Badminton: Prakriti Bharath of Prime Sports Club Qatar excels at Cairo tournament

 

Badminton: Prakriti Bharath of Prime Sports Club Qatar excels at Cairo tournament

 

Prakriti Bharath secured a Bronze medal 🥉🏆at the Egypt International 2024, held in Cairo recently. Playing in her first international tournament in the senior women’s category, and winning a Bronze on her debut is truly commendable,” wrote the Prime Sports Club badminton academy management in their congratulation message to the player.

Prakriti faced a thrilling three-setter against Stefani Stoeva from Bulgaria, the tournament champion. She won the first game 22-20 with an impressive display of skill and agility. Although she couldn’t sustain the same momentum, she gave it her all, finishing with scores of 14-21 and 16-21 in the following games. Notably, Prakriti was the only player to take a game from Stefani.

“Hearty congratulations, Prakriti! 🥰🥰👍👏👏 Focus and work hard more, this is just the beginning of your journey toward achieving your Olympic dreams. We admire your dedication, discipline, and hard work,” Prime Sports added in their message.

“Congratulations to all the coaches who were behind her as a backbone and appreciate their commitment. Also, we wish to congratulate her proud parents for their tremendous support and sacrifices,” the message adds.

The Qatar Badminton Community has also congratulated Prakriti for her success.

“We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Ms. Prakriti. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors and tenure. May she achieve great success!”

For the records, she is ranked world ranking of Badminton World Federation is 12 as off today in the juniors and her best ranking has been 11 while in the senior category her world rank is 451

This year in the 10 international tournaments she has played so far, she has won two gold and 4 bronze medals.

Out of 4 bronze 1 is in senior category an Indian national she has also won titles at the state and national level in the junior and senior categories in the tournaments held in India.

Katara ready to welcome guests for 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar

Gurpreet and Sanju declared winners of AIFF Player of the Year Awards

NEW DELHI: Indian National Team goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, and Sanju are the winners of the 2019-20 AIFF Men's Footballer of the Year Award, and the 2019-20 AIFF Women’s Footballer of the Year Award respectively.

This is the first time Gurpreet has received this prestigious award, and in the process he became the second goalkeeper after Subrata Paul in 2009 to be named the AIFF Player of the Year. The Blue Tigers custodian was elected as the winner on the basis of votes from Hero Indian Super League and Hero I-League club coaches.

“There was always a desire to reach this point and this is an Award which I have always looked up to. Chhetri-bhai (Sunil Chhetri) has won it so many times and I have always thought when I can be worthy enough to win it,” Gurpreet said. “Huge thanks go to AIFF and everyone who has supported and helped me relentlessly to help me achieve this today” he added. “Garnering the all-important draw against Asian Champions Qatar in Doha, eleven clean sheets in last Hero Indian Super League edition, winning the Golden Glove award could not have been possible without the team.”

“A big thank you to all Hero Indian Super League and Hero I-League club coaches who have thought I'm worthy of receiving this award. I'll try my best to live up to the expectations,” he expressed.

The 28-year-old had also received the Arjuna Award last year.

Meanwhile, National Women’s team midfielder Sanju was selected the winner for an excellent season; while Ratanbala Devi was the winner of the 2019-20 Emerging Women’s Footballer of the Year Award. Both the winners were selected by Women’s National Team Head Coach Maymol Rocky in consultation with AIFF Technical Director Isac Doru.

Sanju said, "Personally, it's a big milestone for me. This Award is the proof that all the hard work that we have been doing over the last few years has indeed paid off. I would like to thank AIFF for all the exposure that we have got to grow and to improve ourselves. I'd also like to thank the seniors in our team. All of them have been an immense help to me and have helped me cope with the rigours of international football. I'd also like to thank Maymol ma'am for allowing me the time and the opportunity to grow within the team and express myself on the pitch.”

Ratanbala, who has been a key fixture in the heart of the Indian Women's Team midfield, said, "This is a happy moment in my life, indeed. I've seen some of my teammates bag this award in the previous years, and it is really nice to win it myself this time round. The way our team has grown over the last couple of years is simply phenomenal. I would like to thank the AIFF, my coaches and all my teammates for helping we win this award. This will provide further motivation for us to push ahead in the future."

