-decision. The Reds lost 5-3.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Reds #Cardinals #RHP #Dustin

The Formula 1 grid will roar to life one final time this weekend, ahead of the annual August shutdown.

Before the sport goes on a mandated hiatus, in place to help the teams and drivers reset ahead of the final push to the end of the schedule — and the holiday season sprint to the next season — the grid heads to the Hungaroring for this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

Here are the storylines we’re looking forward to this weekend.

Aston Martin’s upgrades

It has been, to put it bluntly, a dismal season for Aston Martin.

The year began with questions over whether Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso would even participate in the Australian Grand Prix, as power unit vibrations were too intense for the drivers to handle over a race distance. The team used that race as a glorified testing session, with Alonso completing just 21 laps and Stroll 43, after several pit stops.

But while other teams brought regular upgrades throughout the season to date, Aston Martin circled the Hungarian Grand Prix for a massive upgrade package, one they hope will pull the team up from the back of the grid.

Engineering wizard Adrian Newey outlined what the upgrade contains, including a focus on lowering the weight of the AMR26.

”The main structural elements remain the same – the chassis and gearbox architecture don’t fundamentally change – but we’ve taken weight out of both, which required re-homologating and crash testing the forward chassis,” said Newey to the official F1 channel.

“The front suspension is unchanged. The rear suspension is slightly revised. We’ve developed a new nose and substantially revised aerodynamic surfaces. So, while the core structure is similar, it’s a big aerodynamic package coupled with significant weight reduction. The target is to get very close to the weight limit.”

As far as the team’s expectations for the upgrade?

They simply want to be able to race again.

“For us, the most important is that we go back racing, because we have not over the last events – it was very difficult to keep up with the midfield,” said Chief Trackside Officer Mike Krack. “Whatever it’s going to bring, I think going racing is most important for everyone.

“I think the period that we had with no upgrades for very long is now over, so it looks good for the future, and we are just all looking forward to Budapest and seeing what we have.”

Can George Russell bounce back?

This has absolutely, positively, not been the Summer of George.

When the 2026 F1 season began there were huge expectations at Mercedes, with good reason. The worst-kept secret in the paddock all last year was that the Silver Arrows would be on the front foot when the new regulations arrived, and with that belief came the idea that a Mercedes driver would be at the top of the standings when the dust settled.

While that has largely played out to form — Mercedes currently enjoys a 73-point lead over Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship standings ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix — and it is a Mercedes driver atop the Drivers’ Standings, that is young Kimi Antonelli, and not the veteran George Russell despite those pre-season expectations.

Russell seemed to get back in the fight in recent weeks, thanks to a win at the Austrian Grand Prix and a P2 at the British Grand Prix, on a weekend where Antonelli finished outside of the points. But any momentum on Russell’s part was blunted under the harshest of conditions at the Belgian Grand Prix, when his race ended on the opening lap after contact with Lewis Hamilton at the Les Combes chicane.

Add in Antonelli’s win at Spa, and Russell now finds himself sitting third in the standings, 50 points behind Antonelli and five points behind former teammate Hamilton.

The Mercedes driver vowed to get back up following the Belgian Grand Prix:

Ferrari on the front foot in Hungary?

Lewis Hamilton’s win at the Spanish Grand Prix ignited thoughts of the seven-time champion making a charge of his own, and there is reason to believe that he and Ferrari could be on friendly footing at the Hungaroring.

Ferrari leadership believes that the SF26 is best suited to tracks like this weekend’s, where power and straight-line speed takes a backseat to the lower-speed corners like the grid will see at the Hungaroring. And McLaren boss Andrea Stella already tapped the Scuderia as the favorites ahead of the weekend.

“I think in Hungary, the Netherlands we will see the Ferrari being back to probably being the fastest car we see in the corners there. Extremely competitive,” Stella told Sky Sports F1.

Ferrari took a step forward at the Belgian Grand Prix as Charles Leclerc challenged Antonelli for the win before ultimately finishing second. That could bode well for the team at other tracks, but with the strength in the corners Ferrari has shown earlier this season, they might very well be the team to beat in Hungary.

The calm before the storm

The August shutdown gives the teams and drivers a chance to reset before the final push to the season-ending race at Yas Marina.

