Vaishnavi Adkar becomes first Indian woman tennis player to win medal in WUG
Berlin, Jul 24 (PTI) Vaishnavi Adkar became the first Indian woman tennis player to win a medal in the World University Games as she clinched a singles bronze while the archers continued their strong show with the compound men's and mixed teams entering the gold medal rounds here on Thursday.
A host of track and field athletes also made it to the finals as the WUG entered its business end.
Vaishnavi lost her semifinals match to Eszter Meri of Slovakia 6-2 4-6 4-6 to settle for bronze — the country's second medal so far in this edition of the WUG. In tennis competition, the two losing semifinalists are awarded a bronze each.
The 20-year-old Vaishnavi became only the second Indian to win a medal in the World University Games, after Nandal Bal clinched a silver in men's singles in the 1979 edition in Mexico City.
In archery, India are assured of at least two silver medals. Compound archer Kushal Dalal made it to two finals — one in men's team and another in the mixed team events.
The compound mixed team of Dalal and Parneet Kaur beat their Chinese Taipei rivals 158-151 to book their spot in the gold medal match against Korea.
Later, the compound men's team of Dalal, Sahil Jadhav and Hritik Sharma beat their Chinese Taipei opponents 235-233 in a closely-fought semifinal match.
However, the women's compound team of Parneet Kaur, Avneet Kaur and Madhura Dhamangaonkar lost to USA 230-233 in the semifinals. They will play in the bronze medal match against Great Britain on Friday.
In track and field, the mixed 4x400m mixed relay team entered the finals, and so have Sahil Silwal (men's javelin throw), Kiran Matre (men's 5000m) and Seema (women's 5000m).
The mixed 4x400m relay team clocked 3 minutes 19.21 seconds in the heats to finish second overall while Sahil finished 10th overall with a 71.60m throw.
Seema, who reportedly missed out on the 10,000m event as her entry was knocked off due to error by the Indian officials, made it to the women's 5000m finals after clocking 15:55.33 to finish third in her heat and overall.
Matre clocked 14:41.49 to finish second in his heat.
Moumita Mondal, meanwhile, advanced to the 100m hurdles semifinals after clocking 13.37 seconds in her heat race. She finished 19th overall but made it to the next round.
With just three competition days left, India's performance in this edition of the Games has been disappointing.
India had dished out its best performance in the last edition of the Games, winning 26 medals — 11 gold, 5 silver and 10 bronze — and had finished seventh in the overall medals tally. Shooters had won 14 medals, including 8 gold, but this time the sport was not included in the roster. PTI PDS PDS AH AH
view comments
First Published:
July 24, 2025, 23:00 IST
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
12 minutes ago
- Indian Express
India, Qatar battle for hosting 2036 Olympics: Promise vs readiness, Global South vs Middle East, major economy vs diplomatic hub
Slick reels. Snappy videos. And montages of sporting royalties — from Roger Federer to David Beckham — saying good things about Doha. In a coordinated publicity blitzkrieg, Qatar announced its bid to host the 2036 Olympics last week. The Gulf nation's interest in hosting the Games was whispered in the Olympic circles for months. With this announcement, it is now official. India, which has been working on its bid for close to two years, has competition in a race that also includes Turkey, Indonesia, Hungary, and Germany, which want to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 1936 Olympics, among others. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has paused the host selection process as it reviews the current rules. Picking a host nation for the Olympics has never been a straightforward process. So, to say that one country has an edge over the other will be premature. And often, given the hectic behind-the-scenes parleys, merit isn't always the only deciding factor — who better than Qatar, who won the controversial 2022 FIFA World Cup bid to know that! Some of the overarching messages from the initial statements made by both nations are similar, the difference is in the language. Sample this, Qatar in their initial pitch last week have said they 'view sport as a means to… foster a world that is more united, tolerant, and harmonious.' India, in its letter of intent to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has highlighted that it hopes to 'seek peace, friendship and collective progress among all nations'. Or take the promise of inclusivity. 'Qatar,' their statement says, 'promises an unparalleled Olympic experience — a vibrant, inclusive platform that welcomes diverse cultures and backgrounds.' India, in its pitch, has spoken about the 'vast cultural diversity' and the society being a 'mosaic of religions, including Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism.' And while Qatar claims its bid aligns with the 'National Vision 2030', India has said the 2036 Olympics are in line with the country's 'Viksit Bharat 2047 Vision'. Both haven't shied away from making bold claims to transform the respective nations' sporting ecosystem, shape the future and wield regional influence. Qatar bank on 'readiness' of venues, hosting experience They do not say it in as many words, but Qatar implies that they can host the Olympics now if it comes to that. Readiness, bolstered by the controversial yet successful 2022 FIFA World Cup, is their big bid plank. On the infrastructure front, Qatar has claimed that '95 per cent of Olympic venues are already in place and tested at the highest level'. They dip into their previous hosting experience, underlining the 18 World Championships they have hosted in the last 20 years to promise a successful delivery of the Olympics. They hosted the Asian Games in 2006 and will hold them once again in 2030. 'With world-class venues already in place and tested, Doha 2036 shifts the focus from infrastructure development to delivering exceptional experiences and meaningful legacy from day one,' the Qatar Olympic Committee said in a statement. In Ahmedabad, which was officially presented as the candidate city in a meeting with the IOC earlier this month, the pace of infrastructure building — being done from scratch — has increased rapidly in the last few months as the authorities begin work to construct the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Enclave, which is likely to be the major hub. In its promise to deliver the Games seamlessly, India has bid — or is in the process of bidding — multiple international tournaments over the next few years to gain hosting experience. This includes the 2030 Commonwealth Games, which is almost certain to be held in Ahmedabad, the 2027 women's volleyball world championship and the 2028 World U20 Athletics Championships, among others. This year, Ahmedabad will host the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship and the Asian Swimming Championship. Regional play There's also a regional play in both bids. Qatar has also reaffirmed that if it were to be awarded the 2036 Games, 'it would mark the first Olympic and Paralympic Games ever held in the Middle East and North Africa'. 'This milestone would allow Qatar to present a distinctive Arab model for the Games – one rooted in diversity and openness, built on a foundation of sustainable legacy and the power of sport to inspire hope and peace. It would also strengthen regional representation and showcase the potential of Arab youth on the global stage,' they said in a media release. India, meanwhile, has said hosting the Olympics would speak of the 'aspirations of the Global South' and, in the letter of intent to the IOC, spoke about the 'transformative economic, social and cultural impact in wider SAARC nations in South Asia'. Economy and diplomacy Qatar is banking on its growing reputation of being a global diplomacy hub. In their pitch, the Gulf nation has said 'this bid is a natural extension of our diplomatic legacy, inviting the world to connect in an environment of peace and mutual respect.' India, on the other hand, has impressed upon the IOC that it is the 'only major economy yet to host the Games.' 'And while we recognise that is not the sole reason to award a Games, it is a stark reflection of our region's need for the types of sport and social benefits that only the Olympic Games can provide,' the letter of intent stated.
