Sports – Page 2 – Karnataka First

Roger Binny Elected BCCI President at 91st Annual General Meeting

Roger Binny becomes the first World Cup-winner to become the president of the BCCI.

Former Indian cricketer Roger Binny has been appointed as the new president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The 67-year-old was elected unopposed during BCCI’s annual general meeting (AGM), which was held on Tuesday, 18 October, at the Taj Hotel in Mumbai.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah, departing president Sourav Ganguly, treasurer Arun Dhumal and vice-president Rajeev Shukla were all present at the 91st annual general meeting of the board. With his appointment, Binny becomes the first-ever former World Cup-winning to become BCCI’s president.

Jay Shah has been re-inducted as the secretary of the board, while it now remains to be seen whether the BCCI will field a candidate for the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) elections.

Among the other decisions taken during the meeting, Arun Singh Dhumal vacated his position as tha treasurer of the board and was appointed as a member of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council. Avishek Dalmiya, the president of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), was also appointed as an IPL Governing Council member.

Ashish Shelar, the former chief of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), took over as the new treasurer, with former secretary of the Assam Cricket Association (ACA), Devajit Saikia was appointed as the joint-secretary. Assam M Khairul Jamal Majumdar was appointed as an Apex Council member.

Besides confirming the new appointments, the BCCI also approved to conduct the inaugural edition of the Women’s IPL in 2023.

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Meet Shrishail Byakod — Belagavi’s own Ironman

Come the last few months of the year, weight loss and diet top the New Year resolution for many and are the most-searched topics on the Internet. But losing weight is a tough journey that needs utmost discipline with the ability to say no to your favourite food. It takes months, if not years, of dedication to reach the desired result. And if you are part of the police force, then staying fit becomes the mantra of your life.

Here is an inspiring story of Shrishail Byakod, a 38-year-old circle police inspector attached to the Ghataprabha police station in Belagavi’s Gokak taluk, who became the first Man in Khaki from Karnataka to win a Half Ironman Triathlon event. A Half Ironman is just over double the distance of an Olympic distance triathlon and includes a 1.9 km swim, 90-km cycling and 21.1 km of running.

But success didn’t come to Shrishail on a silver platter as his body weight acted as a barrier.After clocking 102 kg on the weighing scale in 2014, he realised the importance of health and then began his fitness journey. It was during the same time that a few of his well-wishers, including his wife Smita, advised him to practice a healthy life. He initially started dieting and later joined a gym and gradually started running, swimming, cycling and playing lawn tennis.

In the Half Ironman Triathlon competition held in Kolhapur on October 1, Shrishail was set a deadline to complete swimming, cycling, and running under 10 hours. But he completed them all in just 6 hours and 39 minutes. He swam 1.9 km in 52 min 48 sec, 90 km of cycling in 2 hours 57 minutes and 21 km of running in 2 hours and 28 minutes, and entered the Forever Star Book of World Records.

“From 102 kg in 2014, I dropped to 96 kg in 2019 and now I am 75 kg. It is not any magic. I just followed a healthy lifestyle. It happened only when I realised nothing is more important than health when I was 35,” he told The New Sunday Express.

Shrishail says that each day he sets aside 3-4 hours for his fitness. Twice a week he concentrates on swimming, while two days each for cycling and running. He has been following a strict diet under the guidance of his wife, which includes food with less oil, green vegetables, fruits, and oats.

He says, “I want to say that everyone should give more importance to health than money. If you are fit, then you will have everything. Each person should and must contribute time for his or her physical fitness.”

Shrishail says the Half Iron Triathlon in Kolhapur was the first competition he ever participated in and he is happy to fetch a gold medal. He says he knew that he needed a lot of stamina for the competition and he concentrated on playing tennis which boosts stamina, he said.