But it often marks the true kickoff to the driver transfer market.

As we discussed last week, rumors over Max Verstappen’s future at Red Bull remain the dominant talking point in the paddock, but there are several other teams and drivers wondering how the pieces will fit together for the 2027 F1 season.

One driver to watch is Esteban Ocon at Haas. He returns to Hungary, the site of his one Grand Prix victory in the sport, facing an uncertain future at Haas. While no decision has been made about his future with the team, Ocon has been outscored 18-3 by teammate Oliver Bearman this season.

Bearman’s position at Haas remains secure, given that any notion of a move to Ferrari is blocked for the moment by Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. (Haas and Ferrari are technical partners, Bearman came through the Ferrari Driver Academy, and has long been pegged for a move to Ferrari in the future). But with Ocon lagging behind — and Bearman now more experienced — the team could look to a younger driver as a 2027 replacement. McLaren reserve Leonardo Fornaroli has emerged as an option, having won the Formula 3 title in 2024 and the Formula 2 title a year ago, but with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri blocking his path in Papaya, a move could be possible.

As we highlighted last week, SB Nation has unveiled a brand-new F1 Feed, a place for race fans to talk about the sport all year long.

We’ll be putting more of an emphasis on the F1 Feed starting this week, with some big stuff planned for after the August shutdown. So get signed up and join in the fun!

#Aston #Martins #upgrades #lead #Hungarian #Grand #Prix #storylines">

mwasimuddin125 0

The Formula 1 grid will roar to life one final time this weekend, ahead of the annual August shutdown.
Before the sport goes on a mandated hiatus, in place to help the teams and drivers reset ahead of the final push to the end of the schedule — and the holiday season sprint to the next season — the grid heads to the Hungaroring for this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
Here are the storylines we’re looking forward to this weekend.
Aston Martin’s upgrades
It has been, to put it bluntly, a dismal season for Aston Martin.
The year began with questions over whether Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso would even participate in the Australian Grand Prix, as power unit vibrations were too intense for the drivers to handle over a race distance. The team used that race as a glorified testing session, with Alonso completing just 21 laps and Stroll 43, after several pit stops.
But while other teams brought regular upgrades throughout the season to date, Aston Martin circled the Hungarian Grand Prix for a massive upgrade package, one they hope will pull the team up from the back of the grid.
Engineering wizard Adrian Newey outlined what the upgrade contains, including a focus on lowering the weight of the AMR26.
”The main structural elements remain the same – the chassis and gearbox architecture don’t fundamentally change – but we’ve taken weight out of both, which required re-homologating and crash testing the forward chassis,” said Newey to the official F1 channel.
“The front suspension is unchanged. The rear suspension is slightly revised. We’ve developed a new nose and substantially revised aerodynamic surfaces. So, while the core structure is similar, it’s a big aerodynamic package coupled with significant weight reduction. The target is to get very close to the weight limit.”
As far as the team’s expectations for the upgrade?
They simply want to be able to race again.
“For us, the most important is that we go back racing, because we have not over the last events – it was very difficult to keep up with the midfield,” said Chief Trackside Officer Mike Krack. “Whatever it’s going to bring, I think going racing is most important for everyone.
“I think the period that we had with no upgrades for very long is now over, so it looks good for the future, and we are just all looking forward to Budapest and seeing what we have.”
Can George Russell bounce back?
This has absolutely, positively, not been the Summer of George.
When the 2026 F1 season began there were huge expectations at Mercedes, with good reason. The worst-kept secret in the paddock all last year was that the Silver Arrows would be on the front foot when the new regulations arrived, and with that belief came the idea that a Mercedes driver would be at the top of the standings when the dust settled.
While that has largely played out to form — Mercedes currently enjoys a 73-point lead over Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship standings ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix — and it is a Mercedes driver atop the Drivers’ Standings, that is young Kimi Antonelli, and not the veteran George Russell despite those pre-season expectations.
Russell seemed to get back in the fight in recent weeks, thanks to a win at the Austrian Grand Prix and a P2 at the British Grand Prix, on a weekend where Antonelli finished outside of the points. But any momentum on Russell’s part was blunted under the harshest of conditions at the Belgian Grand Prix, when his race ended on the opening lap after contact with Lewis Hamilton at the Les Combes chicane.
Add in Antonelli’s win at Spa, and Russell now finds himself sitting third in the standings, 50 points behind Antonelli and five points behind former teammate Hamilton.
The Mercedes driver vowed to get back up following the Belgian Grand Prix:
Ferrari on the front foot in Hungary?
Lewis Hamilton’s win at the Spanish Grand Prix ignited thoughts of the seven-time champion making a charge of his own, and there is reason to believe that he and Ferrari could be on friendly footing at the Hungaroring.
Ferrari leadership believes that the SF26 is best suited to tracks like this weekend’s, where power and straight-line speed takes a backseat to the lower-speed corners like the grid will see at the Hungaroring. And McLaren boss Andrea Stella already tapped the Scuderia as the favorites ahead of the weekend.
“I think in Hungary, the Netherlands we will see the Ferrari being back to probably being the fastest car we see in the corners there. Extremely competitive,” Stella told Sky Sports F1.
Ferrari took a step forward at the Belgian Grand Prix as Charles Leclerc challenged Antonelli for the win before ultimately finishing second. That could bode well for the team at other tracks, but with the strength in the corners Ferrari has shown earlier this season, they might very well be the team to beat in Hungary.
The calm before the storm
The August shutdown gives the teams and drivers a chance to reset before the final push to the season-ending race at Yas Marina.
But it often marks the true kickoff to the driver transfer market.
As we discussed last week, rumors over Max Verstappen’s future at Red Bull remain the dominant talking point in the paddock, but there are several other teams and drivers wondering how the pieces will fit together for the 2027 F1 season.
One driver to watch is Esteban Ocon at Haas. He returns to Hungary, the site of his one Grand Prix victory in the sport, facing an uncertain future at Haas. While no decision has been made about his future with the team, Ocon has been outscored 18-3 by teammate Oliver Bearman this season.
Bearman’s position at Haas remains secure, given that any notion of a move to Ferrari is blocked for the moment by Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. (Haas and Ferrari are technical partners, Bearman came through the Ferrari Driver Academy, and has long been pegged for a move to Ferrari in the future). But with Ocon lagging behind — and Bearman now more experienced — the team could look to a younger driver as a 2027 replacement. McLaren reserve Leonardo Fornaroli has emerged as an option, having won the Formula 3 title in 2024 and the Formula 2 title a year ago, but with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri blocking his path in Papaya, a move could be possible.
As we highlighted last week, SB Nation has unveiled a brand-new F1 Feed, a place for race fans to talk about the sport all year long.
We’ll be putting more of an emphasis on the F1 Feed starting this week, with some big stuff planned for after the August shutdown. So get signed up and join in the fun!

