Latest news with #Olympics
India.com
an hour ago
- Sport
- India.com
Neeraj Chopra returns to World No. 1 in Javelin rankings, Arshad Nadeem holds...
Neeraj Chopra has reclaimed top spot in the javelin rankings, Arshad Nadeem is fourth. New Delhi: The Tokyo Olympics gold medallist, Neeraj Chopra has regained the No. 1 ranking in the latest rankings released by the World Athletics this week. He lost the top place to the Grenadian Anderson Peters on September 17 last year, after Peters won the Diamond League Final in Brussels. Neeraj is now on top of the board with 1445 points compared to Anderson Peters with 1431. Julian Weber secured a third position with the help of 1407 points and gained the position as a representative of Germany, whereas Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem has 1370 points. Neeraj's World Championship defence Neeraj will be defending his World Championships Title in Tokyo this September. He started the season at an invitational meet in Potchefstroom where he won gold after recording 84.52m. He threw a personal best of 90.23 m to first surpass the 90m mark in the Diamond League opener in Doha, coming second to Julian Weber. He chronologically set that behind him, by another second-place finish, this time at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial, in Chorzow, with his 84.14m. He later won against Weber in the Paris Diamond League and opened up with 88.16m. Next came his third victory in the season at the Ostrava Golden Spike where he had a throw of 88.16m. Neeraj Chopra Classic The following appearance where Neeraj is going to take part will be at the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic which is scheduled to take place on July 5 in Bengaluru. 'A lot of people had questions. Many even used to say that it won't happen because I have been trying to breach 90m since 2018. I had reached 88-89 many times, but not 90m. So finally, not mine, but the burden is off the shoulders of Indians,' said Neeraj after breaching the 90m mark. Neeraj is now under training with javelin great Jan Zelezny brought on board as chief coach last year. But as Neeraj just revealed, they only started to collaborate in February this year.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Business
- Time of India
Who is Paula Hurd, Bill Gates's girlfriend? Net worth, career, and the life she built
Paula Hurd and Bill Gates have attended various elite gatherings, including Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's engagement party in August 2023 The woman everyone's curious about ever since she stepped into the spotlight as Bill Gates's girlfriend. But here's the thing: she's way more than just a billionaire's plus one. From climbing the corporate ladder to championing philanthropy and quietly shaping the tennis world, Paula has lived a life packed with purpose, love, and resilience. Born on April 27, 1962, Paula Kalupa (that's her maiden name) grew up far from the tech headlines and paparazzi cameras. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin back in 1984 with a bachelor's degree in business administration. Her professional journey kicked off at NCR Corporation, a big player in tech and finance. She spent nearly two decades there, working her way up in sales and alliance management. It was a grind—but it paid off. Paula wasn't just a corporate employee, she became a key player, leading big deals and strategic partnerships. But career success is only one chapter of her story. In 1990, she married Mark Hurd, the man who would go on to lead both Hewlett-Packard and Oracle as CEO. The two were a power couple in every sense. Together, they raised two daughters, Kathryn and Kelly— Kathryn's an investigative journalist and Kelly once worked with Visa. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Run Your Business Like a Pro - Top Trending Accounting Software (Check Now) Accounting ERP Click Here Undo In 2019, Mark passed away after a battle with cancer, as per reorts. Paula was left a widow—but instead of retreating from public life, she leaned into the things that mattered most to them both: family, philanthropy, and purpose. She continued her work through Hurd Family Investments (also known as MPH Investments), helping manage portfolios and creating large-scale charitable events. But what really lights her up is tennis. Paula currently chairs the Universal Tennis Foundation, where she works to support student-athletes and wheelchair tennis players. Her love for the sport runs deep—so deep, in fact, that it played a surprising role in the next chapter of her life. Enter Bill Gates. The two were first spotted together at tennis tournaments like the BNP Paribas Open and Indian Wells in 2021. Rumors started to swirl, but it wasn't until early 2023 that the relationship was officially confirmed. And then, in February 2025, Gates said it out loud during an interview on The Today Show: 'I'm lucky to have a serious girlfriend named Paula. We're having fun, going to the Olympics…' The world took notice. But here's what most people miss—Paula didn't suddenly become influential because she started dating one of the richest men on the planet. She was already making big moves. She and her late husband donated $7 million to Baylor University (their alma mater), funding everything from basketball pavilions to the flashy new welcome center that opened in 2023. She's been a quiet but impactful force in the education and nonprofit world. Paula Hurd net worth As per reports, her net worth is estimated to be between $4 million and $35 million, with many sources pegging it closer to $35 million. Some estimates go up to $50 million, though the $35M figure is most consistently cited. A good chunk of this wealth comes from her tech sales career and smart investments. The rest? Likely inherited from Mark Hurd, whose own net worth at the time of his death was estimated between $150 and $500 million. Now, Paula lives a relatively low-key life considering who she's dating. She's not chasing clout, not flooding your social feeds, and she's certainly not hopping on talk shows. Instead, she's seen courtside at tennis matches, showing up at philanthropic events, and occasionally walking into high-society functions next to Bill Gates—often in understated, elegant style.
