Bhubaneswar, May 22 (Football News) Gokulam Kerala maintained their top spot in the Indian Women's League after beating Sports Odisha 7-1 here on Sunday.

Striker Elshaddai Acheampong scored four goals, while winger Soumya Guguloth netted two and set up two more and Manisha scored one to help the Malabarians to yet another massive win.

The defending champions made a quick start, getting the lead as soon as the 5th minute of the game. Elshaddai found the net perfectly when she ran onto Soumya's cross after a touch from Grace inside the box.

Elshaddai soon doubled the lead for Gokulam Kerala on the 23rd minute. Sports Odisha were able to pull one back within a minute, when Pyari Xaxa slammed in her shot from outside the box into the top corner. However, it turned out to be a mere consolation goal.

Just before the half time whistle, Manisha scored the third with a curler from Elshaddai's missed header, making it 3-1 for Gokulam going into the breather.

After the breather, Gokulam Kerala took full control of the game. As the game crossed the hour mark, Soumya scored two goals in quick succession in the 64th and 68th minute, respectively, to make it a brace for herself.

Elshaddai finished off the drubbing in the closing embers of the game, scoring on the 78th and 87th minute to make it 7-1 in favour of the Malabarians.

After this win, Gokulam Kerala have 30 points from 10 straight wins in the league. As it stands, the league will be decided on May 26, with the winners of the game between Gokulam Kerala and Sethu FC taking the title. 

Also Read : Colaco hat-trick seals ATK Mohun Bagan's 4-0 rout of Bashundhara

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, May 22 (Cricket News) "Thank you, Mumbai, we will remember this one," said Virat Kohli after Royal Challengers Bangalore sneeked into the playoffs following Mumbai Indians' thrilling five-wicket win over Delhi Capitals in their last game of the IPL here.

On Saturday, MI chased down a victory target of 160 in 19.1 overs to knockout Delhi from the competition and paved the way for RCB's entry as the fourth and final team in the knockout stage.

"It was unbelievable. The emotions in the changing room were unbelievable. Thank you, Mumbai, we will remember this one," Kohli said in a release.

RCB had defeated table-toppers Gujarat Titans by eight wickets in their final league match to keep their hopes alive for a playoff, which depended on the clash between DC and MI.

Delhi needed to win the match to make it to the playoffs but they came a cropper against bottom-placed MI.

RCB skipper Faf Du Plessis said the entire team watched the match together and was cheering each and every move made by the Mumbai team.

"It was so good, I think first of all it was really nice to see that everyone was here from the start of the game, so we watched it together," he said.

"We were all shouting for every wicket that Mumbai got and then when they are chasing every boundary. It's good for everyone to watch together and then the celebration towards the end was awesome to be a part of." RCB will now take on third-placed Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator at Edens Gardens on May 25.

"The last game we played we felt almost like we played our best game of cricket of this campaign so far and that is how you want to enter the knockout stages, so we needed someone to do us a favour and Mumbai did that for us, we are very thankful for that," Du Plessis said.

"Obviously now the work starts again, and we get our work mode back on." RCB has never ever won the IPL and allrounder Glenn Maxwell feels the team is very close to achieving that dream.

"Amazing result for us tonight. There is just one small step in us going further, we are that close to making history for RCB in this tournament. We needed another team, but from now on it's all us." 

Also Read : No doubt in my mind that Pant is right choice for captaincy: Ponting

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, May 22 (Cricket News) Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting has backed Rishabh Pant to continue leading the side, saying the wicketkeeper batter is still young and learning the ropes of captaincy and remains the right choice for the job.

Pant's captaincy has been under the scanner all season with the youngster making some dubious calls during IPL-15.

On Saturday, in DC's must-win game against Mumbai Indians, a strategic blunder cost the team a spot in the play-offs.

With MI at 95 for three in 14.3 overs while chasing a target of 160, Pant made a strategic blunder as he refused to call for DRS after Tim David nicked the first ball of his innings and the on-field umpire didn't give him out.

It came back to haunt DC as David slammed 34 runs off just 11 balls with the help of two boundaries and four sixes to take the game out of DC's grasp.

"Absolutely, no doubt in my mind that Rishabh even in the last season he was the right choice for captain. Rishabh did a terrific job with the team after he took over from Shreyas (Iyer) after he injured his shoulders," Ponting said during the press conference after DC lost by five wickets against MI.

