Paris Olympics day 14 LIVE: CAS verdict on Vinesh Phogat plea soon; will she get a silver?

Germany’s Lea Friedrich set the new women’s sprint world record at 10.029 s, just moments after New Zealand’s Ellesse Andrews broke the world record in 10.108 s, becoming the gold medalist at the Keirin event.

- AFP

To fight Vinesh Phogat’s appeal regarding her disqualification from the 50 kg wrestling finals, senior counsels Harish Salve and Vidushpat Singhania have been chosen to represent her before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Through a media release, the CAS ad hoc division officially registered the application. The matter has been referred to Dr. Annabelle Bennett, a Sole Arbitrator, who will give the verdict soon.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (August 9, 2024) congratulated Indian javelin superstar Neeraj Chopra for securing his second Olympic medal, despite battling an injury.

In a telephonic conversation, the Prime Minister also lauded Chopra’s mother, Saroj Devi, for her comments about Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who set a new Olympic record to win the gold medal. Saroj Devi expressed happiness for Nadeem, describing him as “like her child”.

“You have achieved this feat despite your injury, which is incredible. It will surprise our younger generation. This spirit of doing something for the country drives us,” PM Modi said.

- PTI

The sport climbing competition is coming to a close at the Paris Games with athletes celebrating the decision to separate the speed discipline from boulder and lead.

The sport made its Olympic debut in Tokyo three years ago and awarded only one medal each for the men and women, combining the results from all three disciplines in an unpopular decision.

It was like having a “sprinter only competing in the decathlon,” said Austrian climber Jakob Schubert, a lead and boulder specialist. It’s “almost like different sports,” he added.

- AP

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is one victory away from wrapping up her tumultuous Paris Olympics with a gold medal around her neck — a potential prize that she has called the best response to a cascade of online abuse she has endured over misconceptions about her sex.

Khelif fights Yang Liu of China on Friday (August 9, 2024)night in the final of the women’s welterweight division at Roland Garros.

Khelif told The Associated Press that the wave of hateful scrutiny she has received “harms human dignity,” and she called for an end to bullying athletes. She also said a gold medal would be ”the best response” to the backlash against her.

- AP

Pakistanis are celebrating the country’s first Olympic gold medal in decades after Arshad Nadeem set an Olympic record in javelin to beat defending champion Neeraj Chopra of India on Thursday (August 8, 2024) night.

Nadeem’s throw of 92.97m easily surpassed the previous mark of 90.57 set by Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway in 2008.

- AP

The women’s 4x400m relay team failed to qualify for the final round after finishing 15th overall out of 16 countries that competed in the round one heats.

The quartet of Vithya Ramraj, Jyothika Sri Dandi, M.R. Poovamma and Subha Venkatesan clocked 3:32.51 to finish eighth and last in heat number two and 15th overall.

- PTI

The Indian men’s 4x400m relay team failed to live up to expectations as it finished 10th overall in the heat race to miss a final round spot in the Paris Olympics here on Friday (August 9, 2024).

The Indian quartet of Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Muhammed Ajmal, Amoj Jacob and Rajesh Ramesh clocked a season’s best of 3 minutes and 0.58 seconds, but that was enough only for a seventh-place finish in heat number 2 and 10th overall out of 16 teams.

Botswana (2:57.76), Great Britain (2:58.88) and USA (2:59.15) were the top three while Japan was fourth with a time of 2:59.48.

The Athletics Federation of India had pinned a lot of hope on the men’s 4x400m relay team to make it to the final round, but it failed to do so ultimately.

- PTI

Olympic medalists Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh on Friday (August 9, 2024) met Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini who hailed their performance in the Paris Olympics.

At his official residence here, Haryana CM Saini congratulated both the sportspersons, who were from Haryana, for their performances at the Paris Olympics.

- PTI

When they compete at the Paris Games, they’re just athletes at their peak. The emphasis is not that they’re coming from regions ravaged by war.

The Olympics — focused on celebrating peace — has brought together 10,500 athletes, including those from countries where 110 armed conflicts are raging. These are conflicts that often do not grab attention as the wars in Gaza and Ukraine dominate headlines.

Wars — from Yemen to Syria and beyond — have indelibly shaped athletes from those places who think of the 2024 Olympics beyond sports.

For some, it’s a chance to highlight forgotten human rights violations. For others, it’s a declaration of hope for peace or a chance to reinvent themselves and leave a war-torn past behind.

- AP

The United States dominated the 4x400 metres women’s relay qualifiers on Friday (August 8, 2024), while France also booked a place in the final thanks to Amandine Brossier sneaking past Belgium’s Helena Ponette on the home straight.

The U.S have won every women’s 4x400m relay since 1996 and look set to win their eighth straight title as the team brought it home in three minutes 21.44 seconds, more than three seconds ahead of Britain and the fastest time of the morning.

- Reuters

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Lok Sabha on Friday (August 9, 2024) lauded the Indian hockey team and Neeraj Chopra for winning medals at the Paris Olympics and said their victories will inspire young players.

On Thursday(August 8, 2024), Chopra became the first Indian track-and-field athlete to win two successive Olympic medals with a silver in the men’s javelin throw and the Indian hockey team won the bronze medal by defeating Spain 2-1 in an exciting third-place match.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said it is a big achievement that the hockey team and Chopra won at the games.

- PTI

India javelin throw star Neeraj Chopra opened up about his injury woes after clinching a silver medal in the Olympics, revealing that he might have to undergo a surgery soon after having pushed himself extremely hard to compete here while battling a constant fear of breaking down.

Chopra was dealing with a nagging adductor niggle (a problem related to muscles in the thigh) in the run up to the Paris Games. But he managed a season’s best effort of 89.45m to secure a silver medal, making him the first track-and-field athlete from India to have two Olympic medals, the first being an unprecedented gold in Tokyo. 

“I have a lot on my mind. When I am throwing, 60-70% focus of my is on the injury. I don’t want to get injured. Whenever I go for a throw, you will see that my speed is low. I am pushing myself,” he said.

Harish Salve, senior Advocate, will represent the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing on Friday, regarding the disqualification of wrestler Vinesh Phogat from the Paris Olympics.

Mr. Salve’s expertise will be crucial in addressing the legal and procedural aspects of the dispute. 

Mr. Salve, former Solicitor General of India and King’s Counsel confirmed to ANI that he has been engaged by the IOA to represent Phogat at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). 

History-making Pakistan javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem is quite pleased that his rivalry with Indian superstar Neeraj Chopra is becoming as talked about as the cricketing battles between the two feuding neighbours as he believes it will fuel the sporting ambition of youngsters in both the nations.

Nadeem bested Chopra for the first time in their 11 face-offs to claim the Olympic gold medal with a sensational Games record of 92.97m on Thursday night. Chopra took the silver with a season’s best effort of 89.45m, adding another chapter to their storied rivalry.

“The rivalry is there when it comes to cricket matches and other sports, definitely. But at the same time, it is a good thing for youngsters in both countries who are pursuing a sport to follow us and follow their sports icons and bring laurels to their countries,” the 27-year-old Nadeem told reporters after becoming the first Pakistani to clinch an individual Olympic gold medal.

PTI