Category Archives: Sports

Chandrababu Naidu grants Rs. 2 lakh to chess player Nuttaki Priyanka

Sports

The amount was granted to enable her to take part in a series of international tournaments to be held in different cities of the U.S. in May and June.

Former World under-10 and National under-13 girls chess champion Nuttaki Priyanka was granted Rs. 2 lakh by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and the cheque was handed over the player on his behalf by Central MLA Bonda Uma Maheswara Rao here on Saturday.

The amount was granted to enable her to take part in a series of international tournaments to be held in different cities of the U.S. in May and June.

“First she will take part in the Chicago Open from May 26 to 30, and later she will vie for honours at the World Open in Philadelphia from June 30 to July 4. She will take part in World Open women championship at the same city from July 5 to 7,” said Ratna Rao Bobba, president of Mustabada Sports and Educational Academy.

Ms. Priyanka, as a pass time, started learning chess during summer vacations after her second class exams. She learned the nuances quickly to win district-level honours.

However she honed skills in a methodical manner after joining Mustabada academy.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Special Correspondent  / Vijayawada – May 01st, 2016

Young Visakhapatnam cyclist tops mountain biking race

Sports

Visakhapatnam :

It’s just a little more than a year that 14-year-old city boy Tarang Nagar started taking cycling seriously as a sport and participated in road and mountain biking. But he kept winning laurels in almost every attempt in all terrains.

Tarang’s latest achievement is securing the first position in the student category in mountain terrain biking (MTB) event held in Nainital between April 21 and 23. He was also the youngest cyclist who successfully completed the Shimla MTB held in mid-April.

Speaking about the events, the class X student of a city school said, “At Nainital, I completed (85 + 35 kilometres) in nine hours, while for Shimla MTB, I covered 36+38 kilometres in six-and-a-half hours. In MTB Nainital, where I stood first, there were only 12 finishers out of 35 and in MTB Shimla, where there were 115 participants including 16 in student category, I was the youngest rider and finished fifth.”

Apart from mountain biking, Tarang has also been a regular participant in the BRMs held in AP from time to time. BRMs are rides of fixed distances meant to be completed within specified time limits. These are considered a gateway to qualifying in international cycling events or Randonneurs. Between October 2015 and February 2016, Tarang has participated and successfully completed BRMs of 200, 300 and 600 kilometres.

“Though I like both types of cycling (mountain biking and road biking) for the fun and thrill that they offer, mountain biking is even more challenging than road riding. The long distance BRMs test your endurance, while mountain terrain biking is all about power cycling,” quipped Tarang.

Son of navy officer Commander Animesh Nagar, Tarang is also a good swimmer and has qualified to compete in state level competitions, which will be held soon. “I’m also looking forward to MTB Himalayas – a week-long racing event in September – where I would be cycling from Shimla to Leh,” Tarang averred.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / News Home> City> Visakhapatnam / Sulogna Mehta / TNN / April 27th, 2016

Raghavendra gets a slot in athletics federation

Leaders, Sports
Akula Raghavendra
Akula Raghavendra

It was red letter in the history of Andhra Pradesh Athletic Association (APAA) as its general secretary Akula Raghavendra was elected as executive member of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) in the general elections held in New Delhi on Friday.

Mr. Raghavendra, the youngest member of the executive body, impressed the country’s athletic fraternity by hosting 2014 Junior National athletics championships in a befitting manner at Vijayawada, and later played a crucial role in Indian contingent performance at the recently-held Asian Indoor athletic meet at Doha as team Manager.

“His election to AFI will help Andhra Pradesh getting Indian camps and international athletics meets. Good days are ahead of us,” felt senior SAI athletic coach Vinayak Prasad.

APAA administrators Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, Nageswara Rao, Krishna District Athletic Association administrators Ramesh Jain, N. N. Rao, District Sports Development Officer P. Ramakrishna and others congratulated him.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Special Correspondent / Vijayawada – April 16th, 2016

Harshitha wins two silver medals in Mongolia

Sports, World Opinion
G. Harshitha
G. Harshitha

Young Rajahmundry teenager Guddanti Harshitha overcame biting cold weather and bouts of fever to add two international medals to her kitty by winning silver medals in the Asian youth chess championship that concluded in Mongolia on Thursday.

