Category Archives: Sports

Wheels of glory

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion
lying high Aswin has set his eyes on representing India in the Commonwealth and Asian Games next year
lying high Aswin has set his eyes on representing India in the Commonwealth and Asian Games next year

In conversation with JK Aswin, a third-generation cyclist who is winning laurels for the country

Practising a sport requires commitment and dedication but excelling at it needs grit and determination. Coimbatore-based JK Aswin, a gold medallist from the Track Asia Cup 2017 and a third-generation cyclist, talks about his journey in spinning the wheels. Excerpts:

What inspired you to take up cycling?

Coming from a family of cyclists, there was no lack of inspiration and motivation. My grand-dad, late Jayaraman was a member of the national road cycling team from 1958 to 1962. My dad Krishnamoorthy was also a member ofthe national squad from 1984 to 1987. I was a late bloomer, started riding a bike when I was seven years old. I had always been fascinated by my grandad’s and dad’s medals and certificates. once on the bicycle, the joy of riding inspired me to aim for my own collection of medals.

Can you talk a little about your formative years?

In the first couple of years, I spent a lot of time riding with my dad along Kovaipudur and through the villages around Coimbatore. This helped build my riding technique and connect with the bike. My first taste of racing was at the age of 10 in the Tamil Nadu State Cycling Meet in 2009. I finished fourth in the under-13 category. After that, the fun rides were gradually substituted with more intense training. Three to four hours of riding became a norm during weekdays and weekends were booked for hill training sessions in The Nilgiris.

Why did you go in for track racing?

The different disciplines in cycling require specific skills. A 100 km race requires endurance and efficient usage of energy reserves, whereas a track sprint requires muscular power, ability to understand the competitor’s weakness and technique to ace. I was hooked on speed and quick short sprints so I picked the latter. Another key reason was that training indoors was safer than on open roads. We in India are still warming up to cycling as a sport and road users are not used to a bicyclist riding at over 40 kmph.

Aswin02CF21oct2017

How did the transition from state to national level happen?

It started in 2014 when I was selected to train in the national camp hosted by the Cycling Federation of India and Sports Authority of India. The training was scientific and focussed. The regular rides were measured and post-training effects analysed. Speed and duration became secondary parameters and training with heart rate and power was introduced. In time, I got to understand that recovering after a training session was key to performance rather than slogging day in and day out on the bike. The technique was to push the body and mind to higher levels of performance through High Intensity Interval Sessions (HIIT), give the muscles just enough time to recover, gain strength and slot in another HIIT session focussing on another performance parameter.

What about the training camp in Germany?

The big jump came when the Indian squad at the CFI camp enrolled for a three-month training programme in Germany between June and August 17. We were trained by the German national coach in the Cottbus Velodrome. The formula was to train, race, recover and repeat. The team was not allowed to use mobile phones for three months and the training was intense. We also got an opportunity to compete with teams from other European nations and the take-away was immense. Competing with these Olympic standard teams became part of the training schedule and we were able to finetune our understanding of aerodynamics, riding posture and race strategies.

What is next?

The interim goals is to represent India in the 2018 Commonwealth Games to be held in Queensland, Australia. I also have my eye on the Asian Games in August 2018 at Indonesia. Good results in these two will win India a berth in the 2020 Summer Olympics at Tokyo. This would be a big one for us as a nation, as the Indian cycling team would have won a slot to compete in the Olympics after 56 years. The last time India was represented was in 1964 at the Tokyo Olympics.

Achievements

National medallist in Track Championship 2012, 2013 and 2015

Won the National Award for Exceptional Achievement in 2010. The award was presented by then President of India Pranab Mukherjee

Track Asia Cup. Gold in team sprint (men junior) and bronze in sprint (Men junior) at the Track Asia Cup in 2017

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Life & Style> Fitness / by Deepak Samuel / October 20th, 2017

Native breeds in the limelight

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Nature, Records, All, Sports
Sippiparai dog at the show held at Maduravoyal on Saturday. | Photo Credit: V. Ganesan
Sippiparai dog at the show held at Maduravoyal on Saturday. | Photo Credit: V. Ganesan

No registration fee for these dogs, says canine club president

Various breeds of dogs made a beeline to Mettukuppam Main Road in Maduravoyal on Saturday as the two-day All Breeds Championship Dog Show organised by the Madras Canine Club began.