Shrishail is the first Karnataka police personnel to win the gold in the competition. Now, he is planning to participate in the international Iron Man to be held in Kazakhstan in August 2023. Shrishail, who received the Chief Minister’s Medal for his service in 2019, has been creating awareness on the importance of health and fitness. Because of his efforts, even the other police staff at Ghataprabha police station have started seriously concentrating on fitness.

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Driven by ambition: Bengaluru’s Pragathi Gowda wins the Asia-Pacific final

The first round of the 2020 Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) held in Itanagar saw a young new talent blitzing her way through the competition to secure an overall top 10 finish on her debut. That day, motorsports veterans and enthusiasts felt that the newcomer was a future talent. Within just two years, they were proved right when Bengaluru’s Pragathi Gowda won the Asia-Pacific final of the FIA Rally Star programme held at the Madras International Circuit early last week, beating 26 other drivers, from seven different national motorsport clubs across the continent.

Gowda says she developed her interest in motorsports driving in the city, along with some big encouragement coming from her father and brother. Having to travel often for races, Gowda explains that coming back home helps her re-energise. “Bengaluru is such a wonderful place to live; I adore it! When I’m away, I genuinely miss the city, and I cannot wait to return home,” she says, adding that her favourite way to unwind is with a cup of coffee.

Having started her motorsports career very recently in 2019, Gowda says that getting an opportunity to represent India in an international event has been a dream come true. “I made my country proud with that win, and I will always cherish that achievement,” she says. After a impressive debut in INRC in 2020, she has emerged as one of the most promising racers in the country. However, she says that her experience in INRC was of little to no use during the Rally Star final.

“It was a completely different challenge. The car was radically different compared to the ones I’m used to. It was tricky to drive, as I had no prior experience with a rear-wheel-driven car. Adjusting to the car was a difficult process and it took me a while to get the best times out of it,” shares Gowda, who is self-taught. Despite her struggles to adjust to the car, she says that her comfort with gravel stages gave her the upper hand. “I’m a gravel girl, I always loved driving on dirt.

And I’m hoping that it’ll give me an advantage during the finals next year,” she quips. Despite her achievements, Gowda says the environment in Bengaluru and the wider region are not very supportive of motorsports aspirants. Drawing on her own experiences, she felt that most people view motorsports as dangerous, despite the recent advances in driver safety. “The negative perception acts as a barrier to entry, especially to women,” she says.

“If we had more top-tier international sporting events such as Formula 1, and World Rally Championship happening in the country, it would probably help change people’s perception, while giving motorsports wider exposure.” One day, she hopes to land a seat in the FIA World Rally Championship. And as she prepares for the all-important Rally Star finals in Peru next year, Gowda says the process hasn’t been straightforward as she lacks access to a suitable practice car.

“All this while, it was just me alone trying to make the country proud. But now, I’ll need the country’s help to give me the best possible chance at the next stage. I definitely cannot do it alone,” concludes Gowda.

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Mysuru’s Yoga Champ Kushi Wins Silver At National Games

International Yoga exponent from Mysuru, H. Kushi has bagged Silver Medal in Rhythmic Yogasana contest at the 36th National Games held at Ahmedabad in Gujarat recently. Yoga was included for the first time in the National Games, in which Karnataka won one Gold, two Silver and two Bronze.

Kushi is studying first year Bachelor of Naturopathy and Yoga Degree course at the Government Nature Cure and Yoga College in city. She has been practicing under the guidance of Dr. P.N. Ganesh Kumar of Vivekananda Yoga and Research Centre, Mysuru, for the past 8 years. She is also a recipient of the prestigious Rajyotsava Award.

She is the daughter of H. Kumuda and S. Hemachandra, an employee at Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Ltd., Mysuru, residing in Hebbal. She can be contacted on Mob: 99720-47999.