"...he is just a young man and still learning captaincy. Being captain of a T20 team, especially in IPL, which is a high pressure tournament, is not easy thing to do and unfortunately, every single thing you do will be scrutinised. He certainly got my full backing." Ponting said he was "gutted" to see the match slip away but didn't blame Pant for the loss.

"It is always hard to put a finger on one single aspect of the game. Top of the order our batting was poor, we were four down for 40, which is not the ideal way to start a T20 game, specially big games which you have to win," he said.

"Obviously, Tim David played well. He was probably out first ball but there are so many aspects of the game we will be disappointed with. The players need to learn from games like that.

"I feel pretty gutted that the game slipped through out of our hands, we didn't close out the match in the last few overs." Reflecting on the season, Ponting felt the DC bowling group outperformed the inconsistent batting unit.

"If I look at our entire season, it's pretty fair to say that our bowling group have probably done a better job on a whole than our batting group. Our batting group has been really inconsistent and probably haven't scored the amount of runs that we should have scored." The DC squad had a tough season with several members of the franchise testing positive for COVID that saw two of their games being shifted to a different venue.

Apart from that key players like pace spearhead Anrich Nortje and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh missed a few games as they were coming off serious injuries.

"I'm not making excuses, but we've had quite an interrupted season with Covid, injuries and other illnesses that we've had through our camp. So it's been one of those up-and-down and inconsistent seasons.

"We've all been delighted with Khaleel Ahmed, (Chetan) Sakariya in the games he played. Kuldeep Yadav has been one of the finds of the tournament. You always know what you're going to get with Axar Patel.

"Shardul (Thakur) had some really good games at the back end of the tournament as well. So, I think it's fair to say that on a whole, our bowling group probably did outperform our batting group," Ponting said. 

Also Read : Rohit not losing sleep over disappointing season, says one minor adjustment away from finding form

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, May 22 (Cricket News) Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma admitted that a lot of things didn't go his way with the bat but he is not losing sleep over his "disappointing" season as he is just one "minor adjustment" away from finding form again.

Rohit endured his worst IPL season, failing to score a single half-century for the first time since his debut in the inaugural edition in 2008. The swashbuckling opener managed to score just 248 runs at an average of 19.14 and a strike rate of 120.17 in 14 outings.

"A lot of things that I wanted to do didn't happen. I am very disappointed with me season. But this has happened with me earlier as well, so it's not something I am going through for the first time," Rohit said after MI's last match of the season on Saturday.

"I know cricket doesn't end here; there is a lot of cricket ahead. So I need to take care of the mental aspect and think about how I can return to form and perform.

"It's only a minor adjustment and I will try to work on that whenever there is some time off," he added.

The most successful team in the IPL, MI capped off a disappointing season in which they finished last, with a five-wicket win over Delhi Capitals.

After starting their campaign with eight consecutive losses, MI managed to pick up four wins in the second half of the season.

"It was a bit of a disappointing season for us as we couldn't execute our plans at the start of the tournament. And we know that in tournaments like the IPL, you have to build that momentum.

"Initially, when we kept losing games one after another, that was a difficult time. For us, what was important was to make sure that whatever we had planned, we came out and tried those things. It didn't happen exactly the way we wanted to." The India skipper said the players, perhaps, struggled to adjust to the new team dynamic.

"But it happens sometimes when you have a new team as some players take some time to understand their roles. Certain guys were playing for the first time for this franchise.

"And they play different roles when they play for their country, for their state, or in different leagues. And when they come here, they get different roles. So it takes a little time to get adjusted." 

Also Read : Delhi Capitals lose by 5 wickets against MI to crash out of IPL

News Source : PTI

Warsaw, May 21 (Chess News) Former world champion Viswanathan Anand won the rapid event of the Superbet Rapid and Blitz Poland chess tournament here on Saturday with a round to spare.

Anand scored six wins and two draws to seal the Rapid title in style.

The Indian GM, who had five wins and a draw after the conclusion of six rounds, won his seventh round game against David Gavrilescu of Romania in 25 moves.

In the next round, the veteran GM settled for a draw against American ace Fabiano Caruana in 27 moves in a Petroff Classical attack game.

Anand posted wins over Radoslaw Wojtaszek of Poland (in round 1), before getting the better of American Wesley So and Anton Korobov (Ukraine) in subsequent rounds.