The Labrador Retriever Club of India’s 13th National Show, The Tamil Nadu Rottweiler Association’s Speciality Show, The Indian Association of Doberman Breed Speciality Show and The Madras Canine Club’s All Breed Championship Show saw a number of entries from across the country.

“About 400 dogs of 52 breeds have registered. Over 50 dogs of Indian breeds have also registered. Mudhol Hounds, Rajapalayam and Chippiparai are among the popular Indian breeds. Every dog, as per the rules, has to be microchipped. The cost of a microchip is about ₹500. We are not charging registration fee for native breeds this year. People with other breeds will have to pay,” said C.V. Sudarsan, president, Madras Canine Club. Pointing to the new system of competition among native breeds this year, Mr. Sudarsan said the Kennel Club of India was now making an all-out effort to improve the native breeds.

A. Swaminathan, a participant whose 6-month-old Doberman Pinscher came second, said the show continues to be an opportunity to learn and draw inspiration from other breeds. Software engineer C.Nithyanandan, who brought two of his Rajapalayam dogs from his native village near Gudiyatham, said he wanted to continue work on conserving native breeds.

While the first day of the event saw breeds such as Labrador retriever, Doberman pinscher, Rottweiler and Dachshund competing in different rounds, Sunday will also have other breeds participating in the show.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News>States> Tamil Nadu / by Special Correspondent / Chennai – October 07th, 2017

TKR: a pioneer and a perfectionist

Leaders, Records, All, Sports
FIRST FAMILY OF TENNIS: T.K. Ramanathan with his son Ramanathan Krishnan, daughter-in-law Lalitha Krishnan and grandchidren Ramesh Krishnan and Gowri Krishnan. Photo: Special Arrangement
FIRST FAMILY OF TENNIS: T.K. Ramanathan with his son Ramanathan Krishnan, daughter-in-law Lalitha Krishnan and grandchidren Ramesh Krishnan and Gowri Krishnan. Photo: Special Arrangement

Tenkasi Krishnaiyer Ramanathan. This name casts a spell of reverence, awe, admiration and astounding nostalgia among the tennis fraternity.

TKR, whose birth centenary falls on Wednesday, was not a mere coach who shaped three Davis Cup stars — Ramanathan Krishnan, Ramesh Krishnan and Shankar Krishnan — from his family. He was an institution that etched a new dimension to the art of playing tennis in a classical mould.

The life and times of TKR is a saga of sacrifice; a mirror to an era when austerity and discipline ruled every aspect of existence. Not many in the present generation are aware that TKR had the first feel of a racquet at the age of 23; he bought this for Rs. 34 after selling a piece of his wife’s jewellery.

Overcoming odds

Self taught and steeled to conquer the odds, cashing in on indomitable will, discipline and dedication, which he later made a signature for his wards, TKR climbed the ladder to figure in the final of the all-India hardcourt championship in 1939. If not for World War II, he would have played at Wimbledon.

TKR’s genius lay in purveying the essence of tennis to his wards. A perfectionist, he was a master of the fundamentals. Everyone who passed his rigorous training benefited from the hours of toil on the court. He was never dogmatic. He displayed the instinct to discover the flair in each player and make it flourish.

“He was a motivator and a strategist, who emphasised on groundstrokes, made the trainee to develop a feel of the ball with perfect footwork,” observes a former National level player, V.K. Parthasarathy.

“My grandfather wanted whoever he was coaching to achieve their potential. There were no half measures, it was all, or nothing,” writes his US based grandson, Shankar Krishnan. “His coaching did not stop with tennis… whether Economics, Sanskrit, or driving a car, he was there to help us. His coaching gave us life lessons.”

