Indian sports wrap, January 17: Chotrani loses to World No. 13 Cardenas in Cleveland quarterfinals
SQUASH
Chotrani loses to World No. 13 in Cleveland quarterfinals
Veer Chotrani went down to Mexican second seed Leonel Cardenas in the quarterfinals of the Squash in the Land 2026 in Cleveland (USA) on Friday.
Featuring in his first PSA Silver-level quarterfinal, the Indian world No 52 raised his tempo in the second and third games, as he ramped up his attacking play against the world No 13.
Cardenas, however, proved too strong, as he went on to register a 11-3, 11-7, 11-8 victory.
-Team Sportstar
ATHLETICS
Mumbai Marathon to kick off with record number of participants
The 21st edition of the Tata Mumbai Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label Race, will be flagged off from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus early on Sunday morning, with an elite field set to compete alongside a record participation of over 69,000 runners.
The marquee full marathon will be the centrepiece of the event, with top international and Indian athletes vying for honours and a share of the total prize purse of USD 389,524. Promoted by Procam International, the race will also feature a revamped course, with the iconic Mumbai Coastal Road included for the first time along with the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, offering runners sweeping views of the Arabian Sea.
In the men’s international elite race, Eritrea’s Merhawi Kesete (Personal Best 2:06:36), runner-up in Mumbai last year, starts as one of the favourites. He will face stiff competition from Uganda’s 2023 World Champion Victor Kiplangat (2:05:09), Ethiopia’s Bazezew Asmare (2:04:57), Tadu Abate Deme, Tesfaye Demeke and Kelkile Gezahegn in what promises to be a high-quality contest.
Indian interest in the men’s race will be led by Man Singh, the 2025 Mumbai Marathon runner-up and the third-fastest Indian marathoner ever, along with two-time champion Srinu Bugatha and Hyderabad Marathon winner Anish Thapa.
In the women’s international elite field, Ethiopia’s Shure Demise, the fastest entrant with a Personal Best of 2:20:59, headlines a strong line-up that includes Zinah Senbeta and Yeshi Chekole. Among Indian women, Nirmaben Thakor will be aiming for a historic hat-trick of Mumbai Marathon titles, facing competition from former champions Jyoti Gawate and Lalita Babbar.
The elite marathon will begin at 7.00 AM, following the amateur and half-marathon races earlier in the morning, as Mumbai once again turns into a global running hub for a day.
– Team Sportstar
‘Missing’ Anju loses her title, Anjali now the 800m winner
Lovely Professional University’s Anju, who had won the women’s 800m in the 85th all-India Inter-University Athletics Championships at Moodubidiri and then had run away from the venue, has been removed as the winner of the event.
The result has been revised, Anju’s name has been ‘scratched out’ (SCR) and Guru Nanak Dev University’s Anjali – who finished second in 2:09.50s – has been upgraded as the winner.
H.B. Radhakrishna, the manager of the all-India varsities meet, explained what transpired after Anju, who also did not turn up for the medal ceremony to collect her gold and the cash prize of Rs. 15,000 that came with it, went missing.
“After the race, a complaint went to the jury of appeal. The jury decided to give a letter to the team manager (of the LP University) that he should produce the particular athlete for the victory ceremony,” Radhakrishna told Sportstar.
“The jury gave the manager 24 hours time for that. After 24 hours, the manager returned and he gave in writing that ‘she is not here, she is not under my control also’. On the basis of that, the jury decided to upgrade the result and scratched out the winner.”
But shouldn’t it be a disqualification?
“Yes, disqualification. But suppose you write it as disqualification, for Khelo India (University Games), that name will come again. In Khelo India, they call the best eight athletes so naturally she will come into the list. And once again, there will be a problem in Khelo India,” explained Radhakrishna.
“So, for that purpose, they wrote like that (as scratched).”
Now, has Anjali been given the 800m gold medal, certificate and the winner’s cash prize of Rs 15,000?
“We haven’t done that. We wrote to the AIU (Association of Indian Universities) explaining the case and the jury of appeal’s decision. The AIU will finalise and send the certificate.
“The same happened in the women’s half marathon too. That result also has been upgraded, with the third-place finisher (Ganga of Ch. Chaudhary Charan University) being scratched out and the fourth-place finisher (Khushboo Patel) moving to third,” said the meet manager.
To ensure the sport is clean, it is now the duty of the AIU to go all out and find out why athletes go missing from venues after winning medals.
– Stan Rayan
CRICKET
Women’s National Tournament for the Blind 2026 gets off to commanding start in Odisha
At Dharmasala Stadium, Jaraka (Jajpur), West Bengal registered a confident seven-wicket victory over Haryana, chasing the target comfortably in an 18-over encounter.
In another match at the same venue, Telangana delivered a composed performance to defeat Uttar Pradesh by eight wickets, completing the chase in just 11.1 overs.
At the Paramount Sporting Club, Bhubaneswar, Delhi dominated its fixture against Jharkhand, securing a comprehensive nine-wicket win. In the second match at the venue, Karnataka displayed strong batting depth and disciplined bowling to overcome Gujarat by 33 runs in a competitive 20-over contest.
The Nimpur Cricket Ground, Cuttack, witnessed two commanding performances. Odisha produced one of the most emphatic victories of the day, defeating Chandigarh by a massive 174 runs, while Andhra Pradesh outplayed Bihar to secure a convincing 148-run win, underlining its all-round strength.
At KT Global School Ground, Khordha, Rajasthan delivered a dominant showing against Tamil Nadu, registering a 95-run victory in a full 20-over match. In another fixture at the venue, Madhya Pradesh showcased clinical execution to defeat Kerala by 103 runs in a 16-over contest.
