India's <keyword id="20419517" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nitesh-Kumar" source="keywords">Nitesh Kumar</keyword> and <keyword id="20475563" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Thulasimathi-Murugesan" source="keywords">Thulasimathi Murugesan</keyword> had little difficulty overcoming country-mates Suhas Yathiraj and Palak Kohli in the opening group stage match of <keyword id="22963824" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="badminton-mixed-doubles" source="keywords">badminton mixed doubles</keyword> (SL3-SU5) at the Paralympic Games here on Thursday. However, mixed doubles duo of Sivarajan Solaimalai and <keyword id="22963825" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nithya-Sre" source="keywords">Nithya Sre</keyword>, seeded second, lost their SH6 group play stage match in straight games to the American pair of <keyword id="22963826" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Miles-Krajewski" source="keywords">Miles Krajewski</keyword> and Jayci Simon. <br /><br /> The Nitesh-Thulasimathi duo won the Group A contest 21-14, 21-17 in 31 minutes. <br /><br /> Nitesh, 29, who hails from Karnal district in Haryana, and young Thulasimathi, a veterinary science student from Tamil Nadu who had won the mixed bronze at the <keyword id="20418133" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Asian-Para-Games" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Asian Para Games" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Asian Para Games">Asian Para Games</keyword> in Hangzhou, encountered little challenge in the first game and at one stage they were leading by seven points. <br /><br /> Unable to counter the pair's net play and deep tosses, Suhas and Palak quickly found themselves trailing, losing the game in just 14 minutes. <br /><br /> The second game too went on similar lines with Palak clearly not able to match the prowess of her senior partner on court and giving away points. <br /><br /> SL3 players have moderate impairment on one side of the body, affecting either both legs or the absence of limbs, while SU5 players have significant impairments in their upper limbs. <br /><br /> In Group B, Sivarajan and Nithya gave a tough challenge to the American pair before going down 21-23, 11-21 in 35 minutes in SH6 category. SH6 is for badminton players with short stature. <br /><br /> Sivarajan, who trains at the Pullela Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad, and partner Nithya were equal to the task in the opening game and also took a slender one-point lead but the young American pair, who are both in their late teens, were too agile on court and fought for every point. <br /><br />The second game turned out to be one-sided with the tiring Indians losing in just 14 minutes.

Paris Paralympics: Nitish-Thulasimathi duo makes winning start in badminton mixed doubles

As the <keyword id="20201477" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paris-2024-Olympics" source="keywords">Paris 2024 Olympics</keyword> unfolds, <keyword id="20430758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-athletes" source="keywords">Indian athletes</keyword> are poised to shine on the global stage, promising thrilling performances and unforgettable moments. This week, from August 1 to August 6, India's sports enthusiasts have a packed schedule of must-watch events.<br /><br />Key highlights include the promising <keyword id="20241095" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Manu-Bhaker" source="keywords">Manu Bhaker</keyword> in the <keyword id="22628612" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="25m-Pistol-event" source="keywords">25m Pistol event</keyword>, a high-stakes <keyword id="6362179" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hockey" source="Orion">hockey</keyword> match between India and Belgium, and <keyword id="30621" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="badminton" source="Orion">badminton</keyword> prodigy <keyword id="20123154" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lakshya-Sen" source="keywords">Lakshya Sen</keyword>'s crucial games. With each athlete carrying the hopes of a nation, the coming days are set to showcase the spirit and talent of Indian sports, making it a week not to be missed.<br /><h2>Thursday, August 1</h2><h3>11:30 AM: Men’s 20km Race Walk</h3>Indian athletes competing: Vikash Singh, Paramjeet Singh Bisht and Akshdeep Singh<br /><h3>12:30 PM: Golf Men’s Individual Stroke Play Round 1</h3>Indian athletes competing: Gaganjeet Bhullar and Shubhankar Sharma<br /><h3>1:00 PM: Shooting (Kusale wins Bronze medal)</h3>50 Rifle 3 Positions Men’s Final with Swapnil Kusale<br /><h3>1:20 PM: Women’s 20km Race Walk</h3>Indian athletes competing: Priyanka<br /><h3>1:30 PM: Hockey</h3>Men’s Pool B with India v Belgium<br /><h3>2:30 PM: Boxing</h3>Women’s 50kg Preliminaries Round of 16 with Zareen Nikhat vs China’s Wu Yu<br /><h3>1:00 PM: Men’s Individual Archery</h3>1/32 Elimination Round with Pravin Ramesh Jadhav vs China’s Kao Wenchao<br /><h3>3:30 PM: Shooting</h3>50m Rifle 3 Positions Women’s Qualification with Sift Kaur Samra and Anjum Moudgil<br /><h3>3:45 PM: Sailing Men’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Vishnu Saravanan<br /><h3>4:30 PM: Badminton</h3><ul><li>Men’s Doubles Quarterfinal with Shetty/Rankireddy vs Malaysia’s Chia/Soh</li><li>Men’s Singles Round of 16 with H S Prannoy and Lakshya Sen</li></ul><h3>7:05 PM: Sailing Women’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Nethra Kumanan<br /><h3>10:00 PM: Badminton</h3>Women’s Singles with V Sindhu Pusarla vs China’s HE Bing Jiao<br />        <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112191180" title="Swapnil Kusale wins Bronze in men&amp;#39;s 50m rifle 3 positions event, India’s third medal at Paris Olympics 2024" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Friday, August 2<br /></h2><h3>12:30 PM: Golf</h3>Men’s Individual Stroke Play Round 2 with Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar<br /><h3>12:30 PM: Shooting</h3>25m Pistol Women’s Qualification Precision with Esha Singh and Manu Bhaker<br /><h3>1:30 PM: Shooting</h3>Day 1 of Skeet Men’s Qualifications with Anant Jeet Singh Naruka<br /><h3>1:00 PM: Mixed Team Archery</h3>⅛ Elimination Round with India v Indonesia<br /><h3>1:00 PM: Rowing</h3>Men’s Single Sculls Final D with Balraj Panwar<br /><h3>1:30 PM: Judo</h3>Champ-de-Mars Arena Mat 1 with Tulikaa Maan vs Cuba’s Idalys Ortiz<br /><h3>3:45 PM: Sailing Women’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Nehtra Kumanan<br /><h3>4:45 PM: Hockey</h3>Men’s Pool B with India v Australia<br /><h3>7:05 PM: Sailing Men’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Vishnu Saravanan<br /><h3>9:40 PM: Women’s 5km</h3>Round 1 with Ankita and Parul Chaudhary<br /><h3>11:40 PM: Men’s Shot Put Qualification</h3>Indian athletes competing: Tajinderpal Singh Toor<br />        <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112164992" title="India&amp;#39;s Lakshya Sen stuns world number 3 to secure pre-quarterfinal spot in men&amp;#39;s badminton at Paris Olympics" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Saturday, August 3</h2><h3>12:30 PM: Shooting</h3>Day 1 of Skeet Women’s Qualifications with Raiza Dhillon and Maheshwari Chauhan<br /><h3>1:00 PM: Archery</h3>Women’s Individual ⅛ Elimination Rounds with Deepika Kumari vs Germany’s Michelle Kroppen and Bhajan Kaur vs Indonesia’s Diananda Choirunisa<br /><h3>3:45 PM: Sailing Men’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Vishnu Saravanan<br /><h3>5:55 PM: Sailing Women’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Nethra Kumanan<br /><h3>12:02 AM: Boxing</h3>Men’s 71kg Quarterfinals with Nishant Dev vs Mexico’s Marco Alonso Verde Alvarez<br />        <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112102370" title="Who is Manu Bhaker, the first Indian woman to win a Bronze Medal in Shooting at the Olympics?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Sunday, August 4</h2><h3>12:30 PM: Shooting</h3>Stage 1 of 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men’s Qualification with Vijayveer Sidhu<br /><h3>3:02 PM: Boxing</h3>Women’s 75kg Quarterfinals with Lovlina Borgohain vs China’s Li Qian<br /><h3>3:35 PM: Sailing Men’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Vishnu Saravanan<br /><h3>6:05 PM: Sailing Women’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Nethra Kumanan<br />        <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112168919" title="Ticket collector like Dhoni, son of female sarpanch makes rare Olympic final" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Monday, August 5</h2><h3>1:30 PM: Table Tennis</h3>Women’s Team Round of 16 with India v Romania<br /><h3>3:45 PM: Sailing Women’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Nethra Kumanan<br /><h3>6:10 PM: Sailing Men’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Vishnu Saravanan<br />        <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112137862" title="&amp;quot;Took me long to overcome&amp;quot;: History-maker Bhaker on her Tokyo Olympics 2020 gun malfunction" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Tuesday, August 6</h2><h3>1:30 PM: Table Tennis</h3>Men’s Team Round of 16 with India v China<br />