Furthermore, Men’s National team midfielder Anirudh Thapa was the AIFF 2019-20 Men’s Emerging Footballer of the Year. He was also selected the winner on the basis of votes from Hero Indian Super League and Hero I-League club coaches.

“This news is a breath of fresh air for me and my family -- especially whatever we have witnessed so far in this year. I would like to thank AIFF, all my teammates and coaching staff to help me achieve whatever I could. We have garnered some fantastic performances at the club front as well as for the National team last year but we need to push harder to raise the bar and we can surely do that,” Thapa quipped. “That fact that I was voted by coaches from the clubs makes this all the more special.

The 2019-20 AIFF Award for the Best Referee was by L. Ajit Kumar Meetei from Manipur, while P. Vairamuthu from Tamil Nadu was named the winner of the 2019-20 AIFF Award for the Best Assistant Referee.

“I extend my heartiest congratulations to all the winners. We are really proud of them. They are surely an inspiration for the entire football fraternity in India," AIFF President Mr. Praful Patel averred.

Meanwhile, the 2019-20 AIFF Award for the Best Grassroots Development Programme went to the Indian Football Association (West Bengal).

2019-20 AIFF AWARDS AT A GLANCE

2019-20 AIFF Men’s Footballer of the Year: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
2019-20 AIFF Women’s Player of the Year: Sanju.
2019-20 AIFF Men’s Emerging Footballer of the Year: Anirudh Thapa.
2019-20 AIFF Emerging Women’s Footballer of the Year: Ms. Ratanbala Devi.
2019-20 AIFF Award for the Best Assistant Referee: Mr. P. VAIRA-MUTHU (from Tamil Nadu).
2019-20 AIFF Award for the Best Referee: Mr. L. Ajit Kumar Meetei (from Manipur).
Award for the Best Grassroots Development Programme: West Bengal (based on E-licence courses and Golden Baby Leagues).

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Al Sadd lose to Sepahan but qualify; Al Taawoun shatter Al Duhail dreams

 Al Sadd lose to Sepahan but qualify; Al Taawoun shatter Al Duhail dreams

Doha: Qatar's Al Sadd and Al Duhail had contrasting fortunes in the  2020 AFC Champions League West Zone matches played in Doha. Al Sadd qualified for the round of 16 while Duhail failed to make the cut.

On Thursday, Islamic Republic of Iran’s Sepahan FC ended their 2020 AFC Champions League on a high after defeating Al Sadd SC 2-1 in Group D .

Sepahan had already been eliminated, having collected just four points from their previous five games, while Al Sadd had booked their place in the Round of 16 with a game to spare.

Al Sadd coach Xavi made 10 changes to his starting XI that played out a 1-1 draw against Al Nassr three days earlier, with only centre-back Tarek Salman retaining his place in the team, before being swapped for Abdelkarim Hassan at half time.

After a lively start to the game, Sepahan found the back of the net with their first major chance. Daniel Esmaeilifar sent a long ball down the right flank behind Al Sadd left-back Bahaa Mamdouh allowing Reza Mirzaei to control and lob Salman before firing with his left into the bottom corner to open the scoring in the 14th minute.

Al Sadd regrouped and saw more of the ball in the following minutes with veteran Rodrigo Tabata at the heart of their attacking play.

With eight minutes to go until the break, the 39-year-old drove from midfield and attempted an effort from range that grazed the side netting. Four minutes later he sent a cross from a left-sided set-piece that evaded everyone and needed a save from goalkeeper Seyedpayam Nizamandghader at the far post.

Sepahan retook the initiative in the second half and within six minutes of the restart Soroush Rafiei had beaten goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham with a header from close range but watched his ball ricochet off the upright.

The Iranian pressure mounted on Al Sadd defences, producing a second goal in the 53rd minute. Mirzaei advanced into the byline from the right wing and sent a across that was parried by Barsham into the path of Sajjad Shabazzadeh who applied the finish to double Sepahan’s lead.

Eight minutes before the final whistle, Yusuf Abdurisaq pounced on a light back pass from Esmaeilifar to his goalkeeper and squared for Hashim Ali who was left with a simple tap in to make it 2-1.

