Paris, Aug 29 (SocialNews.XYZ) In recognition of his unstinting support for the success of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the President of France Emmanuel Macron has been presented with the Olympic Order by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach. The prestigious award was presented to Macron at an official ceremony held at the Elysée Palace in Paris on Wednesday.

The award was presented to him for his attachment to the Olympic ideal dear to Pierre de Coubertin. This distinction pays tribute to his untiring engagement and vision for the Olympic Games, which made the edition in Paris an unforgettable event and a symbol of the unity of humankind.

Upon being elected in 2017, Macron threw his full support behind Paris’s candidature to host the Games in 2024. During his first visit to the IOC in Lausanne, Macron not only expressed his support but also demonstrated his deep understanding and unique vision for the Olympic project. He recognised the considerable potential of the Games to unite France and inspire the world.

“The first time we met, it was very quickly clear to me that President Emmanuel Macron was bringing a particular energy and vision to this project,” IOC President Thomas Bach recalled. “He did not just support the candidature; he embraced it wholeheartedly”.

“He knew every detail of the project and always saw the Olympic Games Paris 2024 as a unifying project, using the power of sport to bring the people of France together, and in so doing, uniting the whole world.”

Despite the political challenges and risks inherent to a project of this scale, President Macron could see beyond the candidature itself. His leadership was decisive in bringing together the public authorities at every level, transcending political differences and creating a unique political unity around these Games in Paris.

“You were the driving force which brought together the public authorities at every level and from every political background around this Olympic project,” the IOC President stressed during the ceremony. “Your tireless energy and the unifying power of sport produced a truly magical occasion.”

One of the most striking examples of this cooperation was the organisation of the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, an unprecedented event in the heart of Paris. An idea put forward by the IOC that President Macron, in agreement with the Organising Committee and the French authorities, turned into a spectacular reality, with a ceremony along the River Seine featuring iconic monuments like Notre-Dame, the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. This historic moment focused the eyes of the world on Paris, France and the Olympic Movement, thus becoming a symbol of unity and peace.

“Your unfailing commitment and attention to detail bore fantastic fruit,” President Bach added. “The world witnessed a historic Olympic event with a truly spectacular Opening Ceremony.”

Macron also supported the peace mission of the Olympic Games at a time when the IOC was facing numerous attacks and boycotting threats related to the participation of all athletes regardless of their nationality.

“You have always respected our mission to bring the world together in peaceful competition,” Bach added. “Your approach based on always respecting the peace mission of the Olympic Games greatly contributed to enabling us to bring together the athletes from the territories of all 206 National Olympic Committees and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team at the Olympic Games Paris 2024,” he observed.

Upon receiving this distinction, President Macron said: “You are doing me a great honour by presenting me with this Order, and recognition which goes to France. [...] Together, we made a wonderful success of these Games. Thank you for this honour. [...] Your words about the organisation of the Olympic Games are not for one person but for the commitment of a whole nation. [...] It was a human collective that was involved for seven years. But it got involved first because of your trust in us. And so I shall respond to your thanks with my own sincere thanks, as without the trust of the IOC, its members, its administration and all the teams, without the constant, demanding yet sympathetic work over seven years, we would never have been able to accomplish all this.”

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Aug 27 (SocialNews.XYZ) After a historic campaign at the Paris Olympics in which she won two bronze medals, pistol shooter Manu Bhaker expressed her delight at seeing shooting gaining global attention, despite not being a visually appealing sport for spectators.

Manu created history at the 2024 Paris Olympics by becoming the first Indian to win two medals -- Women's 10m Air Pistol and Mixed 10m Air Pistol -- in a single Olympic campaign post-Independence. She also became the first Indian woman to win a medal in shooting at the Olympics.

In an email interaction with IANS, the Olympic medallist shooter highlighted how Turkish shooter Yousuf Dikec's calm demeanour at the range drew global attention, boosting the sport's international recognition.

Excerpts:

IANS: A Turkish pistol shooter, Yusuf Dikec, who took silver in a mixed team event where you took bronze, went viral for his nonchalance at the shooting range. How do you see his attitude in the shooting range?

Manu: During the tournament, I was quite focused on my own events, and I genuinely did not read too much news or follow much of what was happening. After coming to India, I realised how it went viral. It is amazing to see the varied styles of modern-day shooting.

Shooting at one point, might not have been the most visually appealing sport for spectators watching on television sets. But I feel like this is changing. It is great to see the sport getting attention now from all around the world in multiple aspects. I hope it continues to receive similar attention.

IANS: You had a close fourth-place finish in the 25m Pistol event. What was in your mind when you went into the shoot-off with the Hungarian shooter Veronika Major, who was not in medal contention for most of the time in the final?

Manu: The entire match I was focused on myself only, I did not compare myself with others or my scores with others. I was very nervous and was only trying to do my best.

IANS: You came back to a rousing welcome (which is obvious since you scripted history). What was the first thing you did after coming home to your parents and how did they react (the genuine reaction) when they finally saw and touched your medal (two Olympic medals)?

Manu: I gave them a big hug. I was quite emotional because I am quite close to my family. One of the hardest aspects of an athlete's life is being away from your family for long periods. My family was also emotional seeing me and I could see the pride in their faces. It was a memorable moment.

IANS: The shooting contingent had huge expectations after Tokyo. When you step onto the range in Paris, be it for qualification or the finals. Was it on your mind to make up for Tokyo?

Manu: I did not think about Tokyo at all. I took lessons from Tokyo, but I never thought of making up for it.

IANS: What does it take to be an Olympic medal winner? How did you prepare yourself for the grand sporting arena, mentally and physically? What is that thing most people don't know about the Olympic range (its environment and the aura, etc.)?

Manu: I kept patience and courage in the low phases and tried to be consistent with my routines in high times. We must put in honest hard work and we’re physically and mentally fit to be able to deal with any situation that might occur before or during the games. Sometimes luck can also play some part.

IANS: After your third final, you said you have to go and have lunch since you hadn't eaten properly due to back-to-back events. What was the first thing you ate after that?

Manu: After the match, as I reached the Games village, being a vegetarian, I only had options for boiled or steamed vegetables and fruits, so I had that. In India, I had aloo paratha and shakkar churma.

IANS: Since every sport requires participants to be fit to perform at their best, you do have your own regime. So what is your favourite meal, did you have something scrumptious from KFC after your historic campaign?

Manu: My all-time favourite is aloo parathas by my Mumma, but I recently tried KFC’s new Indian Spicy Veg Roll, and that has really made it to my list of favourites now.

IANS: Most successful sports biopics are based on mostly male athletes or most sports biopics are on male athletes -- Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Chandu Champion, Dhoni, Soorma, Paan Singh Tomar and more. Among the biopics based on female athletes-- Only Mary Kom was a great success. What is your take on this?

Manu: I do not get time to watch many movies - but I feel every individual athlete deserves to be celebrated - be it male or female. Because even if an athlete is unable to achieve a similar level of success as some of these names mentioned, their story is worth being told. As I said, an athlete's journey is filled with a lot of struggles, choices, and sacrifices.

I feel lucky to have such a strong support system around me - my parents, my coaches, and my family have been my backbone. However, some athletes may still be struggling to have a solid support system around them. Every athlete's journey can be a book or a biopic because each one has stories worth exploring.

IANS: If ever there is a movie based on your achievements, who would you like to play your part?

Manu: I barely get time to watch films. I’m sure our film industry has great actors and actresses. However, I do not know, maybe you can tell me who is the right person.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Aug 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Friday thanked members of her support staff Dr Wayne Patrick Lombard, coach Woller Akos and physiotherapist Ashwini Jeevan Patil along with Indian Olympic Association (IOA)'s CMO, besides Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, after her Paris Olympics campaign ended in a heartbreak.

Vinesh was disqualified from the 50kg category women's freestyle final for being 100 gm overweight in the second weigh-in on the morning of the summit clash. However, she challenged the verdict in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) but things did not come out in her favour.

Meanwhile, she announced her retirement from the sport after being disqualified for the final, ending her hopes of becoming the first woman Indian wrestler to win silver or gold in the Olympics.

In her more than 1200-word post on X, Vinesh narrated her life story and highlighted the fightback and struggles that she had to endure in order to play at the highest level for the country.

"Olympic rings: as a small girl from a small village I did not know what was the Olympics or what these rings meant. As a small girl, I dreamt of things like long hair, flaunting a mobile phone in my hand and doing -- things that any young girl would normally dream of," she wrote in a post on X.

"...My journey here has allowed me to meet so many people, most good and some bad. In the past 1.5-2 years, a lot has happened off and on the mat. My life took many turns, felt like life took a stop for good and there was no way out from the pit we were in. But the people around me had honesty in them, they had goodwill and massive support for me. These people and their faith in me was so strongly grounded, it is because of them that I could continue through the challenges and get through the past 2 years," Vinesh said.