Biggest influence

Ramesh Krishnan, another grandson, considers TKR “the biggest influence” in his formative years. “He gave me a very good foundation, stressed on consistency, early preparation and concentration. As a child I loved to play with other children, cricket and other activities.

“But grandfather would have none of it. Many times I have been dragged from cricket games right in the middle. Amidst all this, he was able to nurture my love for tennis. He was very passionate about tennis. I have not seen that kind of intensity in too many people,” recalls Ramesh.

For N. Srinivasan, BCCI Secretary, one of his students, TKR was a gentle coaching colossus. “Spartan by nature, gifted with enormous patience and imbued with genuine love for his trainees, he was a rare and endearing personality. His coaching skills and unerring ability to spot talent are part of Madras’s tennis lore,” says Srinivasan.

The tallest of them all, R. Krishnan, reckons TKR “the best coach ever. He was self taught, read a lot and had extraordinary foresight. He predicted years ago how top spin will rule competitive tennis and how professionalism will take over.”

“It is not easy to coach a son, and more so, grandsons,” Krishnan adds. “Many think I coached Ramesh, but it was my father who did that as I was constantly on tour.”

TKR’s dream was to see Krishnan at the pinnacle in Wimbledon. It went unrealised. But the adulation Krishnan earned across the globe filled him with pride. He endured the hardships for giving Krishnan the best environment to pursue a career of excellence.

“It is only the wearer who knows where the shoe pinches,” he once told this writer sitting in the verandah of his modest house in Tiruvengadam Street in Mandaveli.

Tennis is the priority

“Have you heard of a father telling his son to play tennis first and then to study. I had tuition for Kannan — that’s how he called Krishnan — in all the subjects while he was in college. I only wanted him to win at Wimbledon.”

Money was never a factor. Else, he would have persuaded Krishnan to turn professional when Jack Kramer made a fabulous offer.

Concern and welfare of the trainees were TKR’s top priority. Lakshmi Mahadevan, former Asian champion, notes, “When I won the Asian, he was the first to phone me…. He came in person to offer his felicitations when the India rankings were announced. These and so many more lovely moments are evergreen in my memory.” Lakshmi and Krishnan won the Asian titles in the same year, a feat that no other coach has ever achieved.

N. Sankar, who formed a formidable collegiate doubles pair with N. Srinivasan, says, “ Saar, as we referred to him, was forthright in his views. As a coach, he was very strict, and quite voluble in criticism. That most of his trainees were from some of the leading families of Madras made no difference to him. We cared for him that much more because of it.”

When life ebbed out of TKR on Monday, October 8, 1990, tennis lost an ardent devotee. But memories linger and will stay forever.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport> Tennis / by S. Thiagarjan / Chennai – November 03rd, 2010

Jerome powers to victory

Records, All, Sports
Waltzing to victory: Jerome Kumar Savarimuthu of the Army Yachting Node, Mumbai, who won all three races in the RS:X class on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: G. Ramakrishna
Waltzing to victory: Jerome Kumar Savarimuthu of the Army Yachting Node, Mumbai, who won all three races in the RS:X class on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: G. Ramakrishna

His coach optimistic about medal prospects at next year’s Asian Games

Just as the wind gusted, Jerome Kumar Savarimuthu too did, pumping up the pace. It averaged 10 knots in the opening race, climbed to 15 by the second and soared to 18 by the third. The 26-year-old rarely let down his dagger board, preferring power to precision, surging to victory in all three RS:X races of the Hyderabad Sailing Week senior multi-class regatta at Hussain Sagar on Tuesday.

“Speed can make up for other mistakes in a race,” Jerome said. “It gives you room to remain ahead of the fleet and chart the course forward,” he added.

On Tuesday, Jerome’s coach at the Army Yachting Node (AYN), Mumbai was a content man. “Coming to wind shift reading, tacking, gybing or rounding the marks, he’s by far the best in the fleet,” said D.P. Chennaiah. So was he optimistic about his ward’s medal prospects at next year’s Asian Games.

Interestingly, Jerome trailed in the opening leg of the first race, compatriot Ebad Ali completing the beat first. On the second upwind leg, he overtook Ali and Arjun Reddy on the third. Arjun capsized in the next race’s second beat, which Jerome made the most of to zoom ahead and remain in front till the hooter.