25m pistol with Manu Bhaker, Lakshya Sen pre-quarterfinals: Don't miss these exciting Indian Olympics games from Aug 1-6!

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Seventeen known couples are competing in the Paris Olympics, creating unique dynamics.</li><li>Psychologist Isabelle Morley said shared experiences can strengthen relationships.</li></ul><p>There are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/paris-olympics-games-couples-married-dating-engaged-olympians-2024-8#german-soccer-player-lea-schueller-competed-at-the-olympics-for-the-first-time-this-year-alongside-her-partner-austrian-sailor-lara-vadlau-4">17 known couples</a> participating in this year's Olympics in Paris, and they are having a moment.</p><p>For some, the Olympics has inspired them to take their relationship to the next level.</p><p>Chinese badminton stars Liu Yuchen and Huang Ya Qiong got engaged after Huang won gold in the mixed doubles.</p><p>Meanwhile, Argentine handball player Pablo Simonet proposed to his field hockey girlfriend Maria Campoy.</p><p>Others have enjoyed joint success in their respective fields.</p><p>Fencers <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukranian-olympian-dedicated-win-to-fellow-athletes-killed-by-russia-2024-7">Olga Kharlan</a> and Luigi Samele both won bronze for their countries, while Italian swimming-fencing fiancés Gregorio Paltrinieri and Rossella Fiamingo took it a step further and won medals in the same hour as each other.</p><p>There was even a potential lovers-to-enemies-back-to-lovers storyline, with rumored exes Katerina Siniakova and Tomas Machac winning gold at the tennis mixed doubles together.</p><div type="image" title="Gold medalists Katerina Siniakova and Tomas Machac of Team Czechia pose for a photo on the podium during the Tennis Mixed Doubles medal ceremony at the Paris Olympics 2024" height="512" width="683" msid="112349957" hostid="261" sizebytes="39134"></div><p>Competing in such a highly-charged environment as the Olympics might sound daunting for anybody, let alone for those doing it while in a committed relationship with someone as competitive as them.</p><p>But that doesn't mean these relationships are doomed, said clinical psychologist Isabelle Morley. They may even become stronger.</p><p>"Talk about a great opportunity for intense social bonding," said Morley, who provides individual and couples therapy in Boston.</p><p>"It's an incredible shared experience to have."</p><div type="image" title="Hunter Woodhall and Tara Davis-Woodhall react after Davis-Woodhall won the women's long jump final on Day Nine of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Track &amp; Field Trials" height="683" width="1024" msid="112349956" hostid="261" sizebytes="85962"></div><p>Morley told Business Insider that being an Olympic couple is a unique experience—somewhat like being a celebrity.</p><p>"Even in the best of relationships without media attention, it's hard to not feel a little bit left behind if it seems like your partner is excelling and getting validation in a way that you aren't."</p><p>The media attention can also prompt reflection and analysis of your relationship more than is probably helpful, and it would be really important for Olympic couples to be able to talk about that, Morley continued.</p><div type="image" title="Alex de Minaur of Australia and Katie Boulter of Great Britain during the Mixed Doubles second-round match during the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships" height="683" width="1024" msid="112349960" hostid="261" sizebytes="43044"></div><p>Another potential hurdle in the relationship is the extensive time the partners spend apart during training sessions.</p><p>In a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://fcbayern.com/frauen/de/news/2022/12/lea-schueller-und-lara-vadlau-im-interview">2022 interview</a> published on FC Bayern Munich's website, German soccer player Lea Schüller and her partner, Austrian sailor Lara Vadlau, talked about competing in the Olympics for the first time together.</p><p>"I find it really helpful because both of us understand what you have to do for your sport, that you're away a lot and don't see each other that often. Otherwise, it would be really hard," Vadlau said.</p><p>"On the other hand, if I wasn't a sportswoman we could see each other a lot more often," Schüller said.</p><div type="image" title="Married U. S. fencers Lee Kiefer and Gerek Meinhardt answer questions during a press conference ahead of the Olympics in Paris, France Wednesday 2024." height="700" width="1024" msid="112349954" hostid="261" sizebytes="32968"></div><p>Morley agreed that being apart like that could take a toll.</p><p>"At the Olympics, they're focused fully on themselves and their performance — as they should be — and that could mean they can't really fully be each other's emotional support at the time."</p><p>Some couples work around that by training together, like former British Olympic triathletes Stuart Hayes and Michelle Dillon.</p><p>"The great thing about being a pro-athlete triathlon couple is you can train together and structure your day around each other rather than against each other," they said in an previous <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://uk.shokz.com/blogs/news/story-behind-the-scenes-of-a-pro-athlete-couple-answers-to-questions">interview</a>.</p><div type="image" title="Gregorio Paltrinieri and Rossella Fiamingo are seen front row at the K-Way fashion show during the Milan Menswear Fall/Winter 2023/2024 on January 14, 2023 in Milan, Italy." height="683" width="1024" msid="112349953" hostid="261" sizebytes="97962"></div><p>Speaking about the issues or outsourcing it to a third party like a therapist, family member, or friend could help process difficult feelings that could hinder the relationship, said Morley.