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Rugby Premier League looks to revive Indian game through sevens league
Former New Zealand captain Scott Curry, who will feature in the Indian RPL, scores a try in the 2019 World Series event in Hamilton. Photo: Photosport Nearly 150 years after the demise of Calcutta Football Club resulted in the creation of rugby's oldest international trophy, a new sevens league was launched this month with the aim of reviving the gladiatorial sport in India. The Rugby Premier League (RPL) has recruited top internationals from the World Sevens circuit to play alongside locals in six franchises under broadcast-friendly rule variations. Organisers not only want to lead a revival of local rugby to the extent that India one day qualifies for the Olympics, but believe they can help revolutionise the future of the game worldwide. "Rugby in India is not so popular and not because it's not played, it's played in more than 250 districts in India and there's a lot of talent pool available, but because people have not seen it," Satyam Trivedi, chief executive of co-organisers GMR Sports, told Reuters. "It has not been commercialised, originally or globally. It is a very aspirational sport. In countries like the UK, Australia, New Zealand, it's a private schoolboy sport, which is not how it is seen in India. "I'm sure with the league getting commercials, going on broadcast, some of the finest athletes of the world coming and participating, the audiences will see it and the sport will catch up." The launch of the RPL comes at a time when sevens, which took off after its inclusion for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, is facing challenges. Financial pressures have led to cutbacks in some programmes, with Ireland ending its men's programme and Britain's men's and women's going part-time at the end of July. World Rugby plans to introduce a three-division regular season in 2026, increasing the number of events to make the sport more cost-effective and competitive. Unlike World Sevens tournaments, organised on national lines, each RPL squad features five top-level "marquee" players, five from India, and three more internationals dubbed "bridge" players. Scott Curry, who played 321 times for New Zealand's All Blacks Sevens team and represents the Bengaluru Bravehearts in the RPL, believes the franchise model could be a peek into the sport's global future. "The World Series has been changing a lot and there's a little bit of uncertainty there but to see something like this, a franchise league ... I think it could be the future of the game going forward for sure," Curry said. "Having franchises where players from all over the world can come and play together along with local Indian players is really exciting for our sport." Rugby India is another co-organiser of the RPL and its President Rahul Bose senses a major opportunity to get the eyes of 1.4 billion people on the game through the country's potential bid for the 2036 Summer Olympics. "After Indian hockey, we want to be the second team, and by that time (2036), it'll be 80 years that there's no other team that's gone to the Olympics from India," Bose said. "I'm not counting cricket, which is coming into the Olympics through a different route. But certainly when it comes to sports that have 100-plus nations playing it, like soccer and rugby, we've trained our eyes on that." Spaniard Manuel Moreno, who was named in the World Sevens series dream team last season and has been playing for the Hyderabad Heroes in the RPL, thinks India might not have to wait as long as 2036 given the Olympics has regional qualifiers. "It's a long way to try to compete with the best teams in the world ... the World Rugby Series, maybe is too far from now but maybe (India can qualify) for the Games as qualification is from the continent," Moreno said. "They (India) can do it in the next Olympic cycle. There are only two or three big teams in Asia. So I think they have a real possibility to be in the Los Angeles Games in 2028." Moreno might be being a little optimistic given India's men finished seventh in Asian qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, while the women were sixth. Still, playing with the likes of Curry and Moreno can only help accelerate the development of local players and it might not be too long before Indian rugby is known for more than just the source of the trophy that England and Scotland play for every year. - Reuters
India.com
2 hours ago
- Sport
- India.com
Watch: Not Virat Kohli! Olympic Champion Neeraj Chopra Names This Indian Cricketer As Best Suited For His Sport
