Indian sports news wrap, January 20
MOTORSPORT
New Karting track at Sriperumbudur announced during MMSC Awards Function
India’s latest CIK (world body for karting)-approved track, measuring about 1.2 Kms, is all set for inauguration later this year at the Madras International Circuit premises, Sriperumbudur, according to Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC) Vice-President Vicky Chandhok.
Speaking at the MMSC Awards Function here on Saturday when the winners of the MRF MMSC FMSCI National motorcycle and car racing championships were honoured, Chandhok said: “We are proud to announce that the CIK-approved karting track will be inaugurated later this year. The track is being built at a cost of about Rs 16 crore and we have received all the necessary approvals from CIK, the World governing body for karting. This is a natural progression after our MIC race track received Grade-2 certification from FIA.”
Ajit Thomas, President, MMSC, said: “We appreciate the support from MRF Tyres and also TVS and Honda India. We made some upgrades especially with regard to the timing equipment. We hope to inaugurate the CIK-approved international standard karting track later this year.” MMSC Secretary Manoj Dalal proposed a vote of thanks.
– Team Sportstar
MMSC Award winners
2-Wheeler racing:
Pro-Stock 301-400cc: Rider Champion: Rajiv Sethu (Chennai, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate). Team Champion: Petronas TVS Racing. Manufacturer champion: Yamaha.
Pro-Stock 165cc: Rider: KY Ahamed (Chennai, Petronas TVS Racing). Team: Petronas TVS Racing. Manufacturer – Yamaha.
Novice (Stock 165cc): Rider: Vignesh Goud (Hyderabad, Race’ists Motorcycle Club). Team: Axor Sparks Racing. Manufacturer: Yamaha.
Girls (Stock 165cc): Rider: Lani Zena Fernandez (Puducherry, RACR Castrol Power1 Ultimate). Team: Alpha Racing. Manufacturer: Yamaha.
TVS Open (Apache RR 310): Rider: Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru).
TVS Girls (Apache RTR 200): Rider: Nithila Das (Bengaluru).
Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup – Open (NSF 250R): Rider – Kavin Quintal (Chennai).
4-Wheeler racing:
MRF Formula 2000: Driver champion: Sandeep Kumar (Chennai).
MRF Formula 1600: Driver: Chetan Surineni (Bengaluru).
Indian Touring Cars: Driver: Gurunath Meiyappan (Chennai, Race Concepts). Team champion: Race Concepts.
Indian Junior Touring Cars: Driver: Deepak Ravikumar (Chennai, Team Performance Racing). Team: DTS Racing.
Super Stock: Driver: T. S. Diljith (Thrissur, DTS Racing). Team: Redline Racing, Chennai. Formula LGB 1300: Driver: T. S. Diljith (Thrissur, DTS Racing). Team: DTS Racing.
MRF Saloons (Toyota Etios): Driver: Angad Matharo (Chandigarh, Redline Racing).
TENNIS
Crawford sets up title clash with Bobrov $25,000 ITF men’s tournament
Top seed Oliver Crawford beat Eric Vanshelboim 6-1, 6-7(2), 6-4 to set up a title clash against Bogdan Bobrov in the $25,000 ITF men’s tennis tournament at the Arera Club on Saturday.
In the doubles final, Ishaque Eqbal and Faisal Qamar were beaten 6-4, 6-2 by Bogdan Bobrov and Luca Castelnuovo.
– Kamesh Srinivasan
The results:
Singles (semifinals): Oliver Crawford (GBR) bt Eric Vanshelboim (Ukr) 6-1, 6-7(2), 6-4; Bogdan Bobrov bt David Pichler (Aut) 6-2, 2-6, 6-1.
Doubles (final): Bogdan Bobrov & Luca Castelnuovo (Sui) bt Ishaque Eqbal & Faisal Qamar 6-4, 6-2.
Tavish Pahwa triumphs at AITA National Series Juniors
Tavish Pahwa won a double crown in the AITA National Series under-16 tennis tournament at the Joygaon Academy on Saturday.
The 15th-seeded Tavish beat Swatanterveer Kajal 6-0, 6-3 in the final. He had dropped one set on the way, to the top seed Prateek Sheoran in the pre-quarterfinals.
Tavish won the doubles title in partnership with Vanshraj Jalota.
– Team Sportstar
The results (finals):
Under-16 boys: Tavish Pahwa bt Swatanterveer Kajal 6-0, 6-3.
Doubles: Vanshraj Jalota & Tavish Pahwa bt Sarda Anuj & Uttam Kartik 7-5, 6-4.
Under-16 girls: Anandita Upadhyay bt Aaradhya Meena 6-2, 6-2.
Rithvik and Niki lose Challenger fina
Top seeds Luke Johnson of Britain and Skander Mansouri of Tunisia beat Rithvik Bollipalli and Niki Poonacha 7-5, 6-4 in the doubles final of the $82,000 Challenger tennis tournament in Nonthaburi, Thailand, on Saturday.
