India pins its hopes on divers at Asian swimming championships
Entrusted with the responsibility of reviving the Asian swimming championships in Ahmedabad after a nine-year gap in October, the Swimming Federation of India (SFI) is not only looking at showcasing its organisational ability but also backing its divers to achieve worthwhile results in the continental event.
Competing alongside global swimming powers such as China, Japan and Korea at the newly-built 'world class venue,' India is pinning its hopes on its divers.
'There's reasonable expectation that we may have a medal in diving. We've sent our divers for a one-month training programme in Malaysia, where they can get a little bit of informal judging. Their scores can be realistically projected. An Australian coach (Shannon Roy) is working with them, particularly in the men's synchronised diving event, where we are targeting a medal. They were supposed to go to Australia for a competition, but couldn't get visas. We are looking at other competitions,' SFI secretary Monal Chokshi told The Hindu.
'We are having a water polo camp (for 25 men and 25 women) from January in Bangalore. We will be selecting the best 14 and four reserves. We are planning to send them to an eastern European country for training in the last one month of preparation.
'We will bring back one of the coaches (Babovic Miodrag and Anderic Nemanja) who were working with our teams for the Asian Games preparation, but the teams were not cleared. This Asian Championships is going to be also the Asian Games qualifier with the top-six qualifying. After 1986, we have never played at the Asian Games. So we hope to break the jinx.'
The SFI expects good performances from four swimmers. 'In terms of medals, we are very unsure. We have good prospects. Srihari (Nataraj), Benediction Rohit has performed exceptionally well. We have seen some great performances from Shoan Ganguly as well as Aryan Nehra. We'll be holding the India camp for two months at the same venue,' said Chokshi.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
WTC Points Table 2025-27: Australia reclaim top spot in WTC after victory, Sri Lanka also improve their position, India below Bangladesh at .....
WTC Points Table 2025-27: Australia reclaim top spot in WTC after victory, Sri Lanka also improve their position, India below Bangladesh at ..... New Delhi: After Australia's victory over West Indies and Sri Lanka's victory over Bangladesh, a big change has been seen in the points table of the World Test Championship 2025-27. This is just the beginning of this cycle of the World Test Championship, but there is a battle to reach the final. Australia defeated West Indies by 159 runs on Saturday to get 12 points, while Sri Lanka defeated Bangladesh by an innings and 78 runs to get 12 points. This was Australia's first match in this cycle. Because of this, the team has 12 points and 100 points percentage. The team has reached the top. At the same time, England's team is in second place with 100 points percentage and 12 points. England defeated India by five wickets this week. India's disappointing position in the table At the same time, Sri Lanka's team defeated Bangladesh in the second Test. The first Test between the two was a draw. Both the teams got four points each from the draw. In such a situation, after getting 12 points after the win, Sri Lanka's total points have become 16, while their point percentage is 66.67. Bangladesh has four points and 16.67 point percentage. The team is in fourth place. At the same time, India has played one Test and lost it. Therefore, neither India has any points nor point percentage. The Indian team is currently in fifth place. The same is the case with West Indies. It has played one Test and lost it. The Windies team is also in sixth place without any points and point percentage. Pakistan and South Africa will compete New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa have not yet started their respective campaigns in this cycle. Pakistan and World Test Champion South Africa will start their 2025-27 WTC cycle with a two-match Test series in October. At the same time, the New Zealand team will start their World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle with a three-match Test series against West Indies. This series will be played in November-December. Which team has the busiest schedule? The Australian team will play the maximum number of 22 Test matches in the World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle. At the same time, the England team will play 21 matches. After this, India is in third place with 18 matches. New Zealand has to play 16 and South Africa-West Indies have to play 14-14 Tests. Pakistan team has to play 13 and Sri Lanka-Bangladesh have to play 12-12 Tests. Out of the 27 Test series to be played between the nine countries competing in the 2025-27 cycle, 17 series will have only two matches, while there will be six series of three matches. India's upcoming matches The five-match Test series between India and England has started from June 20. The last match of this series will be played from July 31. After this, Team India will play a two-match series against West Indies at home. The first Test between India and West Indies will be played from October 2 and the second Test from October 10. Then the Indian team will take on South Africa at home. Its first match will be played from 14th November and the second match from 22nd November.