Two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra made a major revelation on Indian cricketer he feels is best suited for his sport-Javelin thrown. Neeraj won a magnificent Gold at 2020 Tokyo Olympics and then later won silver medal at Paris Olympics 2024. Notably, Neeraj is the reigning world champion and also the World No.1 in rankings in javelin. He has earlier lost the top shot to Anderson Peters but later reclaimed his throne. Naturally every cricket fan would feel that the answer for this question is a no brainer as Only one Indian cricketer that comes close to having endurance, stealth and fitness like an athlete is none other than India's Star batter Virat Kohli but Shockingly Neeraj chose an Indian fast bowler for this role. During a Special segment on Star Sports hosted by former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu, Neeraj picked Jasprit Bumrah as the one best suited for Javelin. Chopra also shared the reasoning behind the pick, according to him fast bowlers have the required strength, technique, coordination and body needed for this sport. Neeraj also said that Bumrah would have been a successful jaelin Athlete if not for his heroics as an Indian pacer. "I think it would be a fast bowler for sure. So, I think a fully fit Jasprit Bumrah will be good at it," Chopra said on Star Sports. India's Golden Boy @Neeraj_chopra1 spills the beans! Who in the Indian cricket team does he think could dominate the javelin throw? Any guesses before we reveal the name? javelin throw event on July 5, Sat, 7:00 PM, only on Star… — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 27, 2025 Jasprit Bumrah Heroics India lost the first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds by five wickets. Despite Indian batter scoring ton of runs with five centurions, Jasprit was the talk of the town as he wrecked havoc with a fifer in the first innings. Bumrah was wicketless in the second innings but kept testing English batters during the chase. Lack of support from other end proved to be fatal for India. Bumrah's fifer helped him break the record for most five-wicket hauls by an Indian bowler in England in Test cricket. Ahead of the Leeds Test, Jasprit Bumrah was tied for the most five-wicket hauls by an Indian in England, with two fifers joining an elite group that includes Lala Amarnath, Kapil Dev, B. Chandrasekhar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Vinoo Mankad, Chetan Sharma, Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Nissar, and Surendranath. In addition, this marked Bumrah's 12th five-wicket haul in overseas Tests, putting him on par with the legendary Kapil Dev for the most fifers by an Indian bowler in away matches.
Hamilton Spectator
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
B.C., Vancouver, First Nations sign deal to partner in planning, hosting World Cup
VANCOUVER - British Columbia's government, the City of Vancouver and three First Nations have signed an agreement to co-operate on hosting the seven World Cup games being played in the city next year. In a ceremony on Friday, Premier David Eby, Mayor Ken Sim, Musqueam Chief Wayne Sparrow, Squamish Nation councillor Wilson Williams and Tsleil-Waututh councillor Deanna George signed a memorandum of understanding to ensure 'interests of the nations are reflected throughout' the planning and hosting of the games. Sparrow said the location of the ceremony — a facility on Musqueam land used during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games — is symbolic of how local communities can benefit from events such as the World Cup. The B.C. government said the agreement is a framework on how the five parties will work together in planning, staging and hosting the World Cup games, as well as developing approaches to shared opportunities. Organizers are expecting the seven World Cup games in Vancouver to draw about 350,000 spectators to BC Place Stadium and to add more than a million out-of-province visitors between 2026 and 2031. They say that will generate direct and indirect provincial tax revenues of up to $224 million. The B.C. government issued a release this week saying the net core provincial cost of hosting the games is in the range of $85 million to $145 million. Organizers announced last year that the estimated cost of hosting the seven games more than doubled to between $483 million and $581 million, which includes costs for the city, the province and stadium upgrades. Eby said the agreement gives the province a unique opportunity to not only demonstrate the co-operation between governments and First Nations, but to also showcase Indigenous culture to the world. 'In this time of global turmoil and strife, it is a chance to demonstrate how we do things in British Columbia, how we work together to create something amazing,' Eby said. 'It is a huge opportunity for us culturally, economically, and yet another chance to demonstrate the British Columbia way of doing business.' Sparrow said the Musqueam community had relied on 'a small piece of grass' for its soccer needs before the 2010 Olympics, but the Games brought about the construction of the current facility, featuring a turf field, a grass field and a clubhouse. 'Where we stand today was how we came together in the 2010 Olympics and put our differences aside and came together as family and worked together,' Sparrow said at the ceremony site on Friday. 'Now that we have a place for our kids to play. And that shows how when we come together and our sport brings us together, that we have the opportunity now for our kids to have a place.' Williams, the Squamish chief, said the World Cup — with the First Nations acting as host partners — presents B.C. with an even greater opportunity to draw more major international sporting events. 'The experience when people come off those planes, come ashore, come and visit, the retention of the experience they're going to have is going to be so memorable and so strong, there's no way they're going to turn down a request that we're hosting the World Cup in the future — and any world international event for that matter.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2025.