</p><p>In Morley's opinion, however, it is very possible for couples to come out of the Olympics stronger than ever — together and as individuals.</p><p>"There is so much room for individual work and growth if you're in this situation," she said. "Why is this getting to me so much? Is their success actually eclipsing me and making me less valuable in this relationship, or is that my own stuff that I have to work on? Am I not seeing myself having enough value just being a person in this relationship?"</p><p>What is more, the shared experience of going together to the highest competition in the world is one that cannot be forgotten easily.</p><p>"Not just the wonderful outcome with all of the bells and whistles, but to have someone notice the bad parts of it — training however many hours a day, crying at night because they're not feeling ready, wondering if they should back out fighting with teammates — we haven't seen any of that, but their partner has."</p><p>"And that's incredible."</p>

Olympic couples are mixing romance with competition in Paris. It's not necessarily a bad thing, says a psychologist.

It was a "moment to cherish" for <keyword id="53763" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pramod-Bhagat" source="Orion">Pramod Bhagat</keyword> who on Saturday clinched India's first <keyword id="30621" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="badminton" source="Orion">badminton</keyword> gold in <keyword id="6387644" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="paralympics" source="Orion">Paralympics</keyword> and he attributed his win against Great Britain's <keyword id="4324036" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Daniel-Bethell" source="Orion">Daniel Bethell</keyword> in the finals to a strategy that he devised after losing to the same opponent in the past.<br /><br />Reigning world champion Bhagat beat Bethell 21-14, 21-17 in the summit clash. Another Indian, <keyword id="23353" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Manoj-Kumar" source="Orion">Manoj Kumar</keyword> won the bronze after beating Daisuke Fujihara in the third place play-off.<br /><br /><div type="twitter" handle="Tokyo2020hi" handlename="#Tokyo2020 for India" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1221978814495854595/bUI2yuI7_normal.jpg" favoritecount="2257" retweetcount="588" status="World Champion, and now Paralympics Champion 👑Here's the moment when Pramod Bhagat scripted history. #Gold medall… https://t.co/eJDlQItBnp" createdat="1630753381000" id="1434109742268526597"></div><br />With badminton making its debut at the Paralympics this year, Bhagat, the current world No. 1, thus became the first Indian to win a gold medal in the sport.<br /><br />"This is a very proud moment for me. I'm representing the Indian badminton community and India as a whole," Bhagat said after winning the gold.<br /><br />"This is the first time that para badminton is appearing in the Paralympics and winning the first gold medal for India is a moment to cherish for me," said 33-year-old from Odisha.<br /><br /><div type="twitter" handle="narendramodi" handlename="Narendra Modi" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1249934092994375680/xX66NSZP_normal.jpg" favoritecount="18360" retweetcount="2861" status="Pramod Bhagat has won the hearts of the entire nation. He is a Champion, whose success will motivate millions. He s… https://t.co/s8uH8NCdLd" createdat="1630753764000" id="1434111347256606721"></div><br />Bhagat, who had contracted polio when he was 4 years old, avenged his loss to Bethell at the Japan Para Badminton International in November 2019.<br /><br />"I played the same opponent in Japan two years ago and I lost. That was a learning opportunity for me.<br /><br />"Today it was the same stadium and the same environment, and I devised a strategy to win. I was very determined."<br /><br />    <div type="image" title="India at Tokyo Paralympics  copy" msid="85925456" hostid="83"></div><br />On his strategy, Bhagat said, “I just focused on playing the shuttle on each and every point rather than on winning the whole game. Every point was precious."<br /><br />Bhagat also remains in contention for a bronze medal in mixed doubles SL3-SU5 class. He and his partner Palak Kohli will square off against the Japanese pair of Daisuke Fujihara and Akiko Sugino in the bronze medal play off on Sunday.<br /><br />They had lost the semifinals 3-21 15-21 to Indonesian combination of Hary Susanto and Leani Ratri Oktila earlier in the day.<br /><br />Bhagat picked up the sports after watching his neighbours play. Initially, he competed against able-bodied players before getting into competitive para badminton in 2006.<br /><br />He eventually emerged as one of the best para shuttlers in the country with 45 international medals under his belt, including four world championship gold medals and a gold and a bronze in 2018 Asian Para Games.<br /><br />He also had started his career as a badminton coach but took a break in 2019 to focus on <keyword id="3653803" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tokyo-paralympics" source="Orion">Tokyo Paralympics</keyword> qualification.<br /><br />In 2019, he received the Arjuna Award and Biju Patnaik Award for Excellence in Sports in India.<br /><br />SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/icici-lombard-gets-final-approval-to-acquire-bharti-axa/articleshow/85923283.cms">ICICI Lombard gets final approval to acquire Bharti AXA</a><br /><br /><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/news/tokyo-paralympics-shooter-manish-narwal-clinch-indias-third-gold-singhraj-bags-silver/articleshow/85918377.cms">Tokyo Paralympics: Shooter Manish Narwal clinch India's third gold, Singhraj bags silver</a><br />