#Aston #Martins #upgrades #lead #Hungarian #Grand #Prix #storylines">Aston Martin’s upgrades lead F1 Hungarian Grand Prix storylines

The Formula 1 grid will roar to life one final time this weekend, ahead of the annual August shutdown.

Here are the storylines we’re looking forward to this weekend.

Aston Martin’s upgrades

It has been, to put it bluntly, a dismal season for Aston Martin.

Engineering wizard Adrian Newey outlined what the upgrade contains, including a focus on lowering the weight of the AMR26.

As far as the team’s expectations for the upgrade?

They simply want to be able to race again.

“I think the period that we had with no upgrades for very long is now over, so it looks good for the future, and we are just all looking forward to Budapest and seeing what we have.”

Can George Russell bounce back?

This has absolutely, positively, not been the Summer of George.

Add in Antonelli’s win at Spa, and Russell now finds himself sitting third in the standings, 50 points behind Antonelli and five points behind former teammate Hamilton.

The Mercedes driver vowed to get back up following the Belgian Grand Prix:

Ferrari on the front foot in Hungary?

“I think in Hungary, the Netherlands we will see the Ferrari being back to probably being the fastest car we see in the corners there. Extremely competitive,” Stella told Sky Sports F1.

The calm before the storm

The August shutdown gives the teams and drivers a chance to reset before the final push to the season-ending race at Yas Marina.

But it often marks the true kickoff to the driver transfer market.

As we highlighted last week, SB Nation has unveiled a brand-new F1 Feed, a place for race fans to talk about the sport all year long.

