Commonwealth Games closing ceremony includes a game of tag – and lots of security

The closing ceremony of the 19th Commonwealth Games began Thursday in spectacular fashion at the Indian capital's Jawaharlal Nehru stadium.

Just as New Delhi was starting to get used to the rhythm of life as host of the Commonwealth Games, the party has wound down.

The closing ceremony of the 19th Commonwealth Games began Thursday in spectacular fashion at the Indian capital's Jawaharlal Nehru stadium.

Commemorations started with a celebration of traditional Indian sports such as kabbadi, which is essentially an evolved version of tag.

Spectators, however, could be forgiven for confusing such sports with combat training, as thousands of knife- and spear-wielding warrior-dancers and fire-twirlers moved around the grounds.

And, much like the opening ceremonies, an estimated crowd of 60,000 people was watching it all from the stands.

The creative director of the spectacle was filmmaker Bharatbala, who planned the ceremonies for 18 months. The combined cost of the opening and closing ceremonies was said to be in the region of $67 million. Some 6,000 performers took part.

Security, as expected, was extremely tight, not just at the stadium but across Delhi. In fact, Thursday was a public holiday in the city, with most markets, shops, offices, schools, and bars and restaurants closed. Authorities were keen to avoid tempting fate by allowing gathering places for crowds. Road traffic in central New Delhi was restricted.

There were about 7,500 security personnel at the stadium, while snipers, commandos, and specially trained paramilitaries were in place.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa was the guest of honor at the closing ceremony – something that has raised the hackles of many Tamils. More than 100 people were arrested Thursday in the southern state of Tamil Nadu after staging a protest against Rajapaksa's presence. They said that India should take a firmer stance against the Sri Lankan government over alleged human rights violations against the island nation's Tamil population during the long-running civil war.

But Tamil Nadu is far from New Delhi, where residents are now either heaving a sigh of relief that normal life can resume, or lamenting the end of the biggest – and most chaotic – party the city has ever known.

Saina, Jwala & Ashwini take gold tally to 38

There’s life beyond self-doubt. Even for a country that has suffered chronic bouts of that dark feeling often when the words Commonwealth Games were uttered these last few months. Fitting then that it was three  extremely self-assured sportswomen from India — seasoned shuttle-sharks Saina Nehwal and Jwala Gutta, and a third, Ashwini Ponappa, emerging as Jwala’s finest understudy over the last 10 days — who guided the country into that realm of supreme confidence and pride, that only a sporting medal could guarantee.
No dazzling pyrotechnics at the closing ceremony or Incredible India assertions prior to that held the same power of the two gold medals, coveted on the final day. Any hue lesser of the medal, any effort less on part of the badminton players, any shuttle less retrieved would have left the nagging feeling of some unfinished business to these Games.

As it turned out, India’s athletes  settled for nothing less than gold in the last competitive events of the Games, playing out of their skins, and dwelling on that nucleus of their character that marks out the two Hyderabadis, Saina and Jwala, and the baby of the team, Bangalorean Ashwini, as the fiery, fearless young Indians.       

The final day of the Commonwealth Games had thrown an open challenge to the hosts—that of overhauling England who had 37 gold medals for a second-place finish on the medal’s tally. India were one short with 36 at the start of the day, and as anguishing images of the hockey loss were beamed in, the Siri Fort stadium and the two precious gold medals it held suddenly became citadels that needed to be defended with grit and honour.

The trio aren’t mechanised robots though, automated to excellence at a switch of button. So a fair amount of sweat, some jangled nerve-endings and plenty of adrenaline—whipped up undoubtedly by the crowd—went into securing medals from a discipline that had suddenly acquired urgency and immediacy owing to the shoot-off with England.

There was no dearth of demons to conquer either. Nehwal admits she still gets nightmares of the Olympic quarterfinal loss that denied her a medal. She’d left this venue six months ago after going out in tears from an Asian championships semifinal.

Jwala hasn’t had the smoothest of run-ups to the Games with endless speculation about her personal life, besides a greenhorn partner by her side, who needed support more than she’d offer. And Ashwini simply didn’t want to be the one spoiling the party because of jumpy nerves.    

While Ashwini went retrieving the flying shuttles at the stroke of noon, whacking them back at express speed and with strength that doesn’t show in her petite frame, Jwala put her wrist wizardry to its ultimate elasticity-test returning serves and smashes at the net, as they downed some dogged resistance from the Singaporeans. Securing a historic women’s doubles gold medal for India in badminton, they had taken India’s cause forward as badminton’s distant venue—hitherto quiet—suddenly became part of an Indian march to out-medal England.

When Saina came for her final match, India needed the one gold, and the desperation crept into her game as she went for some anxious winners. Forty-five minutes on, she was staring shockingly at a scoreline that saw her match-point down at 21-20 in the second set in what she later labelled the toughest final of her career.

Self-doubt struck all the tiers of the capacity stadium en masse, but not the core of the heart where it was kept at bay by her coach’s relentless encouragement and her own deep inner-strength, celebrated in fancy words by writers, but never tested in front of a home-crowd in the Capital.

Pulling winners out of her armoury of drop-shots and running for every net-flick even as her opponent increased the doggedness-stakes, Saina launched counters, plotting every point in mini-seconds and on her rushing feet pushing the match into a decider with a roar that she usually reserves for the end of the match. Keeping the momentum going, Saina attacked the Malaysian on her far back-hand, and then clung onto a lead like a rare icecream cone, when coach Gopichand allows her.

When Mew Choo Wong hit the shuttle long giving Saina a 19-21, 23-21, 21-13 win, it was an entire nation celebrating the return from a brink, celebrating how self-doubt could be conquered in sport. Apt that CWG’s poster girl should serve up the final dessert.

India's `Olympic Dream' Distant as Commonwealth Games Cross Finishing Line

New Delhi’s Commonwealth Games ended with martial art battles and a laser show after a record haul of gold medals for India and last-minute fixes to venues rescued an event that had threatened a national embarrassment.

During a two-hour closing ceremony that also featured army marching bands wearing tartan capes and leopard skins, and a dance tribute involving 2,010 children, the games flag was handed to officials from Glasgow, host to the 2014 event. Suresh Kalmadi, chairman of the local games organizing committee, thanked officials for overcoming “serious roadblocks. We have learned a lot.”

