Tag: Athletics

Femke Bol crushes world record, Josh Kerr thrills home crowd at world indoor athletics championships

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Dutch runner Femke Bol rewrote her own world record in the indoor 400 metres on Saturday, while Britain’s Josh Kerr steamrolled to victory in the men’s 3,000 to the delight of the home crowd at the world indoor athletics championships.

The 24-year-old Bol made it look effortless, leading from the gun to clock 49.17 seconds and beat the previous mark of 49.24 she set two weeks ago at the Dutch national championships.

Bol captured gold in the 400m hurdles and 4x400m relay at the outdoor world championships last year in Budapest.

Alexander Doom of Belgium overtook Norway’s Karsten Warholm, a triple world champion in the 400 hurdles, over the final few metres to win the men’s 400 in 45.25. Warholm crossed in 45.34 for silver.

Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia ran 6.98 — quickest in the world this season — to win the women’s 60, edging Ewa Swoboda of Poland by two-hundreds of a second.

The 26-year-old Kerr, who raced in rose-coloured glasses, clocked 7:42.98 seconds, surging past Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega with 100 metres to go in another world-beating achievement amid a remarkable few months.

American Yared Nuguse took silver in 7:43.59 while Barega faded to third.

Kerr, who won the world outdoor 1,500 title in Budapest last year and three weeks ago broke Mo Farah’s indoor two miles world record in New York, high-fived fans sitting trackside during an exuberant victory lap.

“I think I burned more energy celebrating than I did in the race,” said Kerr, who chose to race the 3,000 over the 1,500 to work on his strength.

“These competitions are so important. I’ve come to championships before not ready to take a real swing at it and I feel like I let the UK audience down a little bit in the way that I’ve performed.

“So this was really important for me to come here, ready to go and really execute.”

British team mate Molly Caudery cleared 4.80 metres to win the women’s pole vault, edging New Zealand’s Eliza McCartney whose best mark was also 4.80 but with more foul jumps.

“I dreamed of (winning), I wasn’t sure if it would come true or not,” Caudery said.

Caudery’s gold was a first global medal for the 23-year-old who nearly severed a finger lifting weights in 2021 and required three surgeries to re-attach the digit, and then was sidelined for nine months after two Achilles tendon surgeries.

The pole vault competition was paused briefly after Margot Chevrier of France suffered a broken ankle.

American Grant Holloway added another world title to his glittering resume in winning the men’s 60 hurdles in 7.31 seconds, just shy of the world record 7.29 he ran two weeks ago.

The 26-year-old has won 76 consecutive races, including qualifying rounds, and owns three world outdoor and now two world indoor gold medals.

American Elle St. Pierre sprinted past multi-world champion Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia with 50 metres remaining to win the women’s 3,000m in 8:20.87. Tsegay, the reigning world outdoor champion in the 10,000, crossed in 8:21.13 for silver.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Kipruto, Kebede win Tokyo Marathon in course record times

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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TOKYO: Kenyan Benson Kipruto won the men’s Tokyo Marathon in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds on Sunday, breaking former world record holder Eliud Kipchoge’s course mark in perfect racing conditions on the streets of the Japanese capital.

Ethiopia’s Sutume Asefa Kebede won the women’s race ahead of Kenya’s defending champion Rosemary Wanjiru in 2:15:55, also bettering the best previous women’s time over the course from Shinjuku to the Imperial Palace.

Kipruto pulled clear of Timothy Kiplagat over the last few kilometres and finished 39 seconds ahead of his compatriot to add the Tokyo title to those he won in Boston in 2021 and Chicago in 2022.

The 32-year-old’s time was almost two minutes better than his previous personal best and made him the fifth-fastest marathon runner of all time in events approved by World Athletics.

Kiplagat had to be convinced not to pull out of the race by his coach after the death of his training partner, marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum, in a road accident last month.

Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich finished third in 2:04:18 to give Kenya a podium sweep, with Ethiopians Hailemaryam Kiros and Tsegaye Getachew in fourth and fifth places.