We’ll be putting more of an emphasis on the F1 Feed starting this week, with some big stuff planned for after the August shutdown. So get signed up and join in the fun!

#Aston #Martins #upgrades #lead #Hungarian #Grand #Prix #storylines

Manpreet Singh chasing World Cup medal and LA Olympics podium finish before drawing curtains Talismanic Manpreet Singh has achieved plenty in his hockey journey, but the veteran midfielder still rues one missing trophy from his cabinet — a medal in the World Cup — a feat he wants to attain in the upcoming mega-event before drawing curtains to his illustrious career after the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.To his credit, former captain Manpreet has two Olympic medals — back-to-back bronze in Tokyo and Paris — two Asian Games gold (2014 Incheon and 2022 Hangzhou) and a bronze (2018 Jakarta), besides multiple other titles.But one goal the 34-year-old star midfielder is still chasing is an Indian podium finish at the World Cup after 51 long years. India’s last medal at the World Cup was a gold at the 1975 edition.And Manpreet is confident of breaking that jinx in the upcoming edition to be jointly hosted by The Netherlands and Belgium from August 15 to 30. “An athlete never stops, personally I want to represent my country for the longest time and win as many medals as possible,” Manpreet told PTI.“We won back-to-back medals in Olympics, but a World Cup medal is still missing and I want to achieve that and fill that gap because the only World Cup medal we won was back in 1975.“I am pretty confident this time and I have belief in the team. The mindset we showed during last two Olympics to win medals, we have to approach the same way and we will go with the same mindset to win medal.”Manpreet very well knows he is standing at the fag end of his career, but he is backing his fitness to continue till the Los Angeles Olympics. “I have high expectations because an athlete’s lifespan is pretty short, you never know what your future will be, be it your 24 or 35, you never know when some injury happens, so you have to consider every tournament as your last tournament.“I don’t know what will happen after the World Cup but I will try to give my 100 per cent,” said Manpreet, who recently became the most-capped Indian hockey player surpassing the legendary Dilip Tirkey.“As an athlete my personal goal is to play till LA 2028, maintain my fitness and give my 100 per cent, never to give up.”Talking about India’s preparation for the World Cup, Manpreet said the Harmanpreet Singh-led side’s main focus would be on its defensive structure.He highlighted the strong and weak points of the Indian team.“We worked on our penalty corner conversions. Defence also improved, the easy goals we conceded in Rourkela was not there.“If you look at our strongest points, there are plenty of things. Penalty corner is one area, we have Harman, Sanjay and Amit Rohidas. Our attacking and PC defence is also good. We conceded very less goals from penalty corners. Post LA 2028 Olympics, Manpreet Singh wants to spent time with his family before foraying into coaching career.
| Photo Credit:
Getty Images

Post LA 2028 Olympics, Manpreet Singh wants to spent time with his family before foraying into coaching career.
| Photo Credit:
Getty Images
“But the important thing is we have to keep our defence strong because if you miss while attacking, you need to fall back and defend and get opportunities again to score and I am confident whenever we get chances we can score goals.“There won’t be an easy matches. We need to keep our defence strong and not allow any easy goals. We will always have to be proactive in defence and need to maintain the tempo from start to finish.”India is placed in Pool D alongside England and Wales and a mouth-watering match against arch-rival Pakistan on August 19 awaits, but Manpreet is unfazed by the hype around the blockbuster clash.“We are approaching match by match. We are not thinking too much about Pakistan match, we are just focussed on doing our basics right.”Post LA 2028 Olympics, Manpreet wants to spent time with his family before foraying into coaching career.“Definitely, the time I have spent and experienced I have gathered in hockey, I would like to share with the next generation. This is in my mind but for that also I have to work and study hard. As a coach you need to be very patient but all these will come after LA,” he said.Manpreet is a big fan of football legends David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo, a reason he opted for No.7 jersey while representing India.“When I was a kid I used to watch matches of Beckham and Ronaldo a lot, when Cristiano was in Manchester and David Beckham was there before him. I used to like their hairstyle, tattoos, their work ethic, fitness, especially Ronaldo’s never give-up attitude at the age of 41 which was visible in the recent World Cup,” he concluded.Published on Jul 24, 2026 #Manpreet #Singh #chasing #World #Cup #medal #Olympics #podium #finish #drawing #curtains — Post LA 2028 Olympics, Manpreet Singh wants to spent time with his family before foraying into coaching career. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