"For my journey on the mat, my support team for the past two years has played a huge part," she added.

Amid the criticism of her support staff for failing to cut down her weight for the final match, the 29-year-old detailed their contribution to her life and thanked them for their unwavering support in her journey.

"Woller Akos: Anything I write about him will always be less. In the world of Women's Wrestling, I have found him to be the best coach, best guide and best human being, able to handle any situation with his calmness, patience and confidence. He does not have the word impossible in his dictionary and he is always ready with a plan whenever we face a tough situation on or off the mat," she said.

"There were times when I doubted myself, and was shifting away from my internal focus and he would know exactly what to say and how to bring me back on my path. He was more than a coach, he was my family in wrestling. He was never hungry to take credit for my victory and success, always humble and taking a step back as soon as his work was done on the mat," Vinesh said.

"But I want to give him the recognition he much deserves, whatever I do will never be enough to thank him for his sacrifices, for the time he spent away from his family. I can never repay him for the time lost with his two small boys. I wonder if they know what their father has done for me and if they understand how important his contributions have been. All I can do today is tell the world that if it hadn't been for you I would not have done on the mat what I have done.

"Ashwini Jeevan Patil: The first day we met in 2022, I felt immediately secure by the way she took care of me that day, her confidence was enough to make me feel that she could take care of wrestlers and this difficult game.

"Through the past 2.5 years she went through this journey with me like it was her own, every competition, win and loss, every injury and rehab journey was hers as much as it was mine. This is the first time I met a physiotherapist who has shown this much dedication and reverence towards me and my journey. Only we really know what we went through before every training, after every training session and in the moments in between," she concluded.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) Ahead of his arrival in New Delhi from Paris on Saturday, India’s Chef de Mission (CMD) Gagan Narang has hailed the performance of Indian athletes in the recently-concluded 2024 Paris Olympics. A total of 117 Indian athletes participated across 16 sports in Paris and India ended their campaign with six medals -– one silver and five bronze.

Although hopes were high to surpass the Tokyo medal tally of one gold, two silver and four bronze, Narang believes several takeaways from this Games can pave the way for a brighter future and a better medal haul in LA 2028.

“Firstly, I congratulate the medal winners. A total of 6 medals (1 silver, 5 bronze) is a commendable effort,” said Narang.

“Though, personally, I feel we could have finished with a few more medals, it is worth mentioning the near-misses. There were at least six 4th place finishes and quite a few of our athletes finished in the finals of their respective events. This is encouraging, and we should take heart from these results, introspect on the fine margins and how we can better these performances," Narang stated without mincing his words.

There were six near-misses, reminding Indian sports fans of the agony from the Tokyo Olympics where the Indian women’s hockey team ended with a heart-break fourth place, yet won a billion hearts with its performance.

Similarly, in Paris, shooter Arjun Babuta narrowly missed out on a medal in the men’s 10m Air Pistol, and in the Mixed Skeet event, Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Maheshwari Chauhan came close, losing the bronze to China by a mere one point.

Although Manu Bhaker gave a roaring start to India's campaign with back-to-back bronze in women’s 10m Air Pistol and the Mixed Team events, in the company of Sarabjot Singh, she narrowly missed adding a historic third medal in women’s 25m Air Pistol.

Meanwhile, the Indian archers Dhiraj Bommadevara and Ankita Bhakat lost to China in the Mixed Team event finishing fourth, thus recording India’s best-ever Olympic performance in archery. Lakshya Sen made history by becoming the first Indian shuttler to reach the semis in men’s singles. Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu also missed out on a podium finish by 1 kg and finished fourth.

“There are many learnings and takeaways from these performances in Paris. From what I saw at this Olympics, it’s only the small margins that we need to close in now to elevate this performance,” he said.

“I will be submitting my observations in an extensive report to the IOA and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. India has come a long way in the past decade, and we had a fully-equipped medical team at the village with Dinshaw Pardiwala as CMO. We will grow from strength to strength to compete with USA and China in the future in sport science backup as well,” Narang opined.

In this new Olympic cycle, Narang emphasised that National Sports Federations (NSFs) should come up with a strategic roadmap to increase participation at the Olympic Games.

“We must find ways to build a strong sports culture and increase the number of participations from India. That should be our goal for this new Olympic cycle. Also, most importantly I feel whilst we are teaching our athletes how to win, we must also teach them how to accept defeat and come back with a bang,” stated the Padma Shri awardee.

To further grow the sports culture in the country, Narang believes that collective efforts must be made to chart out an athlete’s career trajectory, which also includes long-term financial literacy, and utilise the athlete’s experience by absorbing them into the system.

“To further the growth, collective efforts are being made and should be strengthened further to chart our athlete's career. We need to plan life after sport for an athlete so that their approach is long-term. Financial literacy, absorbing them into the system and utilizing their knowledge and experience, creating job opportunities in district, state and national sports organizations as administrators and coaches should be a priority," he said.

"Only then will parents and the athletes feel secure to pursue the sport professionally and invest their time and efforts in it. We must also focus on athlete’s mental well-being, this is extremely critical for athletes to feel assured and that they are cared for,” he added.

From being an ace shooter, and having tasted Olympic glory himself, Narang was playing a new role at the Olympic Games this time.

About his personal experience as India’s Chef de Mission, he said, “It was a special, and memorable experience. There were also several challenges but we had unparalleled support from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports as well as Govt of India who ensured our athletes had all possible support and anything we needed even in the last hour, was provided with. These Games were perhaps the best-coordinated effort across stakeholders and this in a way made my job easier,” Narang signed off.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Aug 14 (AINS) The Ad-Hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed the petition filed by Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat against her disqualification from women's 50kg final of the Paris Olympic Games. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Dr. PT Usha has expressed her shock and disappointment at the decision of the Sole Arbitrator of CAS to dismiss Phogat’s application against the United World Wrestling (UWW) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The operative part of the August 14 decision, which dismisses Vinesh’s application to be awarded a shared silver medal women’s 50 kg category at the Paris Olympic Games 2024, has significant implications for her in particular and the sporting community at large.

The marginal discrepancy of 100 gm and the resultant consequences have a profound impact, not only in terms of Vinesh’s career but also raises serious questions about ambiguous rules and their interpretation.

"The IOA firmly believes that the total disqualification of an athlete for such a weight infraction on the second of two days warrants a deeper examination. Our legal representatives had duly brought this out in their submissions before the Sole Arbitrator," said Usha in her statement.

"The matter involving Vinesh highlights the stringent and, arguably, inhumane regulations that fail to account for the physiological and psychological stresses athletes, particularly female athletes, undergo. It is a stark reminder of the need for more equitable and reasonable standards that prioritize athletes' well-being," the IOA statement said.

"In light of the order of the CAS, the IOA continues to stand in full support of Ms. Phogat and is exploring further legal options. The IOA is committed to ensuring that Vinesh's case is heard. It will continue to advocate justice and fairness in sports, ensuring that the rights and dignity of athletes and everyone in the sports fold are upheld at all times," it said.

"We appreciate the continued support and understanding of our stakeholders, athletes, and the public," said the IOA.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Ad-Hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration For Sport (CAS) has given three more days to the Sole Arbitrator to announce her verdict in Vinesh Phogat's appeal against her disqualification by the IOC and UWW from the women's 50 kg freestyle final for being 100gm overweight in the second-day weigh-in in the Paris Olympics.

Now the verdict will be announced on August 16 (9:30 IST).

"The CAS ad hoc division president has allowed Dr Annabelle Bennett, Sole Arbitrator in the Vinesh Phogat vs. United World Wrestling (UWW) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) matter, an extension until 6-00 pm (Paris time) on Friday, August 16, 2024," IOA said in a statement released on Tuesday.

"Hence, the scheduled zoom meeting with IOA president PT Usha and Senior Counsel Harish Salve has been postponed," it further added.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Aug 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) Wrestler Anshu Malik, who competed in the Paris Olympics 2024, has expressed her thoughts on social media following her defeat in the 57kg pre-quarterfinal match against Helen Louise Maroulis of the USA.

Anshu, who lost the bout 2-7, shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, reflecting on her 12-year journey in wrestling and the challenges she faced along the way.

In her post, Anshu mentioned that the Olympics had been her dream since 2012 when she first started wrestling. Despite the disappointment of not winning a medal, she expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent India on such a prestigious platform. She acknowledged the difficulties, including injuries, emotional struggles, and the intense pressure of competition over the last two years.

"The Olympics are now over and with it the dream that I had for 12 years is also over. In 2012, When I started wrestling, I told my father that I would win a medal in the 2024 Olympics," Anshu wrote on Instagram. "Every day I work just for that day, every night I dream just to get it. But it didn’t turn out the way I thought it would.