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Saharsh Prabhu, Trivia Veigas from Mangaluru win Gold in Badminton Championship

Saharsh S Prabhu and Arya T Gowda won Gold medal at Yonex Sunrise under 17 boys doubles and Trivia Veigas and Prathiksha Raj won Gold Medal in Under 17 girls doubles in Karnataka State Badminton Championship at Shivamogga from 28th September to 2nd October

Saharsh S Prabhu is presently studying at Canara Pre University College, Mangaluru and Trivia Veigas is presently studying at Presidency Pre University college Kelarai, Mangaluru.

Both are training under Shreyas of SBA (Smash Block Ace) Badminton Academy Mangaluru.

Saharsh son of Santhosh Prabhu and Smitha Prabhu, Hathill road, Mangaluru and Trivia Veigas daughter of Rajesh Veigas and Sandra Veigas from Paldane, Mangaluru.

Hero Dirt Biking Challenge in Mangaluru sees enthusiastic participation

Hero MotoCorp introduced the Hero Dirt Biking Challenge (HDBC) to serve as a platform for aspiring riders and enthusiasts to showcase their talent. The country’s best amateur off-road riders are chosen from 45 cities

More than 60 passionate motorcycle enthusiasts from Mangaluru, Goa, Mysuru, Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga participated in the Hero Dirt Biking Challenge (HDBC) held on September 24 and 25 at Benjanapadavu near Mangaluru while five were selected for the next round.

Hero MotoCorp introduced the HDBC to serve as a platform for aspiring riders and enthusiasts to showcase their talent. The country’s best amateur off-road riders are chosen from 45 cities. Hero MotoCorp will be awarding a Hero Xpulse 200 4V motorcycle and sponsorship contracts worth ₹20 lakh to the winner and the two runners-up. State 3 of the event was held at Kodman Motopark in Benjanapadavu.

The HDBC event was hosted by Shoeb Khan from Mysuru, a certified FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) official and a professional rally racer. The two-day action packed event included a variety of challenges that the riders had to face. Participants had to go through jumps, a sidewall, whoops and finally park at the stop box with the fastest time, said a release.

Five winners will participate in the next round to be held in Bengaluru. Asad Khan from Chikkamagaluru won the first place while Ishan Chandra from Mangaluru won the second, Samson from Mysuru came third, Suhail Ahmed from Mangaluru the fourth and Safwan Hussain from Mangaluru came in fifth position.

The top 100 chosen riders Nationwide will attend a 5-day regional boot camp following the preliminary rounds. Ross Branch and Joachim Rodriguez, from the rally team of Hero Motosports, will work with the best competitors and offer their advice. The final event of the boot camp will be a race, and the winners will advance to the finals.

Kodman Motopark proprietor Christon D’souza said, “I was truly contented seeing the number of participants at Kodman. This is a great initiative taken by Hero MotoCorp to give opportunity to the motoenthusiasts.”

KodmanMotopark has an off-road track for bikes and 4 wheelers where motorsport enthusiasts can train and hone their off-roading skills.

Belagavi wakes up to Navaratri special — Durga Mata Doud

The proportion of girls and women participating in the event is increasing every year. The event is non-competitive, and the runners are accompanied by music and dance troupes performing along the way. It has had its share of controversies too, given its association with Hindutva organisations

Vaidehi Solapurkar got up before sunrise and got dressed to go for a run. The dress however, is not the running gear with loose fitting T-shirt and track pants. It is a white chudidar, a saffron shawl and a turban.

“It is Durga Mata Doud (run). It is different. You could call it a cultural marathon,” says Vaidehi. The young lawyer has been participating in the event for five years. “The run is held on all nine days of Navaratri in different areas of Belagavi. I try to participate wherever I can. It is refreshing. It reminds me of our glorious past and the valour of kings like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,’’ she says.

Rashmi Kanabargi, a resident of Wadagaon in the old city who is a part of the Dhol Tasha band, says, “I am happy that the run has resumed after three years of COVID-19. I have participated in all the doud on all routes this year. I have introduced several of my friends to the run this year,” she says. This year, the doud started on September 26 and will end on October 5.