The champion team collected 75 ATP points and $4,665. The runners-up pocketed 50 points and $2,700.
– Team Sportstar
The results:
$82,000 Challenger, Nonthaburi, Thailand
Doubles (final): Luke Johnson (GBR) & Skander Mansouri (Tun) bt Rithvik Bollipalli & Niki Poonacha 7-5, 6-4.
TABLE TENNIS
Parthiv, Rachel and Hamda bag titles in KTTA’s State championships
Ernakulam’s R. Parthiv and Rachel Joseph won the under-11 boys and girls singles titles in the Kerala State table tennis championships, organised by the Kerala Table Tennis Association, at the Rajiv Gandhi indoor stadium here on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Palakkad’s P. Hamda took the under-13 girls singles title.
The KTTA, which is not recognised by the Table Tennis Association of India, has the support of the Kerala State Sports Council and around 200 players from 11 of the State’s 14 districts are in action here. There is no inter-district team event in the State championships here and there is only singles action.
“The Sports Council has also sent its observer for our State championship in Kochi,” Vijay Arjandas Lulla, the KTTA secretary, told Sportstar on Saturday.
The Table Tennis Association of Kerala, which is affiliated to the national body TTFI, had its State championships in Kozhikode recently and its players went for the National championships too. The TTAK’s championships had singles, doubles and team events.
– Stan Rayan
The results (singles, finals):
Boys: Under-11: R. Parthiv (Ekm) bt Sebastian K. Jacob (Pkd) 8-11, 11-1, 8-11, 16-14, 11-4.
Girls: Under-13: P. Hamda (Pkd) bt Rachel Joseph (Ekm) 11-6, 11-3, 11-4. Under-11: Rachel Joseph (Ekm) bt Aditi Menon (Ekm) 8-11, 11-5, 11-9, 14-16, 12-10.
Khelo India Youth Games
Anbless Gowin of Tamil Nadu triumphs in epee fencing
N. Anbless Gowin of Tamil Nadu overcame S. H. Zenith of Manipur 15-11 in the boys’ epee fencing summit clash of the 6th Khelo India Youth Games held here on Saturday. Kaushik Khanak of Delhi beat Negi Himanshi (Haryana) 15-12 in the girls’ sabre fencing final.
In squash, Tamil Nadu’s L. Meyyappan rallied to beat Dishant Murjani (Rajasthan) 3-2 in the boys’ singles first round. Squash made its debut in the Games. Most of the seeded players advanced with comfortable wins in the round-of-16.
– Team Sportstar
Squash results (round-of-16):
Boys singles: Tavneet Singh Mundra (MP) bt Vansh Chandrakar (CG) 11-2, 11-2, 11-4; Ansh Tripathi (UP) bt Rachit Kumar Shailya (UP) 14-12, 11-9, 11-6; P. R. Sandhesh (TN) bt Rishi Panwar (Raj) 11-3 11-8 11-8; L. Meyyappan (TN) bt Dishant Murjani (Raj) 10-12, 11-5, 8-11, 11-2, 13-11; K. S. Arihant (TN) bt Malay Rathod (CG) 11-2, 11-2, 11-1; Karan Yadav (UP) bt Aakash Kannan (TN) 11-5, 11-4, 11-9; Avalokit Singh (Raj) bt Abhay S Vasudev (TN) 11-3, 11-8, 11-5; Aryan Pratap Singh (UP) bt Gautham R Das (Ker) 11-5, 11-4, 11-3.
Girls Singles: R. Pooja Arthi (TN) bt Subhadra K Sony (Ker) 11-2, 11-2, 11-2; Yashi Jain (Raj) bt Vaibhavi Baalaje (Kar) 11-1, 11-5, 11-8; V. Deepika (TN) bt Khushi Puranik (Del) 11-7, 11-7, 11-7; Chhavi Saran (Raj) bt Reiva Nimbalkar (Mah) 11-6, 11-6, 6-11, 11-7; Shameena Riaz (TN) bt Chitrangda Goel (UP) 11-3, 14-12, 8-11, 11-3; Khushboo (UP) bt Dhritih Kandpal (Guj) 11-7, 7-11, 11-6, 11-4; Unnati Tripathi (UP) bt Chazerina Benjamin (MP) 11-5, 11-3, 11-1; Nirupama Dubey (MH) bt Perina Sharma (Del) 1-0 retd.
HOCKEY
Central Secretariat pips BNR in Beighton Cup
Central Secretariat edged past BNR Recreation Club via penalty shootout to enter the main round of the Coal India 125 th Beighton Cup hockey tournament at the SAI astro-turf ground here on Saturday.
After a 3-3 deadlock, Central Secretariat prevailed over BNR 3-1 in the tie-breaker.
The result:
Central Secretariat 3 (Mohd. Sharique-3) bt BNR Recreation Club 3 (Birsa Orya, Amandeep Lakra, Sunil Jojo) via penalty shootout [Central Secretariat 3 (Iktidar Ishrat, Vikash Choudhury, Vinay Rana) bt BNR 1 (Sunit Lakra)].