She scored seven points out of nine by winning seven and losing two to finish second in the standard under-16 girls’ category, and later she won silver in the rapid segment as well. “She finished fifth in the blitz segment,” says Andhra Pradesh Chess Association secretary D. Srihari.

“She lost the two crucial rounds owing to fever as the weather was unbearable for several youngsters,” says Harshitha’s mother Sridevi.

Harshitha, a Class X student of TRIPS International School, started playing chess six years ago. After learning the basics, she is now being trained by Grandmaster Arun Prasad of Chennai online since 2014.

Before major tournaments Harshitha visits Chennai for intensive training for 10 days with Mr. Arun Prasad. Harshitha won Asian youth silver in Korea, Commonwealth under-16 bronze, National Juniors Bronze Medal in 2015.

“Harshitha’s aim is to become a championship player like Grandmaster Koneru Humpy and Dronavalli Harika and play for the country in the premier international tournaments,” says her mother.

Harshitha wants to go aboard to train under the best of coaches and also play more competitive tourneys but the major hurdle she faces is the lack of sponsors. “We are looking are sponsors to support Harshitha‘s dream of becoming a Grandmaster. It is getting increasingly expensive to travel for training and play in fixtures,” says Dr. Sridevi.

A class X student, she finished fifth in the blitz segment, says APCA secretary D. Srihari

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / Special Correspondent / Vijayawada – April 16th, 2016

Asian blitz bronze for Supreetha

Records, All, Sports, Uncategorized, World Opinion
Potluri Supreetha
Potluri Supreetha

The city’s chess fraternity went gaga over the medal winning performance of Women Fide Master (WFM) Potluri Supreetha, who won a bronze medal in the Asian youth blitz (u-18 girls) championship that concluded in Mongolia on Saturday. The Nuzvid–born youngster hauled five points out of seven rounds to win her eighth international medal.

“Playing blitz, along with classic and rapid, increases the speed in a player and helps take quick decisions. Supreetha is playing all three formats – classic, rapid and blitz – to emerge as a overall player,” Mr. Bobba said.

The Class IX student of Viswa Bharathi Vidya Niketan, defeated players like Erdenehulug Batsaikha, Batsaikhna Ganchimeg, U. Uurtsaikh (all Mongolia), V. Toshali, V. Varshini (both India), Yakubbaeva Nilufar (Uzbekistan) and Nguyen Than Thuy Tien (Vietnam) to make it to the podium.

She will play 2 tournaments in May

Supreetha, the 14-year-old trainee of Mustabada Sports and Educational Society, will play two tournaments next month – Asian junior chess championship in New Delhi from May 2 to 12 and a Grandmaster Open tournament at Chicago (U.S.A.) from May 25 to enhance her international rating. Chess is not in the family background of Supreetha and her father takes care of agriculture in Nuzvid. What started off as a hobby went on to become an obsession for the young girl.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu> Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / Special Correspondent / Vijayawada – April 10th, 2016

Double delight for carroms player

Education, Sports

Kondru Santhi, a student of AMG Junior College, Chilakaluripet, has secured a double haul of gold and bronze medals at the National Junior Carroms Championship held recently in Gujarat.

Mind over matter

A native of Adigoppula village in Durgi mandal, Santhi overcame her physical disabilities to win gold for her team in the team championship.

She also secured bronze in the individual event.

AMG International director Arun Kumar Mohanty, vice-president Jacob, AP Caroms Association president M. Chandramouli and district secretary Jaleel congratulated the student.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / Staff Reporter / April 07th, 2016

City skaters in International competition

Sports, World Opinion

Visakhapatnam :

Five skaters from AP have been selected for the Indian squad that would take part in the Malaysian Open Figure Skating Competition from April 14 to 17. The skaters, including three from the city, will also attend a training camp to be held in Kuala Lumpur from April 6 to 14.

Out of the five skaters, Priyam Tated, Pratham Tated and M Vishal Anand are all from Timpany School based in the city. The other two skaters B Jaswanth Kumar and Riya Saboo are from Vijayawada. All the five skaters are medal winners in various formats at the national level. The group of five will be accompanied by P Satyanarayana, the coach of the India team.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Visakhapatnam / TNN / April 05th, 2016

On a ‘record’ quest in performing push-ups

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

For many people, push-up is a way of punishment and for a few it is a noting but a physical exercise. But for Haridasu Ramesh Kumar, a youngster from Chollangi, on the outskirts of Kakinada, push-ups provided the platform to achieve a good number of records.