Kipchoge was struggling at halfway with the pace under the course record time of 2:02:40 he had set in 2022, and the double Olympic champion had slipped two minutes behind the leaders by the 30-km mark. He finished 10th.

Kebede and Wanjiru had been in the leading group throughout the women’s race, and it was only on the latter stages that the Ethiopian was able to pull clear of her rival to claim her first major marathon title by 19 seconds.

Her time bettered Brigid Kosgei’s 2022 women’s course record of 2:16:02 and took more than two minutes off her previous personal best time of 2:18:12.

Kebede’s compatriot Amane Beriso was third in 2:16:58, more than a minute clear of Dutch Olympic long distance track champion Sifan Hassan in fourth place.

Ichitaka Yamashita was the fastest Japanese man in a time of 2:06:31 to finish ninth, while Hitomi Niiya took the local honours in the women’s race with a sixth-placed finish in 2:21:50.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Beijing to host 2027 World Athletics Championships

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The 2027 track and field world championships have been awarded to Beijing.

The World Athletics Council reached the decision Wednesday to bring the meet back to China after the country hosted the event in 2015. The decision comes on the heels of the Italian track federation announcing earlier in the day that it withdrew its candidacy to stage the 2027 worlds in Rome after the government refused to guarantee the $92 million needed to host the event.

China is also hosting the world indoor championships next year in Nanjing. The country hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.

“This poses a massive opportunity to grow our sport and fan base in one of the biggest commercial markets in the world,” World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said in a statement.

The 2025 world championships will be held in Tokyo. Last summer, track’s big event was staged in Budapest, Hungary, and the summer before in Eugene, Oregon.

“With the announcement of China as our next host,” Coe said, “our last four World Athletics Championships have now been awarded to the world’s four largest economies; the USA (Oregon), the EU (Budapest), Japan (Tokyo) and China (Beijing).”

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Harshad Mhatre and Arati Patil win the Federal Bank Kochi Marathon 2024

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Harshad Mhatre, who hails from Maharashtra, and represents India Railways, won the Federal Bank Kochi Marathon 2024, organised by CleoSportz.

28-year-old Harshad Mhatre finished the full marathon in the men’s category in what was a photo finish after clocking a time of 2:35:50 hours. Dinesh Kisan Patil, who also hails from Maharashtra finished second with the same timing in the Federal Bank Kochi Marathon, a coveted event in the country. Meanwhile, Ramavath Ramesh Chandra, who is a native of Telangana, finished third after clocking a time of 2:38:37 hours.

In the women’s category, it was once again a Maharashtra woman, who dominated the race from the start to the end. Arati Patil was crowned as the champion as she finished the marathon with a time of 03:37:03 hours. Kerela’s Anju Murukan, who clocked a timing of 04:25:17, finished second in the full marathon.

In the Half Marathon (21.097 KM), it was Nabeel Shah, who emerged victorious in the men’s category. Nabeel Shah clocked a finish time of 1:17:43 hours. Sajith KM, with a finish time of 1:19:56 hours, and Rajesh Thankachan, with a finish time of 01:22:47 hours, finished second and third respectively in the men’s half marathon.

In the women’s half marathon, it was Jolsana Anthony, who bagged the first prize with a timing of 1:38:25 hours. Neena Katwal, with a timing of 1:40:47 hours, and Gayathri G, who clocked the finish time of 1:45:00 hours, finished second and third respectively.

Commenting on the success of the Federal Bank Kochi Marathon, M V S Murthy, Chief Marketing Officer, Federal Bank, said, “We would have clocked close to a 100,000 km in the 2nd Edition of the Federal Bank Kochi Marathon. Super proud that we hosted runners from 10 different countries / 21 states / ~500 specially-abled athletes and brought the World to Kochi in #GodsOwnCountry for the #GodsOwnMarathon.

The journey of a mile begins with the first step. We will continue to build the running community across the country by offering them and their families Kochi, as a reason to travel and experience the God’s Own Country in a run or simply walking around town.”

Meanwhile, in the 10K Run, in the men’s category, it was Sreerag AS, who emerged triumphant with a timing of 00:33:35 hours. Prabhakar K, who clocked a finish time of 00:39:57 hours, and Ravi A, with a finish time of 00:40:13 hours, finished in second and third place respectively.

