10 Friday, August 6, 2021

Belgium take men’s hockey gold; India end long medal drought DPA Tokyo

Belgium are men’s Olympic hockey champions for the first time after goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch delivered a match- winning performance in the 3-2 shoot-out triumph over Australia following a 1-1 draw. The Belgians, runners-up in 2016, led through Florent USA’s Nelly Korda watches her drive from the 11th tee in round 2 of the van Aubel in the 32nd minute women’s golf individual stroke play at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and survived Australian pres- at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe on Thursday. (AFP) sure until Tom Wickham lev- elled in the 47th. Vanasch then kept his side Sensational Korda in the game to reach a shoot- out and saved three of the five Australian attempts - the last takes control coming after a video review had initially dampened Bel- gian celebrations for an inad- of women’s vertent foul. Australia will rue their failure to win a second men’s Olympic golf hockey gold after 2004 but fell short against Vanasch, who poked away Jacob Whetton’s DPA to run into trouble. Needing final attempt in the shoot-out. Tokyo to up and down from distance Belgian, as at the 2018 for par and a 60, she found World Cup, thought they had A stunning round of 62 by the front bunker and a closing won moments earlier when American Nelly Korda left her double bogey spoiled an other- Whetton struck the post but with a four-shot lead after two wise flawless card. after an agonizingly long Belgium’s gold medallists celebrate on the podium during the medal ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games men’s field hockey competi- rounds of the women’s Olym- “I wasn’t thinking about it video review, Whetton was tion, at the Oi Hockey Stadium in Tokyo on Thursday. (AFP) pic golf tournament on Thurs- (59) at all. I was like, ‘Oh, cool, given a second chance as day - and but for a late error it I have a pretty good lead going Vanasch had clipped his foot I was able to fulfil my dreams could have been even more. into 18’ but unfortunately then with his stick. and this is a very proud mo- Korda was a remarkable 11 that double on 18,” Britain’s That meant Belgium tri- ment for us to help India lead under after 17 holes of the par 71 PA agency quoted Korda saying. umphed in the first-ever shoot- in this game. Kasumigaseki Country Club but “But that’s golf and that’s out in a men’s Olympic final “We’ve been trying really suffered a disaster up the last just how it goes sometimes. with the honour of the win- hard for the last one to two with one more birdie needed for Honestly, if I have to think ning goal going to Alexander years. We’ve been working ex- a sacred sub-60 round of 59. about it, that was the only fair- Hendrickx, who blasted home tremely hard to get these goals A double bogey gave the way I missed today. “I’ve had a penalty after being fouled by and make it to the podium. chasing pack, led by Danes a lot of good rounds this year, keeper Andrew Charter in his “Today we have made 1.3 Emily Pedersen and Nanna Ko- I’ve been playing really well. I original attempt. billion Indians proud by fin- erstz Madsen, and India’s Aditi think I’ve had a couple nine- Former hockey greats ishing on the podium. This is Ashok, on nine under while unders so it was definitely one of India also had reason to cel- a lifetime experience and we first round leader Madelene the best, yes - but golf humbles ebrate at the Tokyo Games will try and continue this on to Sagstrom is one further back. you.” South Korea’s Park Inbee, as they ended a four-decade other tournaments.” World number one Korda, a multiple major champion who medal drought with a 5-4 Hardik Singh (27), Har- the daughter of former Aus- won gold at Rio 2016, seems out win over Germany to secure manpreet Singh (29) and tralian Open tennis champion of contention having managed bronze. Rupinder Pal Singh (31) also Petr Korda, is the winner of only 70 to trail by 10 shots. India are the most success- struck for India while Niklas the PGA Championship ear- The medals are scheduled to ful nation in men’s Olympic Wellen (24), Benedikt Furk lier this year. be settled after the fourth round hockey with eight titles but (25) and Lukas Windfeder She sits top of the pile on on Saturday though weather have not taken gold since Mos- (48) grabbed the other Ger- 13 under after her round burst could force a change. Organizers cow 1980, which turned out to man goals. into life with a birdie at the have warned the tournament be their last medal of any col- The defeat leaves the Ger- fifth, eagle at the par four sixth could be halted after 54 holes our for 41 years. Players of India pose for pictures as they celebrate their victory in the men’s bronze medal match defeat- man men without a hockey and three further birdies to should storms prevent the final Simranjeet Singh struck ing Germany 5-4 at the Oi Hockey Stadium in Tokyo on Thursday. (AFP) medal for the first time since turn in 30. round from being played. the 34th minute winner having 2000 having taken bronze in She then birdied five of the American Xander Schauf- also equalized Timur Oruz’s “It was my dream and it rience,” said Singh. night, I was dreaming about 2004 and 2016 to sandwich six holes 12 through 17 to leave fele took gold in the men’s early opener in the 17th. will be an unforgettable expe- “When I went to sleep last making these goals and today gold in 2008 and 2012. herself within sight of 59 only event. Hockey, boxing, weightlifting – Indian women’s passport to a better world DPA New Delhi