On song

By the third race, Jerome was on song. With the winds strong, he pulled up the centre board and rounded the first windward on a single tack.

Riding the strong drafts that persisted, the boom, foot strap and harness were in perfect harmony as he crossed the finish line a clear 100 metres ahead of his nearest rival.

The results (provisional):

RS:X: Race I: 1. Jerome Kumar, 2. K. Arjun Reddy, 3. Ebad Ali (all AYN); II: 1. Jerome, 2. Ebad Ali, 3. Manpreet Singh (AYN); III: 1. Jerome, 2. Manpreet, 3. Arjun.

Laser Standard: I: 1. Vir Menon (RMYC), 2. Harpreet Singh (AYN), 3. Ramesh Kumar (AYN), II: 1. Mujahid Khan, 2. Harpreet, 3. Kundhan Upadhyay (all AYN); III: 1. Mohit Saini, 2. Mujahid, 3. Ramesh.

Laser Radial: I: 1. Harpreet Singh, 2. Sharif Khan (both AYN), 3. Deelip Kumar (EMESA); II: 1. Harpreet, 2. Deelip, 3. G. Bhaskar Rao (AYN); III: 1. Harpreet, 2. Abhimanyu Panwar (RMYC), 3. Avinash Yadav (INWTC, Mumbai).

Laser 4.7: I: 1. M. Koteshwara Rao (Trishna SC), 2. Vivin Vinil (INWTC, Mumbai), 3. Mahesh Balachander (TNSA); II: 1. Ram Milan Yadav (NSS), 2. Ashish S. Roy (Trishna), 3. Vivin; III: 1. Vivin, 2. Ananya Chouhan (EMESA), 3. Koteshwara.

Finn: 1. Naveen Kumar, 2. Prabhit Bala, 3. Swatantra Singh (AYN); II: 1. Swatantra, 2. Sukhvir, 3. Vivek (all AYN); III: 1. Naveen, 2. Prabhit, 3. Vivek.

Helm name first, crew next: 470: I: 1. Ayaz Shaikh & Shubham Patel (AYN), 2. Virender Singh & Sudhanshu Shekhar (INWTC), 3. Atul Lande & Mahesh Yadav (AYN); II: 1. Ayaz & Shubham, 2. Virender & Sudhanshu, 3. Praveen Kumar & Ravindra Kumar Sharma (INWTC, Mumbai); III: 1. Ayaz & Shubham, 2. Virender & Sudhanshu, 3. Prabin & Vijay Singh (AYN).

Hobie 16: I: 1. Kamlesh Kumar Patel & U.B. Rawankar (AYN), 2. Kaushal Kumar Yadav & Girish (AWSA), 3. Pawan Kumar & Nitin (AYN); II: 1. Kaushal & Girish, 2. Pawan & Nitin, 3. Kamlesh & Rawankar; III: 1. Kaushal & Girish, 2. Kamlesh & Rawankar, 3. Pawan & Nitin.

Enterprise: I: Satish Kumar & Rahul M. Nair (AYN), 2. E. Hemant Kumar & Amit Arvind Shinde, 3. Manoj Kumar & Swardeen (both CESC); II: 1. Satish & Rahul, 2. Ashish Patel & Nagen Behera (EMESA), 3. Rajwant Singh & Mukhtiar Singh (CESC); III: 1. Satish & Rahul, 2. Ashish & Nagen, 3. Rajwant & Mukhtiar.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport> Other Sports / by A. Joseph Anthony / Hyderabad – July 04th, 2017

Fish worker’s son nets a silver

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion
Indian beach volleyball player Master Robin, belongs to a fisherman family at Pazhaiyar village, who got second place, returned from France. | Photo Credit: G. Krishnaswamy
Indian beach volleyball player Master Robin, belongs to a fisherman family at Pazhaiyar village, who got second place, returned from France. | Photo Credit: G. Krishnaswamy

Robin’s team returns with runners-up trophy in beach volleyball

Even after a long journey, R. Robin did not feel tired for a minute talking about his team winning silver medal in beach volleyball competition at Tahiti. The class 11 student and his team-mates, Dharun and Swagath, were runners-up playing against Brazil in the championship conducted by the International School Sports Federation.