"This journey was not easy at all, there were a lot of injuries, many defeats and many victories too. Had emotional and mental breakdowns many times. The last 2 years were very difficult for me. Yes, I did not win a medal. But I am happy that despite all these, I represented my country in the Olympics," it further added.

Anshu also emphasised her love for wrestling and her determination to come back stronger. She announced that she would be taking a short break to regain her physical and emotional strength and to reassess her strategy for the future. Anshu is now looking forward to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, where she aims to fulfill her dream of winning a medal.

"It’s hard to accept but this is a game and winning and losing is part of it. It doesn’t matter what the result is, I LOVE WRESTLING. Now this will be a new beginning for LA 2028. I know I’m a FIGHTER and will come back stronger than ever. But right now I am taking a short break to get physically and emotionally fit. In the meantime, I’ll see where I need to make changes."

She expressed deep appreciation for her family, coaches, and support team, apologizing for not achieving the goal they all worked so hard for, but promising to make it happen in the future.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Aug 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Wrestler Vinesh Phogat will be travelling to India with Olympic bronze medalist Aman Sehrawat after completion of the Paris Olympics 2024 and is expected to reach Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi by 10:30 am on Tuesday.

“Vinesh Phogat is travelling to India tonight with Olympic bronze winner Aman Sehrawat, will reach Delhi at 10:30 am IST,” sources told IANS.

Vinesh on Monday was seen leaving the Olympic Games village after her extraordinary performance at the Games, which saw her storming into the final. However, she was disqualified from the women’s 50kg freestyle gold medal match after being found carrying an extra 100 gm weight during the weigh-in on the match day.

Later, she appealed against her Olympic disqualification with the CAS and demanded a joint silver medal in the 50 kg weight category.

The ad hoc division of CAS has extended the time for the Sole Arbitrator Hon. Dr Annabelle Bennett in the Vinesh Phogat vs. United World Wrestling & the International Olympic Committee matter to give a decision till 5:00 p.m. on August 13, 2024.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) 'Au revoir' Paris 2024! After 16 days of medal action and 329 events, the 33rd Summer Olympics came to a close on Sunday.

Paris passed the baton to Los Angeles after delivering its share of memorable moments.

More than 70,000 spectators were present inside the stadium to watch 270 artists and performers in the closing ceremony.

To celebrate the Games, Thomas Jolly, artistic director of the Paris 2024 Games ceremonies, put together "Records", an exceptional show staged at the Stade de France to ensure that everyone can enjoy the party right up to the last second.

It was a wonderful way to collectively celebrate the athletes who excelled through their sporting performances.

The Stade de France transformed into a gigantic concert hall, featuring over a hundred performers, acrobats, dancers and circus artists.

IOC President Thomas Bach and President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron received a loud cheer as the duo shook hands and hugged each other, waving at the crowd.

A flag party then carried the French flag into the stadium, where the Orchestre Divertimento and Maitrise de Fontainebleau performed Victor le Masne’s rearrangement of the French national anthem, La Marseillaise.

All the athletes then entered the arena and were seen dancing and taking selfies to capture the moment.

Funny scenes

Following the excitement, the athletes jumped onto the stadium and the announcer was forced to ask them to get down.

The sportspersons were not ready to leave but after being requested several times, the volunteers managed to clear the stage amid laughter. And the show then went ahead.

'Seine-sational Olympic Games'

Addressing the huge gathering, Thomas Bach, 1976 fencing Olympic champion, said: "Despite all the tensions in our world, you came here from all 206 national Olympic committees and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, to make the City of Light shine brighter than ever before."

"Your performances were amazing. You competed fiercely against each other. Every contest was on the edge of perfection. Every performance sparked excitement around the world. You showed us what greatness we humans are capable of. The Olympic Games Paris 2024 were a celebration of the athletes and of sport at its best," he said.

“The first Olympic Games delivered completely under our Olympic Agenda reforms: younger, more urban, more inclusive, more sustainable. The first Olympic Games with full gender parity," Bach said, adding "these were sensational Olympic Games from start to finish – or dare I say: 'Seine-sational' Olympic Games".

Breathtaking Tom Cruise entry!

Hollywood actor Tom Cruise rappelled from the Stade de France roof! He greeted athletes, who hugged and kissed him on the way to the stage.

He will help transport the Olympic Flag from here in Paris to Los Angeles, via the streets of Paris and the hills of Hollywood, as he took the flag from Simone Biles.

And finally, the Snoop Dog song to make evening more happening.

The IOC chief then declared the 2024 Games closed. "See you LA..."

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president, PT Usha, has said that IOA-appointed Chief Medical Officer Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala should not be held responsible for the disqualification of Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat from the women’s 50 kg final event at the Paris Olympics, and it's the coach and support staff of grappler that should take responsibility.

IOA in a statement released on Sunday emphasised that the responsibility of weight management in sports like wrestling, weightlifting, boxing, and judo lies squarely with each athlete and their personal coaching team.

“The Indian Olympic Association president (IOA), PT Usha has clarified that the responsibility of weight management of athletes in sport like wrestling, weightlifting, boxing and judo is that of each athlete and his or her coach and not that of the IOA-appointed Chief Medical Officer Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala and his team."

Usha further clarified that the IOA-appointed Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala, and his team were brought on board a few months before the Games. Their primary role was to assist in the recovery and injury management of athletes during and after their competitions. Additionally, the IOA medical team was designed to support those athletes who did not have access to their own team of nutritionists and physiotherapists.

"The IOA appointed a medical team a couple of months ago, primarily as a team that would assist in the recovery and injury management of athletes during and after their competition. This team was also designed to support athletes who did not have their own team of nutritionists and physiotherapists. The hate directed at the IOA medical team, especially Dr Pardiwala, is unacceptable and worthy of condemnation. She hoped that those rushing to judge the IOA medical team would consider all facts before arriving at any conclusions," the statement said.

Vinesh lost the chance to fight for the gold medal after she was disqualified before the final round after exceeding the weight limit of her 50kg wrestling category. Later, she appealed against her Olympic disqualification with the CAS and demanded a joint silver medal in the 50kg weight category.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) The United States of America (USA) emerged victorious atop the medal table at the Paris Olympics, narrowly edging out arch-rivals China in a dramatic final day of competition. The race for supremacy came down to the last event of the Games, the women’s basketball final, where the USA secured a nail-biting 67-66 victory over host nation France.

This triumph not only clinched the gold medal for the basketball team but also ensured that the USA maintained its streak of topping the Olympic medal table for the fourth consecutive Games.

The final tally saw the United States finish with 126 medals, including 40 gold, 44 silver, and 42 bronze. China, despite dominating in several key disciplines, finished with 91 medals, also including 40 gold. The USA's superior overall medal count ultimately tipped the balance in their favor.

The competition between the two sporting powerhouses was intense throughout the Games. China had taken the lead in the medal table, largely due to their dominance in pool events like diving and artistic swimming, as well as their traditional strengths in table tennis and weightlifting.

However, the Americans responded with a series of standout performances in track and field, securing 14 gold, 11 silver, and 9 bronze in athletics alone. The USA also continued to show its strength in the swimming pool, where they collected 28 medals, including eight golds.

Japan, defying pre-Olympic predictions, finished third in the medal standings with 45 medals, including 20 gold. This result exceeded expectations, particularly given that Japan had finished with 27 gold medals at their home Olympics in Tokyo three years earlier.

Australia secured fourth place with 18 gold medals, while hosts France rounded out the top five with 16 gold, showcasing a strong all-around performance at their home Games. Great Britain, which had been expected to challenge for a top-three finish, ended the Games in seventh place with 14 gold medals.

India’s performance, though not among the top ranks, was noteworthy, with the country finishing 71st with six medals, including five bronze and a silver. However, their tally could still increase, as wrestler Vinesh Phogat has appealed her disqualification in the women’s 50kg wrestling final. Phogat was disqualified for being 100 grams overweight during the weigh-in on the day of the final.

Pakistan made a significant mark as well, finishing 62nd, with their first Olympic gold medal in 44 years. Arshad Nadeem’s victory in the men’s javelin final was a historic moment for the nation.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) On the final day of the Paris 2024 Olympics, the area around the Eiffel Tower was evacuated on Sunday afternoon after a man was seen scaling the iconic landmark just hours before the Games' closing ceremony.

Footage shared on social media captured the daring ascent of a shirtless man climbing the 330-meter (1,083-foot) tower, with many onlookers stunned by the spectacle. The climber was spotted just above the Olympic rings that had been prominently displayed on the second section of the monument, a symbol of the global sporting event that had captivated the world for two weeks.