Later, he scored over Kirill Shevchenko and Levon Aronian before Jan-Kryzstof Duda (Poland) halted his winning streak in the sixth round.

After nine rounds of Rapid, the players will take part in a Blitz event over two days with each player coming up against the nine others twice. 

Also Read : Chopra says he is not losing sleep over his international rivals' 90m-plus throws

News Source : PTI

Kolkata, May 21 (Football News) Young India forward Liston Colaco scored a stunning hat-trick to help ATK Mohun Bagan rout Bashundhara Kings of Bangladesh 4-0 and keep their inter-zone semifinal hopes alive in the AFC Cup here on Saturday.

In a must-win game after their defeat to Gokulam Kerala in the Group D opener on Wednesday, ATK Mohun Bagan's strong start was halted by strong winds and thunder showers that also damaged some parts of the Salt Lake Stadium.

The match was held up for close to one hour after 11 minutes into the first-half and the Mariners returned to blow away the Bangladeshi Premier League champions with Colaco's double strike in the space of nine minutes (25th and 34th).

Colaco completed his hat-trick in the 53rd minute with a brilliant left-footed first touch, while David Williams came off the bench to seal a thumping win with his 77th minute strike.

ATK Mohun Bagan now have three points from two matches and face Maziya Sports and Recreation Club on May 24, hoping that other results go their way to grab the solitary berth available from group D for the AFC Cup Inter-Zone semi-finals.

A fit-again India central defender Sandesh Jhingan was back in action after a long injury layoff as the Juan Ferrando-coached side started off with a much positive intent after their opening round reversal.

In the absence of Tiri who has been ruled out for seven months because of an ACL tear, Jhingan helmed ATKMB defence with Subhasish Bose and Pritam Kotal, even as there was little challenge from their opponents.

Jhingan did not have a perfect outing and almost let in a goal in the 83rd minute with a missed clearance but Bashundhara failed to grab the opportunity.

The Bangladeshi Premier League champions were also unlucky not to have scored in the 19th minute when their captain Robson's strike came off the post from a free-kick.

A defensive lapse from Bashundhara gave ATK Mohun Bagan the opening goal and the 23-year-old Colaco scored from a Carl McHugh's assist to open his account.

There was no looking back from there on and Colaco fired in his second goal, this time from Joni Kauko's clinical pass and the Goan forward just needed just a tap-in to double the lead.

Colaco completed his hat-trick with Khaled Shafiei failing to clear an easy ball and Manvir Singh set it up from the right.

Colaco also had a chance to score a fourth but the Bashundhara defence this time stood in his way.

Williams then showed superb ball control to make it 4-0 minutes after he came in place for Kauko.

The Mariners also gave a debut to Bengal's Santosh Trophy top goal-scorer Fardin Ali Molla who came in place of Manvir to play the last seven minutes of the match. 

Also Read : Marco Rose gets sacked by Dortmund, Edin Terzic is set to replace him

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, May 21 (Cricket News) Delhi Capitals exited from the Indian Premier League after losing by five wickets against Mumbai Indians in their must-win last league match here on Saturday.

DC first made 159 for 7, a target which MI chased down with five balls to spare. Earlier sent into bat, DC were in a spot of bother at 50 for 4 before skipper Rishabh Pant (39) and Rovman Powell (43) joined hands and shared 75 runs for the fifth wicket to rescue the batting side.

Jasprit Bumrah (3/25) picked up three wickets for MI.

Brief Scores: Delhi Capitals: 159 for 7 in 20 overs (Rovman Powell 43, Rishabh Pant 39; Jasprit Bumrah 3/25).

Mumbai Indians: 160 for 5 in 19.1 overs (Ishan Kishan 48, Tim David 34; Shardul Thakur 2/32). 

Also Read : Bumrah shines but DC manage 159/7 against MI

News Source : PTI

Mumbai, May 21 (Cricket News) Jasprit Bumrah snapped three wickets as Mumbai Indians produced a clinical bowling display to restrict Delhi Capitals to 159 for seven in their last IPL match, despite Rovman Powell's fighting 34-ball 43.

Opting to field, MI bowlers, led by Bumrah (3/25) left DC tottering at 50 for four in 8.4 overs but Powell and skipper Rishabh Pant (39 off 33 balls) shared 75 off 44 balls to rescue the innings and take them to a decent total in their must-win match.

