Sports

Australian Grand Prix: Verstappen secures Pole position, Hamilton 11th

admin 0

Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez secured the third spot on the grid, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and McLaren’s Lando Norris completed the top five.

Published Date – 23 March 2024, 02:10 PM


Australian Grand Prix: Verstappen secures Pole position, Hamilton 11th

File photo

Melbourne: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen showcased his mastery behind the wheel, clinching pole position after fending off a formidable challenge from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz In a thrilling qualifying session for the Australian Grand Prix on Saturday.

Sainz, displaying remarkable resilience and speed, dominated the early stages of qualifying, setting the pace in the first two parts. However, Verstappen demonstrated his championship-winning pedigree, delivering two impeccable laps in the final shootout to snatch pole position by a commanding margin of 0.27 seconds.

The last two exquisite laps from Verstappen in the final session were too good for the Ferraris as the Dutchman took his third pole position in a row this season, one he has started in even more dominant style than his record-breaking 2023.

Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez secured the third spot on the grid, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and McLaren’s Lando Norris completed the top five. Norris’ fourth place was McLaren’s best result of a year after they started a little bit behind where they expected to be.

Mercedes, enduring a challenging weekend in Australia following difficulties in the previous race in Saudi Arabia, continued to struggle for pace. Despite their efforts to address the issues with the car’s performance, both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton faced disappointment in the qualifying round.

Russell, who started on the front row alongside Verstappen in the previous year’s race, found himself over 0.8 seconds adrift this time.

Meanwhile, Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, failed to make it into the top 10, losing out to his teammate by a narrow margin.

The standout performance of the session came from Sainz, who defied the odds just 15 days after undergoing appendicitis surgery. Despite the physical setback, Sainz showcased his talent and determination, delivering a remarkable performance that earned him a front-row start alongside Verstappen.

Australian GP top-three Qualifying Results:

1 Max Verstappen (Oracle Red Bull Racing)- 1m15.915s

2 Carlos Sainz S(cuderia Ferrari)- 1m16.189s

3 Sergio Perez (Oracle Red Bull Racing)- 1m16.274s

Sports

Esteghlal, Persepolis victorious in PGPL

admin 0

Esteghlal edged past Havadar 1-0 in Tehran’s Dastgerdi Stadium thanks to Armin Sohrabian’s header in the first minute of the match, Tehran Times reported.

Earlier in the day, Persepolis defeated Paykan 2-0 in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium. Mohammadhossein Kanaanizadegan netted a brace for Persepolis. He first found the back of the net in the 38th minute from the penalty spot, then made it 2-0 with a header in the 53rd minute.

In Isfahan, Sepahan defeated Gol Gohar 2-0 to remain among the contenders. Reza Shekari scored the first goal in the sixth minute and Kaveh Rezaei netted the second goal in the dying moments of the match.

In Qazvin, Tractor beat Shams Azar 2-0, courtesy of goals from Mehdi Hosseini and Rahman Jafari.

Esteghlal Khuzestan and Foolad shared the spoils in a goalless draw in Ahvaz derby.

Aluminum edged past Nassaji 1-0 in Arak, Mes came from 2-0 behind to draw 2-2 against Zob Ahan in Rafsanjan and Malavan defeated struggling Sanat Naft 1-0 in Bandar Anzali.

Esteghlal remain top with 46 points, three points above Persepolis. Tractor are third with 38 points with a game in hand and Sepahan are fourth with 37 points with two games in hand.

MNA

Sports

Iran Para taekwondoka Jami secures berth at 2024 Paralympics

admin 0

Jami dominated her Indian opponent with a 23-0 victory in the -52kg weight category final at the Asian Qualification Tournament for Paris 2024, earning herself a spot at the 2024 Paralympics.

Iranian Para taekwondo athletes have secured a total of five quota spots for the 2024 Paralympic Games so far.

The Asian Qualification Tournament for Paris 2024 was held in Tai’an, China.