Hailing from a family of fishermen from Pazhaiyar near Sirkazhi, his father V. Ravi is a fish worker, playing beach volleyball came naturally to the youngster. “Having come in 3rd at the national level, we were sent to play at the international level. We made small blunders, which was the reason the other team won. Next time, I will practise harder and win gold,” said the youngster, whose elder brother R. Radhan too came in runners-up in beach volleyball in the State-level recently.

Robin has been playing beach volleyball for the past three years. “I used to play regular volleyball at school and then someone told us about the beach version. Initially it was difficult playing in the sand and required more energy. We are now used to it. We practise at Nagapattinam in 10-day-long camps,” he said.

In his first international trip, Robin had the opportunity to go around Tahiti. “It was a very beautiful place,” he added.

M. Ilango, president, National Fisherfolk Forum, said the government must recognise the students as they have represented the country at the international level. “The children are both from the State and the Chief Minister should appreciate the under-16 winners. The encouragement would help them go to the next step,” he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Tamil Nadu / by Special Correspondent / Chennai – June 07th, 2017

India’s Bhavani Devi strikes gold in fencing championship at Reykjavik

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Bhavani Devi has also become the first Indian to win a gold medal in an international fencing event.

Bhavani Devi defeated Great Britain’s Sarah Jane Hampson 15-13 in the finals.
Bhavani Devi defeated Great Britain’s Sarah Jane Hampson 15-13 in the finals.

Indian fencer C A Bhavani Devi struck gold in the Turnoi Satellite Fencing Championship at Reykjavik (Iceland). Bhavani Devi, who hails from Chennai, defeated Great Britain’s Sarah Jane Hampson 15-13. En route to the final, she also defeated Jessica Corby 15-11 in the semifinal.

With this win, Bhavani Devi has also become the first Indian to win a gold medal in an international fencing event. She had previously won a silver medal.

“This is my third time in this competition. I have lost in quarterfinals in previous years. Now I have won my first medal. It is also the first medal in world level competition as I have won medals in Asian and Commonwealth championships,” a delighted Bhavani told PTI from Reykjavik.

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Sports> Sports Others / by Express Web Desk / May 28th, 2017

To take a cue and succeed

Education, Records, All, Sports
S Shrikrishna at a billiards tournament
S Shrikrishna at a billiards tournament

Chennai :

I don’t have fear in my game,” proclaims S Shrikrishna. While this may seem a tad arrogant at first, he explains that it’s just a mantra he follows. “Both my father and coach once told me a line: ‘Don’t fear your opponent, make him fear you’. And that’s exactly what I try to do in every match; it has helped me succeed,” adds the Chennai lad.

For those wondering, Shrikrishna is the National Junior Billiards champion. His next outing will be the ongoing 12th R Murugesh & Chintamani Memorial all-India Open Snooker Tournament in Erode.

True to his word, the 17-year-old is not worried about things like his national champion status or the fact that he will be a home favourite in the upcoming tournament. “I don’t let such things bother me. This is the second time I’ll be participating in the Erode event and I know what I’m capable of. My focus is to improve match after match and not worry about what the opponent thinks of me or what strategy they will employ,” says Shrikrishna.

His initiation into cue sports was when as a 10-year-old he witnessed his parents take to the green table at the Mylapore Club. But what happened after is more interesting. “When I saw my parents play, I knew I wanted to give it a try as well. But at that time the rules said that children below 12 aren’t allowed to play. My father then took the issue to the manager, who allowed me to play a few shots. That is when he realised I was good at it. They changed the rules immediately after,” says Shrikrishna who is a Class 11 student at National Public School, Gopalapuram.

