Indian sports wrap, January 8: Yuva Kabaddi Series: Aravalli Arrows hands Palani Tuskers first Defeat; Murthal Magnets secures maiden win

KABADDI

Yuva Kabaddi Series: Aravalli Arrows hands Palani Tuskers first Defeat; Murthal Magnets secures maiden win

The 11th Yuva Kabaddi Series — Division 1, held at the Karpagam Academy of Higher Education in Coimbatore, delivered a day of surprises, with the Palani Tuskers suffering its first defeat and the Murthal Magnets finally breaking its winless streak on Tuesday.

The day began with the Magnets claiming their maiden win by defeating the Karpagam Raiders 40-32. Vinay delivered a stellar all-round performance, contributing 15 raid points and three tackle points. Despite R. Gowtham’s 14 raid points for the Raiders, a lack of support from his teammates resulted in their loss.

In the second match, the Sonipat Spartans handed the Jaipur Thunders its fifth consecutive defeat with a 45-33 victory. Ankit Saharwa led the Spartans’ charge with 12 raid points, while Naveen Sharma and Pankaj contributed six tackle points each. For Jaipur, Praveen’s High 5 and Mohit Gurjar’s all-round effort weren’t enough to turn the tide.

The third game saw the Aravalli Arrows stun the previously unbeaten Tuskers with a 35-28 victory. Ankit Jat was the standout performer, securing nine tackle points, while Chetan Choudhary earned a High 5. Despite M. Esakkiraja’s High 5 for the Tuskers, their raiding unit fell short, leading to their first defeat.

The final match of the day featured a close contest between the Kurukshetra Warriors and the Chennai Tamizhans, with the Warriors edging out a 32-30 win. Sachin Jagbir shone with 14 raid points, while Sachin added a High 5 to the Warriors’ tally. For Chennai, Stanly Packiaraj recorded a Super 10 and Sakthivel R earned a High 5, but their efforts fell just short.

-Team Sportstar

MOTORSPORTS

Indian riders Geoffrey, Kavin, Johann, Nadine join Gaman Racing, to train in Spain

Promising Indian riders Geoffrey Emmanuel, Kavin Quintal, Johann Emmanuel and Nadine Balaji have joined Gaman Racing and the quartet will be training in Spain ahead of the 2025 season.

The Spanish racing giants inked a deal with Gusto Racing India in this regard, and Geoffrey, Kavin, and Johann will train at MotorLand Aragon, Gaman Racing’s state-of-the-art facility in Spain.

“Our vision is to create a strong pipeline of future champions. This partnership with Gaman Racing is our vision to train and create Indian riders of international standard,” said Emmanuel Jebaraj, leader of Gusto Racing.

The four riders achieved notable milestones in 2024, where Geoffrey competed in the Moto2 European Championship at FIM JuniorGP, with five podiums in the Supersport 600 class at the Qatar Superstock Championship (QSTK).

Kavin became the first Indian rider in WorldSBK’s Supersport 300 class, and achieved success in the FIM JuniorGP STK class. He also excelled in the Asia Road Racing Championship (AP250 class).

While Johann delivered good performances in the European Talent Cup (FIM JuniorGP) and the Thailand Talent Cup, with multiple wins in QSTK’s Supersport 300 class, the lady rider, Nadine secured podium finishes in the Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship.

-PTI