Tokyo Olympics 2021

A highly skilled left-half in his playing days, Baskaran was active in Chennai, coaching youngsters and managing hockey tournaments before Covid struck. A decorated coach and an Arjuna Award winner, Baskaran, who was chief coach of the men's team at Sydney Olympics and retired as a senior sports official with the Indian Railways, spoke to IANS on the Indian team's prospects in the Tokyo Olympics.

World No. 1 tennis player, Novak Djokovic of Serbia, has ended the uncertainty over his Olympics participation, confirming on Friday that he would be boarding the flight to Tokyo. In a message posted on social media, Djokovic, who will now aim for a golden slam -- four Grand Slams and Olympic gold in a calendar year

A total of 172 players from 24 countries will compete in the table tennis competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games from July 24-August 6. China has dominated the Olympic Games table tennis competitions, winning 28 out of the 32 gold medals for which competitions have been held. They are expected to dominate in Tokyo too.

Besides Thakur, Rahman and Ananya, the others present on the occasion were Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Nisith Pramanik, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Narinder Batra and secretary-general Rajeev Mehta, among others. "Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi initiated the #Cheer4India campaign for our Tokyo-bound athletes.

The IOC said on Wednesday that the changes were in line with its and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee's "drive towards gender equality as it enables full gender balance amongst those taking the oath on behalf of all Games participants". The new wording was recommended by the IOC Athletes' Commission in order to "increase opportunities for athlete expression during the Olympic Games".

"If you're an Olympian, or trying to become an Olympian, it's a 24-hour, 7 day a week job. It's non-stop. It's around-the-clock...To really be prepared for an Olympic Games, you have to put in the work. You have to go through the struggle. For the journey I went five times, it was never easy, but I know the work that I was doing gave me the results that I deserved," says Michael Phelps

"As a result, I have been unable to train for the last two and a half weeks and sadly, this has put my body in a situation where I am unable to ask it to be fully ready in time for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. This is a heart-breaking reality for me, as representing Team GB at the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016 is one of my most treasured memories from my career so far," read her statement.

"Don't take pressure of winning, just tell yourself one thing that we will do our best. I will say it again 'cheer for India'. I am sure you will touch new heights," Prime Minister Modi told the 126 members of the Indian contingent during an interaction on Tuesday evening. He said his government has provided all the facilities and support to the sportspersons and as a result athletes in such large number have qualified for Tokyo Olympics.

If that happens three years from now, all those involved in the making and implementing that scheme, besides the athletes who would win those 50 medals in Paris, would deserve the highest accolade of the country. They would thoroughly deserve all the prizes for what would probably be the biggest jump in terms of sudden improvement in the history of the world's biggest sports extravaganza, Olympics, rather in the history of mankind.

Not only has the team of seven freestyle wrestlers the task of living up to the reputation of Sushil Kumar, India's only individual double Olympic medallist, but also a commitment to lift the sport from the negativity surrounding it in the wake of some recent developments involving its most revered icon. Even as the Sushil saga lingers on, a pre-Olympic departure 'tradition' is being 'followed' as a top grappler, Sumit Malik.