AMK/6057034

Sports

Iran's Vafaei downs Scottish rival at 2024 World Open

admin 0

Vafaei will face Robert Milkins from England in the third stage on Wednesday.

According to the latest snooker world ranking list published by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) on February 19, 2024, Vafaei stood in 21st place among world professionals.

The 2024 World Open (officially the 2024 Huading Nylon World Open) is a professional snooker tournament that is taking place from 18 to 24 March 2024 at the Yushan Sports Centre in Yushan, China.

AMK/6057810

Sports

Iran fails to reach Goalball Nations Cup 2024 semis

admin 0

Team Melli lost to Montenegro 11-6 and failed to advance to the tournament’s semifinals.

Iran lost to Brazil, Japan, and Montenegro and defeated Germany, Sweden, and Poland in Group A.

Mostafa Shahbazi, Hassan Jafari, Mahdi Abbasi, Mohammad Mahdi Zarei, Khalil Shahriarnasab, Milad Soori, and Nematollah Sarafraz represented Iran at the event under the leadership of head coach Bahman Dousti Vala.

The 7th Edition of Goalball Nations Cup 2024 is being held in Berlin, Germany, from March 15 to 17.

AMK/TSN

Sports

Iranian U17 wrestlers shine in Turkish 2024 Victory Cup

admin 0

Iranian U17 freestyle wrestlers have achieved seven medals in total – six gold and one silver- in the sporting event.

Shahdad Khosravi, Ali Rezaei, Amir-Reza Deliri, Ahoura Boyeri, Mohammad Arjmand, and Mohammad-Hadi Seydi each grabbed gold medals in the 61 kg, 74 kg, 92 kg, 72 kg, 82kg, and 87 kg weight categories respectively, while Abolfazl Dadmarz won a silver medal in the 60 kg category.

The 2024 Victory Cup was held in Antalya, Turkey from March 12-14, 2024.

AMK/IRIB4185197

Sports

Iranian wrestlers become champions of Turkish tournaments

admin 0

The Iranian 17 freestyle wrestling team won 9 gold medals, 1 silver medal, and 2 bronze medals win the title of Turkey’s hosted Victory Cup on Monday.

Iran became the champion with 235 points clear at the top, followed by Turkey with 170 kg and Azerbaijan with 122 points as the second and third teams, respectively. 

Iranian wrestlers become champions of Turkish tournaments

Meanwhile, the Iranian 17 Greco-Roman wrestling team bagged 7 gold medals, 3 silver medals and 1 bronze medal to become the champion of Greco-Roman Victory Cup hosted by Turkey.

Iran became the champion with 235 points ahead of Turkey in second place with 165 points, and Uzbekistan in third spot with 135 points.

The U17 -FS, GR VICTORY CUP were held between March 12-14, 2024 in Antalya.

KI

Sports

IPL 2024: Ruturaj Gaikwad credits MS Dhoni for captaincy support

admin 0

Under Ruturaj’s steady leadership, CSK showcased dominance, effortlessly chasing down RCB’s target of 174 runs to secure a resounding 6-wicket victory at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Updated On – 23 March 2024, 12:52 PM


IPL 2024: Ruturaj Gaikwad credits MS Dhoni for captaincy support


Chennai: In a stunning debut as captain in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Ruturaj Gaikwad led the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to a resounding victory against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the season opener on Friday.

Under Ruturaj’s calm and composed leadership, CSK displayed a dominant performance, chasing down RCB’s target of 174 runs with ease, securing a convincing 6-wicket win at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The victory showcased CSK’s prowess as defending champions and affirmed Ruturaj’s capability to fill the void left by the legendary MS Dhoni as captain.

Despite losing the toss and being put into field first, Ruturaj remained unfazed, making astute bowling changes, particularly during the powerplay. His decision to introduce Mustafizur Rahman in the penultimate over of the powerplay proved to be pivotal, as the Bangladeshi pacer struck crucial blows, dismantling RCB’s top order and restricting them to 72 for 5.

During the post-match presentation, Ruturaj expressed his satisfaction with CSK’s performance, emphasizing their total control over the game from the outset. He acknowledged areas for improvement, particularly in ensuring their top-order batsmen bat through the innings to make chases easier.

