ATHLETICS
Neeraj Chopra, on Friday, announced that he has become the co-owner of the UBS Athletics Kids Cup, having already served as the programme’s Ambassador for the past two seasons.
The UBS Athletics Kids Cup is one of India’s largest grassroots initiatives, designed to introduce children to sports through fun, inclusive and accessible competition.
It has engaged more than 250,000 children across 2,500+ schools in five cities.
Neeraj Chopra said, “Over the last two seasons, I have seen the impact that UBS Athletics Kids Cup has created for children across schools. Every child deserves an opportunity to discover and showcase their talent, and becoming Co-owner felt like the natural next step because I truly believe in the vision we’re building together.”
“Our ambition is to reach one million children and inspire many more youngsters to embrace sport. I look forward to sharing my own experiences with the kids, teachers and schools, because the more children play, the greater the chance of creating future champions,” he added.
-Team Sportstar
GOLF
Pranavi and Aditi make steady start in London
Indian golfers Pranavi Urs and Aditi Ashok produced identical cards of two-under 71 in the opening round to stay in sight of the Top-10 at the PIF London Championship at the Par-73 Centurion Club.
The duo was four shots behind the leader, Canada’s Anna Huang (67), and tied for the 12th position with five others.
The other two Indians in the field, Diksha Dagar (75) and Avani Prashanth (79), were tied 54th and tied 101 respectively.
– PTI
Khalin Joshi wins J&K Open
Khalin Joshi carded a solid five-under 66 to complete a commanding nine-shot victory at the Rs one crore J&K Open at the picturesque Royal Springs Golf Course in Srinagar on Friday.
The 33-year-old Bengaluru golfer (63-66-65-66) finished with a tournament total of 24-under 260 to claim his eighth professional title and second victory of the 2026 DP World PGTI season.
Joshi collected the winner’s cheque of Rs 15 lakh and climbed five places from 13th to eighth in the DP World PGTI Rankings, taking his season’s earnings to Rs 34,85,575.
Delhi’s Rashid Khan (68-68-64-69), a two-time Asian Tour winner, finished runner-up at 15-under 269. Panipat’s Shubham Jaglan (70-68-66-66), a University of South Florida graduate, produced his best result of the season by finishing third at 14-under 270.
-PTI
PGTI’s J&K Open will be an annual event from now: J&K government
The Jammu and Kashmir government said that the PGTI golf tournament, J&K Open, will be an annual event from here on and the effort is to make the union territory the golfing capital of the country.
Addressing the concluding ceremony of the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) at the Royal Springs Golf Course (RSGC) in Srinagar, J&K chief minister’s advisor Nasir Aslam Wani said hosting the PGTI tournament is a big thing for the UT.
Wani said the government wants to host bigger golf tournaments.
“We will make it an annual event. PGTI and this DP World tournament, this will happen every year. And for this, more golfers are coming, we will have to give it a little more boost. Whatever we will have to do to increase the prize money, like give sponsors, we will definitely do that. But, you must put this in your calendar: every year in the first week of August, this PGTI event will be held here,” he said.
The CM’s advisor said the government will also set up a golf academy in J&K to promote the sport.
“Our biggest desire is that there should be a golf academy here. We should not restrict it to only those players who can do it, who can afford it outside. We should open it for all, for school and college children, they should learn here. And I have full hope that it is going to happen. We will do a joint venture with the DP World, and this golf academy will definitely open here before the next tournament. This will be a world-class academy,” he said.
Wani also asserted that the government wants to make J&K the golf capital of the country.
“I would again request you that in the next year’s calendar, give us one of the nine big tournaments that you give to the rest of the country so that we can place J&K as the golf capital of India and this RSGC as the crown of that golfing circuit,” he added.
– PTI
Sneha loses six-shot lead but beat Vani to win 11th leg of Women’s Pro Golf Tour
Sneha Singh, who ran up a six-shot lead with six holes to go, squandered the entire lead and was taken to the play-off, where she edged Vani Kapoor to win the 11th Leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour in Hosur on Friday.
Sneha, who had stunned the field with a 10-under round on the second day, shot 5-over 76 on the final day before winning on the first play-off hole.
Sneha and Vani totalled 3-under 210 in regulation play. Sneha ended a 18-month title drought to get back into the winning circle.
Sneha (73-61-76) played the final round with Vani Kapoor (67-71-72), who trailed her by four shots at the start of the third day, and Nayanika Sanga (72-68-71), who was six behind.
Sneha seemed to struggle in the final round as she started with a bogey and had no birdies for the next eight holes.
With Vani carding a double bogey and bogey, and Nayanika also faltering with two bogeys and unable to find birdies, Sneha’s lead was stretched.
When Sneha birdied the tenth hole she moved further ahead.
After 12 holes in the final round Sneha seemed to have sewn up the title as she opened a six-shot lead over the field.