– Team Sportstar
CYCLING
Olympic qualification points on offer for Pune Grand Tour; India field largest-ever contingent
Indian cyclists will race for crucial Olympic qualification points when the country hosts its first-ever UCI 2.2 multi-stage road race, the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour, starting on Monday.
India will field its largest-ever contingent of 12 riders — split into the Indian national team and the Indian development team — in the five-day event, which runs till January 23 and serves as a key stepping stone on the road to qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The race opens with a 7.5km prologue at Goodluck Chowk which will determine early positions in the general classification, before moving into a demanding four-stage test across Pune and the Western Ghats that combines sprinting, climbing and tactical depth.
Stage 1 on January 20, the 87.2km Mulsi–Maval Miles, winds through Pune’s IT hub Hinjewadi, blending flat sprint sections with sharp urban turns.
In Stage 2, the 105.3km Maratha Heritage Circuit is covered on January 21, and is expected to be decisive, featuring steep ghat climbs around Purandar Fort, Sinhagad and Khadakwasla Lake.
The 134km Western Ghats Gateway stage on January 22 stretches from Purandar to Baramati across the Deccan plateau, testing speed and race craft amid rolling terrain and crosswinds, before the race concludes with the 95km Pune Pride Loop — a technical urban circuit passing landmarks such as Shaniwar Wada.
Terming it a defining moment for Indian cycling, the Indian Federation (CFI) secretary general Maninder Pal Singh said: “Securing a UCI 2.2 multi-stage race was not easy, and it reflects years of consistent work by the Cycling Federation of India to build credibility at the international level.”
“This event opens a direct pathway for our riders toward Olympic qualification and changes how cycling is viewed by governments, sponsors, and stakeholders across the country. Hosting a race of this scale in India gives our athletes the opportunity to compete, learn, and progress into elite competitions,” he said.
National chief coach Maxat Ayazabayev said: “It is extremely important for India hosting more and more such races for the development of our riders.”
“The Pune Grand Tour will give our riders valuable race experience of an international standard on home roads. We are hopeful of delivering strong results,” he said.
Indian national team coach Joginder Singh described the race as historic.
“The Pune Grand Tour is historic for Indian cycling. Now we have an international race in our own backyard, in our familiar conditions.”
“With a strong mix of young and experienced riders in the Indian team, this UCI 2.2 event can be a real turning point for the growth of professional road cycling in India,” he said.
Among the riders, Harshveer Sekhon said racing at home was a source of motivation.
“I don’t see racing at home as pressure; I see it as motivation. Competing on home roads, in front of our own people, gives me energy.
“This is my first experience of a stage race of this scale in India. Our preparation has been strong, and we’re looking forward to performing well,” he said.
Surya Thathu, racing in his home state of Maharashtra, said, “Races like the Pune Grand Tour were something we once watched only on television, and to compete in a multi-stage race of this scale in India, especially in my home state of Maharashtra, is incredibly special.”
“Racing in Europe is challenging, as riders have to manage all the logistics on their own. However, Pune Grand Tour feels different — here every aspect of our preparation has been well taken care of. More races like this will give young riders real opportunities, just as regular racing does in countries like Belgium.”
Another rider Vishvajeet Singh said: “When we arrived in Pune and inspected the routes, the quality of roads and overall organisation really stood out.
“The level of support provided to the teams, vehicles, logistics and infrastructure, is comparable to what we see in major international tours. Experiencing that in India is special, and it motivates us to give our best,” he said.
From the development team, Manav Sarda said, having both the races is a big opportunity for younger riders.
Akshar Tyagi said the training camp with the senior riders helped them “correct small but important aspects of our racing.”
-PTI
MORE SPORTS
SAI’s mega recruitment drive, invites applications for 323 assistant coaches in 26 disciplines
In a bid to strengthen athlete support, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has initiated nationwide recruitment of assistant coaches across 26 disciplines for its Centres of Excellence (COE) and other training facilities with shooting, athletics, swimming and wrestling set to be among the biggest beneficiaries.
SAI has invited applications for 323 vacancies for assistant coaches, 33 per cent of them reserved for women, to be posted at its various Regional Centres, National Centres of Excellence and Training Centres spread all over India.
“The recruitment methodology is structured into a two-stage process: a Computer based online written test, called Computer Based Test (CBT) and a Coaching Ability Test (CAT),” the body stated in its latest notification.
“The final composite weightage in the recruitment methodology shall be 60 per cent for the Coaching Ability Test and 40 per cent for the Computer based online written test,” it added.
“The candidates appearing in the written examination shall be shortlisted for the Coaching Ability Test (CAT) in the ratio of 1:3 i.e. the number of candidates to be shortlisted for the coaching ability test will be three times the number of vacancies in each sport and in each category.”
Athletics and shooting have 28 vacancies each, while in swimming, 26 slots will be filled. Twenty two coaches will be recruited for wrestling.
In boxing, 19 assistant coaches would be hired and all major disciplines, including weightlifting, archery badminton, and table tennis would be covered during the recruitment drive.
The online tests will be held in Delhi, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Bhopal, Gandhinagar, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati and Imphal.
“The number of centres can be reduced or increased, depending upon the number of candidates,” SAI stated.
Open to aspirants who are at least 30 years of age, the minimum qualification for applying is a diploma or equivalent in coaching from SAI NS-NIS, Patiala or from any other recognised Indian/foreign university.
“Participation in Olympics/Paralympics/Asian Games/World Championship with Certificate Course in Coaching or being a Dronacharya Awardee would also make a person eligible to appear for the test,” the SAI notification said.
-PTI
Published on Jan 17, 2026