A house, a job, a car or even something as basic as a driv- able road to their hinterland home - for many Indian wom- en, sports is not just about medals but can be a passport USA’s Duke Ragan (red) and Russia’s Albert Batyrgaziev fight during to a better world. their men’s feather (52-57kg) boxing final bout at the Tokyo 2020 Many of these young Olympic Games at the Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo on Thursday. (AFP) women - like Rani Rampal, captain of the women’s hockey team which plays for Olympic Russian makes history bronze at the Tokyo Gamess on Friday - come from really DPA be in a paid contest, given both poor backgrounds. Tokyo are making their way in the A successful sporting ca- India’s Mirabai Chanu with her Olympic silver medal at her home. India’s Gurjit Kaur and other players celebrate after scoring against Ar- professional game, and each reer not only catapults them gentina in the women’s semi-final match in Tokyo on Wednesday. (AFP) Duke Ragan missed out on man said the idea held plenty and their families to better And it’s not just about the ending the US’s 17-year gold of appeal. living conditions but often financial situation. Rampal re- Many of the Indian The hockey team’s Olym- existence for Chanu’s family drought in men’s boxing as “That would be an ad- enables the young women to members how her parents were sportswomen at the Tokyo pic campaign will fetch them as she grew up in a village in Albert Batyrgaziev became the ditional motivation, to meet escape restrictions of a con- against her taking up hockey financial awards from various Manipur state. Her father was first professional to triumph in again as two professionals servative, patriarchal society. as neighbours said she would Games come from humble state governments, institu- a construction worker, her the Olympic ring. with my opponent in this fi- Rampal’s father worked as have to wear short skirts and backgrounds. Their tions and even individuals like mother sold tea and snacks in The wait for a Games nal,” Batyrgaziev said. a cart puller and a brick layer travel with strangers instead of struggle and Olympic a Gujarat billionaire diamond the village. gold for the United States men Ragan agreed, saying: “If on daily wages in a small town getting married as girls in her success is an inspiration merchant who has reportedly But the biggest reward for continued on Thursday as a split that was to happen I really look in northern India for some- neighbourhood did in their late for girls across India. promised brand new cars for these women is the example decision went against Ragan in forward to getting revenge and times as little as 80 rupees teens and early twenties. But members of a medal-winning their struggle has set. In most the featherweight final at the stuff like that, especially me (about 1.08 dollars) a day. she managed to convince them straitened backgrounds. hockey team. parts of India, specially in the Kokugikan Arena, in a battle of and him, both being in the fi- Her mother worked as domes- to ignore the social stigma. Midfielder Neha Goyal, 24, Lovlina Borgohain’s Olym- rural hinterland, women - two fighters who have recently nal of this Olympics. tic help sweeping floors and A member of India’s nation- worked alongside her mother pics bronze medal for boxing even young girls - are expected left the amateur ranks behind. “It would be a big headline washing dishes. al squad since she was about 15, at a cycle workshop where has brought a drivable road to take care of the housework, Ragan edged it 29-28 on and I’m pretty sure that every- In interviews to Indian Rampal has now achieved her they would earn 5 rupees for to her remote village in north- marry and nurture families. the scorecards of two judges, one that tuned into the Olympics media Rampal, now 26, has ambition of acquiring a home each spoke they fitted to a eastern India. Can they have other but it went against him by the would want to see that again, es- talked about growing up in a of their own for her parents and wheel and would eat roti - a Weightlifter Mirabai dreams and ambitions? “Yes same margin with two others, pecially on a bigger level.” shanty with a leaking roof, be- has persuaded them to retire. round flatbread - with pickles Chanu, who won a silver at To- they can is the message from and a fifth, from Indonesia, Dagestan-born Batyrga- ing turned away by a hockey She has still not married and as they could not afford veg- kyo and is also from the north- the struggle and the success of scored it 30-27 in favour of ziev said of his gold: “This has coach because she looked mal- has a job with the Sports Au- etables. Goyal now works with east got a promotion in the In- all these young women in the Russian Olympic Committee been my dream since I started nourished and starting her thority of India. Indian Railways and she and dian Railways and a reward of Olympics,” said Delhi-based fighter Batyrgaziev. training for boxing when I was journey with a hand-me-down Several of Rampal’s team- her mother have moved into a 20 million rupees. women’s rights activist Shanta Their next meeting could a child.” broken stick at the age of six. mates come from equally high-rise apartment. It was a hand-to-mouth Sengupta.