Pramod Bhagat wins India's first badminton gold in Paralympics

Starting today, August 29, India is ready to demonstrate its prowess and win its best-ever medal haul at the <keyword id="20396851" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paralympics" source="keywords">Paralympics</keyword>. On the schedule for Thursday are preliminary rounds in at least 12 sports, including badminton, archery, taekwondo, and table tennis.<br /><br />For the women's individual compound open ranking round, the spotlight will be on the para-archer Sheetal Devi along with <keyword id="22963010" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sarita-Devi" source="keywords">Sarita Devi</keyword> for the same event. Sheetal came to the limelight after she won two gold and a silver medal in the <keyword id="20418133" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Asian-Para-Games" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Asian Para Games" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Asian Para Games">Asian Para Games</keyword> in 2023.<br /><br />In para-badminton, we will see in action Sukant Kadam, Manoj Sarkar, Suhas Yathiraj, Manasi Joshi, Tarun Dhillon, Nitesh Kumar, Thulasimathi Murugesan, Manish Ramdass and Palak Kohli in their respective group stage matches. <br /><br />Here is India’s full schedule for day 1:<br /><br /><h2>1. Para-Badminton <br /></h2>Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5 (Group Stage)<br /><br />Nitesh Kumar/Murugesan Thulasimathi vs Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj/Palak Kohli (12 PM)<br /><br />Mixed Doubles SH6 (Group Stage)<br /><br />Sivarajam Solaimalai/Nithye Sre Sumathy (12:40 PM)<br /><br />Women's Singles SL3 (Group Stage)<br /><br />Mandeep Kaur (2 PM)<br /><br />Manasi Joshi (2 PM)<br /><br />Men's Singles SL4 (Group Stage)<br /><br />Sukant Kadam (2:40 PM)<br /><br />Suhas Lalinakere Yathira (3:20 PM)<br /><br />Tarun (3:20 PM)<br /><br />Men's Singles SL3 (Group play)<br /><br />Nitesh Kumar vs Manoj Sarkar (4 PM)<br /><br /><h2>2. Para-Cycling</h2>Jyoti Gaderiya - Women's C1-3 3000m Individual Pursuit Qualifying (4:25 PM)<br /><br /><h2>3. Para-Archery (From 4:30 PM)</h2>Harvinder Singh - Men's Individual Recurve Open (Ranking Round)<br /><br />Sarita, Sheetal Devi - Women's Individual Compound Open (Ranking Round by 4:30 PM)<br /><br /><h2>4. Para Badminton</h2>Palak Kohli - Women's Singles SL4 (Group play) - 4:40 PM onwards<br /><br />Murugesan Thulasimathi - Women's Singles SU5 (Group play) - 5:20 PM onwards<br /><br />Sivarajam Solaimalai - Men's Singles SH6 (Group play) - 7:30 PM onwards<br /><br />Manisha Ramadass - Women's Singles SU5 (Group play) - 7:30 PM onwards<br /><br />Nithya Sre Sumathy - Women's Singles SH6 (Group play) - 7:30 PM onwards<br /><br />Krishna Nagar - Men's Singles SH6 (Group play) - 7:30 PM onwards<br /><br /><h2>5. Para-Archery (8:30 onwards)</h2><br />Shyam Sundar Swami, Rakesh Kumar - 8:30 PM onwards<br /><br />Pooja - Women's Individual Recurve Open (Ranking Round)<br /><br />Sheetal Devi-Rakesh Kumar, Sarita-Shyam Sundar Swami - Mixed team Compound Open (Ranking Round) - 8:30 PM onwards<br /><br />Harvinder Singh-Pooja - Mixed team Recurve Open (Ranking Round) - 8:30 PM onwards<br /><br /><h2>6. Para-Taekwondo</h2>Aruna - Women K44 - 47kg - 8:30 PM onwards<br /><br /><h2>7. Para-badminton</h2>Nitesh Kumar/Murugesan Thulasimathi - Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5 (Group play) - Not before 10:10 PM<br /><br />Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj/Palak Kohli - Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5 (Group play) - Not before 10:50 PM<br /><br />Hopes are high as India is expecting that these performances could result in India's best-ever medal tally in Paralympics.<br /><br /><br />

