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Rising badminton star Unnati set to rock Khelo India Youth Games

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Rohtak in Haryana is known more for physical, contact sports like wrestling, hockey, basketball and volleyball — sports in which the district has done very well over the years.

However, a budding shuttler is hoping to put badminton in the list of medals for Haryana at the Khelo India Youth Games set to start here in a few days.

Unnati Hooda, who recently burst onto the badminton horizon, has given the city a different star with her smashes, drop shots, crisp returns, and slick netplay.

Come June 3, this Class X pass out from DBG Senior Secondary Public School, Rohtak will be one of the names to watch out for at the Khelo India Youth Games. She has set her eyes on the gold already.

Though the baby of the contingent, Unnati, 15, has turned out to be a threat to many established stars too, recently getting the better of even Saina Nehwal at the India Open.

Later, Nehwal had words of praise for the youngster, saying she was a champion in the making. This was after she won the Odisha Open too in January, becoming the youngest Indian to win a Super 100 event.

Unnati learned the game at the Chhotu Ram Stadium in Rohtak, famous for producing top wrestlers including Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik.

But her father Upkar was always passionate about badminton and wanted his daughter to take up the sport, which she did and made him proud.

“It was beyond my expectations. She is good in both sports and studies, and I wanted her to excel in badminton,” Upkar, who quit his teaching job to concentrate on his daughter’s career in badminton, was quoted as saying by the organisers of the Khelo India Youth Games on Saturday.

She was a member of the women’s team for Uber Cup 2022 at Bangkok, which incidentally was her first trip abroad as part of the India team. In the last six months, Unnati has lifted her standard through sheer hard work and was excited to rub shoulders with her idol PV Sindhu.

“It was exciting playing alongside Sindhu, something every budding player dreams of,” Unnati gushed. “I follow all her (Sindhu) matches. I like her determination and her discipline. And to win two Olympic medals is no ordinary feat,” she added.

“We are happy to have her (Unnati) for the Youth Games, I am sure she will be an inspiration for everyone out there,” said the badminton games manager Sunita Singh of KIYG, commenting on Unnati’s participation at these games.

National

Will stand with wrestlers till justice is not delivered: Cong

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Hours after Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur called the wrestlers for a meeting, the Congress on Wednesday took swipe at the BJP government for remaining silent on the harassment of the players, and said that the grand old party “will stand with the daughters till the time justice is not delivered”.

Addressing a press conference here, Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda, when asked about the Union Sports Minister calling wrestlers for a meeting, said, “Congress will support the daughters till justice is not delivered to them. It is unfortunate that the government is treating the daughters with step motherly treatment as the wrestlers have to knock on the Supreme Court doors for registering an FIR.”

Hooda said that it’s been one and half months and the government and the Delhi Police have not made any arrest.

“Isn’t it the first case where the accused have not been arrested. In such an FIR with serious charges, it is the first example that no arrest has been done as one BJP MP is named as an accused. What kind of example the government is setting. What kind of standard they are laying?”

The Rajya Sabha MP said that the government remained silent when the wrestlers went to immerse their medals in the Ganga in Haridwar.

“Why was the sports Minister silent and no one from the government issued any statement urging them to stop their act of immersing their medals? And even selective leaks are being made in the media to harm their protest,” he said.

“Whatever stand our daughters take after the meeting we will listen to that and will ensure that we stand with them for justice,” he added.

His remarks came after Thakur on Wednesday invited the wrestlers for a meeting to have discussion.

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National

Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia at Minister Anurag Thakur’s residence for talks

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Protesting wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik arrived at the residence of Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur on Wednesday.

Sakshi came along with her husband Satyawart Kadian, an Arjuna awardee. Olympian Vinesh Phogat was missing though her husband Somveer Rathi was seen entering the minister’s residence.

The protesting wrestlers have been invited by the government for the second time days after they met Home Minister Amit Shah.

In January, too, the wrestlers met Anurag Thakur at his residence and called off their protest after a committee was formed. At that time, former wrestler and BJP leader Babita Phogat played the mediator’s role.

Earlier, talking to Wednesday, Sakshi Malik said, “We will keep everything open. We won’t take any decision behind closed doors. We will discuss the proposal given by the government with our seniors and supporters and only when everyone gives their consent that the proposal is fine, then will we agree.”

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International

‘I’m happy here’: Cristiano Ronaldo pledges to continue at Al Nassr in Saudi Pro League

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Portugese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has vowed to continue at Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia despite walking away empty handed in this season. The 38-year-old has earmarked the tournament to be among the top five in the world.

Ronaldo, who signed a two and a half year contract with Al Nassr, scored 14 goals in 16 games in the season, with his side standing second behind Al Ittihad in the Saudi Pro league. However, there were speculations about how long will he stay as reports of swap deal with Saudi-owned Newcastle United emerged, who have now qualified for next season’s Champions league.

In an official Saudi Pro League interview, the star footballer revealed:

“I’m happy here, I want to continue here, I will continue here. And in my opinion, if they continue to do the work that they want to do here, for the next five years, I think the Saudi league can be a top five league in the world. I expected to win something this year, but we didn’t, but next year I’m really positive, but next year I’m really positive and confident that things will change and we go in a better way.”

Cristiano Ronaldo suggests he is still adjusting to strange training timings in Saudi Arabia:

Ronaldo also revealed how contrasting the training timings in Europe and Saudi Arabia are, elaborating:

“In Europe, we train more in the morning, but here we train in the afternoon or evening and in Ramadan, we train at 10 at night. So this is strange but as I tell you, these situations are part of an experience, memories. I like to live these moments because you learn with these things.”

With 837 goals in 512 games, Ronaldo is the combined highest goal scorer in history.

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