#Manpreet #Singh #chasing #World #Cup #medal #Olympics #podium #finish #drawing #curtains">

mwasimuddin125 0

Talismanic Manpreet Singh has achieved plenty in his hockey journey, but the veteran midfielder still rues one missing trophy from his cabinet — a medal in the World Cup — a feat he wants to attain in the upcoming mega-event before drawing curtains to his illustrious career after the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
To his credit, former captain Manpreet has two Olympic medals — back-to-back bronze in Tokyo and Paris — two Asian Games gold (2014 Incheon and 2022 Hangzhou) and a bronze (2018 Jakarta), besides multiple other titles.
But one goal the 34-year-old star midfielder is still chasing is an Indian podium finish at the World Cup after 51 long years. India’s last medal at the World Cup was a gold at the 1975 edition.
And Manpreet is confident of breaking that jinx in the upcoming edition to be jointly hosted by The Netherlands and Belgium from August 15 to 30. “An athlete never stops, personally I want to represent my country for the longest time and win as many medals as possible,” Manpreet told PTI.
“We won back-to-back medals in Olympics, but a World Cup medal is still missing and I want to achieve that and fill that gap because the only World Cup medal we won was back in 1975.
“I am pretty confident this time and I have belief in the team. The mindset we showed during last two Olympics to win medals, we have to approach the same way and we will go with the same mindset to win medal.”
Manpreet very well knows he is standing at the fag end of his career, but he is backing his fitness to continue till the Los Angeles Olympics. “I have high expectations because an athlete’s lifespan is pretty short, you never know what your future will be, be it your 24 or 35, you never know when some injury happens, so you have to consider every tournament as your last tournament.
“I don’t know what will happen after the World Cup but I will try to give my 100 per cent,” said Manpreet, who recently became the most-capped Indian hockey player surpassing the legendary Dilip Tirkey.
“As an athlete my personal goal is to play till LA 2028, maintain my fitness and give my 100 per cent, never to give up.”
Talking about India’s preparation for the World Cup, Manpreet said the Harmanpreet Singh-led side’s main focus would be on its defensive structure.
He highlighted the strong and weak points of the Indian team.
“We worked on our penalty corner conversions. Defence also improved, the easy goals we conceded in Rourkela was not there.
“If you look at our strongest points, there are plenty of things. Penalty corner is one area, we have Harman, Sanjay and Amit Rohidas. Our attacking and PC defence is also good. We conceded very less goals from penalty corners.
Post LA 2028 Olympics, Manpreet Singh wants to spent time with his family before foraying into coaching career. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Post LA 2028 Olympics, Manpreet Singh wants to spent time with his family before foraying into coaching career. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
“But the important thing is we have to keep our defence strong because if you miss while attacking, you need to fall back and defend and get opportunities again to score and I am confident whenever we get chances we can score goals.
“There won’t be an easy matches. We need to keep our defence strong and not allow any easy goals. We will always have to be proactive in defence and need to maintain the tempo from start to finish.”
India is placed in Pool D alongside England and Wales and a mouth-watering match against arch-rival Pakistan on August 19 awaits, but Manpreet is unfazed by the hype around the blockbuster clash.
“We are approaching match by match. We are not thinking too much about Pakistan match, we are just focussed on doing our basics right.”
Post LA 2028 Olympics, Manpreet wants to spent time with his family before foraying into coaching career.
“Definitely, the time I have spent and experienced I have gathered in hockey, I would like to share with the next generation. This is in my mind but for that also I have to work and study hard. As a coach you need to be very patient but all these will come after LA,” he said.
Manpreet is a big fan of football legends David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo, a reason he opted for No.7 jersey while representing India.
“When I was a kid I used to watch matches of Beckham and Ronaldo a lot, when Cristiano was in Manchester and David Beckham was there before him. I used to like their hairstyle, tattoos, their work ethic, fitness, especially Ronaldo’s never give-up attitude at the age of 41 which was visible in the recent World Cup,” he concluded.
Published on Jul 24, 2026

#Manpreet #Singh #chasing #World #Cup #medal #Olympics #podium #finish #drawing #curtains">Manpreet Singh chasing World Cup medal and LA Olympics podium finish before drawing curtains

Talismanic Manpreet Singh has achieved plenty in his hockey journey, but the veteran midfielder still rues one missing trophy from his cabinet — a medal in the World Cup — a feat he wants to attain in the upcoming mega-event before drawing curtains to his illustrious career after the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

To his credit, former captain Manpreet has two Olympic medals — back-to-back bronze in Tokyo and Paris — two Asian Games gold (2014 Incheon and 2022 Hangzhou) and a bronze (2018 Jakarta), besides multiple other titles.

But one goal the 34-year-old star midfielder is still chasing is an Indian podium finish at the World Cup after 51 long years. India’s last medal at the World Cup was a gold at the 1975 edition.

And Manpreet is confident of breaking that jinx in the upcoming edition to be jointly hosted by The Netherlands and Belgium from August 15 to 30. “An athlete never stops, personally I want to represent my country for the longest time and win as many medals as possible,” Manpreet told PTI.

“We won back-to-back medals in Olympics, but a World Cup medal is still missing and I want to achieve that and fill that gap because the only World Cup medal we won was back in 1975.

“I am pretty confident this time and I have belief in the team. The mindset we showed during last two Olympics to win medals, we have to approach the same way and we will go with the same mindset to win medal.”

Manpreet very well knows he is standing at the fag end of his career, but he is backing his fitness to continue till the Los Angeles Olympics. “I have high expectations because an athlete’s lifespan is pretty short, you never know what your future will be, be it your 24 or 35, you never know when some injury happens, so you have to consider every tournament as your last tournament.

“I don’t know what will happen after the World Cup but I will try to give my 100 per cent,” said Manpreet, who recently became the most-capped Indian hockey player surpassing the legendary Dilip Tirkey.

“As an athlete my personal goal is to play till LA 2028, maintain my fitness and give my 100 per cent, never to give up.”

Talking about India’s preparation for the World Cup, Manpreet said the Harmanpreet Singh-led side’s main focus would be on its defensive structure.

He highlighted the strong and weak points of the Indian team.

“We worked on our penalty corner conversions. Defence also improved, the easy goals we conceded in Rourkela was not there.

“If you look at our strongest points, there are plenty of things. Penalty corner is one area, we have Harman, Sanjay and Amit Rohidas. Our attacking and PC defence is also good. We conceded very less goals from penalty corners.

Post LA 2028 Olympics, Manpreet Singh wants to spent time with his family before foraying into coaching career. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Post LA 2028 Olympics, Manpreet Singh wants to spent time with his family before foraying into coaching career. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

“But the important thing is we have to keep our defence strong because if you miss while attacking, you need to fall back and defend and get opportunities again to score and I am confident whenever we get chances we can score goals.

“There won’t be an easy matches. We need to keep our defence strong and not allow any easy goals. We will always have to be proactive in defence and need to maintain the tempo from start to finish.”

India is placed in Pool D alongside England and Wales and a mouth-watering match against arch-rival Pakistan on August 19 awaits, but Manpreet is unfazed by the hype around the blockbuster clash.

“We are approaching match by match. We are not thinking too much about Pakistan match, we are just focussed on doing our basics right.”

Post LA 2028 Olympics, Manpreet wants to spent time with his family before foraying into coaching career.

“Definitely, the time I have spent and experienced I have gathered in hockey, I would like to share with the next generation. This is in my mind but for that also I have to work and study hard. As a coach you need to be very patient but all these will come after LA,” he said.

Manpreet is a big fan of football legends David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo, a reason he opted for No.7 jersey while representing India.

“When I was a kid I used to watch matches of Beckham and Ronaldo a lot, when Cristiano was in Manchester and David Beckham was there before him. I used to like their hairstyle, tattoos, their work ethic, fitness, especially Ronaldo’s never give-up attitude at the age of 41 which was visible in the recent World Cup,” he concluded.

Published on Jul 24, 2026

#Manpreet #Singh #chasing #World #Cup #medal #Olympics #podium #finish #drawing #curtains

Noida Workers Protest: 2026 में यूपी समेत 12 राज्यों ने बढ़ाया फैक्टरी कर्मियों का न्यूनतम वेतन; अब कहां-कितना

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The calm before the storm

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