Competing with seniors is not a pressure: Sania

Determined to make herself count in the 2010 Commonwealth Games but faced with lack of shooting competitions for juniors, Sania Sheikh is ready to pip her senior compatriots in the upcoming National Championships to prepare herself for the big occasion.

"There are very few tournaments for juniors. So mostly I have to compete with seniors although I have just crossed 15 years. It is not a pressure for me instead I love the challenge," Sania, the 11th standard student, said.

"I have heard that my name is also there in the list (of CWG probables). It will be a big event," the Meerut girl added.

Sania, who clinched a bronze medal in Asian clay shooting championship here in February, is gearing up for the National Shooting Championship, beginning from December 14.

Daughter of national level shooter Sualeyheen Sheikh, Sania feels her chances to bring laurels for the country would enhance if she could have guidance a specialist coach.

"My father has been my coach and I also take tips from Italian Elia who was here in India last year. But I wish I could get a formal coach," Sania said.

However, the girl admits that the CWG is not going to be a mere cakewalk for her and wants to leave no stone unturned to succeed in the quadrennial extravaganza.

"Technically my coaches have found me ok but I have to work on my fitness, concentration level and mental toughness. CWG will be a tough test. Most probably in skeet me and Arti Singh Roy will be there. Insha Allah we might bring laurels
for our country," she said.

Abhinav Bindra's former agents threaten legal action

India's Olympic gold-medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra finds himself at the centre of a bitter row between two management companies who are fighting to keep
his marketing rights in the wake of his new-found celebrity status.

Collage Sports, which managed Bindra's endorsements before his Olympic stardom, has threatened to move court after their contract was terminated by the shooter.

Meanwhile his new agents said they were not unduly perturbed by these legal threats
which the rival company has been making for the last few months.

Bindra, who inked a deal with Collage in 2003 and then renewed it in 2006 till August 2009, ended the contract a year before its expiry and passed on the job to B Formula
Entertainment, the firm that has been managing their family-owned business.

Claiming it to be an "unethical" move, Latika Khaneja of Collage Sports said she has decided to move court against Bindra.

"For five years (before Abhinav's Olympic gold medal) I ran his account with no income. But a lot changed after his Olympic achievement. They started approaching clients because they do not want to share their money with anyone," Khaneja
claimed.

As per the agreement with Bindra, Collage was entitled to get 30 per cent of all endoresement deals that the shooter signed.

But a source close to the Bindra family said said they did not want to get into any war of words with Collage, insisting that there was "nothing illegal" on terminating the
contract and that Khaneja was free to take legal recourse.


"Abhinav Bindra is a shooter, he is not a businessman and does not understand all this. But yes he wants money, everybody does, after all it is an expensive sport," the
source said.

"It's three months that she is threatening to move the court, why has she not done that yet? We have simply used the clause of terminating the contract before time because we feel our purpose was not being served by that company," the source said.

Bolt and Isinbayeva scoop awards

Usain Bolt and Yelena Isinbayeva have been named as male and female athletes of the year by the International Association of Athletics Federations.

The Jamaican sprinter and Russian pole vaulter took the awards as well as £67,000 each at a ceremony in Monaco for their superb Olympic displays.

Bolt, 22, became the first man in history to break world records in all three sprint events at a single Games.

Isinbayeva, 26, raised the world record to 5.05m to retain her Olympic title.

Bolt broke the 100m world record of 9.74 seconds held by compatriot Asafa Powell earlier in the season but he again eclipsed the new mark by clocking 9.69 in Beijing.

He then broke Michael Johnson's world record of 19.32 in the final of the 200m by lowering it to 19.30 before leading Jamaica's 4x100m sprint relay to Olympic victory in a record time of 37.10.

"I have a motto that anything is possible, but this really is such an honour," said Bolt, who became Jamaica's first Olympic 100m champion.

"Just to be included with every great name in the sport is wonderful. I'll try to do it year after year."

Isinbayeva, who took athlete of the year honours in 2004 and 2005, added: "I'm very proud. It feels like the first time."

During the season the Russia raised her own world record in the pole vault three times, first to 5.03 metres in Rome and 5.04 in Monaco in June and then at Beijing - her 24th world best mark.

Isinbayeva just edged out Ethiopian distance runner Tirunesh Dibaba, who produced an unprecedented Olympic double victory in the 5000 and 10,000 metres in Beijing.

Cuban 110m hurdler Dayron Robles won the male performance of the year award after setting a new world record of 12.87sec as well as claiming the Olympic title.

Dibaba and Barbora Spotakova, of the Czech Republic, who set a new world record after claiming the Olympic javelin title, took the women's equivalent.

Pamela Jelimo, who won the 800m Olympic title at the age of 18, was given the revelation of the year award.


IAAF Award winners

Male world athlete: Usain Bolt (Jam)

Female world athlete: Yelena Isinbayeva (Rus)

Male performance: Dayron Robles (Cub)

Female performance: Tirunesh Dibaba (Eth)/ Barbora Spotakova (Cze)

Revelation of the year: Pamela Jelimo (Ken)

Distinguished Career award: Kajsa Bergqvist (Swe)/Stefan Holm (Swe)/Jefferson Perez (Ecu)

Inspirational award: Henry Rono (Ken)

80 Years of Women Athletes at the Olympic Games: Jackie Joyner-Kersee (USA)

Special Olympic award: Usain Bolt (Jam)/Tirunesh Dibaba (Eth)/Yelena Isinbayeva (Rus)/Francoise Mbango (Cmr)/Angelo Taylor (USA)/Andreas Thorkildsen (Nor)

Indians have best hand-eye coordination: Abhinav Bindra

The country's first-ever Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra believes Indian players have the gift of a perfect hand-eye co-ordination which sets them apart from the rest of the world.

The shooting champion also reckons that even foreign spinners, who have done extremely well in world cricket, had some connection with India.

"I believe what Indians can do, no South African or Australian can do. Even the best spinners of other nations are of Indian origin," Bindra said at a programme organised by FICCI here on Wednesday.

The Chandigarh-based marksman urged sportspersons to develop the attributes of 'attitude', 'motivation' and 'focus' to become successful in the international arena.

"Attitude, motivation and focus are the three values in particular that were key to my success. I always set my standards high. I always wanted to be the best, not only in India but also in the world," he said.

"Since my father is a successful businessman may be some of my attitude comes from him and certainly they were extremely crucial to me and my success."

Explaining his way of approaching challenges in life and in competitions, he said self-motivation was imperative in achieving the desired results.

"There are three things that I think affects motivation. Sight of the reward, sight of the task and how confident you feel that you are going to succeed. I became highly motivated because I learnt how to reward myself," said the 10 metre rifle shooter.

On a question about his ideal match, the marksman said he would love to have a life partner who enjoys sports.

Abhinav shoots with New Rifle

Olympic gold medal winner Abhinav Bindra on Tuesday had a different experience altogether shooting with different guns at the ITBP's shooting range here during a police sports meet.

"It was my first experience, a different one, shooting using an (indigenously built) Insas rifle and a .9 mm pistol. After firing from the rifle, there was this big bang," Bindra said after opening the 52nd All India Police Duty Meet-Shooting hosted by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police at the its Basic Training Centre in Panchkula.

Asked if he had given tips to the shooters present at the range, the 25-year-old ace marksman quipped, "I was actually taking tips from them myself".

Bindra has been using a Walther-make air rifle for the past 10 years.

Twenty eight teams belonging to Central Police Forces and State Police Organisations, holding aloft their respective flags, gave a sterling display of their parade and honoured the ace shooter.

ITBP's Inspector General P P Singh stressed the significance of the meet, saying "it would be a precursor to future shooters who would bring glory to the country in the days to come".

Asked that the Armed Forces were facing shortage of officers, Bindra said the youth should be encouraged more to take it up as a career.

"I have great respect for the Armed forces. My grandfather was in the Army. I think we need to encourage our youth more and motivate them to join the forces as they offer a secure career full of thrill and adventure and at the same time one can serve the nation the best," Bindra said.

Diego Maradona shrugs off Butcher snub

New Argentina boss Diego Maradona will not lose any sleep if Terry Butcher refuses to shake his hand at Hampden.

Scotland assistant Butcher said he will never forgive Maradona for the infamous "Hand of God" goal which helped knock England out of the 1986 World Cup.

"I don't understand why Butcher has this attitude," said Maradona, who then queried England's 1966 World Cup win.

"England won a World Cup with a goal that never crossed the line, so it's not fair that people should judge me."

He was, of course, referring to Geoff Hurst's extra-time goal in the final against West Germany at Wembley that may not have crossed the goal-line after thundering off the underside of the crossbar.

Hurst's hat-trick goal to make it 4-2 was also controversial, since several spectators had run on to the pitch before he scored.

Maradona has received a warm welcome in Scotland as he prepares for his first game in charge of the national team.

However, former England captain Butcher was not in the mood to join in with the adulation for one of the game's greatest players.

"If people are fine with me, I'll greet them," added Maradona.

"Let Butcher get on with his life and I'll get on with my life.

"I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. If Butcher doesn't shake my hand, I'll still be alive tomorrow."

Maradona scored his first international goal at Hampden in a 3-1 win in 1979 and the Argentine legend has fond memories of Glasgow.

His virtuoso performance won him many fans in Scotland, while his role in eliminating England from the World Cup in Mexico may have added to his list of admirers north of the border.

"I am very much aware of how popular I am and it's great to think I've made them very happy," said Maradona when asked about his relationship with Scottish supporters.

"If I get the chance to make them happy again, that would be marvellous.

"It's something that was very special to me. It was nice to start my international career and get my first goal here.

"What I want to do in terms of repaying them is hopefully put on a good spectacle.

"I feel great. I feel very good. I'm very happy to be back in Scotland after so long away.

"It's a very, very proud moment for me to be heading up the Argentina national side."

When Hansen came up against Diego Maradona

Just under 30 years ago, I played against current Argentina coach Diego Maradona when he scored his first goal for his country against Scotland at Hampden Park on 2 June, 1979.

Maradona was 18 at the time, and if ever one player was destined to be the greatest player in the world it was him.

You talk about the young players in this country, and we have one who is destined to win all the biggest awards in the coming weeks in Cristiano Ronaldo, but Maradona eclipsed him.

This is in no way meant as any criticism of Ronaldo, but he would not be in the same stratosphere as Maradona. It was June and the hottest day in Glasgow for 30 years and we could hardly get near him. He was just magnificent. Unbelievable, and just a kid as well.

You look at his achievements in winning the World Cup with Argentina in 1986 and inspiring them to the final and you see how good he was, but there are other stories as well.

He captained a Rest of the World team in one match, playing alongside Michel Platini, who was one of the best passers of the ball the game had ever seen, but even he was standing open-mouthed at some of the stuff Maradona was doing.

I can remember when I played against him that the ball was almost stuck to his feet. He had the most amazingly quick feet - again people talk about the quickness of Ronaldo's feet, and there is no doubt he is exceptional, but Maradona was just something else.

He was massively strong, scored goals, ran the game and was just the most fantastic talent.

When we played against him, Argentina were the reigning world champions from the previous summer and had people like Mario Kempes and Leopoldo Luque playing for them, the big stars of that World Cup. Maradona was actually 10 times better than them.

And he was so tough. I remember my old Liverpool team-mate Phil Neal telling me he put in a hard tackle on in him early on when England played Argentina a year later, as defenders did in those days, and he said Maradona didn't even flinch. He didn't even go down. He just had everything.

Sometimes you see these young players who have a lot of hype surrounding them, but we all knew that day that this was a player who was going to be the best in the world and he proved us all right.

Nothing has changed: Abhinav Bindra

What has changed since the Olympic gold?
Everything, yet nothing. Let me explain. As a person, a professional shooter, as a son, friend, colleague, I remain the same person. I was a single shot away from a goal I had dreamt about and assiduously worked for more than half my life. My family’s love and faith in me hasn’t changed. It won’t. On another plane, everything, just about everything has changed. For one, I have the unqualified love of a billion-plus people. For another, those close to me believe I have made a difference to the way Indians think about sport. Wherever I go, interact, speak, mingle with the high and mighty, the hoi polloi, I am treated with admiration bordering on awe. It is at times unnerving, but mostly, I enjoy this attention.

Has the achievement brought a change to the sport of shooting?
Not that I know of. Judging from what people say, one would like to believe that institutional change is in the air. Direct government or association inspired change to the sport of shooting is, however, not yet evident, at least to me. The government and the sporting associations are obviously under no obligation to share their plans for the conceptualisation, the piloting of change with me. What I am sure about is that the realisation that we need to do far more than we have so far.

Is there enough being done to promote Olympic sport?
I am not privy to the working model of the government or the associations. Having said that, my feeling on the subject is that we have no time to lose. This is why I have not waited for the government, the associations to take initiative. The Abhinav Bindra Ace Public Schools (ABAPS) will be my vehicle to achieve my dream of achieving excellence. The die has been cast.

I drew inspiration from Obama: Narang

Shrugging off the Beijing Olympics disappointment, ace Indian marksman Gagan Narang nailed a perfect 600/600 to become only the third shooter to equal the world record and claim the title at the World Cup finals in Bangkok, Thailand on Wednesday.

After Gagan fired the impeccable score in the qualification round, he was in the lead all through the 10-shot final. His first shot was a perfect 10.9 while others could shoot only into the ninth ring.

Gagan kept his cool to continue his almost two-point lead and shot 10.3 to finish on top.

Sidi Peter of Hungary, Athens Olympics gold and Beijing Olympics silver medallist Zhu Quinan from China and fourth-placed Henry Hakkinen of Finland were just a point adrift of Gagan at 599.

Gagan said his win was special because Barack Obama, who won the United States' Presidential election on Wednesday, was his source of inspiration.

"It's indeed a sweet victory after a heart break in Beijing. After the Beijing disappointment. I have become more focused, dedicated and hungry for world title and this victory is special as (Barack) Obama won in USA after all hard work and I drew inspiration from his accomplishment," the Hyderabad marksman said.

Gagan, who missed an Olympic medal by a whisker in Beijing, dedicated the medal to national coach Sunny Thomas.

"I want to thank and dedicate this gold medal to my coach Prof. Sunny Thomas and Laszlo Scuzak and National Rifles Association of India and the government for believing in me and supporting me all through," he said.

"I also want to thank Geet Sethi's Olympic gold quest foundation," he added.

Gagan Narang strikes gold at Bangkok

Putting behind the disappointment of the Olympic Games, shooter Gagan Narang won the gold in the men's 10 metre air rifle event with a world record score in the World Cup Finals in Bangkok on Wednesday morning.

In a strong field dominated by Beijing Games medallists Chinese Zhu Qinan and Finn Henn Hakkinen, Narang shot a perfect 600 in the qualifying stage and 103.5 in the final for a world record score of 703.5.

En route to the gold, Narang broke the record of Austrian Farnik Thomas set in 2006 World Cup Final in Granada, Spain.

American Matthew Emmons bagged the silver with 702.5 (qualifying 598, final 104.5) and the bronze went to Zhu, who shot 702.3 (qualifying 599, final 103.3).

The 25-year-old Indian qualified for the event after he won a bronze in the World Cup in China earlier this year. He almost made it to the final round at the Beijing Games but eventually lost out on a count-back.

Qinan, a gold medallist in the Athens Olympics, won the silver in Beijing while Hakkinen bagged the bronze.

All-time greats in the history of the Olympic Games

Nadia Elena Comaneci
Nadia Elena Comaneci is a winner of five Olympic gold medals, and the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10 in an Olympic gymnastic event. Comaneci was the first Romanian gymnast to win the all-around title at the Olympics. She is also the youngest-ever Olympic gymnastics all-around champion.




Mark Spitz
Mark Spitz gave swimming an unparalleled and unforgettable memory in Munich. A total of seven gold medals, and as many world records, were won by the determined Californian during the Games of 1972, adding to what he described as his "disappointing" haul of five medals in 1968.




Carl Lewis
Carl Lewis won 10 Olympic medals including 9 golds, and 10 World Championships medals, of which 8 were golds, in a career that spanned from 1979 when he first achieved a world ranking to 1996 when he last won an Olympic title and subsequently retired. He was voted "Sportsman of the Century" by the International Olympic Committee and was also named "Olympian of the Century" by Sports Illustrated. He also helped transform track and field from its nominal amateur status to its current professional status.




Paavo Nurmi
If long distance running was in need of a role model, one would have to look no further than Paavo Nurmi. The legendary Finn smashed an incredible 22 world records, winning nine Olympic golds on the way. Nurmi won a total of 12 Olympic medals across three Games --- 1920, 1924 and 1928.




Jesse Owens
The German head of state had done everything in its power to leave a taste of Nazi propaganda in the mouths of all the competing nations at the 1936 Olympic Games. Jesse Owens, born the son of a slave in 1913 in segregated Alabama, however, left his own mark by winning four gold medals which would turn Adolf Hitler's theory of racial supremacy on its head.




Dawn Fraser
Whether it was due to a modest background, or a refusal to give up swimming even when banned in the early stages of her career, Dawn Fraser's determination led her to battle adversity and ultimately conquer the sprint events at three consecutive Olympic Games -- 1956, 1960 and 1964. Three Olympic gold titles in 1956, 1960 and 1964 in the 100m freestyle eventually brought the daughter of a Sydney docker justified success. She won a total of eight Olympic medals.




Bob Beamon
Robert "Bob" Beamon leapt to world prominence with a stunning long-jump gold in the 1968 Mexico Games. A virtual flight of 8.90m also broke the Olympic and world records, earning the American a deserved place in athletics history. Beamon's mark was not bettered until the 1991 Tokyo world championships when his compatriot Mike Powell jumped 8.95m.




Fanny Blankers-Koen
Fanny Blankers-Koen won four gold medals at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. She accomplished this as a mother of two, during a time when many disregarded women's athletics. Her background and performances earned her the nickname "the Flying Housewife."




Michael Johnson
At the Atlanta Games of 1996 Michael Johnson not only became the first athlete to take Olympic golds in both the 200m and 400m, but shattered the 200m world record with an eye-opening time of 19.32sec. In all, he won five gold medals across three Olympic Games.




Greg Louganis
Greg Louganis can simply be described as the total diver. At age 16, he took part in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, where he placed second in the tower event. in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, Louganis won gold medals in both the springboard and tower diving events. He repeated his 1984 feat in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, although not without drama. Louganis suffered an injury, hitting his head on the diving board during the preliminary rounds while performing a reverse 2 1/2 pike; he completed the preliminaries, despite a concussion, then went on to repeat the dive during the finals, with nearly perfect scores, earning him the gold medal.




Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Jackie Joyner-Kersee is ranked among the all-time greatest athletes in the women's heptathlon as well as in the women's long jump. She won three gold, one silver, and two bronze Olympic medals, in those two different events. "Sports Illustrated" magazine voted her the Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th century.




Steve Redgrave
Great Britain's now legendary rower Steve Redgrave pushed his ageing body through more gruelling punishment at the Sydney Olympics as he won his fifth gold medal at consecutive Games - a feat never before achieved in endurance events. After previous victories from Los Angeles (1984) to Sydney 2000, he finally retired from the sport in 2000, and was given a knighthood for his remarkable achievements.




Kristin Otto
East Germany's Olympic swimming champion Kristin Otto is truly unique for the display of talent in three separate styles -- freestyle, backstroke and butterfly -- which brought her six gold medals during the Seoul Games of 1988.




Abebe Bikila
With his win in the marathon in the 1960 Rome Olympics, Abebe Bikila became the first black African Olympic champion. Bikila, who ran the marathon barefoot in Rome ntered Olympic history with a world best time of 2:15:16.2. Bikila also won the gold in the 1964 Games in Tokyo -- this time he ran with shoes and once again set a new world best time of 2:12:11.2.




Olga Korbut
Olga Korbut is a Belarusian, Soviet-born gymnast who won four gold medals and two silver medals at the Summer Olympics, in which she competed in 1972 and 1976 for the USSR team. At the 1972 Munich Olympics, she became the first person to do a backward somersault on the balance beam in competition. She was also the first to do a standing backward somersault on bars, and a back somersault to swingdown (Korbut Flip) on beam.

Zhang takes gold to break Republic of Korea's 24-year reign

Zhang Juanjuan shoots in the match. (Photo credit: Xinhua)



Zhang Juanjuan of China broke the Republic of Korea's 24-year stranglehold on the Women's Individual event, claiming the gold medal with the last arrow of a riveting final against Park Sung-hyun at the Olympic Green Archery Field on Thursday.





Courtesy http://en.beijing2008.cn