India's Schedule At Paris Paralympics 2024, August 29

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The top female <keyword id="13560740" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pickleball" source="Orion">pickleball</keyword> player said she used to think the sport was "for old people."</li><li>Anna Leigh Waters and mom, Leigh, are doubles partners dominating the competition.</li></ul><p>This teen pickleball pro is going to need a bigger trophy room.</p><p>Indeed, the darling of the ever-expanding pickleball universe is a 15-year-old from Florida who inadvertently picked up the sport at age 10.</p><p>And as Anna Leigh Waters, the youngest pickleball champ in the country and <a href="https://www.ppatour.com/player-standings/#ws">current No. 1</a> women's singles player in the world, tells Insider, she's just getting warmed up. The teen spoke from her home in Delray Beach after a winning a stunning Professional Pickleball Association Tour title in Women's doubles in Austin, earning herself some more shiny hardware to add to her put-upon mantle.</p><p>But it's not always easy explaining to people what you do, especially in a sport whose name few people recognized until recently. And it's even harder defending it from a bad rap, which includes the perception that it's a benign pastime for the septuagenarian set when they get bored of mah-jongg. </p><div type="image" title="The 15-year-old champ is all focus on the court." height="3648" width="5472" msid="90690163" hostid="261"></div>"I can see how people think it's an old person's sport," said the spunky Waters, who's known for her signature long blond braid, reminiscent of a young Anna Kournikova from that other sport. "Before I started playing, I thought the same thing. Then my mind was blown."<p>As a 10-year-old in the fall of 2017, she and her mom fled Hurricane Irma bearing down on south Florida for her granddad's place in Pennsylvania. When the avid pickleballer invited his nonplussed granddaughter to get her feet wet, she grudgingly humored him. "He asked us if we wanted to play pickleball, and I was like, 'No, not really,'" she recalled. But it all changed once she picked up her first paddle: "I was immediately hooked and wanted to play every single day."</p><p>She's in good company. The pickleball craze has swept a rapt country, courting a ragtag group of celebs, including "Friends" star Matthew Perry, "Vanderpump Rules" stars <a href="https://www.bravotv.com/vanderpump-rules/style-living/lala-kent-randall-emmett-pool-pickleball-court-photos">Lala Kent and Randall Emmett</a>, cranky comedian Larry David and Leonardo DiCaprio, all of whom reportedly play. There's even a forthcoming celebrity pickleball <a href="https://deadline.com/2022/03/celebrity-pickleball-special-cbs-stephen-colbert-funny-or-die-1234978928/">CBS special called "Pickled,"</a> set to air later this year. A new glossy magazine, dubbed the InStyle of pickleball – and appropriately named "InPickleball" – debuted last year. (Waters and her women's doubles partner — and mother — Leigh, graced the cover.)</p><p>It's culminated in a league of some 4.8 million players, according to <a href="https://usapickleball.org/about-us/organizational-docs/pickleball-fact-sheet/">The USA Pickleball Association</a>, and has grown exponentially since its modest 1965 beginnings on Bainbridge Island, Washington. In the last two years alone, its popularity has grown by 39.3 percent. "It's exploded," said Waters, noting that she used to have to explain the sport to her seatmates on flights to tournaments a couple of years ago. Now, she's recognized by fans on the street.</p><div type="image" title="Anna Leigh Waters and mom, Leigh (right), are a doubles dream team" height="3648" width="5472" msid="90690164" hostid="261"></div>For the uninitiated, pickleball is an electrifying hybrid of <keyword id="11897437" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tennis" source="Orion">tennis</keyword>, ping pong, and badminton. The court, which looks just like a tennis court, but covers about a quarter the size, is played with paddles and plastic wiffle balls. It's fast-paced, and shots are so quick it can give you whiplash. Rallies are exhilarating but long – a single point can have 60 strokes — but it's all part of the deceptive athleticism at the heart of the sport. <p>After playing locally every day and cultivating her game, Waters turned pro at 12 and won the Nationals the same year in women's doubles with her mom, Leigh, 42, a former competitive college tennis player. The pair are considered to have revolutionized the sport, adding a thrilling dose of hard-hitting power to the otherwise finesse-driven sport. </p><p>"We played differently from everybody else," Waters said looking back to those early days, when the duo brought their brash tennis skills and style to the pickleball court. "A lot of people do credit us with changing the game to a more aggressive style.... We out there ripping the ball as hard as we could. They call us bangers." She wears it as a badge of honor. "Bangers are cooler than dinkers, I'm just sayin'," she joked, noting the style of play that hews to a softer, slower game. </p><p>The constant travel around the country for tournaments multiple times a month works well with her homeschooling schedule, which she's had since she was 8. And Waters is fresh off her first triple crown win — nabbing women's doubles, singles, and mixed doubles wins in the same tournament — in Port St. Lucie in March. "That's my biggest accomplishment yet," said Waters, who's earning street cred as well as serious bank. Every tournament's purse varies, but Waters said that the $6,000 to $10,000 prize money — split if it's doubles — leaves babysitting money in the dust. There's also matched moolah from sponsors and bonuses. "And recently the tournaments have been giving appearance fees for players," she said. With their prize money, the mom and daughter splurged on a gold Chanel necklace that they share.</p><div type="image" title="Pickleball has exploded in popularity over the past few years." height="3620" width="5430" msid="90690169" hostid="261"></div>There are of course other advantages to the pro circuit — like playing with football phenom Larry Fitzgerald Jr. and <keyword id="12989844" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="michael-phelps" source="Orion">Michael Phelps</keyword> in a celebrity charity game this past winter. Not a terrible pickle to be in for Waters, who said that playing with the Olympic swim champ was thrilling, especially watching him warm up with his signature grandiose arm swings — even if the results were lackluster. "He should stick to swimming," she said tactfully, noting that another GOAT, Tom Brady, is also reportedly into the sport. Her dream matchup is the Waters women versus Brady and Rob Gronkowski. <p>Waters is modest about her meteoric rise, but chalks it up to luck — and genetics, coming from her tennis-playing mom and golfer dad. "It's just some talent that I have that I honestly think is in the genes," she said demurely of her improbable and unstoppable ascension. "I went from being a 3.0 player at age 11 to winning the [women's doubles] national championships at 12," she said of her 2019 historic victory, which the team repeated in 2021 after a year break during the pandemic. "It was so unbelievable — it's super cool to win."  Her most lethal shot is her <a href="https://www.gaithersburgpickleballclub.com/blog/backhand-roll-ben-johns">backhand roll from the "kitchen line"</a> — a quick, surprising power shot with topspin at the kitchen line, hit just at the right time to either win the point or set up a put away shot.</p><p>But the drive is all self-derived, Waters said, revealing a story about the nature of her unquenchable competitive spirit. Her family gently teased her about cheating at the board game, Candy Land, when she was a kid. "I've always been super competitive," she said. "I don't like to lose, which I think is a good and bad thing."</p><p>Not bad at all, considering that this year alone she scored four out of the five wins in mixed-doubles events, two of five wins in women's doubles events, and won all five singles events, maintaining her No. 1 world ranking.</p><p>And it's in her women's doubles play with her "best friend" and mom that makes the game particularly meaningful. "We're really good about not letting results get in the way of our relationship," she said of the duo, 28 years apart, but who look more like twins in their matching electric neon outfits on court.  "We say we have this intuition on the court," a shorthand about what shot the other is going to make that doesn't happen with a random partner. "When we're on the court, we're equals," she said.</p><p>For Leigh, a former lawyer who left the court of law for the pickleball court three years ago, this newfound fame has been surreal. She and Anna Leigh are even jeered on court."We've had to deal with fans trying to heckle you and get in your head. It happens a lot. You get a couple of fans of your opponent, and they can get pretty ugly," Leigh said, some of whom are given warnings. </p><p>The mom said that her daughter's tender age is no longer an issue, but it's a long way from being an arriviste on the circuit a few years ago, when the competition wanted her out of the way. "Opponents would try to get her removed from events because of her age," the mother said. The argument? "It's not fair a kid is beating an adult, it's not fair to the adult." </p><p>As for Anna Leigh, she has no plans to slow down and wants to expand the sport to a younger generation and dreams about playing pickleball under five famous rings. "The Olympics would be super cool. It would be amazing to represent my country," she said. </p><p>But for now, she'll settle for the energy her fans feed her during matches, when hundreds and even thousands of passionate spectators show up. "I love when crowds are into the match and when the stands are packed and they're rowdy. I love when they cheer for me," said the teen queen of the sport, taking all her historic success  in stride. "It's super cool to finish a point or match and see the crowd erupt — it makes me play better."</p>