“I have always enjoyed it. Haven’t felt the additional pressure, right from the state side. Not even a single time I felt pressured by anything. Obviously had Mahi bhai with me,” Ruturaj said after the match.

“Total control right from the start. 2-3 overs here and there but once the spinners came on, we were in control. 10-15 runs lesser would have been great but they came back well,” Ruturaj said.

“Lots of positives, but two-three things to work on. The batting, everyone chipped in. If we had a few batters from the top-order batting through, the chase would have been easier,” he added.

Mustafizur’s remarkable debut for CSK, claiming four wickets and delivering his best IPL performance, set the tone for the match. However, RCB fought back valiantly, with Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik forging a resilient 95-run partnership to set a competitive target of 173 runs.

In the chase, CSK’s batsmen exhibited remarkable consistency, with Rachin Ravindra blazing a trail with a blistering 37 off just 15 balls on his debut for the team. Ruturaj himself contributed a composed 15 runs, while the likes of Daryl Mitchell, Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, and Ravindra Jadeja provided crucial support, ensuring a comfortable victory for their side.

With the victory under their belt, CSK now sets their sights on their next challenge as they gear up to face the Gujarat Titans in a highly anticipated clash, reminiscent of last year’s final, scheduled to take place in Chennai on Tuesday, March 25.

Sports

Iran's Toosi wins two golds at ASA Athletics Grand Prix 2

admin 0

In the event, held at the Bestmed Tuks Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa, Toosi finished first in the 100-meter discipline with a time of 11.60 seconds.

Leonette Vosloo from South Africa came second with 11.72 seconds and the bronze medal went to Astrid Eva Van Hoorn from Mozambique with 11.79 seconds.

The Iranian woman sprinter also came first in the 200 meters with a time of 23.35 seconds.

South African sprinter Jada Van Standen finished in second place with 23.71 seconds. The bronze medal went to South African athlete Nicola Van der Merwe, clocking 24.02 seconds.

MP/TSN

Sports

Shreyas Iyer makes low-key T20 return in practice match for KKR

admin 0

Shreyas, who last played a T20 in December 2023, against Australia in Bengaluru, was beaten outside the off-stump in the very first ball he faced from pacer Andre Russell.

Published Date – 17 March 2024, 11:30 PM


Shreyas Iyer makes low-key T20 return in practice match for KKR


Kolkata: After a gap of over three months, middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer made a rather edgy return to T20 format while playing in an inhouse practice match of Kolkata Knight Riders here on Sunday.

Shreyas, who is set to lead KKR in IPL 2024, hardly looked comfortable in the middle while registering 22 of 19 balls before getting stumped by Phil Salt off a local left-arm spinner.

Shreyas, who last played a T20 in December 2023, against Australia in Bengaluru, was beaten outside the off-stump in the very first ball he faced from pacer Andre Russell.

In the very next ball, he glanced Russell for a four but the right-hander never really found his bearings during his stint in the middle.

Usually comfortable against spinners, Shreyas on this day looked all at sea against leg-spinner Suyansh Sharma who managed to beat him with some sharp turn.

The 29-year-old eventually got out when he tried to shimmy down the track and loft the spinner. He completely missed the ball and Englishman Salt did the rest behind the stumps.

The match played was between KKR Team Gold and KKR Team Purple, for whom Shreyas came out to bat.

Shreyas will be hoping to better his efforts in the coming days as a good outing in this edition of the IPL is mandatory for him to remain within selectors’ radar after missing out on BCCI’s central contract along with Ishan Kishan.

It may be recalled that Shreyas was not considered for selection for the home T20I series against Afghanistan in January despite him making a 37-ball 53 against the Aussies at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

However, Shreyas had made a fluent 111-ball 95 for Mumbai in the recent Ranji Trophy final against Vidarbha at the Wankhede Stadium.

Mitchell Starc, the record buy in last IPL auction, will join the KKR squad on Monday.