He performed consistently well, even entering competitions soon enough. “I joined my coach, Nadeem Ahmed at the Tamil Nadu Billiards & Snooker Association (TNBSA) premises soon after the Mylapore Club episode. Unlike others, I started competing a couple months after picking up the stick for the first time. It was only due to the support of my coach and father that this was possible,” he adds.

Shrikrishna is entering a crucial phase in life; he is going to appear for the Class 12 exams next year. But Shrikrishna has it all figured out. “I can’t take a chance with my boards. The nationals will be next January, and that will be the last event I will participate in before the exam.”

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Ravi Iyer / Express News Service / April 27th, 2017

Tamil Nadu girl bags silver in Asian youth chess championship

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Cuddalore :

A 13-year-old girl from Neyveli, Cuddalore district, clinched silver medal in the Asian youth chess championship held at Tashkent, Uzbekistan. L Jyothsna overcame stiff competition from players from 13 countries, to finish second in the under 14 girls’ category in the Asian event.

This is her maiden medal in an Asian event in which she lost a round, drew two and won six. She also clinched bronze medal in the Blitz chess championship and finished fifth in the Rapid chess championship of the same meet. Another girl from India, D Jishitha from Andhra Pradesh, who lost a round, drew one and won seven, clinched the gold medal.

Nurgali Nazerke from Kazakhstan, who lost two rounds, drew three and won four rounds, had to be content with the bronze medal. Indian players fared better in championships, topping the medals tally with 12, followed by the host nation (Uzbekistan) with 10 medals.

A Class 7 student of St Joseph of Cluny matriculation higher secondary school, Neyveli, Jyothsna was selected to represent the country in her category for the second time in an Asian event after her stellar performance in the national level chess championship organised by the All India Chess Federation at Ahmedabad in 2016, where she bagged the bronze. She could not make a mark at her maiden appearance at the 2016 Asian championship at Mongolia in which another Indian Divya Deshmukh bagged the title in her category.

After a disappointing performance in the 2016 Asian championship where she finished fourth she was determined to fare well in this year Asian event. A positional player she played exceptionally well overcoming the attacking game of others and secured silver medal. We are happy about her performance and hope she will improve by leaps and bounds in the seasons to come,” said her father K Lakshminarayanan, an executive engineer at the NLC India Limited, while appreciating the company for sponsoring her expenses.

Jyothsna, whose highest ranking was number two in her category in the country, has been consistently performing well at the national events, winning bronze medal in 2015 (under-11) at Puducherry and finishing fifth in 2013 (under-9) at Chennai, besides bagging last year’s national bronze medal. She had also bagged gold medal (under-11) in the 2015 state level chess championship at Nagappatinam and silver medal (under-13) in the 2013 state level chess championships at Nagercoil.

Her only ambition is to become a woman grandmaster. “There are seven women grandmasters in the country. I would like to play more open tournaments so that I can face many grandmasters and consistently defeat them to achieve my dream. I have been training more than six hours a day for the last two years,” Jyothsna said.

Her coach and NLC India Limited deputy chief manager (sports development centre) Fide master A Pavanasam said Jyothsna is a passive but very solid player. “She does not want to lose and hence tends to play for a draw. We are trying to mould her into an attacking player, which will bear more fruits,” Pavanasam said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Chennai News / by Bosco Dominique / TNN / April 27th, 2017

Proponent of a rare martial art

Records, All, Sports, World Opinion
Prashanth Kota in action at Helios Academy of Marshal Arts in Adyar | Photo Credit: special arrangement
Prashanth Kota in action at Helios Academy of Marshal Arts in Adyar | Photo Credit: special arrangement

Prashanth Kota promotes Brazilian Jiu Jitsu which is based on the philosophy that strength does not guarantee success

People often find their life mission in the school of hard knocks. For Prashanth Kota, there is a literality to this statement.

“There was a point in my life when it was all about wanting to be the biggest and strongest guy in the gym,” recalls Prashanth. This goal ceased to be appealing to Prashanth when he began to train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ).

“On the first day, Cary Edwards, my BJJ trainer at First Impact MMA, tossed me around like my size didn’t matter at all,” he says.