News18
21 minutes ago
- News18
'Draw Was The Goal': Steyn Slams Jadeja And Sundar For Hunting 'Free Milestones'
Dale Steyn feels that once Indian batters had accomplished their goal of saving the 4th Test against England, the gentlemanly thing was to accept the draw. India's refusal to accept England's offer to end the 4th Test in Manchester prematurely with the contest seemingly heading towards a draw has polarised the cricket world. India have been backed for playing within the rule while England have been called out for 'whining' and forcing other teams to act according to their wishes. Fast bowling legend Dale Steyn though seems to be siding with England claiming that since Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar were batting for a draw, the 'gentlemanly' thing to do was to accept Ben Stokes offer for a handshake to end the contest after the duo had ensured that only one result was possible. Stokes approached Jadeja with a handshake as the play entered the final hour on the fifth day in Manchester, but it was turned down leaving England players bemused. Both completed their well-deserved hundreds before the Test concluded. South Africa spinner Tabraiz Shamsi bared his support for the Indian team after they exercised their right to not accept England's offer for a draw. 'Why is there such a big deal being made about the Indians choosing not to accept the offer to end the game in a draw immediately? The offer was offer was rejected n they were fully entitled to make their choice. They got their 100s which they worked hard for. Game over," Shamsi posted on X. 'Shamo (Shamsi) this onion has many layers to it, and each one will make someone cry. The only issue I see here is the one thing people aren't realizing, the batters weren't playing for 100s, they were batting for a DRAW. That was the goal," Steyn wrote. 'Draw the game. Once that was accomplished, and a result was out of the question a handshake was offered, that's the gentlemanly thing to do right? It's not then the time to realize they safe and now say no we'd prefer some free milestones… although within the rules, just seems a little, well, odd. That said, they did bat well, and maybe with the last hour approaching they should have been more aggressive in reaching those milestones, at least then, we could all agree, no team tried to out do the other in this weird situation," he added. view comments First Published: July 29, 2025, 08:07 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hindustan Times
30 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Judit Polgar impressed with Divya Deshmukh's Women's World Cup victory, says ‘Indian chess is unbelievable! But do…'
Divya Deshmukh wasn't even a Grandmaster before the FIDE Women's Chess World Cup 2025 final. But now she is India's 88th Grandmaster, virtue of her victory against Koneru Humpy in the title clash. Divya's rise is just like a Hollywood movie and reaching the final also saw her book a berth at the Candidates Tournament. Judit Polgar lauded 'Indian chess' after Divya Deshmukh's FIDE Women's World Cup final win. The 19-year-old was visibly emotional as she couldn't believe that she beat the much-experienced Humpy. She broke down in tears and took some time to process the moment and then went straight to her mother, who was at the sidelines. They hugged each other and her mother calmed her down. Judit Polgar on Divya Deshmukh Reacting to Divya's win, chess legend Judit Polgar took to X to hail the youngster for winning a 'tense tiebreak'. 'Congrats to@DivyaDeshmukh05, who has clinched the 2025 Women's Chess World Cup title, defeating her compatriot Koneru Humpy in a tense tiebreak,' wrote Polgar. 'Indian chess is just unbelievable! But do not forget: it has reasons', she further added. India has seen a huge rise in chess lately, especially since D Gukesh became the men's World Champion last year. Meanwhile, the likes of Humpy, R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi and R Vaishali have been putting in dominant displays. The win also saw Divya climb to 15th position in the Classical live chess rankings, from 18th. The final saw both classical games end in draws on Saturday and Sunday. Then in the tie-breaks, Divya won 1.5-0.5, winning the second Rapid game The first Rapid game ended in a draw. Meanwhile, her emotional reaction after her win has broken the internet, with videos of the moment going viral on social media. Fans have been impressed by her underdog story, with everyone congratulating the Nagpur native on X. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand took to X to pass on their congratulations.