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
India pooled alongside Pakistan in Junior Men's Hockey World Cup 2025
Hosts India were clubbed alongside Pakistan in Pool B for the upcoming FIH junior Men's Hockey World Cup which will take place in Chennai and Madurai from November 28 till December 10 this year. Apart from the Asian giants, Chile and Switzerland are also present in Pool B. The draw ceremony was held at the FIH Headquarters on Saturday, June 28 as the upcoming edition will feature 24 teams for the first time. Pool A consistes of Germany, South Africa, Canada and Ireland while Pool C contains Argentina, New Zealand, Japan and China. Spain, Belgium, Egypt and Namibia are in Pool D while Pool E will have Netherlands facing off against Malaysia, England and Austria. advertisementAlso Read: Manpreet Singh hits 400: A testament to unyielding grit France, Australia, Korea and Bangladesh form Pool F. International Hockey Federation president Tayyab Ikram participated in the draw ceremony alongside with Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh, and Hockey India Director General RK Srivastava. Ikram said that the part of the strategy from the FIH is to empower and engage the youngsters from all nations. "It is a great pleasure for me to be here ahead of a milestone moment as we start the journey towards the first ever 24-team FIH Junior Hockey World Cup!"It is a part of the FIH strategy to empower and engage the youth from all nations, including the emerging nations, and this event will be the first step towards doing that," FIH chief Ikram said in a the draw ceremony earlier today, we are glad to reveal the six Pools for the upcoming expanded FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup Tamil Nadu 2025, which will feature 24 teams for the very first time!Full story @TheHockeyIndia#JWC2025 #RisingStars— International Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) June 28, 2025advertisementJunior Men's Hockey World Cup 2025: PoolsPool A: Germany, South Africa, Canada, IrelandPool B: India, Pakistan, Chile, SwitzerlandPool C: Argentina, New Zealand, Japan, ChinaPool D: Spain, Belgium, Egypt, NamibiaPool E: Netherlands, Malaysia, England, AustriaPool F: France, Australia, Korea, Bangladesh- Ends
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Business Standard
Low group stage turnout puts pressure on FIFA Club World Cup knock
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is entering its knockout stage with plenty to prove—especially off the pitch. After a group phase marked by underwhelming attendance, FIFA now faces the challenge of reigniting fan engagement. More than one million empty seats were recorded across 48 group-stage matches, prompting concern about the tournament's ability to capture global attention despite its expanded format. While FIFA touted the participation of fans from 168 countries as a success, many stadiums—including 2026 World Cup venues—saw less than half their capacities filled. With heavyweights like Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Lionel Messi's Inter Miami now entering the fray, organisers will hope for a sharp rise in energy and excitement as the tournament progresses. Sparse Crowds Despite Global Reach Despite FIFA's emphasis on international ticket sales, average attendance during the group stage was just over 34,700—a figure that represents 56.7% of listed seating capacity. MetLife Stadium, set to host the 2026 World Cup final, recorded a mere 44.9% fill rate across five matches. Other key venues, such as the Rose Bowl and Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, fared similarly poorly. FIFA has remained tight-lipped on the matter, declining media requests for detailed comment from president Gianni Infantino. Knockouts Set to Feature European Dominance As the round of 16 kicks off, nine of the advancing teams are European clubs, with four from Brazil and one each from MLS, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia. With heavyweights like Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich in action, a Champions League–like dominance seems inevitable. Notably, Manchester City was the only side to win all three group games. Weather Worries and Star Power The group stage saw five weather delays amid extreme summer temperatures, raising concerns ahead of the expanded 2026 World Cup. Meanwhile, global stars are making headlines—Lionel Messi continues to shine for Inter Miami, while Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé missed all group matches due to illness, with coach Xabi Alonso hopeful for his return. Brazil's Strong Showing All four Brazilian clubs have reached the knockout rounds, underlining the country's depth and competitive strength. Botafogo's win over PSG highlighted South America's challenge to European supremacy, while Flamengo, Fluminense, and Palmeiras have all impressed.