According to local media reports, authorities quickly responded, with police moving swiftly to evacuate tourists and locals from the area around the Eiffel Tower. Visitors who had been enjoying the view from the second floor were temporarily locked in as a precaution before being allowed to exit safely around 30 minutes later. The exact point from which the man began his climb remains unclear, but the incident prompted a significant security response in an area that has been bustling with Olympic tourists.

Despite the disruption, the incident is not expected to impact the closing ceremony, scheduled to take place at the Stade de France in the northern suburb of Saint-Denis at 9pm local time (12:30am IST).

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has announced that he is giving "serious thought" to running for the presidency of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) following Thomas Bach's decision not to seek a third term.

Bach, who has led the Olympic movement since 2013, confirmed on Saturday that he will step down when his term concludes, opening the door for new leadership.

Coe, whose final term as World Athletics chief ends in 2027, has long been considered a potential successor to Bach. The British sports administrator, a two-time Olympic gold medallist in the 1500m and the mastermind behind the successful London 2012 Olympic Games, has been a prominent figure in the Olympic movement for decades.

Speaking to reporters, Coe acknowledged the significance of the opportunity, stating, "I've always made it clear that if the opportunity arose, I would give it serious thought. The opportunity has arisen, and clearly, I need to think about that. Of course, I'm going to consider this."

While he did not commit to running, Coe outlined the experiences that he believes would make him a strong candidate for the IOC presidency. "I have been involved in the Olympic movement for the larger part of my life," Coe told the reporters.

Looking ahead, Coe emphasised the importance of innovation and change for the future of the IOC, stressing that sport must remain at the core of the Olympic movement. "We know that the Olympic Games is fundamentally about sport," he said. "I've sensed in recent times that sport, in a way, has slipped down the agenda."

"I've chaired an Olympic Games from bid through delivery, two years of legacy. After that, I've been privileged to compete in two Olympic Games. I chaired the National Olympic Committee, and I now have the best job in the world as president of the number one Olympic sport."

Coe also highlighted his role in reforming World Athletics after taking over from Lamine Diack, who was embroiled in a scandal involving the cover-up of Russian doping cases. Under Coe's leadership, World Athletics implemented a hardline stance against doping and took the unprecedented step of banning Russian and Belarusian athletes in response to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Additionally, Coe's decision to award Olympic track and field gold medallists $50,000 each in prize money has sparked both praise and criticism, reflecting his willingness to innovate within the sport.

Despite his strong credentials, Coe was quick to acknowledge the potential competition for the IOC presidency. "There are many other potential candidates within the Olympic movement who have good qualifications for that role," he said. "We're a diverse group of global people, international candidates who would fit that bill."

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a move to bring the Olympic Games to African soil for the first time, Egypt announced its intention to bid for the 2036 and 2040 Summer Olympics.

The announcement was made by Mustapha Berraf, head of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), on the final day of the Paris 2024 Games.

"Egypt will bid for 2036 and 2040, Africa has the chance of organizing the Games. It will most likely organise the Games in 2040," Berraf stated during a press conference, expressing confidence that Africa's time to host the Olympics is approaching.

Egypt, the most populous country in the Arab world, has been steadily improving its infrastructure and sports facilities, positioning itself as a strong contender for the prestigious event. The country has invested billions of dollars in building modern facilities, stadiums, and sports complexes as part of its broader plan to modernize the nation.

A centerpiece of this effort is the Egypt International Olympic City complex, located in the new administrative capital east of Cairo, which will feature a 93,900-capacity national stadium and 21 other state-of-the-art sports facilities.

While Egypt's last bid to host the Olympics was for the 2008 Games, this renewed effort comes as part of a broader vision to position Africa as a viable and attractive destination for the world’s largest sporting event. In addition to Egypt, Berraf hinted at the possibility of another African bid from Cape Town, South Africa, although the specific timeline for this potential candidacy remains unclear.

The competition to host the 2036 Olympics is expected to be fierce, with several other nations already expressing interest, including Indonesia, India, Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. IOC President Thomas Bach has previously remarked that interest in hosting the 2036 Games has reached double digits, underscoring the global appeal and significance of securing the Olympic bid.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Netherlands runner Sifan Hassan completed an extraordinary journey at the Olympics by clinching gold in the women's marathon at the Paris 2024 Games, adding to her bronze medals in both the 5,000 and 10,000 metres.

Hassan’s incredible feat places her among the all-time greats of Olympic history, reminiscent of legends like Paavo Nurmi and Emil Zatopek.

Hassan, who stunned the world three years ago with her ambitious attempt at an Olympic treble in the 1,500m, 5,000m, and 10,000m, once again pushed the boundaries of endurance and determination in Paris. This time, she raised the stakes even higher by adding the marathon to her list of events, a decision that left many in awe and some in disbelief.

Few could have imagined that she would seriously attempt the grueling marathon on top of the two longer track races. Yet, just 36 hours after competing in the 10,000m at the Stade de France, Hassan stood at the marathon's starting line.

Despite admitting that she was scared to take on the marathon, Hassan’s courage and resilience shone through as she battled fiercely with Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa. In the final stretch, Hassan found an extra gear, shaking off her rival and crossing the finish line in an Olympic record time of two hours, 22 minutes, and 55 seconds.

Hassan became the first woman in history to medal in the 5,000m, 10,000m, and marathon at the same Olympic Games, joining the ranks of Zatopek, who accomplished a similar feat in 1952. Over the course of her races in Paris, Hassan covered a staggering 62.2 kilometres (38.65 miles),

Source: IANS

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Amritsar, Aug 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Hockey player from Punjab, who were part of the bronze medal-winning Indian team at the Paris Olympics, returned to Amritsar and received a grand welcome amid much fanfare.

Captain Harmanpreet Singh, vice captain Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Gurjant Singh, Shamsher Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, and Jugraj Singh were greeted and felicitated by Punjab Government Ministers Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and Harbhajan Singh upon return.

As soon as they arrived, the players made their way to the revered Sri Harmandir Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple, to pay their respects.

The bronze medal in Paris marks a landmark moment for Indian hockey, being the nation's second consecutive Olympic medal in the sport after a 52-year hiatus.

Manpreet Singh, the former India captain, reflected on the team's journey and shared a heartfelt vow made before the tournament. "We had already decided that if we win a medal at the Olympics, we will offer prayers at Sri Harmandir Sahib."

Skipper Harmanpreet expressed his immense joy at leading the team to victory and highlighted the growing support for hockey in Punjab. "This success is not just ours; it belongs to every fan and supporter who believed in us. The love for hockey in Punjab is stronger than ever."

Moreover, Punjab's state government has decided to award Rs 1 crore to each player of the team from Punjab following their bronze medal triumph.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that the bronze medal given to American gymnast Jordan Chiles in the floor exercise at the Paris Games will be reallocated to Ana Barbosu of Romania.

It comes after a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling upheld an appeal by the Romanian Olympic Committee that an inquiry submitted by the USA about Chiles' score in the gymnastics floor exercise final was filed beyond the 1-minute deadline.

"The IOC will reallocate the bronze medal to Ana Barbosu (Romania). We are in touch with the NOC of Romania to discuss the reallocation ceremony and with USOPC regarding the return of the bronze medal," the IOC statement read.

The International Gymnastics Federation (Fig) also confirmed that "the ranking of the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Floor Exercise Finals has been modified accordingly, with Ana Barbosu (ROU) ranking third with a score of 13.700."

"The initial score of 13.666 given to Jordan Chiles (USA) is reinstated," it added.

Jordan Chiles initially scored 13.666 in Monday's final, placing fifth. Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu, with a score of 13.7, believed she had won bronze. However, after Chiles' coach, Cecile Landi, requested a review of her difficulty rating, officials upgraded her score to 13.766, moving her to third place.

This adjustment upset Barbosu, who had already begun celebrating, and led to a protest from the Romanian team.

After the medal ceremony, the Romanian team filed its own appeal, noting that Team USA’s appeal occurred outside the one-minute time limit to question the judges’ scores.

In reinstating Chiles' score to 13.666, CAS said that "The Federation Internationale de Gymnastique shall determine the ranking of the final of the women’s floor exercise and assign the medal(s) in accordance with the above decision."

Following the CAS ruling, USA Gymnastics and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee issued in a joint statement, saying, "We are devastated by the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling regarding women’s floor exercise. The inquiry into the Difficulty Value of Jordan Chiles’ floor exercise routine was filed in good faith and, we believed, in accordance with FIG rules to ensure accurate scoring."

"Throughout the appeal process, Jordan has been subject to consistent, utterly baseless and extremely hurtful attacks on social media. No athlete should be subject to such treatment. We condemn the attacks and those who engage, support or instigate them. We commend Jordan for conducting herself with integrity both on and off the competition floor, and we continue to stand by and support her," it added.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) India's Paris Olympics campaign concluded as Reetika Hooda fell short in the wrestling quarterfinals, and golfers Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar finished out of medal contention.

