Sports News on Pitara Kids Network

Badminton champs in the spotlight

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 04:41:11 +0000

Hyderabad Hurricane – Saina Nehwal

No, this is not a spelling mistake. We are not writing about Sania Mirza and her achievements in tennis. In this piece we are writing about the latest sensation on the badminton courts, Saina Nehwal. In 2006, Saina became the first Indian woman to win a badminton tournament with a four-star rating. Ranked 86 in the world, she defeated Julia Xian Pei Wong of Malaysia who was ranked number 4 in the tournament. The event was the Philippines Open. Saina was 16 years old. On the way to the title Saina had beaten world number 4, Xu Huaiwen.

Saina Nehwal Wins Indonesian Open Badminton Women's Title

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:02:15 +0000

Where: Jakarta, Indonesia

June 26, 2009 : Nineteen year old Saina Nehwal, ranked eighth in the world, beat China’s Wang Lin (world number three). Saina was seeded sixth in the tournament. She took 49 minutes to beat Wang 12-21, 21-18, 21-9 in an exciting final. Saina became the first Indian to win a super series badminton tournament. In the past, two male badminton players have won the All England Championship title. Prakash Padukone won it in 1980, and Pullela Gopichand, who is currently Saina’s coach, won the title in 2001.

Testing Times for Indian Sports

Thu, 13 May 2004 20:35:03 +0000

August 6: It was the sort of news that makes everyone sit up and take notice. No wonder the Indian newspapers have been full of it. Some time ago, sportswoman Sunita Godhera submitted an explosive petition to the Delhi High Court. In it were the names of 144 sportspersons who, she says, have been found to be taking banned drugs to boost their performances. These tests were carried out at the laboratory of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in New Delhi.

Federer is Number One Again

Thu, 13 May 2010 08:08:29 +0000

Where: London, United Kingdom

July 5, 2009 : It was a day of tennis records and grand performances at the Wimbledon Men’s Final. Swiss Roger Federer, ranked second in the tournament’s listings, faced a tough fight over five sets by Andy Roddick before he could win his sixth Wimbledon title and 15th Grand Slam title. The American Roddick (ranked sixth), who’d defeated Britain’s Andy Murray in the semi-finals, often looked as if he could win his first Wimbledon crown. He has been runner-up twice at Wimbledon. Both times, in 2004 and 2005, he lost to Federer. This was Federer’s seventh consecutive Wimbledon final, another record. It was his sixth win here. Pete Sampras, the last American to win the Wimbledon, has seven titles to his credit.

The Olympic Gold Rush

Mon, 13 May 2002 01:06:47 +0000

September 30: At the Millennium Olympics in Sydney, Barbados, the tiny island nation in the Caribbean, has overtaken the United States and China to head the medals tally – if you calculate the number of medals against the population.

When sprinter Obadele Thompson won the bronze in the 100-metre race in 10.04 seconds, on September 23, Barbados topped the medal table list maintained by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). This is because Barbados has a population of only 270,000. This report featured in ‘The Hindustan Times’.

The Don's dream team

Mon, 12 Sep 2005 14:33:15 +0000

August 17: He is officially and unanimously known as the best cricketer of all times. Undoubtedly, he will find a place in any dream team. But who all would feature if Don Bradman created his own dream team? Well, among some of the towering giants of cricket, Indian hero, Sachin Tendulkar finds a pride of place in the Don’s ‘dream-11’ squad, according to a book ‘Bradman’s Best’ released in Sydney last week.

In the team, the legendary batsman placed himself at number three, followed by Tendulkar at four. Other greats who feature in the team include Dennis Lillee, considered the most devastating bowler by Bradman, Barry Richards, Gary Sobers and Don Tallon.

Fire in Water

Fri, 17 Nov 2000 18:26:56 +0000

July 8: A flame moved through water! Unbelievable?
But it is true.

Fire in Water [Illustration by Sudheer Nath]

This was the Olympic flame. It was carried under water last week.

Why, one would ask. Because the games are being held in Sydney this year. The Olympic Games are held once in four years. And each time it is held, the Olympic flame is lit in Athens, the birthplace of the games, and carried to the venue of the games.

Somdev Devvarman : India's New Tennis Star

Fri, 12 Jan 2007 09:25:06 +0000

Where: Chennai, India

January 11, 2009 : At the 2009 Chennai Open tennis meet, the first ATP* tournament of the season, India’s Somdev Devvarman established himself as the country’s top singles tennis player. He reached the finals of the tournament, beating two-time Chennai Open former champion and world number 42, Spain’s Carlos Moya, and world number 25 Ivo Karlovic of Croatia. Rainer Schuettler of Germany, whom he was to have played in the semi-final, pulled out of the tournament due to injury. Devvarman lost the finals to Marin Cilic of Croatia.