The result means Al Sadd finish in second place of Group D with nine points and will face the Group C winners in the Round of 16. Sepahan end their campaign in third place with seven points.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's Al Taawoun FC snatched a ticket to the 2020 AFC Champions League Round-of-16 after defeating Al Duhail 1-0 in Group C on Thursday.

The two sides had met on Matchday Two, when Al Taawoun scored a 2-0 home win courtesy of goals from Mohamed Al Sahlawi and Abdulmajeed Al Swat.

The first half was cagey and featured missed chances by Mohammed Musa, Edmilson Junior and Dudu for Al Duhail as well as Cedric Amissi for the Buraidah based side. Deep into stoppage time in the first half, Cassio expertly denied Almoez Ali who struck from the left.

Junior threatened 55 minutes in, and after a break by his side, the Belgian cut inside from the left flank beating two players before curling an effort in from range that Cassio gratefully clutched into his arms.

Amissi got another chance to make his mark on proceedings when he attempted a free-kick on goal, after teammate Al Sahlawi was fouled down the flank. Amissi’s shot was timid, and keeper Mohammed Al Bakri punched away with ease.

The Burundi man got the exact same chance again from the left flank, this time forcing Al Bakri into a save that resulted in a corner; the one which saw a clashing of heads between Ali and Australian striker Mitchell Duke that took a few minutes of stoppage to treat.

The match exploded into life in the final 10 minutes, with Al Duhail missing a golden chance to open the scoring through Ismail Mohammed, who was through on goal with just the keeper to beat and chipped, but substitute Saad Yaslam managed to reach the ball and clear off the line.

A bandaged Duke then dramatically sealed the tie for Al Taawoun after breaking free from his marker in the area to meet Sultan Mandash’s corner and put the ball past Al Bakri.

The result sees Al Duhail crash out of the competition, while Al Taawoun qualify to the Round of 16 for the first time in their history.

Persepolis' 4-0 win over Sharjah in the other Group C fixture means Al Taawoun will face fellow Saudi side Al Nassr in the next round while Persepolis play Al Sadd.

Pearling Sports Academy to begin operations from September 1 in Al Mansoura

 

Pearling Sports Academy to begin operations from September 1 in Al Mansoura

New venture offers coaching in seven sports, besides ballet and Zumba

 

Doha: A new sports academy in Qatar will be offering seven sports coaching for children under one roof at Pearling Season School in Doha, it was announced on Sunday.

A sister franchise of Stallions Sports Academy, the leading and largest cricket Academy in Doha, Pearling Sports Academy will be beginning operations from September 1 in Al Mansoura, officials of the academy informed.

Stallions Sports began Qatar operations in 2013 led by ICC level 3 qualified coach Sidath Tennakoon at Iranian School in Abu Hamour with cricket as their core game.

Stallions new venture is in a bid to spread out its wings and groom future sports talent in different disciplines.

“When we started our sporting journey in Qatar we started with just cricket as we have progressed over the years, we saw there was a need for more professional coaching in various other disciplines’,” said Ashan Perera, who is the Chief operating officer of Stallions Cricket Academy and one of the several people who got together to provide a platform for people in Qatar to train in cricket.

“It is time to branch out and give children a chance to play and training other sports,” he added.

At Pearling Sports Academy, besides Zumba and ballet, the sports disciplines included are Indoor cricket, football, basketball, gymnastics, kick boxing, swimming and taekwondo.

“We have some experienced coaches drawn from various countries and having a lot of experience, so the parents will be entrusting their children in the hands of qualified coaches,” said Perera.

He informed that on 4th September Pearling Sports Academy will be hosting an Open Day from 3pm to 8pm, wherein children can visit the academy and try their hands at different sports.

Perera also added that two more sports, badminton and football, coaching programs will be available for children at Iranian school in Abu Hamour.

“We plan to have many sports tours and sports events besides camps in the cards in future while the situation turns to normal,” said Perera.

Besides the opportunity for children, both the venues are open for public, which they can renting depending on their needs to get themselves fit and indulge in their favourite sports at a leisurely pace, said Perera.

Interested people who want to enroll for coaching or renting of the Pearling Sports Academy can call 974 7760 0873 or 974 7002 5333. To contact Stallions Cricket Academy at Iranian School call 974 31408994 or 974 33425660.

More information about the Stallions Sports Academy can be found at www.stallionsqatar.com

 

 

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