They are among the hundreds of girls and boys who join the run in white and saffron. Those who play musical instruments join the band. The runners are called Dharkaris, the Marathi term for ‘warrior’. This is reminiscent of Warkaris, or devotees, who participate in a fortnight-long padayatra to the Vithal temple in Pandharpur, Maharashtra. As the word ‘Dharkari’ suggests, it has a more strident Hindutva overtone. It is actively promoted by Hindutva groups.

“The doud started a few years ago, and was held only on the main road for the first few years. Its success prompted organisers to hold it in various locations in Belagavi,” said Shivaji Salunke, one of the organisers. He points out that the proportion of girls and women participating in the event is increasing every year. The event is non-competitive and the runners are accompanied by music and dance troupes performing along the way.

Ramakant Konduskar, Sri Ram Sena Hindustan leader, said the run is spreading to other towns and villages. “For many years, only Belagavi organised the run. Now, there are similar events in Gokak, Hukkeri, Chikkodi and Bailhongal. By next year, the number of places will increase,” he said. He claims it is a non-political event and that BJP, Congress, NCP, MES and JD(S) activists participate in the event.

Origin of Durga Mata Doud and controversy

The doud was conceived by Manohar ‘Sambhaji’ Bhide, founder of Shiv Pratishtan Hindustan, a Pune-based Hindutva organisation. He was accused of inciting violence after the Bhima Koregaon protest. The charges were dropped later. Mr. Bhide started the doud in Pune in 1984. Now, it has spread to other States. The event was held in Udupi for a day this year.

The doud routes cover the entire city, including some Muslim-dominated areas. Heavy police security is provided in these areas. It is not uncommon to see police personnel run along with the Dharkaris. Some police officers say Hindutva groups are trying to push a communal agenda in the garb of a cultural event.

This year, some men tread on cloth that had the colours of Pakistan’s flag during the run in Maratha Colony, Belagavi. Some persons had put the cloth along with the rangoli and floral decorations on the road that the runners were to take. Police rushed to the spot and removed the cloth.

Mysuru: Medal-Winners In Kickboxing

The following fighters of Appu Fight Club, Mysuru, trained under M.K. Sanjay Kumar, have excelled at the National-level Kickboxing Championship by representing Karnataka Kickboxing Sports Association:

K. Vinay, a student of BGS College, has secured gold medal in K1 (-48 kg) category of WAKO (World Association of Kickboxing Organizations) India National Children and Juniors Kickboxing Championship-2022 held at Kolkata in the month of July.

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Mangaluru girl Rudra Rajeev finishes 2nd in Karnataka State Under 11 Girls Fide Rated Chess Champion

Rudra Rajeev, a 11-year-old girl hailing from city finished runner-up at the Karnataka State Under 11 Girls Fide Rated Chess Championship 2022. Rudra has been selected for the National Championship at Gurugram, Haryana.

Rudra had an unbeaten run in 8 rounds scoring 6 wins and 2 draws and tied for the first place along with Sidhi Rao from Bangaluru. Rudra was adjudged second on tie-breaks.

Rudra is a class 6 student of Lourdes Central School, Bejai and daughter of Nisha and Rajeev residing at Kadri.

Mangaluru: SDM college student Samuel Simson wins silver in South India level shooting

Samuel Simson, a first year LLB student of SDM Law College here won the silver medal in shotgun trap shooting South India Zone level held in Hyderabad and also qualified for National level upcoming event soon. He is the only first shooter from Dakshina Kannada district to have won the silver medal in the state level as well as South India level age of only 19 years.

He is the son of Royprakash Simson and Cheryl Simson, owner of Simson Gun House Bajpe.

Samuel said, “Due to term exams, without practice I could manage to participate in the competition and win the medal, All the credit should go to my father because he supported me.”.

“It is very tough in Mangaluru for the shooters because we don’t have any firing ranges in our district. Hence I requested my father to open one shooting academy in here since he is a leading gun dealer in the country,” he added.