ATHLETICS

The country’s emerging track and field talents will be put to the test when the three-day National Junior (Under-20) Athletics Federation competition gets underway at the Mahatma Gandhi Stadium in Tumkur, Karnataka, on Friday, with many eyes on a future in India colours.

With an eye on next month’s Asian U-20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong, the competition is expected to be intense, especially after the Athletics Federation of India announced stringent qualification standards for the continental meet, raising the stakes for young athletes eager to prove their credentials on the national stage.

The first medal events on day one will be the 5,000m races in both the men’s and women’s sections, but the spotlight will firmly be on the 100m sprint, where promising Jharkhand sprinter Parth Singh will test his mettle against Odisha’s Pratik Maharana, among others.

Parth enjoyed an impressive season last year and will be keen to stamp his authority on the event, which has drawn a staggering 79 entries, while the men’s 200m has attracted an equally crowded field of 93 competitors.

The meet will also serve as an ideal platform for Odisha’s international 400m runner Bapi Hansda, who is making a comeback after a lengthy injury layoff sustained during the 2025 National Games in Uttarakhand.

Kerala’s rising quarter-miler Mohammed Ashfaq has also confirmed his entry and will be eager to cement his place in the national team for the Hong Kong meet, with as many as 89 athletes in the fray.

The opening day will also crown the fastest female athlete, with the women’s 100m drawing 37 entries.

Medals will also be decided in the women’s pole vault and discus throw. In all, 1,059 competitors, including 709 men, have confirmed their participation in the meet, which concludes on Sunday.

-PTI

TABLE TENNIS

Priyanuj, Ritvik emerge U-19 and U-17 national champions

Assam’s Priyanuj Bhattacharya staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Tamil Nadu’s P. B. Abhinand in the Under-19 Boys’ Singles final, denying his opponent a third gold at the Junior and Youth National Table Tennis Championships here on Thursday.

In a gripping summit clash that lived up to expectations, Abhinand surged to a commanding 2-0 lead, appearing firmly on course for the title.

However, Bhattacharya responded with grit and composure, turning the match around with four consecutive games. The Assam paddler shut the door on any comeback, sealing a 4-2 victory to finally claim a long-awaited national crown — a fitting reward for his persistence.

The Tamil Nadu pair of P.B. Abhinand and M.R. Balamurugan capped off a dominant run by clinching the title with a commanding 3-1 victory over compatriots S.K. Mehan and Umesh Kumar in the final.

In a gripping Under-17 Boys Singles final that swung back and forth with momentum shifts, Ritvik Gupta of J&K edged past Odisha’s Sarthak Arya in a hard-fought seven-game battle, winning 4-3.

Sahil Rawat and Dhairya Rawat of PSPBA emerged champions after a hard-fought five-game victory over fellow PSPBA duo Trishal Raj Kumar and Rushikesh Jagtap. The final ebbed and flowed, with both pairs trading momentum, but Sahil and Dhairya held their nerve in the decider to close out the match 11-7 and lift the title.

-PTI

GOLF

DP World Players Championship: Dhruv Sheoran opens three-shot lead

Dhruv Sheoran fired a six-under 66 to open up a three-shot lead at 15-under 201 after round three of the DP World Players Championship at the Classic Golf & Country Club in Nuh, Haryana.

The 31-year-old delivered his second consecutive 66 to take control heading into the final day. His error-free third round (69-66-66) was built on a blistering start, as he reeled off four consecutive birdies from the second to the fifth to seize early momentum. Dhruv maintained that control through the round, adding two more birdies on the 10th and 11th to stay ahead of the chasing pack.

Sunit Chowrasia (70-66-68), who returned from a long injury lay-off earlier this year, climbed into the second spot at 12-under 204 after a steady four-under 68 that featured five birdies and a lone bogey.

Akshay Sharma (70-65-70) and Jamal Hossain (67-70-68) are tied third at 11-under 205. The former followed up his tournament-low 65 in round two with a composed two-under 70, while the latter returned a 68 to remain in contention.

Mani Ram (69-68-70) occupies the fifth place at nine-under 207 after a round of 70 that included an eagle on the par-5 14th along with two birdies and two bogeys.

-Team Sportstar

Published on Apr 23, 2026