In the women’s category of the 10K Run, it was Beena George, who finished first with a timing of 00:40:41 hours. The second place was bagged by Akshaya K with a finish time of 00:46:25 hours. Tesna Joseph clocked a finish time of 00:46:55 timing.

A 3 km Green Run and 1.3 km ‘The Special Run’ for the differently-abled was held in association with the Raksha Society.

The winners were felicitated by V. Abdurahiman, Minister for Sports, Govt. of Kerala; Justice Devan Ramachandran, Kerala High Court Judge were the chief guests at the prize distribution ceremony. N. Ravi, DIG, Indian Coast Guard; Indian former netball and basketball player and actress Prachi Tehlan; Cine Actor Hakim Shah, Federal Bank Executive Director Shalini Warrier, Chief Mentor Ashuthosh Khajuria, Aster Medcity Kochi Operations Head Dhanya Shyamalan and Lulu Group India Commercial Manager Sadhik Kasim.

The marathon was flagged off at 4 AM at the Maharajas College Ground here by V.K. Raju, Assistant Commissioner of Police and M.V.S. Murthy, Chief Marketing Officer, Federal Bank. Former sports persons Sathish Pillai, T.C. Yohannan, Indian Volleyball player Rajanpreet Singh, Federal Bank MD and CEO Shyam Srinivasan, Assistant Commissioner of Police Jayakumar, official Medical Director of the marathon Dr. Johnson K. Varghese, Gardenia Cosmotrade LLP (Tiger Balm) Partner Puneet Motiani and Haw Par India Pvt. Ltd. (Tiger Balm) Country Head Dipanjan Ghosh were present on the occasion.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Argentina secure a spot at Paris Olympics football tournament at the expense of arch-rivals Brazil

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Brazil will not defend its Olympic men’s football title in London after losing 1-0 to its regional rival Argentina on Sunday.

In the decisive South American Olympic qualifier, Luciano Gondou scored the winner for the Argentina under-23 team coached by Javier Mascherano. He headed a cross from Valentin Barco past goalkeeper Mycael in the 78th minute at the Brigido Iriarte Stadium in Caracas.

Brazil won gold at men’s soccer in the Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo Olympics.

South America’s Olympic qualifying for men’s football offered two spots in Paris. Paraguay ended on the top of the table of the final group stage with seven points in three matches after its 2-0 win on Sunday against host Venezuela.

The Paraguayan team, which didn’t have star players like its two bigger continental rivals, also beat Brazil to secure its spot for France.

Argentina finished the tournament with five points, two more than Brazil, which only managed to beat Venezuela in the final stage.

Argentina had the upper hand in the first half but the defensive stance of Brazil, coached by Ramon Menezes, didn’t help bring much emotion to the match. World Cup winner Thiago Almada hit the post in the 16th minute.

Argentina’s Leandro Brey made the best save of the game in the 61st, when substitute Gabriel Pec struck hard from close range. Brazil did not keep up the pressure, with striker Endrick once more playing below par. And then Gondou’s header made the difference between the two teams.

“We deserved this. We didn’t lose a single match at the qualifying,” said Gondou, who scored four goals in the tournament in Venezuela. “We suffered, we waited for this goal, but at the end we got it.”

Brazil last failed to make the men’s soccer Olympic tournament in 2004.

“It is a very bad feeling, we prepared well for this,” Brazil midfielder Andrey Santos said. “We struggled to keep the ball throughout the tournament. It didn’t go as we expected.”

Argentina won the gold at men’s soccer at the games in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, with Lionel Messi leading the team in Beijing.

Paraguay’s surprising spot in Paris came after Diego Gómez scored from the spot early in the second half and Marcelo Pérez pushed the ball with his head to an empty goal in the 75th minute after a bizarre mistake of the Venezuelan defense.

Paraguay’s men’s soccer team has given the small South American nation one of its few medals in Olympic history; a silver in 2004 after losing the final against Argentina.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Jamaican sprinting great Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce to retire after Paris 2024 Olympics

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Three-time Olympic champion sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will retire after the 2024 Paris Olympics, saying she owes it to her family.