Empty stadiums early in the event and repairs to the athletics track after the opening ceremony gave way to ticket sales of about 50,000 a day as India won 101 medals, 38 of them gold, to lie second in the overall standings behind Australia. India reached the final of men’s hockey, a national favorite, before being thrashed 8-0 in today’s final.

Commonwealth Games Federation President Michael Fennell today praised the “very high standard of venues.” While transport and ticketing problems had to be fixed during competition, there “is no doubt that the overall image of the games has been good,” he said. “Delhi has performed.”

Photographs on the British Broadcasting Corp.’s website showing unclean bathrooms at the athletes’ village, missed construction deadlines, the collapse of a stadium footbridge, the resignation of officials for “financial irregularities” and warnings of terrorist threats forced Scotland, Canada and New Zealand to delay their departure for Delhi.

‘Miles to Go’

Those failings exposed the progress needed before India can fulfill its ambition to host the Olympic Games, said Boria Majumdar, a sports historian and the author of “Sellotape Legacy: Delhi and the Commonwealth Games.”

“The way the whole thing unfolded -- the lead up, the infrastructure delays -- shows we have miles to go before we can mount a serious Olympic bid,” Majumdar said in an interview.

The Indian Olympic Association had said a successful event this year might spur a bid for the 2020 Olympics. “I have a dream of bringing the Olympics” to India, Kalmadi said at a Oct. 12 press conference in the capital. “When, I don’t know.”

Last-minute work on the track and infield at the 60,000- seat athletics venue will “have certainly brought up an amber or a red light” with the International Olympic Committee, said Ian Henry, director of the Centre for Olympic Studies and Research at the U.K.’s Loughborough University, on Oct. 13. “The report card at the end of the day is a very positive one for the manner in which the games were conducted.”

Singh’s Inheritance

The Oct. 3-14 event, held every four years and featuring 71 countries and territories, most of them former British colonies, is dwarfed by the 204 nations who took part in Beijing’s successful $70-billion Olympics in 2008.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who inherited the Commonwealth Games from his predecessor and had to rally senior ministers last month to ensure they went ahead, spent $4.6 billion on arenas, roads and power to highlight a “confident” new India.

Instead, 97 percent of respondents to a Sept. 23 online newspaper poll believed the games, and the role of Singh’s government, had damaged the country’s image. Moody’s Analytics Inc. said that investors may reassess the attractiveness of India’s $1.3 trillion economy after preparations foundered.

Fennell on Sept. 25 expressed his disappointment with Delhi’s organizing committee, saying at a press conference that the lack of preparedness had hurt the country’s reputation. “I would hope at the end of all this, India would have learnt a great lesson,” he said then.

Sick Swimmers

After a spectacular opening ceremony that won global acclaim, early events were poorly attended, forcing Kalmadi to open more ticket booths and consider allowing school children in for free. When a dozen members of Australia’s swimming team fell ill, competition and practice pools were probed. Tests showed nothing unpleasant lurking in the water.

“Patently problems were magnified in the Western media,” Loughborough University’s Henry said. Organizers need to tell the world they understand the need for a more “rigorous approach to staging major events,” he said.

A bigger competition in India is unlikely to be “on the anvil,” Mahesh Rangarajan, a New Delhi-based political analyst, said in a phone interview. Singh’s “Congress party’s priorities are elsewhere: socio-economic reconstruction, creating jobs, improving education,” he said.

The cost of the games is almost half what the government will spend this year on a rural jobs program that has benefited more than 41 million village households. India has 828 million people living on less than $2 a day, the World Bank estimates.

Record Inflows

India’s economy, which has grown at an average 8.5 percent in the past five years and that the International Monetary Fund expects to expand 9.7 percent this year, may prove more resilient than Moody’s forecast.

Foreign funds have purchased Indian stocks valued at a record $21.83 billion this year, lured by the potential of Asia’s third-largest economy.

“People in the international investing community already know the difficulties of putting their money in India,” said Laveesh Bhandari, director at New Delhi-based Indicus Analytics Pvt., a research group. Despite its handicaps, “India is still lucrative,” he said.

Meet the first family of the Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games now have a first family  -- in Australia. Alana Boyd won a gold medal in pole vault at the Delhi Games, emulating the medal-winning performance of her parents over two decades back.

Alana Boyd, 26, is the only child of two Games champions to win her own gold medal at the track and field competition at New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, The Australian reported.

The pole vaulter repeated the feat of her mother Denise Robertson who won the 200m at the 1978 Edmonton Games, and her father Ray who won the pole vault at the 1982 Brisbane Games.

The proud parents watched Alana receive the gold medal.

Alana admitted that she had felt the pressure of public expectation as she was the child of famous parents, but not any more.

She said her parents had always been supportive.

"They are fantastic parents, they couldn't have done more. They are great," she was quoted as saying.

She denied that her gold medal-winning genes gave her an unfair advantage and added: "I am sure there are a lot of others out there who have good genes, and it's not just genes, it's hard work as well."

Commonwealth Games 2010 closing ceremony: An extravaganza awaits

THE WORLD was bowled over by the Commonwealth Games 2010 opening ceremony. However, the spectators will have a feast with the closing ceremony of the games on Thursday when Jawaharlal Nehru stadium will be once again lit up with the traditional flavours.

Although the preparations for the closing ceremony are going hand in hand with the events, the closing ceremony will boast of a mélange of elements from 5,000 years of Indian culture and heritage, the closing ceremony will be more dynamic, and will emphasise modern and contemporary India.

"The closing ceremony will be a spectacular mass song and dance celebration. The closing is all about celebration. It is going to be very youthful, just like a hip hop party for all including athletes, volunteers and huge celebration time for everyone", said Viraf Sarkari, Director Wizcraft International Entertainment which is an integral part of core team that also developed concepts for opening ceremony along with Organizing Committee.

The closing ceremony will be hosted on multiple stages with spectacular song and dance celebration with a colourful laser show with India’s martial arts as the main part of the show. The main theme of the event is ‘Universal Love’. Around 2,500 school students will go to perform with 7,000 artists from across India.