The top pickleball pro in the world is a 15-year-old who used to think the sport was for "old people"

<ul><li>With one Gold, two silver and four bronze, India recorded its best-ever medal haul at the Tokyo Olympics this year, which ended on Sunday.</li><li>As the Tokyo Olympics came to an end, we talk to experts to find out who will land the most <keyword id="6359405" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="brand">brand</keyword> endorsement deals, and whether the new players will become as attractive to brands as someone like <keyword id="501707" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="PV-Sindhu">PV Sindhu</keyword>.</li></ul>This year at the Tokyo Olympics, Mirabai Chanu, Neeraj Chopra, Ravi Kumar Dahiya, PV Sindhu, Lovlina Borgohain, Bajrang Punia brought joy to a billion hearts by bringing home one gold, two silver and three bronze medals. India’s hockey team also clinched a bronze after 41 years. This was the first time that India has managed to secure seven medals across varied sporting events. India also had the largest contingent ever of 127 athletes travelling to Tokyo who participated in 69 cumulative events across, the highest ever for the country. With this historic win, underrepresented athletes and sports are back in the limelight in the endorsement world. <br /><br />Indian brands also made sure that they leave no stone unturned in celebrating our athletes and their glorious win. The first athlete to bring back a medal for India this year was 26-year-old weightlifter, Mirabai Chanu. Shortly after her win, she was also offered free pizza for life by <a href="https://twitter.com/dominos_india/status/1418934590950027269">Domino's </a>and the brand garnered a lot of attention from the press and the internet for this gesture. Hospitality brand <a href="https://twitter.com/rohitisb/status/1424620158929162243">OYO </a>also offered women’s hockey team a chance to stay at any of their hotels in India. Apart from that, small start-ups to masters like Amul, brands made the most of our gold-winning moment at the global stage to congratulate Neeraj Chopra, who became independent India’s first Olympian to win a medal in athletics/track and field. <br /><br />According to Facebook, Neeraj Chopra was the second most mentioned athlete on its platform across the globe, whereas on Instagram, he was the most mentioned athlete globally. <br /><br />Over the years, we have seen brands spend the most on players from popular sports like cricket. While athletes get some screentime in ads closer to tournaments like Olympics, very few brands have long-term deals with most of these athletes, unless it is someone like a PV Sindhu, who has been around for a while now and has won many accolades and tournaments for the country. So with the curtains falling on Tokyo Olympics and the next Olympics games still being three years away, will brands bring the newer winners or even players who came really close to bringing medals home? <br /><br />This year, however, many of the athletes have received a lot of attention from brands. It was not just Sindhu or Neeraj Chopra, who aren’t new to the endorsement world; other new medalists Mirabai Chanu, Ravi Kumar Dahiya, Lovlina Borgohain and Bajrang Punia have also received an overwhelming response. Slowly and steadily, brands in India are branching out from cricket and looking to associate with budding sports stars to connect with the youth. We spoke to experts to find out who will land the most brand endorsement deals among the six medalists and hockey team. <br /><br />Aviral Jain- Managing Director, Duff &amp; Phelps - A Kroll Business said, “We think it will be a combination of both, though PV Sindhu now carries the tag of “She did it again,” which is unique and privileged. Other non-cricketing sports celebrities such as Hima Das, T. Gopi, Manika Batra, and Deepika Kumari have recently done well in terms of brand endorsements, driven by their splendid individual achievements on the field. Major brands like PepsiCo (PV Sindhu, Neeraj Chopra and Hima Das), Tanishq (Manika Batra and Deepika Kumari), and ASICS (Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, etc.) have successfully associated with various non-cricketing celebrities, and with these non-cricketing wins at the Tokyo Olympics, we can surely expect a greater share of athletes in the advertisement campaigns going ahead.”<br /><br />Anjan Ghosh - Executive Vice President- Hansa Research also echoes these views. He said, “In all probability, more brands will sign up PV Sindhu; her brand standing has gone up substantially, having won medals in multiple Olympics. Brands that want to stand for consistency, fidelity, and grit will find Sindhu a compelling endorser. Also, those who wish to appeal to the young, aspiring women eager to achieve will try to harness Sindhu’s determination and intent and infuse these into their brand personality. The best part is that her success is not a flash in the pan; longevity is something that many brands aspire.”<br /><br />Sahil Chopra, Founder &amp; CEO- iCubesWire said that apart from Sindhu, India’s national sport might also gain more attention this year. “I guess it will be a mix of both known faces and new faces, but yes, the likes of PV Sindhu who have refreshed the memories, will have an edge over the new ones. Only exception to this could be hockey, being the national sport and the way it has captured people’s hearts in the past.”