Indian swimmers win four gold

India claimed four gold on the opening day of the first South Asian Swimming and Water Polo Championship held at Pakistan Sports Board swimming pools, reports UNI from Lahore.

Shipra Mahajan won the first gold in women’s 100M freestyle clocking 1:02:33. Compatriot Neeraja Balakrishna was second in 1:02:27. Aarati Ghoreade won the second gold in women’s 800 metres freestyle with a timing of 9:38.92.

The two other gold were won in the Under-14 category. Jyotsna Pansare (33.43s) and Ayshwarya Chandrasekaran (33.46s) were one-two in 50M backstroke while Pratima Kollali (1:04.78) and Yempa Murugaperumalmercy (1:05.46) did the same in 100M freestyle.

Yadav, Vankala enter quarters

Indian pugilists continued their unbeaten run at the sixth World Cadet Boxing Championships with Vikas Yadav (48-kg) and Durgarao Vankala (54-kg) advancing to the quarterfinals at Baku, Azerbaijan, reports PTI from New Delhi.

Vankala beat Hungarian Nagy Kristian 20-9 to set up a clash with American Frankie Gomez. Vikas, outpointed Russia’s Vladimir Gavrilov 29-15.

Leremi killed in car crash

South African international midfielder Gift Leremi was killed in a car accident late on Monday, his club officials and police said on Tuesday, reports Reuters from Johannesburg.

Leremi, 22, had just returned from Cameroon where he played for South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns in an African Confederation Cup match at the weekend.

He joined Sundowns during the off-season after spending five seasons at Orlando Pirates. Leremi won four caps for South Africa, the last two years ago at the Concacaf Gold Cup in the United States.

France’s Keita tests positive

France's Olympic 400 metres hurdles bronze medallist Naman Keita tested positive for testosterone during the world athletics championships in Osaka, French sports daily L'Equipe reported on Tuesday, reports Reuters from Paris.

The French Athletics Federation declined to comment but said Keita would make a statement later on Tuesday following the report on L'Equipe's Web site. IAAF president Lamine Diack said on the final day of the championships on Sunday the anti-doping programme at the event had unearthed one "adverse result".

Ex-Natl boxing champion dies

Seven-time national champion boxer Mani Kumar Rai passed away in Shillong on Tuesday, reports PTI from New Delhi.

Rai was 59 years old. He was admitted to hospital last evening and breathed his last this morning. The former international was also a coach with the SAI.

Olympic torch to reach Mumbai

The Olympic torch relay for the 2008 Beijing Olympics is expected to pass through India’s commercial capital on April 17, reports UNI from Mumbai. Mumbai is among the 22 cities earmarked for the 2008 Beijing Olympics torch relay after it will be lit in Greece in March next year.


Champions Trophy bids

The International Hockey Federation has invited bids from India and Malayasia as a possible alternative venue for the Champions Trophy tournament originally scheduled to be held in Pakistan in December this year, according to Indian Hockey Federation Secretary K Jyothikumaran, reports UNI from Chennai.

FIH has given time for about a week for the federations of two countries to send their bids to stage the tournament, in case it is shifted from Pakistan in the wake of law and order situation in the country.

PCB targets Buchanan The Pakistan Cricket Board is trying to secure the services of former Australian coach John Buchanan for improving the standard of its National Cricket Academy in Lahore. “We want to use his expertise as a consultant,” a PCB official said. “He has opened up a consultancy firm and we want to use him for the cricket academy and to train our coaches.”