Opening ceremony's star attraction Aerostat, a helium balloon will now be used in a better way; the mirrors at the belly of the balloon, which failed to play huge role in the opening, will create a magical effect. All the players will walk in a mixed manner without making any distinction of countries, which is purposefully to display the whole world as a family.

Just like the opening ceremony, the closing event will be devoid of any performance by any actors. However, the Bollywood quotient will be added by the presence of singers like Sunidhi Chauhan, Shankar Mahadevan and Kailash Kher, among others. Games mascot Shera was absent from the main opening ceremony but he will be present during closing ceremony.

The troupe from Glasgow will also put up a performance similar to what India did in the Melbourne Games 2006, the closing ceremony here will see Scotland showcase a slice of its offering as a teaser of the Commonwealth Games 2014. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his wife will be the chief guest at the ceremony.

At the end of the closing ceremony, the Commonwealth Games Federation’s flag would be officially handed over to representatives of 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. The tickets are priced at Rs 50,000, Rs 20,000, Rs 4,000, and Rs 750.

Medals rain for India on day 10 of CWG

On a day when medals rained for India at the 19th Commonwealth Games, history was created when Indian athletes won their first medals on the track since the legendary Milkha Singh won gold more than half a century ago.

India, who had publicly declared their target of claiming the second spot on the medals
tally before the start of the Games, moved closer towards their goal with a haul of 32 gold, 25 silver and 32 bronze medals for a total of 89 medals.

With just two days to go before the Games comes to an end on October 14, the hosts are at the second spot among the 71 participating nations, ahead of England who have gathered 30 gold so far.

The English are however, ahead as far as the total number of medals are concerned and they can yet upset India's party over the next couple of days.

The athletes were the toast of the entire country as they bagged medals across several events to break a 52-year-old jinx and upset Milkha Singh's pre-Games prediction that the hosts will return empy handed from the track and field disciplines.

The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium - the main venue of the Commonwealth Games - was the place to be as the frenzied crowd and loudspeakers blaring out popular Indian tunes gelled together to create an electrifying atmosphere.

The entire stadium swung to the tune of A R Rahman's 'Jai Ho' as India claimed five medals in athletics, including a gold.

Deafening roars and wild cheers from thousands of pectators supported the athletes as they took the Indian medal tally in the athletics events to 12.

After the 52-year-old gold medal drought in athletics was broken by Krishna Poonia who won a gold in the women's discus throw yesterday, the Indian women 4x400m relay team bagged another gold for the hosts.

Indian athletes Manjeet Kaur, Sini Jose, Ashwini Akkunji and Mandeep Kaur finished first as they clocked 3:27.77s to claim the gold.

India's Geetha Satti, Srabani Nanda, Priya P K and Jyothi Manjunath clocked 45.25s to stand at the third position in 4x100m women's relay.

Complimenting their female counterparts, India's Rahamatulla Molla, Suresh Sathya, Shameer Mon Manzile and Md Abdul Qureshi clocked 38.89s to win another bronze for the hosts in the 4x100m men's relay.

In the men's triple jump finals, India's Renjith Maheswary stood third to bag a bronze with a jump of 17.07m. The effort also fetched him a national record.

The fourth bronze of the day for India came from Kashinath Naik in the men's javelin throw.

He threw the javelin to a distance of 74.29m to stand at the third position.

Vikas Shive Gowda and Prajusha Maliakkal won silver in men's discus throw and women long jump respectively. Yesterday, Harminder Singh and Kavita Raut had bagged bronze medal each in 20km walk race and 10,000m women's race respectively.

In shooting, on a day of mixed fortunes for India, Heena Sidhu and Anu Raj Singh struck gold in women's 10m air pistol Pairs event but favourites Gagan Narang and Tejaswini Sawant failed to bag the expected yellow medals.

Women's pistol pair of Heena Sidhu and Annu Raj Singh were lucky winner as they had better scores in the third and fourth series as count-back was necessitated to break the three-way deadlock for the gold, silver and bronze medals.

Heena fired a series of 96, 94, 97, 97 for a total of 384 while Annu shot 92, 95, 95, 93 as the two posted 759 with 21 'bulls eyes'.

Australia and Canada were also on 759, but Canada had to settle for bronze having scored 14 bulls eyes. But Australia had the same number of 10s as India and only in the count-back did India win the gold medal.

Melbourne Commonwealth Games' best athlete, Samresh Jung won his first medal of Delhi CWG when he and his partner CK Chaudhary took the silver medal in the men's 25 standard fire pistol.

Jung shot 384 with a series of 195, 183, 183, but Chaudhary misfired forcing India to settle for the silver. Singapore won the gold with Bin Gai and Lip Meng Poh scoring a total of 1116 against the total of 1103.

The Indian hockey team added the cherry on the cake when they defeated England 8-7 via tie-breaker to set up a title clash with Australia in the men's hockey competition.

Indians who trailed 1-3 till the 57th minute, cameback so strongly that Englishmen were left clueless and wondeing what hit them as the hosts drew level at 3-3 by the 59th minute.

As the teams failed to score anymore in the remaining regulation period, 15 minutes of extra time was played, which also failed to break the deadlock leading to the tie breaker.

The hosts converted all their five strokes and then goalkeeper Bharat Chetri emerged most unlikely hero as he blocked Australia's third stroke taken by Glenn Kirkham and paved way for India to move into the final of this competition for the first time.

For India, who were levelled 1-1 at halftime, the goal scorers were Sarvanjit Singh (two) and Vikram Pillay (one).

For England, Ashley Jackson (2) and Simon Mantell (one) scored.

In the tie breaker, Sarvanjit, Vikram Pillay, Sandeep Singh, Arjun Halappa and Shivender singh converted their strokes for the host.

For England, Richard Smith, Richard Mantell, Ashley Jackson, Simon Mantell converted while Glenn Kirkham failed to beat the goalkeeper.

As India stormed into the final leaving the Englishmen crestfallan and in tears, Indian players celebrated the win, backed by thousands of their supporters who danced and partied wildly to the sound of defeaning Bhangra music.