A total of 117 Indian athletes participated across 16 sports at the Paris Games: archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, equestrian, golf, hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, wrestling, table tennis, and tennis.

India clinched six medals at the Paris Olympics, one silver and five bronze. Although hopes were high for a historic performance, the country fell just short of surpassing its previous best at the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics in 2021, when they secured seven medals (1 gold, 2 silver, and 4 bronze.) and ranked 48th.

Athletics led the way for India with a robust 29-member squad, while the country also fielded its largest-ever contingent of 21 shooters in the shooting events.

Beyond the pursuit of medals, Indian athletes made history by setting new records at the Games along with some near misses on medals after finishing fourth in six events.

The major achievements:

Pistol shooter Manu Bhaker became the first Indian woman to win a shooting medal at the Olympics. Moreover, she became the first Indian athlete in the post-Independence era to win multiple medals in a single edition of the Games.

Norman Pritchard, with silver in the men's 200m and men's 200m hurdles at Paris 1900, was the first athlete to win two medals at one Olympics for India.

Manu stormed into the final of the women’s 10m air pistol, becoming the first Indian woman since Athens 2004 to qualify for the Olympic finals in shooting. The following day, she won the bronze in the same and created history by becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic shooting medal.

Later, Manu, partnering with Sarabjot Singh, became the first Indian shooting pair to win an Olympic medal in shooting. Overall, it was India’s sixth Olympic medal in shooting.

India achieved best medals tally in a single sport at the Olympics-

When Swapnil Kusale clinched the bronze in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions on August 1, he secured India's third shooting medal at the Paris Olympics, marking a historic achievement. This not only set a new record for India's best-ever medal tally in a single sport at the Olympics but also earned the nation its first Olympic shooting medal in the 50m rifle 3 positions event.

Prior to this, India had never won more than two medals in a single sport at any Olympic Games, with the previous best being two shooting medals at the London 2012 Olympics -- Vinay Kumar (Silver, 25m rapid fire pistol) and Gagan Narang (Bronze, Men's 10 m Air Rifle Event). In Tokyo Games, Ravi Dahiya (57kg) and Bajrang Punia (65kg) won two medals in men's wrestling.

The one and only Neeraj Chopra in athletics

The ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra produced his career’s second-best javelin throw at Paris 2024 with an effort of 89.45m but was beaten for gold by Arshad Nadeem, who achieved a new Olympic record of 92.97m.

Although it wasn't gold, winning an Olympic silver medal was a significant achievement for the 26-year-old, as it marked only India's second medal in athletics at the Summer Games -- both secured by Neeraj.

In the process, he became the third two-time Olympic medallist from India after adding a silver to his Tokyo 2020 gold medal. Sushil Kumar, PV Sindhu are the other two-time athletes who won two Olympics in successive editions.

India's first win over Australia in Olympic hockey since Munich 1972-

When India beat Tokyo Olympics silver medallists Australia 3-2 in a group game at the Paris 2024 Olympics, it marked their first win over the Aussies in the Games since 1972.

Back-to-back Olympic medals in hockey after 52 years

India, the bronze medalists in hockey at Tokyo, achieved back-to-back Olympic podium finishes for the first time in 52 years, since the Munich 1972 Games, by rallying from a goal down to defeat Spain 2-1 in the bronze medal playoff.

This victory at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium also secured India's record-extending 13th Olympic hockey medal.

Aman, the youngest medallist

Wrestler Aman Sehrawat became the youngest ever individual Olympic medallist from India at 21 years, 0 months, and 24 days after he secured the bronze medal in 57kg men's freestyle wrestling. He bettered shuttler PV Sindhu’s record, who was 21 years 1 month and 14 days old when she won silver at the Rio Olympics 2016.

In addition, star paddler Manika Batra became the first Indian table tennis player to progress to the pre-quarterfinals of the Olympic Games. She was later followed by Olympic debutant Sreeja Akula in the round-of-16.

A tale of near misses

India's history of near misses at the Olympics, dating back to Milkha Singh, saw its toughest chapter this year with six agonising fourth-place finishes.

Among them, shooters Arjun Babuta and Manu, who narrowly missed out on medals in the men's 10m air pistol and women's 25m air pistol events, respectively.

In the mixed skeet event, the duo of Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Maheshwari Chauhan came heartbreakingly close, losing the bronze medal match to China by just one point.

In archery, Dhiraj Bommadevara and Ankita Bhakat delivered India’s best-ever Olympic performance in the mixed team event by finishing fourth. In the bronze medal match against the USA’s Brady Ellison and Casey Kaufhold, they fought hard but ultimately fell short, losing 6-2, narrowly missing what could have been a historic first podium finish in archery for India.

Shuttler Lakshya breaks new ground

Lakshya Sen made history as the first Indian shuttler to reach the semifinals in men's badminton at the Olympics. Competing in men’s singles, he topped his group with victories over top players like Indonesia's Jonatan Christie, defeated compatriot HS Prannoy in the round of 16, and stunned Chou Tien-chen in the quarterfinals.

Although he fell to defending champion Viktor Axelsen in the semis and lost to Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia in the bronze medal match, his remarkable journey still stands out as a significant achievement.

India's Paris 2024 Olympics campaign suffered yet another heartbreak with Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Mirabai Chanu's fourth place in the women’s 49kg weightlifting, which extended India's run of near misses.

Competing in her third Olympics, Mirabai lifted an overall weight of 199kg (88kg snatch + 111kg clean and jerk), three-kilogram short of her 202kgs which won her a silver in Tokyo, to finish just outside the podium places in what was a tight four-way contest.

The weigh-in saga -

Vinesh Phogat, who became the first Indian women wrestler to reach the final at the Olympic Games, was disqualified from her gold medal bout in the women's 50 kg category after failing her second weigh-in.

The disqualification, following which she announced her retirement, ended her gold medal aspirations and highlighted the rigorous weight restrictions that are in place at the Olympics.

Vinesh faced challenges with weight cutting and was racing against time to ensure that she met the stringent 50 kg limit. But she ultimately missed the mark by just over 100 grams.

However, she has appealed against her Olympic disqualification with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and demanded a joint silver medal in the 50kg weight category.

If Vinesh wins her case for a joint silver medal, India will match their Tokyo tally, but that will not bring a significant change in India's position on the medal tally as they are currently placed 71st.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, Aug 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Indian men's hockey team midfielder Vivek Sagar Prasad received a rousing reception in his hometown in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday, following the team's historic bronze medal victory at the Paris Olympics.

Overjoyed fans, friends, and family members gathered in large numbers to honour the local hero and celebrate his remarkable achievement.

Upon his arrival, Vivek was greeted by Madhya Pradesh Sports State Minister Vishwas Kailash Sarang, who extended his heartfelt congratulations.

"I am truly overwhelmed by the warm welcome I've received in my hometown. Winning the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics was a dream come true, not just for me but for the entire team. This victory belongs to every Indian who supported us, and I am deeply grateful for the encouragement from my family, friends, and the people of Madhya Pradesh. Your belief in me has been my greatest strength, and I dedicate this success to all of you," said Vivek.

India defeated Spain 2-1 in the bronze medal match in Paris to secure their second successive medal. The team had performed exceptionally throughout the tournament and suffered their only defeat in the tournament against World Champions Germany, as they lost 2-3 in the semi-finals of the tournament.

It was an historic campaign for India in Paris and the men's hockey team created history by winning back-to-back medals for the first time since the 1972 Olympics in Munich.

The Paris Games saw the Indian team play scintillating hockey at times; performances that saw them defeat Australia by 3-2, for the first time after 52 years in the Olympics.

They pulled out another rabbit from the hat in the quarterfinals, an unreal performance by every single member of the team against Great Britain, where they defended with a man down for over 40 minutes to force penalty shootouts and win by 4-2, courtesy of heroics from PR Sreejesh.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Lin Yu Ting of Chinese Taipei won the gold medal in the women’s 57kg weight class of boxing at the Paris Olympics despite the ongoing row over her gender eligibility.

The Taipei pugilist defeated Poland's Julia Szeremeta in a 5-0 unanimous decision at Stade Roland-Garros, a day after Algerian boxer Imane Khelif became the welterweight champion amid the gender row.

It was a historic moment for a two-time world champion Lin, who became the first boxer from Chinese Taipei to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games.She was the high favourite against the 20-year-old Pole. Lin not only used her longer reach in this final but she stepped into closer range with heavy shots to earn Chinese Taipei’s first ever gold medal in Olympic boxing.

Lin is one of two boxers competing in Paris despite being disqualified from last year's World Championships by the International Boxing Association (IBA) after she was reported to have failed gender eligibility tests.