<br /><br />According to media reports, Sindhu currently has 10 deals with Bank of Baroda, Bridgestone Tyres, Visa India, Google, real estate firm Pooja Developers, Chinese sports brand Li Ning, Stayfree, PNB Metlife, Sharechat and Vizag Steel. Experts said that her brand value is likely to double after her incredible performance. But Sindhu is just getting started. The 26-year-old shuttler still has a long career ahead of her, and we expect to witness more iconic wins from her.<br /><br />TRA Research’s CEO, N. Chandramouli said, “PV Sindhu’s winning medals twice in succession is a phenomenal performance at the Olympics. Her value seems to have gone along with her second-time win, and would nearly double. She is young yet, and still has at least one more Olympic Games to look forward to, and so more years of sporting success ahead of her.”<br /><br />On whether Sindhu and Chopra will attract the most brand roles or will newer medalists also get a chance, he added, “All Olympic medal winners from India will gain, some a little more than others. The newer medalists are just starting off, so it's only natural that they will have to prove themselves consistently to see their brand value increase.”<br /><br />Jain also said that Sindhu’s fees and her popularity is likely to double. “Today, she is the undisputed queen of the Indian brand endorsement market (women sportspersons) with more than 10 endorsements and more than 7 million followers on social media. And we expect both the number of brand endorsements and the endorsement fee to increase significantly post her phenomenal success at the Tokyo Olympics, resulting in a significant increase in her brand value.”<br /><br />New-age brands are more likely to onboard the new medalists as their fees is substantially lesser than a seasoned athlete. Mirabai Chanu and Lovlina Borgohain, who recently won Silver and Bronze medals, respectively, in the Tokyo Olympics seem to have caught the attention of many brands. While Mirabai Chanu is currently associated with brands like Adidas and Mobil, her endorsement portfolio is expected to rise post her success at the Olympics.<br /><br />“Not all brands will look for Lovlina and Mirabai given the lesser fan-following for these sports (as compared to say badminton or hockey) – however, those brands that want to epitomize empowerment for women, a burning desire to break into the mainstream from the fringes, or stand up against many adversities may try to build a narrative around personalities like Lovelina / Mirabai. Categories that are looking for evolution through innovation / competing against the conventional might want to weave a story around such personalities – say, solar panels, unconventional energy, electric bikes etc,” said Ghosh. <br /><br /><strong>Is the sports ecosystem really changing?</strong><br /><br />With cricket matches being limited this year, brands are banking on Olympic stars to gain consumer attention and stay relevant. However, cricket still gets the bigger piece of the pie. <br /><br />Sahil Chopra is eager to see a sporting ecosystem where all sports get their due, equal recognition. He said, “I would personally love to see the change and this will be good for the ecosystem as well as the audience. The current ecosystem is so cricket-centric at times it isn’t good for the brand recall when you end up seeing the same faces all the time.”<br /><br />Ghosh said that while there is certainly going to be a change in the fortunes of other Indian athletes/sports stars, especially with the surge in enthusiasm over sports other than cricket, and many will see better brand endorsement contracts coming their way – however, a significant difference might take more time.<br /><br />He said, “Not sure whether the sports marketing ecosystem has changed in a radical way – the support / patronage is still lukewarm; the efforts are still guarded. Other sports stars are enjoying higher popularity and getting better visibility but the gap with cricket is still painfully wide.”<br /><br />Jain told us how a marketer evaluates new endorsement opportunities looking at the extent of media coverage given to the sport, the tournament’s share in the national media broadcast, and finally, the degree of relevance a player has for the audience. So, it is important for new medalists to stay in the news. <br /><br />He said, “While the Indian arena has a wide range of sports being followed by the masses, cricket continues to dominate and maintain a strong hold on the endorsement front. Lately, with the advent of professional leagues (on the lines of the IPL) for other sports like kabaddi, football, badminton, etc., brands and advertisers are favorably looking at these non-cricketing opportunities. However, brand endorsements by non-cricketing sporting stars in India are largely driven by individual visibility; this is in comparison to endorsements for cricketing stars that could be “across the board.” Brands typically feature athletes for their grit, patience and determination, and this helps in targeting millennials and Gen Z who are seeking new aspirational figures. With multiple Olympic achievements this year across non-cricketing sports (badminton, hockey, boxing, wrestling and weightlifting), these sports stars will definitely get more attention going ahead.”<br /><br />After a historic performance at the Olympics this year, experts are hopeful that non-cricketing sports stars will also bag more brand deals.<br /><br />  <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="85102342" title="As PV Sindhu takes 20 brands to court for using her name and image without permission, here's how agencies and brands can be careful with moment-marketing in the future" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><br />