Fraser-Pryce was the first 100m sprinter to win individual medals in four consecutive Olympic Games. The Jamaican began her journey in Beijing 2008, which saw her become the first Caribbean woman to win gold in the women’s 100m.

She held on to her 100m title in London 2012, joining a select few to have done so. Despite battling a toe injury, she won bronze in 2016 Rio Olympics and a silver in relay.

After giving birth in 2017, she won another Olympic silver and a relay gold in Tokyo 2020.

“My son needs me, my husband and I have been together since before I won in 2008. He has sacrificed for me,” 37-year-old Fraser-Pryce told Essence.com.

“We’re a partnership, a team, and it’s because of that support that I’m able to do the things that I have been doing for all these years,” she added. “I think I now owe it to them to do something else.”

Currently, she is focussed on preparing for Paris, which she views as an opportunity to push boundaries.

It is about “showing people that you stop when you decide. I want to finish on my own terms,” she said.

In 2019, she became the oldest woman to claim the 100m World Championship title in Doha. She further solidified this achievement by winning the title again at the age of 35 in Eugene in 2022, 14 years after her initial Olympic gold triumph.

“It’s not enough that we step on a track and we win medals. You have to think about the next generation that’s coming after you, and give them the opportunity to also dream – and dream big,” Fraser-Pryce said.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Neeraj Chopra says India must host global athletics competitions within two-three years

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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He has single-handedly raised the profile of Indian athletics internationally and Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra now wants the country to go a notch higher in the pecking order by hosting global events in the next two-three years.

India is set to bid for the 2029 World Athletics Championships but Chopra said the country can host other global competitions of smaller scale before that.

“It will be good if we host 2029 World Championships but 2029 is a long way to go. I think India can host some big global competitions like Continental Tour event (of World Athletics) before that,” Chopra told PTI in an interview felicitated by Switzerland Tourism.

“This kind of global event (like Continental Tour event) will keep Indian fans interested in athletics. If international track and field stars come to India and compete against Indian athletes, it will be good for the country’s athletes as well as for the fans,” he opined.

Continental Tour is an annual series of track and field competitions held under the aegis of World Athletics. It forms the second tier of international one-day meetings after the Diamond League.

The reigning world champion said holding global events in India will also create awareness among fans. He also said that live telecast or streaming of global events like Diamond League Meetings, especially where Indian athletes are competing, should be easily available for Indian fans.

Chopra, who is targetting a successful defence of his Olympic gold in Paris Games this year, said he will start competing in May. That means, his pre-Olympic competition schedule will be of two months or a little over that. The Paris Games begin on July 26.

“I am yet to chalk out a final plan. Probably, we will do that in March. But most probably I will start competition in May,” he said.

The Doha leg of the Diamond League is scheduled for May 10 and he had started his season last year from the Qatar capital in the same prestigious competition.

The 26-year-old Chopra is currently in Switzerland for a “pre-planned” short vacation. During the course of his stay, he met tennis legend Roger Federer, who is the global ambassador of Switzerland Tourism, in Zurich. He will be returning to South Africa for training soon.

“It’s a dream come true for me to meet Roger Federer in Zurich. I have always admired his skill, his spirit of true sportsmanship and his ability to inspire millions around the world,” Chopra said about his meeting with Federer.

“What inspired me the most was his humility and his easy-going charm that made me feel so comfortable in his presence. We had a wonderful time exchanging notes about our respective passions and life’s experiences on and off the field,” said Chopra, who is Switzerland Tourism’s Friendship Ambassador to India.

Asked which aspects of his game he would work on before the Olympics, Chopra said, “I will work a bit on technique and then on strength.

“Also, I want to remain injury-free. In the past few years, there were small injuries which caused interruptions in my schedule. So, I have to also work on small exercises to save myself from injuries.