Lin and Khelif were previously disqualified from last year's Women's World Championships after failing gender eligibility tests conducted by the Russia-led International Boxing Association (IBA).

The IBA had stripped both athletes of their medals and barred them from participating in the women's competition to maintain fairness.

However, both boxers have now been cleared to compete in the Olympics, as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) bases gender eligibility on the athlete's passport gender.

During the fight, I saw images flashing and I thought about the beginning of my career when I started boxing. All the different practices, times I got injured and competitors I fought against, all these images flashed in my head. There were times of great pain, times of great joy. I cried (at the victory ceremony) because I represented my country and I got the gold medal," Lin was quoted by the organisers.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) American gymnast Jordan Chiles may be required to return the bronze medal she won at the 2024 Paris Olympics after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in favour of an appeal by the Romanian gymnastics team.

Jordan Chiles initially scored 13.666 in Monday's final, placing fifth. Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu, with a score of 13.7, believed she had won bronze. However, after Chiles' coach, Cecile Landi, requested a review of her difficulty rating, officials upgraded her score to 13.766, moving her to third place.

This adjustment upset Barbosu, who had already begun celebrating, and led to a protest from the Romanian team.

After the medal ceremony, the Romanian team filed its own appeal, noting that Team USA’s appeal occurred outside the one-minute time limit to question the judges’ scores.

"The applicants sought a ruling from the CAS Ad hoc Division concluding that the inquiry was filed beyond the 1-minute deadline specified in art. 8.5 of FIG 2024 Technical Regulations (i.e., 1 minute and 4 seconds) and dismissing the inquiry as untimely, thereby upholding the initial score of 13.666 and adjusting the final ranking accordingly," the CAS statement read.

"The applicants also sought a conclusion that the penalty of 0.1 for execution imposed on Ms Sabrina Maneca-Voinea was given without basis, thereby increasing her score to 13.800, and that the final ranking be adjusted accordingly. Subsidiarily, the applicants requested a ruling adjusting the ranking of Ms Ana Maria Barbosu, Ms Sabina Maneca-Voinea and Ms Jordan Chiles by placing all three athletes in 3rd position and the allocation of medals to all three athletes," it added.

In reinstating Chiles' score to 13.666, Cas also said that "The Federation Internationale de Gymnastique shall determine the ranking of the final of the women’s floor exercise and assign the medal(s) in accordance with the above decision."

Following th CAS ruling, USA Gymnastics and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee issued a joint statement, saying, "We are devastated by the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling regarding women’s floor exercise. The inquiry into the Difficulty Value of Jordan Chiles’ floor exercise routine was filed in good faith and, we believed, in accordance with FIG rules to ensure accurate scoring."

"Throughout the appeal process, Jordan has been subject to consistent, utterly baseless and extremely hurtful attacks on social media. No athlete should be subject to such treatment. We condemn the attacks and those who engage, support, or instigate them. We commend Jordan for conducting herself with integrity both on and off the competition floor, and we continue to stand by and support her," it added.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) China moved past USA to sit on top of the Paris Olympics medal tally, enter the concluding day of the Games on Sunday with 39 golds, 27 silver and 24 bronze medals.

The USA, on the other hand, with 122 medals, including 38 gold, 42 silver, and as many bronze medals, are placed second.

Australia are on third with a total of 50 medals, including 18 gold, 18 silver and 14 bronze. Japan, however, jumped to fourth with 18 gold, 12 silver, 13 bronze for a total of 43 medals.

Host France slipped to fifth place with 62 medals, including 16 gold, 24 silver and 22 bronze. Britain moved out of top-5, having 14 gold, 22 silver and 27 bronze for a total of 63 medals.

India, with a silver and five bronze medals, slipped to 61st position.

Medal Tally:

Top 5 and India:

Nation G S B T

1) China 39 27 24 90

2) United States 38 42 42 122

3) Australia 18 18 14 50

4) Japan 18 12 13 43

5) France 16 24 22 62

71) India 0 1 5 6

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) USA staved off France 98-87 to win its fifth straight Olympic men's basketball gold medal at the Paris Games in front of a raucous crowd at Bercy Arena.

It was the 17th gold medal in 20 Olympics the Americans have participated in. The five consecutive golds is the second-longest streak for the men to the US winning the first seven Olympic competitions.

Stephen Curry finished with 24 points on eight 3-pointers and had five assists. Kevin Durant, the all-time leading men’s or women’s scorer in US Olympic basketball history, started his only game of this Olympiad and had 15 points, four rebounds and four assists.

LeBron James, the NBA’s career scoring leader and U.S. Olympic assists leader, added 14 points, 10 assists and six rebounds.

Devin Booker had 15 points and six rebounds and Anthony Davis had eight points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots for the U.S,who are 144-5 in Olympic history.

The gold just added to the legacy of a U.S. roster that included players with 15 NBA championships, four with NBA MVPs, seven of the last 13 NBA Finals MVPs and four members of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team (James, Curry, Durant and Davis).

This US team has been compared to the 1992 Dream Team, the first to have NBA players in the Olympics and easily won the gold medal. While the Dream Team inspired other countries to improve their programs, the US has ruled in the Olympics all but once since.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has announced that he will not seek to remain in charge for a third term after his present tenure ends in 2025. Bach informed of his decision on the concluding day of the 142nd IOC Session on the sidelines of the Paris Olympics on Saturday.

The German lawyer, a former Olympian who won a gold medal in fencing in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, said he would step down at the end of his 12-year tenure in 2025 and will not try and change the IOC's tenure cap of 12 years to extend his term at the helm.

Bach was urged by some IOC members during the 141st IOC Session in Mumbai in October 2023 to seek a third term by amending the Olympic Charter if needed. Though Bach was non-committal at that time and said he would not think of it till the end of the Paris Olympic Games; the question was posed to him during a press conference in Paris on Friday. Bach again did not commit anything.

But on Saturday, the IOC president said he would not like to continue after the end of his term.

"As a result of deep deliberations and extensive discussions ...I have come to the conclusion that I should not have my mandate extended beyond the limits stipulated in the Olympic Charter,” Bach told the IOC General Assembly on Saturday.

“After 12 years in the office of IOC President our organization is best served with a change in leadership. New times are calling for new leaders,” he said.

If he had to seek re-election, Bach would not only have to get the rules regarding the tenure cap amended but also ask for a relaxation in the age limit. He is already 70 -- the upper limit set for an IOC member.

The IOC introduced age and tenure limits for presidents a few years back after facing controversies and criticism. Currently, the IOC president is elected for a term of office of eight years, renewable once for a period of four years.

Earlier, there were no limitations on age and tenure which resulted in there being only nine presidents since the creation of the IOC in 1894.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Abhinav Bindra, who was awarded the prestigious Olympic Order by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the 142nd IOC Session on Saturday, has applauded the Indian contingent for its "spirited performance" at the Paris Olympics.

Following the highly decorated event, India’s first individual Olympic gold medallist spoke to IANS and shared his thoughts on what has been a ‘spirited’ performance by the contingent in Paris.

“I think it’s been a spirited performance. All our athletes have performed at a high level. We may have six medals to show on our tally but if you really go in-depth into performances, we have never had a (Olympic) Games where our athletes have been so competitive across disciplines, many of them have been close to medaling,” Bindra told IANS.

India’s Paris Olympics campaign officially reached its conclusion on Saturday, but the country’s medal hopes still live on as the Court of Arbitration for Sports is yet to announce their verdict on Vinesh Phogat’s appeal on her disqualification.

The Indian medal tally ended at six, five bronze and one silver, with half of those coming from the sport that saw Abhinav Bindra win over 150 individual medals.

Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh and Swapnil Kusale were the stars of the shooting team as they won three bronze medals in their respective categories. The veteran went on to admire their ‘fantastic’ performance.

“It was fantastic, we have gone back with three medals after two blanks in Rio and Tokyo and even the athletes who did not win came close, many of them made the finals. It was very encouraging,” Bindra concluded.

Apart from the spectacular performance by the Indian shooters, India won a silver medal in Javelin through Neeraj Chopra and two bronze medals from the Indian men’s hockey team and wrestler Aman Sehrawat in the men’s freestyle wrestling 57 kg category.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Abhinav Bindra, India's first individual gold medallist in the Olympics, on Saturday, said it's 'gut-wrenching' for Vinesh Phogat as she waits for a verdict in her case against her disqualification from the final of the women's 50 kg wrestling at the Paris Olympics.

Vinesh has filed an appeal against the United World Wrestling *UWW) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) seeking a joint silver medal as she was found only 100 gm overweight weigh-in on the second day after winning three bouts under the age limit.

The ad-hoc division of CAS has extended the time for the Sole Arbitrator Hon. Dr Annabelle Bennett in the Vinesh Phogat vs. United World Wrestling & the International Olympic Committee matter to give a decision till 6:00 p.m. on August 13, 2024, an IOA official said on Saturday.