Daniel Sams (1/30) and Riley Mereditch (0/9 in 2 overs) bowled well as did the spin duo of Mayank Markande (1/26) and Hrithik Shooken (0/34).

Ramandeep Singh (2/29 in 2 overs) also managed to scalp two wickets.

Returning to the team after recovering from a bout of typhoid, Prithvi Shaw looked in good touch as he pulled Sams across the mid-wicket boundary and then danced down the track to send the bowler over long-off for a maximum.

However, Sams produced the first breakthrough when he had David Warner caught by Bumrah at short third man.

Bumrah then turned the heat as he first found the outside edge of Mitchell Marsh with Rohit Sharma taking a low catch and then returned to sent back Shaw with an unplayable bouncer.

It was time for Markande to shine next as Sarfaraz Khan nicked one outside the off-stump to see DC slump to 50 for four in ninth over.

With Shokeen and Markande bowling in tandum, DC scored their lowest total at the halfway mark this season -- 55 for four.

While Pant dropped anchor, Powell exploded in the 12th over, smashing Shokeen for two maximums and a four to pick up 20 runs.

Markande was next in line as Powell deposited him over long-off, before MI conceded a bye four.

MI were also sloppy on the field with Tilak Varma and Bumrah's misfields giving two fours to DC.

Meredith bowled a tight over, conceding just two.

Rohit's decison to give an over to Ramandeep seemed to have backfired as he bowled three wides and conceded a six and a four before taking Pant's wicket in his final ball.

Powell then pulled Bumrah over deep square leg, while Axar Patel (19 not out) produced a timely six off Sams.

However, Bumrah produced his trademark toe-crushing yorker to disturb the timbers of Powell and nearly had another wicket, only if Dewald Brevis could have held on to a one-handed catch.

Ramandeep took a wicket in the final over which yielded 11 runs. 

Also Read : I have worked on power-hitting and inside out shots, says Velocity skipper Deepti Sharma

News Source : PTI

A true champion is one who overcomes odds to chase their dreams, who lets their performances speak for themselves despite not getting the limelight in mainstream media. 22 year old Afreen Hyder is one such example of a true champion. The All India rank 1 in the under 62 kgs category is a national champion and an inspiration to the next generation of girls who wish to pursue combat sports in the future.

In this exclusive interview, Afreen Hyder speaks about her journey, overcoming challenges, getting support from her parents, special achievements, representing India at the Olympics and her message to girls who aspire to pursue combat sports in the future!

Q 1) How did a girl from Kashmir get inspired to take up Taekwondo? Tell us about your journey and what motivated you to pursue taekwondo professionally.

For me, Taekwondo started as a hobby which eventually turned into a passion. I began playing the sport at just 7 years old when I was in school.

Q 2) As a girl involved in a combat sport, what are the challenges that you have faced in wanting to pursue taekwondo professionally?

I have been breaking stereotypes since the beginning of my career. Practicing in Kashmir was not easy because of societal pressure, being subjected to taunts and even threats but that hasn’t stopped me. There was also no proper facility to train, nor a sports culture, but that’s quickly changing now and it makes me happy. 

Q 3) How have your parents stood by you and supported you in your journey? Who are some of the people who have played a big role in your career so far?

My parents have always been very supportive of my career, especially my mother. They ignored the many societal pressures and let me chase my dreams. I have recently signed with the Punit Balan Group and they have also supported me very well.

Also read: My goal is to be the first Taekwondo Olympian from India: Shivansh Tyagi

Q 4) You were the first official junior medallist for Jammu and Kashmir. What are some of the other special moments in your career and why?

Achieving my All India rank 1 was an extremely special moment for me and I’m the only athlete from the state of Jammu and Kashmir to have made it to the World Rankings. I believe that I can bring about a change in the sports system in Kashmir so that more champions can be developed from the state. 

Q 5) Do you believe that you can represent India at the Olympics one day? If yes, how are you preparing for that dream?

Yes, I do believe that I will represent India at the Olympics one day and make everyone proud of my achievements.

Q 6) What is your message to all the girls out there who wish to take up taekwondo or any other combat sport professionally but are faced by societal pressures?

I’ve had to face all sorts of odds in my career but the negative aspects of my journey have also made it a great ride. I have learnt a lot in the process and would like to tell other girls who wish to take up Taekwondo to always chase your dreams, no matter what. 