Following that ‘walloping’ from his trainer, Prashanth knew in his bones that BJJ would make up a big part of his life. And it has. For, today, Prashanth holds a blue belt in BJJ and has competed in international BJJ tournaments. He has won a silver medal at the national level and a bronze medal at the Central Asian level. BJJ has done much for Prashanth and the most significant lesson it has taught him is that the “conventional big body” is not necessary to succeed in martial arts/ sports. BJJ is not about being the strongest and biggest. It’s about having the right technique, timing and leverage, explains Prashanth.

Driven by the desire to share with others what he has learnt from BJJ, Prashanth started Helios in Adyar.

Affiliated to the Ribeiro Jiu Jitsu Association, Helios trains people for tournaments and also helps them develop strength irrespective of their build. For his students, Prashanth demystifies the complex sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, breaking it into simple steps that could be easily learnt and practised.

For Prashanth, BJJ is a way of life, not just a sport. He calls it the ‘BJJ lifestyle’. The ‘sensei’ says, “Taking up BJJ as my full time job is the best decision I have ever made in my life.” Prashanth can be contacted at 8939115522.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Varsha Saraogi / February 24th, 2017

Snooker Champion: He Started with Tennis, Ended up with cue sports

Education, Records, All, Sports
Srikrishna recieving the Young Achiever award
Srikrishna recieving the Young Achiever award

Did you know that the current World Amateur Snooker Champion is a school student  from Chennai?. CE chats with Shrikrishna S on beginning out with tennis and ending up with cue sports

Chennai :

From slamming forehands on the tennis court to potting cue balls at the snooker table, young Shrikrishna S has straddled two different games successfully. The Class 11 student of National Public School is the current World Amateur Snooker Champion, the latest addition to his achievements in a short cue sports career. He was recently awarded the Young Achiever Award by Rotary Club of Madras East, where CE caught up with him for a quick chat.

His foray into cue sports happened by chance. As a child, he was more of a tennis player, but didn’t want to run a lot! He chuckles, and adds. “I chanced upon billiards when I was at the Mylapore Club where I saw my father play. I wanted to give it a try but I was told that children under 12 weren’t allowed in the room.” After some sweet talking, the member-in-charge allowed him to attempt a few balls, which he fortunately potted into the pockets. “After that, they changed the rules and height requirement for me,” he grins.

Shrikrishna’s father coached him for the first 10 months. When he started showing more promise, Nadeem Ahmed, a professional coach, took over. “He kept pushing me to improve my game and I owe a lot to him. Often, he would discuss techniques with my father and let him teach me rather than do it himself. This helped since my father had his own ideas and techniques,” says Shrikrishna.
The cueist’s record is testament to his talent. He has won a hat-trick of titles at the National U18 Billiards Championships (2015, 2016, and 2017), the National U18 Snooker Championships (2016, 2017) and also won all 6 titles in State Championships for the second consecutive year. He recently won gold at the IBSF World U21 Billiards Championship in Adelaide, Australia. “Representing the country at an international championship was a novel experience,” he shares. “I always make it a point to set targets for myself. I always try to outperform myself. Even if I lose a match, I will be satisfied if I play to my targets.”

Shrikrishna also has a regular fitness regimen, swimming daily for two hours. He attributes his weight loss and improvement in game to this and his swimming coach Shanmugham. He acknowledges the sacrifices his parents have made and says they are his personal role models. “Without them, I wouldn’t be a champion — they are my biggest supporters. I’ve also received lots of support from my teachers and faculty at school, where they’ve been very accommodative about studies and exams,” smiles the young champion. For the same reason, his first priority is on finishing his schooling, though he plans to go professional.
He is also inspired by two great contemporary sportspersons. “My role model is Christiano Ronaldo because he is a good human being. He refuses to have a tattoo because he donates blood, and he’s a lover of all sports! And even though I’ve stopped tennis, I am a big fan of Roger Federer. I often get excited watching his matches!” he grins. “Maybe once I finish with billiards, I can take it up again…” he adds thoughtfully.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Chennai / by Gokul M Nair / Express News Service / February 24th, 2017