The reasoned order will be issued at a later date, an official of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) informed IANS on Saturday. The IOA has become part of the case as an impacted party.

"It's gut-wrenching for Vinesh and the entire nation, but that is what life is all about. The matter is with CAS, let's wait for the verdict," said Bindra, who won gold in men's 10m air rifle shooting in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

The CAS Ad-Hoc Division has given the contesting parties time till August 11 to make any additional submissions if they so desire.

Earlier on Saturday morning, the Ad-Hoc Division of CAS said it would announce its decision on wrestler Phogat's case at 6:00 pm (9:30 pm IST) on Saturday.

Vinesh has challenged the decision to be disqualified from the 50kg gold medal bout and has knocked on the CAS doors to be awarded a shared silver medal along with Yusneylis Guzman Lopez at the Paris Olympics.

The Sole Arbitrator Dr Annabelle Bennett AC SC (Australia) heard all parties -- applicant Vinesh Phogat, the respondents United World Wrestling and the International Olympic Committee as well as the Indian Olympic Association as an interested party over three hours.

"Vinesh Phogat and United World Wrestling (UWW) International Olympic Committee ("Respondent") and Indian Olympic Association("Interested Party"). By application of Article 18 of the CAS Arbitration Rules for the Olympic Games, the President of the CAS Ad Hoc Division extends the time limit for the Panel to give a decision until 10 August 2024 at 18h00 (Paris time)," CAS said in a statement on Saturday.

Now CAS has given the Sole Arbitrator more time.

The panel has already heard parties, who were accorded an opportunity to file their detailed legal submissions before the hearing and then present oral arguments. It was indicated by the Sole Arbitrator that the operative part of the order may be expected soon, with a detailed order with reasons to follow thereafter.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) India’s first individual Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra was awarded the prestigious Olympic Order by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the 142nd IOC Session in Paris on Saturday.

“This recognition is not just a personal milestone but a testament to the spirit of perseverance and dedication that sports instil in us all. I am deeply honoured to be recognized by the IOC, and I dedicate this to all the athletes and sports enthusiasts who strive to uphold the Olympic ideals,” said Bindra at the event.

The Olympic Order is the highest honour bestowed by the IOC, recognizing individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Olympic Movement.

Bindra's journey to this remarkable achievement is marked by numerous accolades and contributions both on and off the field. As an athlete, he became the first Indian to win an individual Olympic Gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games in the Men’s 10m Air rifle event, and he holds the distinction of being the first Indian to win a World Championship Gold in Air Rifle Shooting.

Over his two-decade-long career, Bindra won over 150 individual medals, earning recognition as one of India’s greatest sports icons. His exceptional service to the sport was further acknowledged when he was awarded the Blue Cross in 2018, the highest honour by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF).

In addition to his achievements in sports, Bindra has made significant contributions to sports governance. During this IOC Session, Bindra was elected as the 2nd vice-chair of the IOC Athlete Commission and Education Commission.

Post-retirement, Bindra founded the Abhinav Bindra Foundation Trust (ABFT), a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting grassroots athletes in India through cutting-edge sports science technology.

This recognition highlights Bindra’s enduring legacy in the world of sports and his continued efforts to promote the values of Olympism globally.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Ad-Hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has given more time to the Sole Arbitrator to pronounce its verdict in Vinesh Phogat's appeal against her disqualification by the United World Wrestling (UWW) from the women's 50 kg freestyle final for being 100 gm overweight in the second-day weigh-in in the Paris Olympics.

The ad hoc division of CAS has extended the time for the Sole Arbitrator Hon. Dr Annabelle Bennett in the Vinesh Phogat vs. United World Wrestling & the International Olympic Committee matter to give a decision till 6:00 p.m. on August 13, 2024, an IOA official said on Saturday.

The reasoned order will be issued at a later date, an official of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) informed IANS on Saturday. The IOA has become part of the case as an impacted party.

The contesting parties have been given time till August 11 to make any additional submissions if they so desire.

Earlier on Saturday morning, the Ad-Hoc Division of CAS said it would announce its decision on wrestler Phogat's case at 6:00 pm (9:30 pm IST) on Saturday.

Vinesh has challenged the decision to be disqualified from the 50kg gold medal bout and has knocked on the CAS doors to be awarded a shared silver medal along with Yusneylis Guzman Lopez at the Paris Olympics.

The Sole Arbitrator Dr Annabelle Bennett AC SC (Australia) heard all parties -- applicant Vinesh Phogat, the respondents United World Wrestling and the International Olympic Committee as well as the Indian Olympic Association as an interested party over three hours.

"Vinesh Phogat and United World Wrestling (UWW) International Olympic Committee ("Respondent") and Indian Olympic Association ("Interested Party"). By application of Article 18 of the CAS Arbitration Rules for the Olympic Games, the President of the CAS Ad Hoc Division extends the time limit for the Panel to give a decision until 10 August 2024 at 18h00 (Paris time)," CAS said in a statement on Saturday.

Now CAS has given the Sole Arbitrator more time.

The panel has already heard parties, who were accorded an opportunity to file their detailed legal submissions before the hearing and then present oral arguments. It was indicated by the Sole Arbitrator that the operative part of the order may be expected soon, with a detailed order with reasons to follow thereafter.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) From being tied at the 14th spot at the end of Round 2, the two Indian golfers bid farewell to Le Golf National course as Aditi Ashok finished tied at the 29th spot and Diksha Dagar slipped down to 49th spot at the end of the fourth and final round.

Aditi had her best day so far at the course and finished with a score of four under par 68, which brought her total down to plus two. On day four, Aditi dug herself out of the hole she found herself on Day 3 and ended the day with seven eagles and only three bogeys which brought her up from the 40th spot to the 29th placed finish. She had a final score of 290 over four rounds.

The 26-year-old finished fourth in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and will surely be disappointed with her outing at the Paris Olympics.

On the other hand, the 2021 Deaflympics gold medallist, Diksha Dagar only fell further down the pecking order as she finished the round with a six over par 78 to her name which brought her score to 14 over 301, following the conclusion of the tournament.

A triple bogey in the second hole and a double bogey in the third was enough to see her slump down the rankings. The 23-year-old went on to score back-to-back bogeys in the 10th and 11th holes and only had one eagle to her name across the 18 holes.

New Zealand’s Lydia Ko secured the gold medal with a score of 10-under-par 278, followed by Germany’s Esther Henseleit who won the silver medal after finishing with a score of minus eight and China’s Xiyu Janet Lin won the bronze medal after scoring minus seven through the course of the competition.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Ad-Hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration (CAS) has given one more day to the Sole Arbitrator to pronounce her verdict in Vinesh Phogat's appeal against her disqualification by the United World Wrestling (UWW) from the women's 50 kg freestyle final for being 100 gm overweight in the second-day weigh-in in the Paris Olympics.

The CAS has extended till 6:00 pm (Paris time) on August 11 the time for the Sole Arbitrator, Dr. Annabelle Bennett to give her verdict in the case in which the International Olympic Committee is another party.

The reasoned order will be issued at a later date, an official of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) informed IANS on Saturday. The IOA has become part of the case as an impacted party.

Earlier on Saturday morning, the Ad-Hoc Division of CAS said it would announce its decision on wrestler Phogat's case at 6:00 pm (9:30 pm IST) on Saturday.

Vinesh has challenged the decision to be disqualified from the 50kg gold medal bout and has knocked on the CAS doors to be awarded a shared silver medal along with Yusneylis Guzman Lopez at the Paris Olympics.

The Sole Arbitrator Dr Annabelle Bennett AC SC (Australia) heard all parties -- applicant Vinesh Phogat, the respondents United World Wrestling and the International Olympic Committee as well as the Indian Olympic Association as an interested party over three hours.

"Vinesh Phogat and United World Wrestling (UWW) International Olympic Committee ("Respondent") and Indian Olympic Association ("Interested Party"). By application of Article 18 of the CAS Arbitration Rules for the Olympic Games, the President of the CAS Ad Hoc Division extends the time limit for the Panel to give a decision until 10 August 2024 at 18h00 (Paris time)," CAS said in a statement on Saturday.

Now CAS has given the Sole Arbitrator more time.

The panel has already heard parties, who were accorded an opportunity to file their detailed legal submissions before the hearing and then present oral arguments. It was indicated by the Sole Arbitrator that the operative part of the order may be expected soon, with a detailed order with reasons to follow thereafter.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Indian men's hockey team made history on Thursday as the Harmanpreet Singh-led side secured a back-to-back bronze medal for their 2-1 comeback win at Yves-du-Manoir Stadium on Thursday. Following the team’s return to the country, RP Singh, former hockey player and chairman of Hockey India's (HI) selection committee spoke to IANS and shared his thoughts on the campaign.