Meanwhile, keeping alive Indian hopes of winning a medal in table tennis, top paddler Sarath Kamal annihilated Liang Ma of Singapore to reach semifinals of the mens singles, at the Yamuna Sports Complex.

Soumyadeep Roy also kept the tri-colour fluttering as he crushed top seed Cia Xiao Li of Singapore to enter the men's singles semifinals.

Among the women paddlers, Mouma Das and Poulomi Ghatak also reached the last four stage.

Commonwealth Games 2010: India beat England on penalties to reach hockey final

England have lost another major sporting semi-final on penalties. India staged a remarkable comeback, advancing to the hockey final against Australia on Wednesday, after beating England on penalty strokes.

After leading 3-1 at the break, India turned round the advantage with the help of 16,000 baying Indians at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium as the hosts won 5-4 on penalties.

Glenn Kirkham missed the vital stroke but he formed part of an England side who played their hearts out on another memorable evening for Indian hockey and more importantly for the Commonwealth Games.

The win handed India a final berth for the first time since the sport's introduction at the 1998 Games in Kuala Lumpur. It will also have atoned for their 3-2 defeat to England in the World Cup on the same pitch earlier this year.

Ashley Jackson's deadly instinct in front of goal looked to have swung the semi-final when he scored two contrasting penalty corners to give England the advantage.

But India's full-scale fightback started when Vikram Pillay scored with a majestic strike before Jackson hit the post going for his hat-trick.

A 4-1 score line would have sealed a final berth against a spirited Indian side but the hosts were unnerved and a series of attacking plays were rewarded when Saravanjit Singh stroked the equaliser between James Fair's legs.

The England stopper, named goalkeeper of the tournament when England won the European title last year, was by far the busiest of the night, keeping out a persistent wave of Indian attacking as Barry Middleton's side held on until full-time and throughout the 15 minutes of extra play.

Earlier, Shivendra had the first genuine chance 15 minutes into the match when he was fed an inviting cross right to his stick. Shivendra turned quickly enough on to his left but saw his shot go just wide of Fair's far post.

Two minutes later the National Stadium erupted as India won their first penalty corner. The crowd sensed something – after all the hosts had blitzed Pakistan apart on Sunday with two early goals – and they were rewarded again when Saravanjit Singh slotted past Fair after the Englishman's initial save from Sandeep Singh, India's lanky defender and drag-flicker.

Almost immediately, Simon Mantell had space inside India's circle to equalise but his shot whipped away from goal and the advancing Ashley Jackson, England's top marksman here, couldn't quite convert.

It was set to be the last meaningful chance of a first-half dominated by India, but there was one final twist when England were handed a vital penalty corner with 10 seconds remaining. Adam Dixon teed-up Jackson who stroked it low past Bharat Chetri.

Jackson's jubilation gave England renewed impetus heading into the break with several players looking a spent force as the penalty corner was awarded.

But with India getting themselves back into contention it seemed the pendulum of fortune had sung in their favour.

Despite Fair's heroics during normal and extra time, it was not to be when the strokes were taken and England must now play New Zealand for the bronze.

Wednesday's bronze medal play-off between England's women and South Africa will be their third of the summer following two bronze medal success against Germany, one at the Champions Trophy in Nottingham in July and one at the World Cup in Rosario in September.

After the women's tearful defeat to the Australians, they will do well to raise their game for both bronze play-offs.

CWG: TT federation still waits for complimentary tickets

The Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) says the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee has not responded to its request for complimentary tickets for table tennis matches at the Yamuna Sports Complex, though many seats remain vacant.

We wrote a letter to the secretary general of OC for providing us with complimentary tickets four days ago. We have got no response from him till date. Table tennis is not a popular game in this country and it is critical for us to invite people who can fund us for organising tournaments, a TTFI official told IANS requesting anonimity.

The complex can seat 4,200 people with 1,100 seats at the show courts and 3,100 at match courts. Forty percent of the tickets have been reserved for the general public and the rest for sponsors and foreign tourists. Not many foreign tourists have been seen at the complex, according to the official.

The federation officials said since they did not have the complimentary tickets they took the help of police officials Monday to get entry to the complex for an 'important' guest.

"We did not have the tickets Monday but we had a very important guest coming to see a match. So, we spoke to the police officials for granting him entry without the ticket. There was no other option, said the TTFI official.

Lalit Bhanot, the secretary general and the official spokesperson of the OC, was not available for comments.

CWG closing to be 'different'

It will be a "spectacular mass song and dance celebration" at Thursday's Commonwealth Games closing ceremony, with a colourful laser show as the highlight, according to the creative team behind the show.

"The closing ceremony will be a spectacular mass song and dance celebration. The closing is all about celebration… it is going to be very youthful, just like a hip hop party," Viraf Sarkari, director Wizcraft International Entertainment, told IANS.

Sarkari revealed that unlike the opening ceremony, which was a melange of elements from 5,000 years of Indian culture and heritage, the closing ceremony will be more contemporary.

"We will be showcasing martial arts, then there will also be a group of 2,010 school children performing in a segment called ‘Tribute to Motherland', followed by a song and dance segment called ‘Music of Universal Love'… All in all the closing ceremony will have 7,000 performers," said Sarkari.

The Rs.40 crore-worth aerostat will be the star attraction at the closing ceremony too. It was successfully used to project animation and graphics during the CWG opener Oct 3. This apart, a special laser show has been planned as well.

Just like the opening ceremony, the closing event will be devoid of any performance by any actors. However, the Bollywood quotient will be added by the presence of singers like Sunidhi Chauhan, Shankar Mahadevan and Kailash Kher, among others.

"These singers will be part of the song and dance segment. But any speculations about a Bollywood actor performing at the event are untrue," clarified Sarkari.

According to Sarkari, a troupe from Glasgow will also put up a performance after the CWG flag is handed over to officials for the next CWG in 2014.

The closing ceremony will be very different from the opening event, he promises.

"The opening ceremony was very formal. But the closing has to be fun… the whole mood will be very different. Those who have won medals will celebrate… and the purpose of the closing ceremony will be pure enjoyment and celebration," said acclaimed ad filmmaker and lyricist Prasoon Joshi, who is part of the three-member committee for the event.

But will the show be better than the opener?
"They can't be compared… they are very, very different," Sarkari concluded.

India equals its best ever performance with 30 Gold medals on Day-8

India equalled its best ever performance in the Commonwealth Games with 30 Gold medals, as Discus Thrower Krishna Poonia bagging a historic Gold medal for the country in athletics after 58 years here today. India had achieved this feat of 30 Gold medals in the 2002 Manchester games for the first time.India’s other two Discus Throwers went on to make a clean sweep,of the event , bagging Silver and Bronze medals. Poonia’s throw was 61.51metres, Harwant Kaur claimed Siliver with a throw of 60.16m, while Seema Antil took Bronze with a best of 58.46.In boxing, Olympic Bronze medalist Vijendra Singh suffered a shock defeat in 75 kg category. Suronjoy Singh, Manoj Kumar and Paramjeet Somata have entered the finals in their respective weight categories.Jai Bhagwan, Amandeep Singh and Dilbagh Singh lost their bouts and had to settle for Bronze medals apiece today.

The first medal of the day for the hosts came in shooting as Tejaswini Sawant and Meena Kumari won bronze in women’s 50 meter Rifle Prone pairs.Sawant, later said, that she had hoped to win more than a Bronze in the competition.In Skeet pairs shooting, Mairaj Ahmad Khan and P Allan Danials finished fifth, as the Gold medal in this event was won by Cyprus.In Badminton, a host of Indian players moved into the quarter-finals of the individual badminton event on Monday, raising hopes of multiple medals from the badminton courts .India’s Saina Nehwal and Aditi Mutatkar advanced to the quarter-finals of the Women’s Singles event. World No.3 Saina defeated Caroline Black of Nigeria, 21-0,21-2 while Aditi defeated Kirsty Gilmour of Scotland 21-11, 21-17 in their respective matches.Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa pulled off a fine victory against Malaysian Eei Hui Chin and Woon Khe Wei 15-21, 21-10, 21-16 to advance into the last eight in women’s doubles.Aditi Mutatkar also moved into the women’s singles quarter-final with a 21-11, 21-17 victory over Scotland’s Kirsty Gilmour. The Indian now faces second seeded Malaysian Mew Choo Wong.In men’s singles, Parupalli Kashyap got the better of Kieran Merrilees of Scotland 21-12, 21-5. Kashyap, too, will have a difficult opponent in fourth seeded Mohammad Hafiz Hashim in the quarter-final.

Top ranked Indian and third seed Chetan Anand defeated Jamie Van Hooijdonk of Wales 21-8, 21-2 in another third round match. He will take on England’s Carl Baxter in the evening session for a place in the semis.Mixed doubles second seeds Jwala Gutta and V. Diju defeated compatriots Rupesh Kumar and Ashwini Ponnappa 15-21, 21-18, 21-16.In Rugby, the Indian team, however, disappointed its fans as it lost the match against Wales by an embarrassing 7-53 score.In Weightlifting, one gold was to be decided on Monday night, in men’s 105 plus Kilogram weight category. Sarabjit carries the Indian medal hopes in this event.In Women’s Hockey, India defeated Canada 3-0 in a final classification match.In Table-Tennis, Indian duo, Sharad Kamal and Shubhjeet Saha ,have entered the Men’s Doubles quarter-finals by defeating Australia’s Justin Henn and Shimon Gerreda.With five more Bronze won on Monday India continued to hold on to its second position with 30 Gold, 23 Silver and 28 Bronze. England has 26 gold, 47 Silver and 34 bronze. However, Australia continues to head the table with a total haul of 62 Gold, 40 Silver and 39 Bronze medals.Meanwhile, the New Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games were hit by a doping controversy today in the same 100 meter Women’s event that earlier saw the disqualification of Australia’s Sally Pearson who was stripped off her medal for a false start.Oludamola Osayomi, a Nigerian Gold Medalist of women’s 100 meters, was tested positive in dope examination.

In the dope test methyle hexalimine stimulate was found. Addressing the customary press conference at Main Press Center, the President of the Games Federation Mr Michael Fennel said the athlete tested positive has requested for ‘B’ sample test and the hearing will be held later today.Meanwhile, the Organizing Committee Chairman, Suresh Kalmadi said today that big video screens will be put up during road events including Marathon and Cycling events along the route. He said cycling events will be held at Noida- Greater Noida Expressway and all arrangements have been completed.Indian players will also be seen in action in Table-tennis and Squash tonight.

Anuj hoping CWG silver will help him get promotion

Arjuna awardee and Olympian Anuj Kumar Chaudhary believes in positive thinking. After winning a silver in 84 kg freestyle wrestling event in the Commonwealth Games on Sunday, now Anuj is eagerly waiting for a promotion in the department.

Talking to The Indian Express, the 28-year-old Uttar Pradesh Police wrestler who has brought laurels to the state and the country on numerous occasions, said, “My department is already very happy with my efforts. Presently, I am posted at Noida as an inspector. My file for promotion as Deputy SP is pending with the UP government since 2006. I think the silver medal today will help me in getting my due promotion and recognition from the government.”

Anuj who hails from Badari village of Muzaffarnagar said that after a medal at the Commonwealth Games, now he will be working hard for the upcoming Asian Games and the 2012 Olympics.

Anuj got a job in the Uttar Pradesh Police in 2000 as sub-inspector through the sports quota. Owing to his performances in the national and international arena he got promoted as inspector in 2003. He was given the Laxman award (the highest state award in sports) in 2001 and the Arjuna award in 2005. Talking about his performances in the international arena— he won a silver in the Commonwealth Games held at Manchester in 2002 and a gold in the Commonwealth Wrestling Championship in 2003. He bagged a bronze in the Asian Wrestling Championships held in China in 2005 and a gold at the Commonwealth Wrestling Championships the same year.

When contacted secretary Uttar Pradesh Police Sports Control Board and IG Police Arun Kumar said, “The proposal for his promotion is already under consideration. Now we will ensure that he gets promoted at the earliest.”

Arjuna awardee Ranveer Singh who is assistant director sports in UP Police and former captain of the Indian volleyball team said, “Anuj’s promotion is pending with the government due to some technical reasons.

I hope that the technical difficulties are done away with soon and he gets promoted as DSP as per the Government order. Talented players get encouraged with recognition. Anuj has done the state and the country proud on several occasions.”

Commonwealth Games 2010: party time as India beat Pakistan to set up England clash

It was the night when the Commonwealth Games came to life. A sell-out crowd of 20,000 flag-waving fans screaming themselves hoarse as India thumped seven goals past their old hockey adversaries, Pakistan, to clinch a semi-final place against England.

Finally, after six days of half-empty stadiums and general indifference among locals to the sporting events that have turned their city into a military zone, the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium erupted into a giant party yesterday. Jose Brasa, India’s Spanish coach, likened it to being inside the Bernabéu.

If only the rest of the Games could have been like this. How different it all was to the eerily empty streets that had greeted the cyclists for the men’s and women’s road races just a few hours earlier.

Even the omnipresent police and security personnel appeared to be fighting a losing battle as spectators ignored their exhortations to sit down, many choosing to stand and cheer for the entire game.

Among them in the cheap seats was Indian National Congress Party president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul, who, in an apparent political gesture, eschewed the Games VIP area and chose to sit with paying customers behind one of the goals, heralding a mass outbreak of rubber-necking when the pair were spotted.

This was not a time for class distinction. Indians, facing a must-win clash with Pakistan in their national sport, were in it together.

The match had long been billed as the “Game of the Games” - ever since the last ticket was sold 3½ months ago — but what was not known then was that the cross-border showdown would be a winner-takes-all affair, deciding who would go forward to the semi-finals and who would be leaving with nothing.

With both sides tied on six points before the match but with Pakistan boasting a superior goal difference, the visitors needed only a draw while India required a victory.

India’s lame 5-2 capitulation to world champions Australia just three days earlier had not exactly inspired much confidence going into yesterday’s match, particularly since Pakistan had looked impressive in their previous pool games.

But India were clearly galvanised by the passionate home support.

Astonishingly, they were 4-0 up within 20 minutes as Sandeep Singh lashed home two penalty corners, Shivendra Singh scored a rebound from another and Saravanjit Singh touched home a long-hit pass from Sandeep to make it an all Singh-ing and dancing start for the hosts.

Two goals for Pakistan before half-time quietened the crowd for a while but by the time Danish Mujtaba swooped on a rebound from a penalty corner just after the interval and poked the ball home, the victory celebrations had begun.

A goal for Dharamvir Singh and a second for Shivendra were met with two Pakistan replies, the match ending 7-4.

India now meet England tomorrow for a place in the final after Barry Middleton’s men secured a 2-1 victory over South Africa earlier in the day to finish on top of their pool. Another sell-out crowd will test their mental fortitude.

“The crowd was excellent,” said Brasa. “I think it is incredible to play with this support. The crowd started shouting and supporting the players as soon as they arrived on the pitch and they carried on shouting every time an Indian player got the ball and looked to attack.

“That is very difficult to find in another country. In football we have something similar in Spain with Real Madrid but it is difficult to find something equal.

“When Spain were playing in the final of the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 the crowd were supporting us, but it was nothing like this.”

Boxing: Khan, Barnes win CWG medals

Haroon Khan guaranteed a Commonwealth Games medal at the Talkatora Stadium in Delhi on Saturday.

However, he insisted beating a British fighter gave him more satisfaction than knowing he will head home with at least bronze.

The 19-year-old, wearing the vest of Pakistan, squeezed past Welshman Andrew Selby on countback after a tight 3-3 draw, then said he felt vindicated after alleging he had been frozen out of the Great Britain squad.

Khan said: "This is what I wanted to do - get a medal and beat a lad from the Great Britain podium squad. I've done that and proved them wrong. It [beating a Briton] is more important than the medal."

Responding to comments made by Selby after the previous round in which the Welshman said Khan was not worthy of a podium squad place, Khan said: "Selby said he battered me in sparring - well look what happened then.

"My hand was lifted and I'm just so proud. My job was to come here and prove the selectors wrong and I've done that. I've got a medal at 52kg and the British lad hasn't got it. I wanted a medal to prove I'm good enough and I've done that."

Khan took the lead with a left hand through Selby's tight guard in the opening round, but a good left in return allowed the Welshman, whose more accurate shots lacked power, to draw level.

A crisp counter-punching right from Khan put him back in front in round two but Selby's dogged persistence paid off with a second equalising punch towards the end of the round, setting up a dramatic finale.

Both fighters exchanged single points again in the third with Khan's looser, more powerful performance ultimately catching the eye of the judges and sending him through to a semi-final against India's Suranjoy Mayengbam.

Northern Ireland light-flyweight Paddy Barnes was less happy with his bronze medal and was in no mood to celebrate despite a strong and sharp 4-2 victory over Australia's Andrew Moloney.

Barnes, the European champion and Olympic bronze medallist, dodged the interview mixed zone after claiming earlier quotes he had given in which he claimed boxing was "boring" had been taken out of context.

Middlesbrough heavyweight Simon Vallily got his Games campaign under way with an explosive first-round stoppage of Dominic Winrow of the Isle of Man.

Vallily rocked his opponent with his first punch of the fight and forced a standing count with just 20 seconds of the contest gone. A huge left hand clubbed Winrow to the canvas and he was helped groggily back to his corner.

Vallily said: "It was good to get out there. I wanted to get into the tournament and get the ball rolling because all of this is a new experience for me but it's just great to be at the Commonwealth Games.

"There's a bit of pressure on me but it doesn't really affect me. I just train hard and get in and do what I've got to do. The pressure just comes with winning. With my power and speed I hope I can have a good tournament.''

Northern Ireland's Steven Ward moved within one more win of a medal with a 7-4 win over Australian Giancarlo Squillace, while Scottish heavyweight Stephen Simmons eased past South Africa's Masana Manganyi 10-2.

Simmons decked Manganyi with a strong right hand in the last round but the Scot, who was dropped from the fully-funded Great Britain podium squad earlier this year, was far from happy with his performance.

Simmons said: "I give it five out of 10. I'm here to take gold here and prove a point but I will need to make my performance better to do it. I'm never going to win gold with a performance like that.''

Riverland's champ celebrates another gold

Loxton-born Sophie Edington has added another gold Commonwealth Games medal to her trophy cabinet.

A triple gold medalist in Melbourne, Sophie Edington has taken gold in the 50 metres backstroke in Delhi.

Setting a Commonwealth Games record, she touched at 28 seconds, ahead of England's Gemma Spofforth with 28.03 seconds and Welsh swimmer Georgia Davies, third, at 28.33 seconds.

In Melbourne, Edington also won gold in the 100 metres backstroke and 4x100 metres medley relay.

Kalmadi thanks Delhiites and others for 'successful' CWG

Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi today thanked Delhiites and "unseen" people for their contribution in making various events successful during the grand sporting event and said "excellent" results will help spread the message of Olympics in New Delhi. "The citizens of
Delhi have happily joined hands with Delhi Police to ensure the implementations of the Games Lane so that the athletes’ schedules are not affected by traffic. No event of this magnitude can be successful without the contribution of several people, unseen but vital," Kalmadi said in ‘Village News’ – a special daily newspaper, meant for Commonwealth Games Village residents.

He said there have been some fabulous results from the velodrome and the pool.

"The number of new Games records set is a testimony to the quality of competition and the field of play," he said adding that "I am confident that such excellent results will help spread the message of Olympic sport in India."

Kalmadi said his colleagues in the Indian Olympic Association share the optimism that "we can build on the surge of interest and enthusiasm among sports fans in the country. We know we can build on this to sustain the development of many new champions.

"It is pleasing to note that all competitions have been held according to schedule thus far."

The 19th Commonwealth Games being hosted by the country was marred by several controversies including corruption and filthiness in several facilities meant for athletes.

Over 7,000 athletes from 71 nations are living in the Commonwealth Games Village here to participate in 12-day-long sporting event scheduled to end on October 14.

Haryana chief minister wants Olympics in India

With players from Haryana leading India's gold medal hunt in the Commonwealth Games, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda Sunday said India should now host the Olympics.

'The country is capable of organising the Olympic Games. People have noticed the potential of the country. If the Olympics are held, I can say our players will bring laurels to the country,' Hooda said in Sonipat.

At least 11 players from Haryana have won Commonwealth gold medals out of India's tally of 28 golds.

'Being a sportsperson, I know players of country in general and Haryana in particular. They have huge potential. If they are provided facilities and support, the country can lead the world in sports,' he added.

Hooda said that international-level sports academies in boxing, wrestling, hockey, cricket and basketball were being set up in the state to provide the best sporting facilities to players from the state.

The Commonwealth medal winners and coaches of the state would be honoured in a function on Haryana Day Nov 1.

The players winning gold, silver and bronze medals would get cash awards of Rs.1.5 million (15 lakh), Rs.1 mn (10 lakh) and Rs.500,000 respectively.

Coaches of medal winners would be honoured with cash prizes of Rs.300,000, Rs.200,000 and Rs.100,000.

Commonwealth Games 2010: shambles continue as swimming pool filtration system fails

Where's the boss? Where's the tickets? and where's the chlorine? As the Commonwealth Games heads into its eighth day of competition there is no let up of the glitches and stuff ups that have marred the lead up preparations and the actual competition.

At the aquatic centre on the final day, the main pool was so cloudy and dirty, swimmers couldn't see more than two metres underwater, impacting on their turns. The wide television pictures illustrated a stark contrast between a sparkling blue diving pool and a brownish murky tinge to the main 50m pool.

Sources say the problem stemmed from the filtration system that failed completely. Ellen Gandy, an England bronze medallist on the last day, said that she couldn't see more than two metres in front of her during the warm-up.

Kamlesh Nanavati, competition manager at the SP Mukherjee complex, admitted to Telegraph Sport that it was a backwash problem with the pool's filtration but that no federation had directly complained.

He said: "The pool was not dirty but it certainly wasn't clear. We had two tests on the pool and there were no problems."

However British Swimming performance director Michael Scott filed an official complaint with the organisers an hour before the start of competition, but received no satisfaction.

"I feel I have a responsibility to my swimmers who have put in significant hours of training to make sure they have the best possible conditions.

"Would you expect a Formula One racetrack to have substandard conditions? I am obligated to ask the question."

This is the same pool that passed water testing two days ago after it was feared to have been the cause of a spate of ill swimmers, possibly from pigeon droppings contamination.

Divers derigging TV output on the final day said that they had never seen a competition pool so unclear. One said: "There were black bits [from the roof] floating on the bottom and the water has got worse throughout the week."

The Indians are crying foul that they are being unfairly treated by their visitors as the Games continue on their shambolic way.

The Indians claimed an English official was rude at the archery, and the South African swimmer Roland Schoeman had racially offended an Indian spectator calling him a monkey. Both had been cleared after investigations by their respective delegations.

On Saturday the chairman of the organising committee, Suresh Kalmadi – the author of the gaffe about Prince Diana – failed to show at the daily press conference for the second consecutive day.

His replacement, the organising committee secretary general Lalit Bhanot – the author of the line about westerners having different standards of cleanliness to Indians – instead had to take the wrath of an increasingly frustrated Commonwealth Games Federation.

The main problem is the poor crowd attendance at some venues, even though some had been boosted by free tickets to schoolchildren. Bhanot tried to bat away complaints about the sparse attendances, claiming close to one million tickets had been sold, including 54,885 yesterday and said the size of the crowd at the athletics was very good, the boxing was full and of course, the hockey, India's national sport, was sold out for

Indian matches, including Sunday's crunch clash against Pakistan. But the CGF president Mike Fennell stepped in noting "you weren't at this morning's meeting" and revealed an internal investigation was under way.

"When people go to the ticket office and can't purchase a ticket because they are told the event is sold out, something is not right about the ticket sales and we have asked for a thorough report on it." said Fennell.

Of course many of the animal capers are unavoidable. The cobras in the athletes village – the count is up to five snakes –, the swooping crows at the hockey, the wayward dog on the athletics infield, add colour to a Games.

It's the drama the Games don't need.

Wrestler Sushil Kumar wins 28th gold for India

World champion and Olympic bronze medalist Sushil Kumar of India has beaten Heinrich Barnes of South Africa to win the the 66-kilogram freestyle wrestling final at the Commonwealth Games to bring India's gold tally to 28. Kumar pinned down his opponent in the second round when leading 2-0, 5-0 to
clinch the gold on Sunday.

Sushil Kumar had earlier in the semifinals pinned Famara Jarjou of Gambia in a mere nine seconds.

The world champion had also not conceded a point in the previous two bouts.

The fierce battle for gaining the second spot in the Commonwealth Games continued in earnest between India and England on the seventh day of competitions with the hosts edging in front by bagging four gold medals.

Teenage archer Deepika Kumari upset an Olympic bronze medallist to win the recurve gold, Harpreet Singh clinched the 25m centre fire pistol gold, archer Rahul Banerjee grabbed the men's individual recurve gold and world wrestling champion Sushil Kumar won the 66kg title by destroying all his rivals.

Vijay Kumar bagged silver behind Harpreet, freestyle wrestler Anuj Kumar also got a silver in men's 84 kg, trap shooter Manavjit Singh Sandhu secured a bronze while Jayanta Talukdar finished third behind Banerjee.

Sania Mirza and Rushmi Chakravarthi beat compatriots Nirupama Sanjeev and Poojashree Venkatesh to secure the women's doubles bronze in tennis and swell India's medal kitty.

Banerjee's sister Dola finished third in women's recurve and grappler Anil Kumar got the bronze in 55kg freestyle as India came up with another impressive display to jump over England and regain the second spot behind leaders Australia.

Asian silver medallist Jai Bhagwan (60kg) and nine-time national champion Dilbag Singh assured India of two more boxing medals but defending champion Akhil Kumar made a shock exit in the Commonwealth Games by advancing to the semifinals on Sunday.

Jai, a Commonwealth Championship gold-medallist, blanked Waheed Sogbamu of Nigeria 10-0, while Dilbag (69 kg) thrashed Botswana's Moabi Mothiba 11-3 in while Akhil Kumar bowed out after losing to Olympic bronze-medallist Bruno Julie of Mauritius in the 56 kg quarterfinals.

The two boxers joined Amandeep Singh (49kg) and Suranjoy Singh (52kg), who won their quarterfinal bouts on Sturday, in assuring themselves of their maiden CWG medals.

The haul of four gold, two silver and five bronze medals took the Indian tally to 28-19-22 while England were once again made to play catch-up with a haul of 25-45-29. Australia were far ahead with 57-33-35.

India were also just three gold medals short of overhauling their best-ever harvest of 30 at the Manchester Games in 2002 when three gold medals were awarded for each weight class, a practice that has been discontinued since.

The day opened with 17-year-old Ranchi-born Deepika, daughter of an autorickshaw owner, stunning 2004 Athens Olympics bronze medallist Alison James Williamson 6-0, showing amazing precision and steady nerves in windy conditions to win her second gold of the Games.

CWG Tennis: Sania goes down fighting in singles final

India's Sania Mirza saved four match points but fell short in the decisive final set tie-breaker to lose a nail
-biting women's singles tennis final

3-6, 6-2, 6-7 (3) to Australia's Anastasia Rodionova at the Commonwealth Games here Saturday.

The 23-year-old-Indian, world ranked 137, had to content with a silver at the Games where tennis had made its debut.

With a set-all, the momentum shifted dramatically in the decider. The two players shared four breaks of serve before the match went into the tie-breaker, where the Australian prevailed and even earned a thunderous applause from the partisan crowd which cheered on her every error.

It was a heartbreaking loss for Sania, who rallied against the top seeded Australian, world ranked 62. With spectators from the overflowing stands cheering Sania, the Indian was up a break in the decider but allowed the advantage let slip.

Sania, however, won the hearts of those packed the centre court. The guests included Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalamadi, actress Nafisa Ali and Olympic silver medallist shooter Rajyavardahn Singh Rathore.

"It was an honour playing for the country. The important thing is that I gave my best, though I fell short." Sania said.

Both the players showed nerves in the beginning with neither able to hold serve in the first three games of the match.

Sania's serve again let her down, as she was not able to hold her service even once in the first set, and a stream of errors flew from her racquet in her attempt to go for outright winners.

With crowd firmly behind her and cheering for her on every point, the Indian raised her game by several notches in the second set and broke the Australian in the third and the seventh game, making it a set all.

Ironically, she double faulted when she was serving to stay in the match.

Rodionova, who is a Russian by birth, said: "I have been working hard. Now I feel like a real Australian after winning the Commonwealth Games gold."

The bronze medal match between Australians Sally Peers and Olivia Rogowska will take place later in the evening.

India wins 3 golds on Day 5, Somdev and Sania in singles finals

Indian ace shooter Gagan Narang won his third gold medal in the Commonwealth Games 2010 , whereas, country's top seeded tennis players Somdev Devvarman and Sania Mirza secured their berth for gold events in the men's and women's single.

INDIAN ACE shooter Gagan Narang won his third gold medal in the Commonwealth Games 2010 at Dr. Karni Singh Shooting range on Friday. Gagan Narang with Imran Hasan Khan won his third gold and this was the 16th gold overall for the Indian contingent in the Commonwealth Games.

Earlier, Gagan Narang with Abhinav Bindra had won gold medals in men's 10m air rifle pair event and in the 10 m Air Rifle Men Singles events. Indian shooters have now won nine golds, six silvers and a bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games 2010. Total of 32 golds are at stake in the Shooting event, which will continue till October 13.

Today, one more shooter Vijay Kumar won a gold in the men's singles of 25m rapid fire pistol event.

The first gold medal for India today was won by archers Deepika Kumari, Dola Banerjee and Bombayala Devi Laishram in Women's Recurve team event.

In Tennis, country's top seeded tennis players Somdev Devvarman and Sania Mirza secured their berth in the men's and women's singles final. Somdev Devvarman won against Matt Ebden of Australia 6-3, 6-1, whereas, Sania Mirza defeated her Australian opponent Olivia Rogowska by 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinal.

Indian Wrestler Babita Kumari stormed to the finals of the women's 51 KG freestyle wrestling event and ensured another medal for India. Yesterday, another wrestler Geeta had won the gold medal in the Women's freestyle 55 kg event.