Indian sports wrap, August 18: Indian skateboarders appeal to IOA for inclusion in Asian Games 2026

ROLLER SKATING

Indian skateboarders appeal to IOA for inclusion in Asian Games 2026

As the countdown begins for the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan (September 19 – October 4, 2026), India’s skateboarding community has made a formal appeal to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to include skateboarding in India’s contingent.

Skateboarding, an official Asian Games medal sport since Jakarta 2018 and an Olympic sport since Tokyo 2020, is confirmed for the 2026 program alongside 32 other sports. Despite its inclusion, India did not field a team in the last two editions.

Athletes competing under the Roller Skating Federation of India (RSFI), the recognized national federation, have been training in Street and Park disciplines and have shown promise at national championships. The Asian Games represents a critical pathway for international ranking points and qualification for LA Olympics 2028.

“The talent is here, the sport is Olympic. We just need the opportunity to represent India,” said the delegation.

The community has requested the IOA, led by President Dr. P.T. Usha, to conduct transparent selection trials as per World Skate norms and extend training and travel support.

– Team Sportstar

HOCKEY

Odisha, Madhya Pradesh register commanding wins in Junior Women’s National Championship

Chandigarh, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh registered convincing victories, while Manipur edged past Maharashtra in a closely contested Division A clash at the 16th Hockey Junior Women National Championship in Pune on Tuesday.

Chandigarh secured a 3-1 victory over Punjab. The first half remained goalless before Diksha broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute. Ravina doubled Chandigarh’s advantage just a minute later, scoring in the 34th minute.

Punjab pulled one back through Kaur Jaismeen in the 40th minute, but Chauhan Priya restored Chandigarh’s two-goal cushion in the 46th minute to seal the win.

Odisha produced a dominant performance in Pool B, defeating Bengal 6-0. Captain Drupati Naik opened the scoring in the 10th minute and struck again in the 47th minute. Ajita Ekka added a goal in the 29th minute, followed by Ekka Sonali in the 30th minute.

Binati Minz extended the lead in the 44th minute, while Bhoi Doli completed the scoring in the 49th minute.

Madhya Pradesh registered another commanding victory in Pool D, defeating Himachal 6-0. Tanvi opened the scoring in the 12th minute, before Kajal scored twice in the 19th and 26th minutes. Kajal completed her hat-trick with another goal in the 52nd minute.

Tanvi added her second in the 58th minute, while Kudrat completed the scoring in the 59th minute.

Manipur secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Hockey Maharashtra in Pool C. Sallu Pukhrambam was the star of the contest, scoring a hat-trick in the 21st, 43rd and 47th minutes to help Manipur secure the win.

Maharashtra fought back through Rubi Rathore in the 49th minute and captain Tanishka Sanjay Shinde in the 53rd minute, but Manipur held on to claim all three points.

– PTI

ATHLETICS

Indian Athletics Series 13: Roopa Rao records sprint double in Warangal

Karnataka’s P Roopa Rao clinched a sprint double at the 13th leg of the Indian Athletics Series in Warangal on Tuesday, winning the women’s 100m and 200m events.

Roopa clocked 11.74 seconds to comfortably win the 100m before completing the double with another convincing victory in the 200m, where she stopped the clock at 23.93 seconds.

Meanwhile, Ajay Khade of Maharashtra emerged as the fastest male athlete of the meet. He clocked 10.44 seconds for the 100m dash.

– PTI

GYMNASTICS

Ariha Pangambam hopes maiden gold in Asian aerobic gymnastics inspires future generations

Manipur’s Ariha Pangambam on Tuesday said she hopes her historic gold-medal triumph at the Aerobic Gymnastics Asian Championships, organised in the Philippines earlier this month, will inspire more young athletes in the future.

The 22-year-old Ariha became the first Indian to win gold in the senior women’s individual event at the competition, organised from August 4-7, which she said was the culmination of her hard work over the last 12 years.

“Winning this medal felt very special because I was able to do something for my country, and I felt proud of myself,” Ariha told PTI in Mumbai on Tuesday.

“But the more important thing is that I was able to set an example, and I hope I can inspire young gymnasts so that they can achieve this success like me someday in the future.

– PTI

GOLF

IGPL takes events to new venues for 2nd half of season

The second leg of IGPL 2026 Season 2 is all set to tee off in six weeks after six events in the first half, five of which were in Africa and one in India.

Of the next nine events, eight will be in India after the second half kicks off in the UAE at the Al Hamra Golf Course in Ras Khaimah, UAE.