Will the brandverse give equal attention to all medalists of Tokyo Olympics or will PV Sindhu be the biggest gainer?

<ul><li>Dunzo unveils new brand mascots inspired by its various users.</li><li>Dunzo has curated a series of characters inspired by the varied demographic of their users, delivery partners and merchants who have contributed to Dunzo's rise as a delivery service of choice. </li></ul>As a platform built for delivery partners, merchants, and users, Dunzo’s philosophy has always been centered around all its customers. During the first stage of its Brand Mascot Campaign, Dunzo put Delivery Partners at the heart of all its communications, led by the spirited mascots Dunya and Harri. Dunya and Harri who have undeniably become a natural extension of the brand, are recognised easily across channels <br /><br />As an expansion of the first brand campaign, Dunzo has taken a conscious call to imbibe it’s hashtag, #VareityMakesUs. Dunzo has curated a series of characters inspired by the varied demographic of their users, delivery partners and merchants who have contributed to Dunzo's rise as a delivery service of choice. <br /><br />The idea that #VarietyMakesUs is deeply embedded in Dunzo’s value system, and repeatedly emphasized in many of their campaigns in the past. With the inception of the ‘Duniverse’, a strong closely knit community of Users, Partners and Merchants, Dunzo wishes to drive home the message that the real strength of our world lies in diversity and it truly is variety that makes us<br /><br />As the Duniverse continues to grow, more characters and narratives from the Dunzo world and try to push this relevant conversation around inclusivity and representation, forward every single time. <br /><br /><strong>Meet the characters of Duniverse</strong><br /><br />The ‘Duniverse’ of mascots comprise an eclectic mix of characters who bring with them their own traits and quirks. Keeping with the spirit of inclusivity, Dunzo conceptualized six true blue Indian mascots, (2 partners, 2 merchants and 2 customers) of varied demographics, gender identities, religious ideologies, harmoniously coexisting in this thriving ecosystem. <br /><strong><br />Dunya Dundekar (delivery partner)<br /></strong><br />She's bold, brilliant, and badass. She's the pride of Pune, and will zip to your door at lightning speed. Mess with her, and you'll have a front row seat to watch her serve some savage Karate chops.<br /><br /><strong>Harri U.P (delivery partner)</strong><br /><br />He'll take care of your smallest needs with the biggest heart. When this mast macha from Bangalore is not delivering to doorsteps, he is busy making short videos with his killer dance moves on social media.<br /><br /><strong>Shelfali Aloowalia (Merchant)<br /></strong><br />This businesswoman is a full-time hustler. She’s busy on her phone running her grocery store "Kirana Firana" in the heart of Delhi and using her Dunzo dashboard to run orders from home. Being the newly crowned champion at Vasant Vihar Badminton Association, she has no trouble shuttling between multiple tasks - at home or at work! <br /><br />        <div type="image" title="dunzo shefali" msid="78102593" hostid="261"></div><br /><strong>Stewart Sodawala (Merchant)<br /></strong><br />This bindass bawa from Mumbai can whip up a storm at a moment's notice. Aside from entertaining his guests with delightful stories at his cafe "Dhinchak Dhansak", he can be found striking conversations and coins at neighbourhood kabaddi tournaments. Even in during notorious rains, Stewart’s partons never miss out <br /><br />      <div type="image" title="Stewart" msid="78102767" hostid="261"></div><br /><strong>Lana Doorjee (User)</strong><br /><br />She's sassy, and she's stylish. This medical student from Kohima doubles down to make the most of every moment. Her home business of making decorative candles and her mindful meditation sessions have helped her find the calm among the chaos.<br /><br />        <div type="image" title="dunzo lana mascot" msid="78102615" hostid="261"></div><br /><strong>Asghar Ismile (user)</strong><br /><br />This charming chetta is enthu about literally everything. Being one of the well-known investment bankers of Kochi, he credits philanthropy to be the reason behind his permanent smile. Although he never has mood swings, he's often seen swinging the club at the local golf course. <br />        <div type="image" title="dunzo asghar mascot" msid="78102629" hostid="261"></div><br />Dunzo will be adding the characters on its app as well. <br /><div type="image" title="1 (1)" msid="78103118" hostid="261"></div><br /><em>*Each character has been visualised and designed in a signature illustration style. </em><br />

You Searched For "badminton mixed doubles" and got 8 results

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The top pickleball pro in the world is a 15-year-old who used to think the sport was for "old people"

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Will the brandverse give equal attention to all medalists of Tokyo Olympics or will PV Sindhu be the biggest gainer?

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