Indian men's 4X100m freestyle relay team in final

 

New Delhi, Oct 4 (PTI) Led by India's biggest hope in swimming -- Virdhawal Khade, the India quartet clocked 3:28.06 to make a cut for the final of the Men's 4x100m Freestyle relay, after they finished sixth in their event at SPM Aquatics Complex, here today.

 

The other three members of the team are Aaron Dsouza, Arjun Jayaprakash and Anshul Kothari.

 

India could make their presence felt in two more categories, even as most of them failed to advance further.

 

In men's 50m backstroke, Badrinath Melkote clocked 27.52 to qualify for the semifinals, while Subha Chittaranjan clocked 29.96 to enter the last four stage in women's 50m butterfly.

 

However, India put up a disappointing show in all other categories, including women's 200m freestyle, men's 400m freestyle, women's 200m individual medley, men's 200m butterfly, women's 50m breaststroke, as none of the swimmers could qualify in these events.

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Bopanna gives India a winning start in CWG tennis

 

New Delhi, Oct 4 (PTI) India were off to a perfect start in the tennis event of Commonwealth Games with Rohan Bopanna demolishing Robert Buyinza of Uganda in straight sets in the men's singles event here today.

 

Bopanna was too good for a player, who has just one ranking point in the ATP charts, as he completed a 6-1 6-4 win in just one hour and two minutes in the first round.

 

The tall Karnataka-lad is scheduled to play a second match today when he pairs up with Nirupama Sanjeev against top seeded Australians Paul Hanley and Rodionova Anastasia.

 

Bopanna today dropped 114 places in the ranking chart to be at 587 but he was coming into the event after playing a crucial role in the Davis Cup tie against Brazil and was hardly troubled by the African player.

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Pak weightlifting team threatens to quit Delhi CWG over flag row

 

New Delhi, Oct 4(ANI): The Pakistan weightlifting team has threatened to pull out of the Delhi Commonwealth Games over a controversy about carrying the national flag at Sunday’s opening ceremony.

 

Weightlifter Shujauddin Malik was to carry the flag and lead the Pakistan contingent at the event, but at the last moment, the head of the contingent, Muhammad Ali Shah, declared that he himself would carry the flag.

 

The issue led to an argument between some members of the team and Shah.

 

However, Shah refused to hand over the flag and led the contingent at the opening ceremony.

 

Meanwhile, weightlifting team coach Sheikh Rashid said that the players participated in the opening ceremony only for the sake of the national dignity.

 

“However, my players will not feature in events and will come back unless Mr Shah apologises to the contingent,” The Dawn quoted Rashid, as saying.

 

According Rashid, several other players and Indian officials were witness to the row.

 

He has appealed to the government to take notice of the incident. (ANI)

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Sonia to inaugurate Ima markets

 

IMPHAL, Oct 3: Chairperson of UPA and president of AICC Sonia Gandhi is expected to visit Imphal in first week of November to inaugurate the three market sheds of Khwairamband Bazar as well as the Tribal Market being constructed at New Checkon. Ahead of the proposed visit of Sonia Gandhi to Imphal, Permanent Invitee of Congress Working Committee (CWC) and Manipur in-charge Luizinho Falerio would be arriving here on October 16 on a two-day visit to inspect whether the three market sheds of Khwairamband Bazar as well as the Tribal Market would be ready for inauguration or not. On the other hand, a Ministerial team led by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh yesterday visited these market complexes to take stock of progress in the construction work.

During the inspection, the Chief Minister gave necessary instruction to all the engineers concerned for ensuring completion of the construction works keeping in mind the preparation being made to inaugurate these markets in first week of November. Sources in Congress Bhavan here said that though the exact date has not yet been finalised, it has received information that UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi would be coming to Imphal in first week of November and MPCC has been directed to prepare a tentative programme and send it. During her visit to Imphal, Sonia Gandhi would not only inaugurate the three newly constructed market sheds of Khwairamband Bazar and Tribal Market but also the newly constructed annexe building of Congress Bhavan and unveil a statue of Mahatma Gandhi to be installed in the Bhavan premises.

MPCC president Gaikhangam led another team of party officials yesterday visited Khongman where the  statue of Mahatma Gandhi is being sculpted, sources disclosed. Sources further informed that to inspect the present state of the construction work on the markets which are being prepared to be inaugurated, CWC member and in-charge of Manipur Luizinho Falerio would be arriving here on a two-day visit on October 16.

While at Imphal, Falerio would also hold a joint meeting with the newly elected office-bearers of MPCC. The names of the office-bearers who have approved by the high command of AICC are also expected to be announced officially in the said meeting. The names of the new office-bearers have been announced on the day of the election of MPCC president with the approval of the Election Observer, Chief Minister and party president. The official stamp of approval from the side of AICC is still awaited.

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CWG to boost Indian GDP by $4.94 mn, 24.7 lakh jobs

 

Commonwealth Games 2010 is expected to result in an overall economic impact of USD 4,940 million on India's GDP during a period of four years ending 2012 and create an employment opportunity close to 24.7 lakh.

 

According to a Games Organising Committee document, this figure is almost three times the economic impact the 2006 Melbourne Games had on Australian GDP. It is estimated that the Commonwealth Games 2010 would result in an overall economic impact of approximately USD 4,940 million on India over the period of 2008-12. It said the 2002 Manchester Games created an impact of nearly USD 3,4000 million in Britain's, while the Melbourne Games created an impact of USD 1,600 million on Australia's GDP. The OC estimates said the Delhi Games are also expected to create an "enormous employment opportunity" of close to 24.7 lakh jobs. The social and environmental impact of the Games will be highly laudable as they are bound to encourage improved standards of education to children, boost sports activities, create a better quality of life and experience for citizens, increase international recognition and create environmental consciousness among the community. However, an NGO Hazard Centre claimed that Delhiites will have to pay a huge price for the "development work" carried out for Commonwealth Games and "in the next 25 to 30 years, each one of them will have to pay a debt in form of increased prices of land, basic commodities and petrol." The report titled 'Heritage Games' claimed that countries which hosted events like Olympics, World Cup and Commonwealth Games have plunged into huge debts after suffering losses. It attributed the economic crisis in Greece to its 16,600 million dollar "adventure" of Athens Olympics four years ago. Mexico, Seoul, Barcelona, Sydney were cities that have followed suit and have incurred losses of many millions of dollars, it claimed. The Games Organising Committee had earlier set up a Commonwealth Business Club India in partnership with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry to encourage and support Indian business community's involvement in the marketing and promotion of Indian sports. The CBCI, headed by OC Chairman Suresh Kalmadi, also aims to draw high-powered offshore business delegations to India during the Games and enable them to leverage the unfolding opportunity of transacting business.

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