The addition of a few names like the very successful Arjun Prasad and the promising Ravi Kumar will further strengthen the fields, which already include the likes of Gaganjeet Bhullar, Karandeep Kochhar, Pukhraj Singh Gill, Aman Raj and icons like Jeev Milkha Singh, Shiv Kapur, SSP Chawrasia and Gaurav Ghei among others.

– Team Sportstar

Kolar Open: Shaurya takes one-shot lead on Day 1

Shaurya Bhattacharya carded a four-under 68 to take a one-shot lead in the opening round of the second edition of the Kolar Open at the ZION Hills Golf County here on Tuesday. The 23-year-old, a two-time winner on the DP World PGTI Tour, made an eagle and four birdies against two bogeys to move to the top of the leaderboard.

Dhruv Sheoran, Arjun Sharma and Bangladesh’s Badal Hossain were one shot behind Shaurya, tied in second, after carding matching three-under 69s. Md. Azhar and Shubham Jaglan are in fifth place at two-under 70.

Shaurya, who finished runner-up by two shots in the inaugural edition last year, said that he was pleased to take advantage of his fast start. “Getting to four-under through the first four holes gave me early momentum. The course played tough, especially as the greens became firmer towards the end, but I stayed patient on the back nine and managed to put together a very good round.”

– Team Sportstar

3×3 BASKETBALL

Tero Entertainment launches 3×3 Quest India 2026

Tero Entertainment Public Co. Ltd. officially launched Quest India 2026 3×3 basketball as a first step in bringing the world’s fastest-growing urban sport to India.

It is backed by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) and endorsed by FIBA.

Since its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, 3×3 has rapidly evolved. It captivated audiences at Paris 2024, is set to expand from eight to 12 teams at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, and remains a staple of the Commonwealth Games.

– PTI

CHESS

Madhavendra in joint Rapid lead

The battle for honours intensified at the Asian Junior Chess Championship 2026 as the Rapid Championships reached the halfway stage after the completion of four rounds at the ITC Maratha Sheraton, Mumbai.

In the Open Rapid Championship, two players have emerged as the early frontrunners. Akhilbay Imangali of Kazakhstan and Madhavendra Pratap Sharma of India are leading the field of 82 players, representing eight nations, with a perfect score of 4 points from four rounds.

A closely pursuing group of four Indian players comprising Sharnarthi Viresh, Apoorv Kamble, Arun Kataria and Aditya Dhingra are just half a point behind the leaders with an impressive score of 3.5/4, ensuring that the race for the championship remains wide open.

Adding further intrigue to the contest is a large group of 12 players who are jointly placed next with 3 points.

The Girls Rapid Championship, however, presents a completely contrasting picture. Unlike the Open section, the Girls event has witnessed an extremely closely fought contest with six players sharing the lead on 3.5 points from 4 rounds.

The joint leaders are Rejepova Jahan of Turkmenistan, Nivedita V. C., Sravyashree B., Pratitee Bordoloi, Begmuratova Sarvinoz of Uzbekistan and Akshaya Sathi. Significantly, all six players remain unbeaten after four rounds, setting the stage for a thrilling finish.

– Team Sportstar

FOOTBALL

Meghalaya beats Chandigarh as 65th Subroto Cup gets underway

Meghalaya defeated Chandigarh 2-0 in the junior girls (Under 17) category at the 65th edition of the Subroto Cup International Football Tournament in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The tournament was declared open after a grand opening ceremony by the Chief Guest Air Marshal S Sivakumar VSM, Air Officer-in-Charge Administration & Vice Chairman Subroto Mukherjee Sports Education Society.

Commonwealth Games silver medallist weightlifter Lovepreet Singh was the Guest of Honour.

The ceremony was marked by vibrant performances, including an enthralling routine by the Air Devil Sky Diving team, Air Warriors Drill Team and a cultural performance by students from the Air Force Golden Jubilee Institute.

“The 65th Subroto Cup is a testament to the enduring spirit of football in India. I am confident that this tournament will not only showcase the skills of these young athletes but also inspire many more to take up the sport,” Sivakumar said in his opening address.

A total of 36 teams divided into eight groups, will be competing for honours in the junior girls category.

The group winners from each group will qualify for the knockouts, culminating in the finals on August 27.

Besides Ambedkar Stadium, the Tejas Football Ground, Subroto Park Football Ground, Pinto Park Football Ground and Rajokri Football Ground will host matches for the Junior Girls category.

– PTI

Published on Aug 18, 2026