Indian sports wrap, September 22: Usain Bolt to visit India for exhibition football game in October
ATHLETICS
Bolt to visit India for exhibition football game on October 1
Sprint legend Usain Bolt will trade his running spikes for football boots as he is set to visit India for a unique exhibition match here on October 1.
Bolt, one of the greatest athletes of all time with eight Olympic gold medals to his credit, will light up the pitch in an exclusive football showcase alongside footballers, Bollywood personalities and other prominent figures.
Bolt will represent both Bengaluru FC and Mumbai City FC, playing one half each bringing fans from both camps together in PUMA’s two-day celebration, starting September 30.
This exhibition match will be a ticketed event.
“We believe sport has the power to inspire and unite communities. Football is one of the most popular sports among the youth of India, and bringing Usain Bolt to play here is our way of celebrating that momentum,” PUMA India MD Karthik Balagopalan said.
Beyond the track, Bolt has always carried a deep passion for football.
Growing up, he often played the sport and dreamt of showcasing his speed and skills on the pitch. After retiring from athletics, he actively pursued this love, training, playing trial matches, and even scoring goals along the way.
– PTI
GOLF
Telangana Golconda Masters to feature 123 players
Top Indian golfers including Arjun Prasad, Udayan Mane, and Angad Chema will compete in the Rs one crore Telangana Golconda Masters, which tees off on Tuesday at the Hyderabad Golf Association.
The prominent foreign players in the field are Czech Republic’s Stepan Danek, Sri Lankans N Thangaraja and K Prabagaran, Bangladeshis Jamal Hossain and Badal Hossain, Italy’s Federico Zucchetti, Nepal’s Subash Tamang and Uganda’s Joshua Seale, according to PGTI.
The local challenge will be led by Hyderabad-based golfers, with professionals Mohd Azhar, Vishesh Sharma, Rupinder Singh Gill and Rahul Malik joined by amateurs Tarun Ajay, T Rishab Singh and Saatvic Kumar Singh.
The tournament will see a field of 123 golfers in action.
“It is a proud moment for us to welcome some of the country’s finest golfing talent to our course. This tournament is a great opportunity for our members to witness top-tier competition and it also showcases our magnificent golf course to a global audience through the Live Telecast. We look forward to an exciting week of world-class golf,” HGA president BVK Raju said.
The tournament is promoted by the Telangana Tourism Development Corporation.
– PTI
Published on Sep 22, 2025