“There should not be any distractions because of those kind of small injuries. I want to be fully fit and give my best in Paris. That is my focus,” he signed off.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Mumbai Marathon 2024: Running icon Meb Keflezighi to grace the 19th edition of the race

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Procam International, the promoter of the Tata Mumbai Marathon today announced running icon Meb Keflezighi will grace the 19^th edition of the World Athletics Gold Label Race, as an ambassador of the event on Sunday, 21^St January 2024.

Mebrahtom “Meb” Keflezighi as he is famed in the sporting world, has several record-breaking accolades in his career. A name synonymous with endurance and achievement in the running community, he has inspired countless individuals worldwide.

Meb made history as the only runner to win an Olympic medal (2004), the New York City Marathon (2009) and the Boston Marathon (2014). In 2009, Keflezighi became the first American since 1982 to win the New York City Marathon. Eight times, he has achieved the feat of being in the top 10 in the New York Marathon. In 2015, he set a TCS New York City Marathon masters event record of 2:13:32.

In 2014 he won the Boston Marathon (2:08:37), the first American male to do so since 1983, and the first American since 1985. Since 1930, Meb has held the record for being the oldest winner of the Boston Marathon as he triumphed it when he was 39 years old. Moreover, Meb is the master of all surfaces -Road, Track, and Cross Country and a former USA National 10,000m track record holder.

Other than dominating the field, Keflezighi runs a non-profit organization based in Ghana called ‘The MEB Foundation,’ which focuses on improving youth health, education, and fitness in communities across the globe. The Foundation supports programs that empower youth and their families to “Maintain Excellent Balance”, provide the tools and resources to lead healthy lifestyles, engage youth in academics and provide opportunities for youth to play and learn positive life skills through involvement in sports.

He is also the author of multiple books including his autobiography, titled, ‘Run to Overcome’ which narrates memories of his early years leading up to the current day, as well as significant life events like his Olympic races and other running highlights.

On the note of attending Asia’s Premier marathon, Keflezighi said, “The Tata Mumbai Marathon has been on my bucket list for the longest time, and finally being able to witness Mumbai’s indomitable spirit, is indeed exciting! This event inspired a country to run and changed mindsets, that is the true legacy of a sporting event.  Mumbai’s incredible energy and enthusiasm, combined with the dedication of its runners, embodies the universal language of endurance!

“I will only say this… remember to run with purpose, embrace the journey, and move ahead together. In every stride, find the strength to go the distance and make a difference to what you believe in” he added further.

Vivek Singh, Jt MD, Procam International, said, “It is an honour for us to have a legend like Meb grace the event. We are overjoyed and cannot wait for him to see the magic in the city of dreams. Keflezighi’s dedication to the sport, as well as his remarkable accomplishments beyond sport, are commendable. The presence of Meb Keflezighi and the Olympic and World Champion in pole vault Katie Moon at the Tata Mumbai Marathon will be a treat to every runner.”

The much-anticipated TMM 2024, scheduled to take place on Sunday 21^st January 2024, will flag off from the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

I envy today’s athletes because I was in wrong era: Anju Bobby George

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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India’s first ever World Athletics Championship medallist Anju Bobby George says that she competed “in the wrong era”, praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s eagerness for promoting and transforming sports in the country. Speaking at a programme organised at the PM’s residence on Christmas, the legendary long jumper said.

“As a sportsperson, I was here for almost 25 years and I’m seeing a lot of changes. When I got India’s first global medal 20 years ago, even my department was not ready to give me a promotion. “But after Neeraj (Chopra) got a medal, I have seen the changes the way we are celebrating… I envy them because I was in the wrong era,” Anju said during the event. Anju, who won a bronze medal in the women’s long jump at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics in Paris, spoke about women empowerment and also how the country now also celebrates athletes’ accomplishments.

“Women empowerment is not just a word now. Every Indian girl is ready to dream and they know their dreams will come true,” she said. The PM interacted with the Christian community on the occasion of Christmas, and Anju was among the prominent persons who attended the event.

“I think in the near future, we will be at the top (of sports world),” she said. Among her other achievements, Anju bagged a gold medal at the 2003 Afro-Asian Games and achieved her personal best of 6.83m at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, which brought her the fifth position. She was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2002, Khel Ratna in 2003 and the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award, in 2004.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow