HEFEI: When Xie Yu, a 24-year-old Olympic debutant, emerged from behind to win an Olympic pistol gold, the scene was reminiscent of what happened in Los Angeles 40 years ago. On July 29, 1984, Chinese sharpshooter Xu Haifeng narrowly defeated his Swedish rival in the men’s free pistol event at the Los Angeles Games, earning China its first-ever Olympic gold. …

CHATEAUROUX, France: A rosy start is often seen to herald good fortune for the journey ahead, a belief deeply rooted in Chinese culture. This sentiment is especially prevalent when it comes to the Olympic Games, where winning the first gold medal is seen as an auspicious beginning for the entire Chinese delegation. Traditionally, this task has often fallen to China’s …

PARIS: Sunday may have only been the second day of competition at the Paris Olympic Games, but it highlighted an aspect that until recently seemed to be a taboo subject for athletes – mental health. Women’s mountain bike champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot ended her three-Games medal jinx with a dominant display in her race and then explained that she thought it …

PARIS: For Tom Daley, a silver on Monday was more like a bonus for his fifth Olympic Games in Paris. But the 30-year-old diving star, who thought he should have retired after the Tokyo Games, didn’t rule out a next one. Daley, 30, has been Britain’s diving icon for quite a long time. At the age of 15, he stunned …

On the second day of the Paris Olympics 2024 on Sunday, 13 more gold medals were awarded, with Japan and Australia leading the tally with four golds each on the points table. The battle for medals continues in the Olympics, where after two days of competitions, Japan has clinched four gold, two silver and a bronze medal. Australia is trailing …

India will host the men’s Asia Cup in the T20 format next year. The tournament, scheduled to feature a total of 13 matches, will see participation from six teams: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and a sixth team to be decided through a qualifying event. According to the Invitation for Expressions of Interest for the sponsorship rights document issued …

PARIS: Cycling has many benefits, but for Amir Ansari, the first rider off the ramp in the men’s time trial race at the Paris Olympic Games, it is more than just a sport. The 24-year-old Afghan competes in the colors of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, highlighting how cycling gave him hope during his darkest moments while striving to build …

PARIS: Breaking, also known as breakdancing, has made an extraordinary journey from street corners to the prestigious stage of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. For the first time, breaking will be included as an Olympic sport, a milestone moment for dance culture worldwide. Behind China’s impressive rise in the breaking arena stands the legendary French breakdancer, Mounir Biba. A 13-time …

The national street child football team achieved their first success in the Norway Cup by defeating Norway 6-1. Norway scored 1 goal in the first half against the national team, which the national team equalized shortly after. In the second half, the national team scored 5 goals against Norway. For the national street child football team, Abdul Ghani scored 2 goals, …

PARIS: China is willing to deepen and expand high-level cooperation with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), as the country will host the Asian Winter Games next year, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng said here on Saturday. Han, who is also Chinese President Xi Jinping’s special representative, made the remarks while meeting with IOC President Thomas Bach. Han conveyed President Xi’s …

PARIS: After taking two golds and one bronze on the opening day of Paris 2024, Zhang Xin, secretary-general of China’s Olympic delegation, told Xinhua on Saturday that the Chinese Olympians had made a good start to the tournament and met expectations. The honor of winning the first gold medal of Paris 2024 went to Chinese shooters Sheng Lihao and Huang …

PARIS: China got off to a flying start on the first official day of competition in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, by winning two gold medals before lunchtime, including the first gold of the Games. The honor of winning the first gold medal went to Sheng Lihao and Huang Yuting, who claimed a close 16-12 win over South Korean shooters …

Pakistani-origin Omani pacer Bilal Khan etched his name in the record books by becoming the fastest seamer to take 100 One-Day International (ODI) wickets, surpassing Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi’s record. Khan reached this milestone during Oman’s ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 match against Namibia, where he claimed three wickets and registered figures of 3/50 in his 10 overs. His outstanding …

South Korea expressed regret that its delegation of athletes at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday was introduced as from rival North Korea and has demanded assurances from organisers the mistake will not happen again. As the boat carrying South Korean athletes passed on the Seine, the announcer introduced them as the “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea” – the …

PARIS: A flash of red, white and blue of the French tricolor flag and the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris was underway, heralded by traditional accordion music. Out of the smoke from under Austerlitz Bridge sailed the boat carrying Greece’s delegation for the Games, as tradition dictates, with the Refugee team close behind receiving the biggest …

PARIS: Almost every Olympiad sees new sports introduced and some other events dropped amid discussion, anger and controversy. Recent Games have seen BMX biking and skateboarding introduced, with questions asked over whether they really qualify as sports. The introduction of breakdancing also caused raised eyebrows: does an event that has its roots in music and street culture have a place …

PARIS: After a century-long wait, Paris welcomes back the Olympic Games with a splashy and “Seine-sational” opening ceremony, making itself a truly moveable feast. French President Emmanuel Macron declared the Games open before the waterborne ceremony reached its climax when Teddy Riner and Marie-Jose Perec lit the cauldron with the Olympic flame. The iconic River Seine glistened with cheers and …

CHATEAUROUX, France: World champion shooters Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao set off China’s Paris Olympics campaign to a good start, winning the Games first gold medal with victory in the 10m air rifle mixed team event here on Saturday. The Chinese teenage duo defeated Keum Ji-hyeon and Park Ha-jun of South Korea 16-12 in the gold medal match at the …

In anticipation of the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh, significant changes to Pakistan’s squad are expected, according to sources in Lahore. Consultations on the squad are scheduled to take place next week, as the team prepares for the series. Several adjustments to the Test squad are anticipated. Muhammad Huraira is likely to be included, bolstering the team’s line-up. However, it …

Husain Al-Musallam, the Director General of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), has been instrumental in elevating the stature of Asian sports on the global stage. Under his management, the OCA has seen significant advancements in its operations, athlete support, and international collaborations. Al-Musallam has been a strong advocate for transparency and integrity in sports administration. His efforts led to …

PARIS: Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and Chinese Olympic champions Lin Dan, Wu Jingyu and Zhang Hong participated in the torch relay in Olympic Village on Friday. “For me, it is the most moving experience I ever made with the torch relay,” said Bach. “In particular, after the two last ones which had to be without …

After a brief absence following her most recent Hajj trip, former Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza returned to Instagram. Her recent Instagram post highlights her current activities nowadays. The 37-year-old has a large global fan base, and those followers are quite curious to discover what daily tasks Sania does. When she took a break from social media last month to …

Pakistan women’s cricket team qualified for the semi-final of the Women’s Asia Cup 2024 by defeating the UAE by 10 wickets. The greenshirts chased the target of 104 runs in 14 overs. Pakistan women’s team won the toss and elected to field against the United Arab Emirates (UAE). “The performance of the bowlers in the last match was excellent and …

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is planning to revive bilateral cricket ties with India by proposing a T20I series at a neutral venue in 2025. This proposal comes amidst ongoing discussions regarding the Champions Trophy, with India expressing security concerns about traveling to Pakistan. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who has traveled to Sri Lanka for a day, is expected to …

ISLAMABAD: Romina Khurshid Alam, coordinator to the Pakistani prime minister on climate change and environmental coordination, said that the country plans to set up a world-class mountaineering school in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region. Chairing a meeting here, she said the school would have structured training and educational facilities specifically tailored to mountaineering, sherpa training, and sustainable tourism practices in Pakistan’s …

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has chosen not to issue No Objection Certificates (NOC) to star cricketers Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi for the Global T20 League in Canada. The decision, according to a PCB spokesperson, is driven by the upcoming packed cricketing schedule and the necessity to manage the workload of these key players. The PCB, …

Serbian actor-model Natasa Stankovic is spending quality time with her son Agastya, in Serbia, after announcing her separation from Indian cricketer Hardik Pandya. Taking to her Instagram stories on Thursday, Stankovic posted a series of photos featuring the celebrity kid. The doting mother also penned a sweet note for her only son with one of the clicks, which sees him …

England’s red-ball skipper Ben Stokes is poised to make his highly-anticipated comeback in the upcoming edition of The Hundred, where he will be representing Andrew Flintoff’s Northern Superchargers. Stokes, the charismatic all-rounder, will join the squad after wrapping up the England versus West Indies Test series. Stokes will be available for four games with the Superchargers. Having missed the competition …

Muhammad Usman of Pakistan won the gold medal in 85 kg by defeating his Indian opponent in the World Strength Lifting Championships played in Kazakhstan. Muhammad Usman also won a silver medal in the incline bench press category. Pakistani player Muhammad Usman named his victory in the tournament for the people of Palestine who are suffering from the relentless atrocities …

New Zealand has officially announced its cricket calendar for the upcoming year, with Pakistan set to tour the country in March and April 2025. The Pakistan cricket team will engage in a thrilling series comprising five T20 Internationals (T20Is) and three One Day Internationals (ODIs) during their visit. The tour will kick off with the T20I series, beginning on March …

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is expected to send another of its delegations to Pakistan for review of the preparations for the forthcoming Champions Trophy slated to happen in the country next year in February. According to details, the event managers will be part of the event inspection team, which is likely to visit in September-October. Sources divulged the ICC …

The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Mohsin Naqvi, chaired a crucial three-hour meeting on Monday to address the performance and discipline of the Pakistan cricket team. The meeting resulted in several key decisions aimed at enhancing the team’s performance and unity. Naqvi emphasized the importance of team cohesion and discipline, stating unequivocally that there will be no tolerance …

Amidst the splendour of Paris and the passion surrounding K-pop sensation BTS, Jin, the eldest member of the group, emerged as a central figure during the Paris Summer Olympics torch relay. On Sunday evening, Jin undertook the prestigious role of torch-bearer near the esteemed Louvre Museum, marking a poignant occasion following his recent completion of mandatory military service in South …

Pakistan white-ball coach Gary Kirsten has returned South Africa following his seven-day stay in Lahore. According to details, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi had summoned Kirsten for discussions and submission of the reports following Pakistan’s underwhelming performance in the recently held T20 World Cup 2024 held in the Caribbean and United States. Sources divulged that the meeting …

In a move to manage workload of national cricket team players, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly denied the No Objection Certificate (NOC) to fast bowler Naseem Shah to play The Hundred cricket league, on Saturday, citing sources. The PCB decision to deny the NOC will deprive the fast bowler of around Rs 45 million as he was signed by …

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is in talks for the central contracts of national cricketers. Meetings with the international department and selectors are underway in Lahore to discuss changes in the financial model and compensation structure. Currently, Category A players get around Rs 6.1 million per month. The proposed changes suggest reducing this to Rs 4.5. Adjustments in monthly allowance …

Saudi Arabia will host the inaugural Olympics Esports Games in 2025, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on Saturday. According to Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the IOC said the partnership with the Saudi National Olympic Committee would be 12 years. The agreement is an extension of the series of various global tournaments that Saudi Arabia has recently succeeded in hosting, …

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla has quashed rumours of the Indian cricket team not travelling to Pakistan to participate in the Champions Trophy 2025 Earlier, Indian media claimed that the BCCI won’t send its team to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and will ask the International Cricket Council to hold its …

England wrapped up a comfortable win by an innings and 114 runs over West Indies in the first test at Lord’s on Friday, with James Anderson taking a wicket on the third day as he brought down the curtain on his stellar international career. Anderson looked uncharacteristically emotional before the start of play as he walked out to a guard …

The Champions Trophy 2025 is likely to be held in a hybrid model in February-March as India is ‘unlikely’ to travel to Pakistan for the mega event, the Indian media outlet reported, quoting sources knowing the development. India have not played bilateral cricket with Pakistan since the 2012-13 season and has not traveled to Pakistan since 2008. Pakistan have the …