Sneha and Nayanika birdied the 10th, but Vani picked up a birdie on the 11th.
Then came a major twist. Nayanika had back-to-back birdies on the 13th and the 14th, but Sneha gave away two double bogeys on the same holes.
Vani also birdied the 13th to join Nayanika at 3-under total and Sneha was now just one shot ahead at 4-under.
At that stage Sneha’s lead was down to just one shot over Nayanika and Vani.
Vani was unable to find any birdies on the last five holes and finished at 3-under total, while Nayanika gave away a bogey on the 15th and parred the last three holes to fall to 2-under.
When Vani and Nayanika parred the 18th, Sneha needed just a par on the 18th to win outright.
She crumbled under the pressure and dropped a shot on the last to fall into a play-off with playing partner Vani.
Meanwhile, Smriti Bhargav (70) finished at 2-under total as did amateur Ayesha Gupta, who was the first-round co-leader, in a three-way tie for third alongside Nayanika.
Finishing sole sixth was Riya Jadon, who had a rocky finish over the last five holes with three birdies and two bogeys, including one on the 18th.
Jasmine Shekar (69) and Lavanya Jadon (71) were tied for seventh at even par total of 213, while Amandeep Drall (71) was ninth.
Ridhima Dilawari (72), Ananya Datar (72) and Shagun Narain (74) rounded off the Top-10.
Anvvi Dahhiya was 13th and Khushi Khanijau, Tvesa Malik and Heena Kang were tied for 14th.
Ridhima, who has three wins this season, stays on top of the Hero Order of Merit, while Jasmine Shekar, Vani Kapoor and Amandeep Drall are second, third and fourth respectively.
These players are the only ones to cross Rs.10 lakh in winnings this season after 11 events.
-PTI
GYMNASTICS
India’s Ariha Pangambam wins historic gold at Aerobic Gymnastics Asian Championships
Ariha Pangambam has become the first Indian to win a gold medal in the senior women’s individual event of the Aerobic Gymnastics Asian Championships.
The Indian gymnast topped the podium with a score of 19.100 in the final, finishing ahead of the continental field to claim India’s maiden gold in the event.
Ariha earned 8.650 for artistry, 7.600 for execution and 2.850 for difficulty to seal the title.
“A great achievement for us. Did very well. Kudos to her and her coach,” Gymnastic Federation of India president Sudhir Mital said.
-PTI
CRICKET
CAB modernises sports science facilities
In order to professionalise athlete management, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has modernised its sports science and physical conditioning facilities ahead of the upcoming domestic season.
After hiring elite strength and conditioning coaches and physiotherapists, the CAB has purchased state-of-the-art sports science equipment to boost workload management and rehabilitation of Bengal cricketers.
Some of the new equipment recently bought by the CAB include catapult workload monitoring system, wireless timing gates system, portable dual force plate system, dynamometer, velocity based training system and speed trainer.
– Team Sportstar
WEIGHTLIFTING
Parishmita, Titli win medals at Asian Youth & Junior Weightlifting Championships
Indian weightlifters made an impressive start on the opening day at the Asian Youth & Junior Weightlifting Championships 2026 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, with Parishmita Gogoi and Titli Maji delivering medal-winning performances for the country.
Competing in the Women’s 45kg weight category, Titli Maji secured the three silver medals in all events – snatch (65kg), clean & jerk (80kg), and total (145kg), demonstrating exceptional consistency throughout the competition.
In the same category, Parishmita Gogoi won the gold medal in the Snatch event with a best lift of 65kg. She finished fourth overall with a total of 141 kg, narrowly missing the overall podium after a determined performance.
– Team Sportstar
HOCKEY
Tamil Hockey League 2026 to feature inaugural women’s competition in Chennai
The Tamil Hockey League 2026 will introduce a women’s competition for the first time when the state-level tournament begins at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai on August 9.
Organised by Hockey Tiruvallur, the tournament will run until September 12 and feature 12 men’s teams alongside a four-team Women’s Mini League.
The men’s competition will begin with two pools of six teams each. The top three from each pool will progress to the Super Six round, with the leading four teams advancing to the playoffs.
Indian Bank, Income Tax, Southern Railway, S M Nagar, GST & Central Excise and Sports Hostel of Excellence make up Pool A, while Indian Overseas Bank, AGORC, Dhyand Veerans, Pattabiram Strikers, Food Corporation of India and Integral Coach Factory are in Pool B.
The newly introduced women’s league will be played in a round-robin format as part of the organisers’ effort to expand competitive opportunities for women players in Tamil Nadu.
Former India captain and 1980 Moscow Olympics gold medallist Vasudevan Baskaran will serve as League Director, while FIH Technical Official Moghul Muhammed Muneer will be the Technical Delegate.
League Chair Prakash Ayyadurai said the women’s competition marked “another significant step” in building a stronger hockey structure in the State.
– Team Sportstar
Published on Aug 07, 2026