Ramesh Kumar’s specialisation is in Hindu push-ups, also known as Hanuman push-ups, Judo push-ups or Dive Bomber push-ups, which he learnt from his father Govindaraju in the childhood and practises every day without fail.

Ramesh Kumar got his first national record from the Unique World Records in 2014 for doing 100 Hindu push-ups in two minutes and 19 seconds.

It was the beginning of his quest for records, which made him attend the competitions conducted by different organisations.

Merit certificates

After achieving a good number of merit certificates and awards, including a couple of honours from the Incredible Book of Records, in doing 60 Hindu push-ups in 64 seconds and in doing 102 Hindu push-ups in two minutes and six seconds, he has now shifted his focus towards achieving the Guinness Book of World Records and manifold the daily practice of push-ups.

Physical exercise

“I have started the push-ups for the sake of physical exercise in my childhood. As I grew up, I have found myself closely associated with this form of exercise and decided to achieve something in this field,” says 34-year-old Ramesh Kumar, who finished his masters in science and is preparing for competitive examinations.

“There is no need of playground or equipment to practise Hindu push-ups, as one can do it in the sit-out or in the hall. This exercise keeps us fit both physically and mentally,” he says.

I have started the push-ups for the sake of physical exercise in my childhood. As I grew up, I have found myself closely associated with this form of exercise and decided to achieve something in this field

Haridasu Ramesh Kumar

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh  / K.N.Murali Sankar / Kakinada – April 06th, 2016

Medal-winning constable felicitated

Records, All, Sports

Lakshmi Devi bagged a gold medal and a silver medal in an athletics event in Sri Lanka

Deputy Inspector-General of Kurnool Range B.V. Ramana Kumar on Thursday felicitated a woman head constable Nemmipati Lakshmi Devi who bagged a gold and a silver medal in the international athletics championship held in Sri Lanka.

Ms. Lakshmi Devi, working in the Armed Reserve headquarters in Kurnool, secured gold medal in hammer throw and silver medal in discuss throw held at Diogama Mahindra Rajapakshe sports stadium at Colombo in Sri Lanka in February last week. The DIG felicitated the woman head constable with a shawl and garland and wished that she win more laurels and earn a good name for the police department. Reacting to the felicitation, Ms. Lakshmi Devi said women were excelling in all sectors on par with men and lamented discrimination against women in some aspects.

Gives credit to family

She said she could emerge as an international athlete with the encouragement of her family members.

Additional SP (Administration) T. Chandrasekhar Reddy, Additional SP (Armed Reserve) M.K. Radhakrishna, DSPs D.V. Ramana Murthy, J. Babi Prasad, G. Veeraraghava Reddy, Police Officers Association president T. Narayana and executive members Raghuramudu and Noor Ahmed participated.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh/ by Special Correspondent / Kurnool – March 04th, 2016

VSP Clinches Gold in Inter-Steel Relay Tourney

Records, All, Sports

Visakhapatnam :

Visakhapatrnam Steel Plant (VSP) clinched the 4 x 400 m relay in the Inter-Steel Athletic Championship 2015-16, which was held at Tata Steel Jamshedpur under the aegis of Steel Plants Sports Board (SPSB) on Friday.

This is for the first time that the VSP  won a gold in the SPSB Athletics. K Tarun Kumar,  A Sainath, Y Dinesh and L Sai Kumar are the athletes who brought glory to the VSP.

In addition, Tarun Kumar won a bronze in the 200 m category and manager (Utilities) M Vara Prasad, who co-ordinated the team was nominated for the best observer title. Sameer Kumar Sekhar is the VSP athletic team coach while sports committee member BS Chakravarthi is the manager.

RINL director (Personnel) GBS Prasad felicitated the winners and other officials. While congratulating the young athletes, Prasad assured complete support to help them reach greater heights. AGM(Sports) MS Kumar, SEA president YK Garg, general secretary P Satyanarayana, AM(Sports) A Kranti Kumar, JM (Sports) MV Murali Mohan, AE (Sports) NJ George, WIPS members of VSP sports committee and others took part in the felicitation ceremony.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / February 27th, 2016