Having come from a farmer’s family, 22 year old Shivansh Tyagi has overcome a number of odds to make his mark on the sport of Taekwondo in India. He has won the bronze medal at the Commonwealth Championships in Montreal and another bronze medal in Jordan. He also finished fifth at the world level in the Faujirat Open tournament in the UAE and has achieved the first ranking in India in the under 74 kgs category due to his impressive performances.

In this exclusive interview, Shivansh Tyagi speaks about his journey in the sport, expectations from the Asian Championships, overcoming challenges, memorable achievements in his career, difference in domestic and international events and his goals for the future.

Q 1) Having come from a farmer's family, how were you first introduced to Taekwondo and what motivated you to take it up professionally?

I started Taekwondo in school and being from a farmer's family, it was tough because the concept of Taekwondo is not familiar in India. It started as a hobby and after watching the 2012 Olympics it became my dream to take it up as a sport professionally. When I won a gold medal in the national games, it was a big motivation for me that there is a future for me in this sport.

Q 2) What are your expectations from the Asian Championships which will be held in June?

I would like to win a medal, for sure. It is an incredible opportunity for me and also for the country. I'm working very hard for it and I'm looking forward to winning the medal.

Q 3) What are some of the challenges that you have faced as a taekwondo athlete in India? How did you overcome them?

Challenges are a part of an athlete's life and without them, no athlete is made. It’s not about what Indian Taekwondo can give to an athlete, it's what an Indian athlete can give to Taekwondo in the country. That’s my perspective and that’s how I overcome the challenges.

Also read: I want to make India proud with my achievements: Varun Pradip Dave

Q 4) What are some of your biggest and most memorable achievements in your career?

The biggest achievement for me was bagging the bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games 2017. That was my first international tournament experience and I got a bronze medal. The Indian Open is very close to my heart because I won the gold medal in 2019.

Q 5) How different is the level of Taekwondo in domestic tournaments compared to international events?

When I go for international tournaments I have noticed that they are much more organised compared to India. The competition level is also much higher compared to domestically.

Q 6) What are your future goals and aspirations? How do you plan to achieve them?

My goal is to become the first Indian to participate in Taekwondo at the Olympics and put India’s name on the world map. I also want to inspire the new generation to take up Taekwondo as a sport in the future.

Having recently accomplished four new world records at the Powerlifting World Cup in Russia, Indian powerlifter Varun Pradip Dave has the world at his feet. He is also the youngest world record holder at the AWPC Men's Junior Single Ply category, the first Indian powerlifter to get an international excellence award and to receive an honorary doctorate in Field Powerlifting and Strength Athletics. 

In this exclusive interview, Varun Pradip Dave speaks about his journey, accomplishing world records, delivering a TEDx speech, special achievements in his career, importance of mental health, overcoming challenges and future goals.

Q 1) When did you first start powerlifting and what made you pursue it professionally?

I have always been a sports enthusiast and my dream was to play for Team India in any sport. I started going to the gym during my vacation and that’s where my journey began. I won four gold medals at the state level and three at the national level which led me to represent India at the age of 15. I was the youngest athlete of the team and had the opportunity to represent India at the World Cup. That’s when I decided to pursue a career in powerlifting and give my 100% to make India proud with my achievements.

Q 2) You recently made four new world records at the Powerlifting World Cup in Russia. Tell us about those achievements and how much it means to you.

I recently achieved four new world records at the World Cup and before the tournament, I was extremely confident of my ability to make a mark at the event. However, just a week before the tournament, I met with an accident and had to undergo 30 stitches on my leg. The doctor advised me to not go to Russia but I didn’t listen and hid my injury from the judges at the tournament. Despite my injury, I managed to get four world records which still feels like a dream to me. I have worked very hard in the last five years to make this a reality and the journey has been difficult because I don’t come from a sports background. Looking back, despite all the difficulties, the view at the top makes it all worth it. 

Q 3) You were also the first Indian powerlifter to deliver a TEDx speech. How was that experience?

Delivering a TEDx speech was one of the best experiences in my life so far as I received the opportunity at a low time in my career but it taught me a valuable lesson to not underestimate myself. I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to be the face of Indian powerlifting on a global platform.

Also read: Aman Kadyan creates history by qualifying for World Taekwondo Grand Prix

Q 4) What is the most special achievement of your career and why?

The most special achievement of my life was winning the title of the strongest man of Gujarat at the age of 17. The achievement was unprecedented as nobody from Gujarat had been given this title in the open category at such a young age and what makes it even more memorable is that it came at a time when I had lost back-to-back tournaments after which I received a lot of criticism. It’s very special for me because nobody believed that I could accomplish what I did.

Q 5) How important is mental health in becoming a champion powerlifter?

I believe that mental health is important, not just in powerlifting but in any sport or field because without a stable mind it’s very difficult to perform to the best of your abilities. Training your mind is very important to achieve your goals and I’ve realised the importance of mental health after going through difficult times. I always make myself available for those who are suffering from mental health issues as I can empathise with the difficulties they are facing. 

Q 6) What are some of the challenges you have faced in your journey as a powerlifter? How did you overcome them?

As a vegetarian, it’s always difficult to get the required protein intake from my diet. Earlier, due to my small stature, I was not allowed to consume protein shakes which made it even more difficult to get the required nutrition for being a powerlifter. I’m also an engineering student so balancing my studies and powerlifting has been very difficult, but over time, I’ve learnt to balance the two without compromising on either. 

Q 7) What are your future goals? How do you plan to achieve them?

I consider myself a dreamer and I have multiple passions in my life. I want to pursue acting, singing and powerlifting. I pursue anything that my heart tells me to and believe that anything can be achieved if you have that spark or fire inside you. I am also writing a book and have worked on 2 to 3 regional web series as an actor in Gujarat. My motto is “You are stronger than you think” so my plan is to continue working hard to achieve my dreams.

History was created when Aman Kadyan became the first Indian to qualify for the World Taekwondo Grand Prix. The 22 year old will compete in Rome between June 3rd to 5th and will look to not just make his mark amongst the best Taekwondo athletes in the world but also aim to win the tournament.

In this exclusive interview, Aman Kadyan shares his thoughts about the achievement, his expectations from the tournament, how much it would mean for him to win and the role his support system has played in making this dream a reality. 

Q 1) You have become the first Indian to qualify for the World Taekwondo Grand Prix, tell us your thoughts about this tremendous achievement?

It was like a dream come true for me. When I used to watch Taekwondo videos, I would dream of representing India. When I started playing professionally I realised that it is possible but it will take a lot of effort. When the moment actually happened it was very shocking for me because I got an email out of the blue. I was standing with my coach after training and I was so excited to show him the email. I went up to him and said that we finally did it. He gave me a tight hug and then my teammates came in and they were very ecstatic. That moment will always be etched in my memory because it came out of nowhere. At first, it was difficult for me to digest it. I also had to check with myself a lot of times whether it was real or not because I thought that this time it will be difficult but somehow it happened. 

Q 2) What are your expectations from the tournament which will be held in Rome? Do you believe that you can go all the way to win?

Taekwondo has just got some new rules which make it tough and interesting at the same time. At Rome there will be big names and Olympic champions, it will be a very tough competition as only 32 athletes have qualified for it. I never think that I lack any quality or that I'm any less than the others. I always think that the athletes against me are also just like me. I will try my best to win and I will give my all  until the very last second, no matter what the result. I will not be thinking about medals but I will aim to make my country proud by putting in all my effort.

Also read: Everything that I have achieved is largely because of people who supported me - Aman Kadyan, Taekwondo athlete

Q 3) You have previously won medals at the WT President Cup in the Oceania Region in 2019, a gold at the Indian Open International 2019, and a bronze each at the WT President Cup Asian Region 2018 and Israel Open 2018. Will a victory at the World Taekwondo Grand Prix be the most special of your career?

Yes, Taekwondo Grand Prix is a major series and no Indian has gone to this stage earlier, so when this event takes place the whole world tends to take notice of it. If I win a medal then I will get recognised at the world stage and it will also be a stepping stone in my career.

Q 4) How has Peace Taekwondo Academy helped you qualify for the World Taekwondo Grand Prix?

I think that Peace Taekwondo Academy has helped me out a lot but I think in my career two people have been instrumental in my career, Vinay sir and my coach Hassan sir. I think no one has given me as much support as they did. They have always been there for me emotionally, preparing me mentally for various competitions and all. My family also has been a big inspiration for me, supporting me in all matter and mostly encouraging me to perform better.