“This is a very happy occasion that our players have won two consecutive medals. Even if the country misses out on a medal or two, the country celebrates differently when it comes to Hockey. The expectation around the team is if the hockey team goes somewhere then they will win a medal,” Singh told IANS.

Despite the stellar performance in the entire tournament which saw India defeat the likes of Australia and Great Britain, the team missed out on a gold medal after losing 2-3 against Germany in the semifinals.

“Our expectation was that of a gold medal because of the way we won the group games and the quarterfinal. So, we did feel we could go on to win the whole thing. We missed our chances in the semi-finals and paid the price by losing 2-3 so we were disappointed,” he added.

The Indian men’s hockey team has a rich history in the Olympics as the most successful nation in the Games having won 13 medals. From Amsterdam 1928 to Melbourne 1956, India won six gold medals in a row. A silver at Rome 1960 (silver), Tokyo 1964 (gold), Mexico City 1968 (bronze), Munich 1972 (bronze), Moscow 1980 (gold), Tokyo 2020 (bronze), and Paris 2024 (bronze) are the other medals the Indians have won in the Olympics. The back-to-back bronze medals have proved that the team is on course to revive the golden days of Indian hockey.

Not only was the nation’s record-extending 13th medal a historic one, but it also holds a lot of significance as the 2024 Paris Olympics Games were the last tournament for India’s star goalkeeper PR Sreejesh as the 36-year-old called curtains on what has been an illustrious career that spanned for nearly two decades.

The chairman of the HI selection committee further went on to elaborate on how they plan to replace the custodian on the side.

‘We have 3-4 goalkeepers in the pipeline who we need to train to come forward. When a player leaves only then will the space for a new player to come in be created. We have been in active conversation to see who can replace Sreejesh,” concluded Singh.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated Aman Sehrawat for clinching the bronze medal in men's freestyle 57 kg wrestling event at the 2024 Paris Olympics and believes his life story, of overcoming the death of his parents to standing on the podium, is a very inspiring one.

On Friday evening, Sehrawat, who trains and resides at New Delhi’s Chhatrasal Stadium, defeated Puerto Rico's Darian Toi Cruz 13-5 to win the bronze medal at the Champ-de-Mars Arena. It meant India got its first wrestling medal of the Paris Olympics and sixth overall of the ongoing quadrennial event.

“Aman, many congratulations to you and many blessings for your bright future. You have united and filled the hearts of the whole country as per the meaning of your name. There are very few players for whom Chhatrasal Stadium is their home, and you have made it your home and made yourself happy.”

“I believe that your life is very inspiring for the people of the country. First of all, you are the youngest athlete who has won a medal like this (in the Olympics). You are the youngest athlete, and you have such a long life ahead. I believe that you will fill the country with happiness,” said Modi to Sehrawat in a telephone conversation.

In reply, Sehrawat thanked the Prime Minister for his wishes and promised to win a gold medal in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. "This is all due to the support of my countrymen and your hard work, as well as of the efforts and facilities by SAI and TOPS. When I came to the ‘akhara’ (stadium), I thought of it as my home. In 2028, I will win a gold medal in the Olympics and will do my best to do so."

To this, PM Modi replied, “I have complete faith in you, that you are going to be successful. You have struggled a lot in your life. Even after losing your parents, you have surged ahead in your life. Leave aside the gold, silver and bronze medals.”

“You have given the country a lot already and they are taking your name with pride. Aman, you have made the country proud, and your life will be a great inspiration for the young people of the country."

Sehrawat also bagged India's eighth wrestling medal at the Olympics following in the footsteps of KD Jadhav (bronze 1952), Sushil Kumar (bronze 2008 and silver 2012), Yogeshwar Dutt (bronze 2012), Sakshi Malik (bronze 2016), Bajrang Punia (bronze 2021) and Ravi Kumar Dahiya (silver Tokyo 2020).

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Aug 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Indian hockey team made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning back-to-back medals at the Games for the first time since the 1972 Olympics in Munich. The team that created history returned to India on Saturday and paid their respects to one of the greatest to represent the country, Major Dhyan Chand, at the stadium named after the legend here on Saturday.

The team offered flowers to Major Dhyan Chand's statue and spoke to the media about the special experience.

"It feels great because representing the country at such a high level is a matter of immense pride for you and your family. The most important thing is how you compose yourself at such a huge stage. I hope we break more records at the 2028 LA Olympics and bring another medal," midfielder Vivek Sagar Prasad told IANS at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here on Saturday.

India defeated Spain 2-1 in the bronze medal match in Paris to secure their second successive medal. The team had performed exceptionally throughout the tournament and suffered their only defeat in the tournament against World Champions Germany as they lost 2-3 in the semi-finals of the tournament.

“Winning a medal for the country is a significant achievement...Before going to the Olympics, we met with the Prime Minister, and we also spoke with him after winning. This is a very important and special experience for us," Indian hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh told IANS.

"Our main focus was to play in the finals, but we lost to Germany. However, we still brought home a medal and received the love and support of the people of our country," Raj Kumar Pal told IANS.

The entire team played like a collective solid unit throughout the tournament but Harmanpreet Singh and P.R. Sreejesh were the two pillars behind the success of the team as they were the focal points behind India’s goal and defence. The captain continued his fine-scoring form and scored a brace in the bronze medal match to secure the victory.

“As soon as we won the medal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to us and congratulated us. He was very pleased. You could tell that he watched every game with the way he spoke to us,” concluded defender Jarmanpreet Singh.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) New Zealand's Lisa Carrington grabbed her third gold medal of the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning the women's kayak single 500 metres title, while Josef Dostal and Katie Vincent emerged victorious in their respective events at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium here on Saturday.

After clinching gold medals in the women’s kayak fours 500m on August 8 and doubles 500m races on Friday, Lisa completed a stunning clean sweep of gold medals in her events with Saturday’s race, winning with an Olympic record timing of 1:47.36.

It’s also her eighth Olympic gold medal overall and Lisa is now tied with eight-time Olympic champion Birgit Fischer as the most decorated canoe athlete ever. Tamara Csipes of Hungary secured the silver, while Denmark's Emma Aastrand Orgensen claimed the bronze medal.

“It’s amazing. The goal is always to win, but it’s more than the win for us. As a team, it’s about doing amazing things. It’s more than medals, the people behind it are everything. It’s nice to remember why I do it, and I was just trying to do that today," said Lisa to Olympics.com at the end of the race.

In the men's kayak single 1000m race, Czech Republic’s Dostal pulled off an incredible race to win the gold medal with a timing of 3:24.07. He finally gets to have an Olympic gold medal in his cupboard after clinching one silver and three bronze medals in his previous three outings at the mega event.

Hungary's Adam Varga won the silver medal, while his country-mate Balint Kopasz, the gold medallist in the Tokyo Olympics, took the bronze medal. Dostal overtook Portugal’s Fernando Pimenta after the halfway stage of the race and never looked back, maintaining his lead over Varga and Kopasz until the very end to take home the gold medal.

Meanwhile, in the women’s canoe single 200m race, Canada’s Katie got her moment of glory by beating Tokyo Olympics champion USA’s Nevin Harrison in a photo finish. It also meant Canada got its first Olympic gold medal in any women's canoe event.

Katie clocked a timing of 44.12 to set a new world best time to finish ahead of Nevin by just one-hundredths of a second, while Cuba’s Yarisleidis Cirilo Duboys won the bronze medal. The gold medal for Katie comes after she clinched the bronze medal alongside Sloan MacKenzie in the women’s canoe doubles 500m.

Source: IANS

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Paris, Aug 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) Nigeria's first Olympic cyclist has given her thanks to the German team for a gesture which allowed her to make history for her country and compete in both road and track events.

Ese Ukpeseraye was given a late entry into the women's sprint and Keirin events after arriving in Paris with the Nigerian delegation, but due to the "short notice" given over her inclusion in the events, she didn't have a specialist track bike to compete.

The cycles used at Olympic and other track events are completely different to those used in road races, without gears or brakes and with a 'fixed wheel' system and also a disc wheel on the back to allow for greater aerodynamics.

"Due to the short notice of me competing at the keirin and sprint, I had no bicycle to race with on the tracks," she wrote in a social media post.

However, in a sporting gesture, the German team came to Ukpeseraye's rescue by providing the equipment, reports Xinhua.

"In the spirit of sportsmanship, the German team came to my rescue by offering me a bicycle," explained the 25-year-old.

Although she failed to pass the first round in the keirin or qualify for the knockout rounds in the sprint, she posted a respectable time of 11.652 seconds, just over a second and a half down on Lea Friedrich of Germany, who set a new qualification record of 10.029 seconds.

Source: IANS

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