WEIGHTLIFTING
India clinches silver on Day 1 of Asian Youth & Junior Weightlifting Championships 2025
Pungni Tara clinched a silver medal in the 44 kg weight category (Youth Girls) with a total lift of 141 kg on the opening day of the 2025 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships 2025 in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Her individual lifts included snatch of 60 kg, clean & jerk of 81 kg, recording a total weight of 141 kg.
With this performance, Tara secured a gold in clean & jerk, resulting in a silver in total lift.
Results
India results (Semifinals):
Boys: u-13: D. Ayaan bt Y. Liu (Chn) 12-10, 11-8, 7-11, 11-6; S. Muhammad (Pak) bt Amarya Bajaj 11-5, 11-1, 11-2; u-15: K. Nauman (Pak) bt Aryaman Singh 11-5, 11-1, 11-5;
u-17: Aryaveer Dewan bt MNBK Aqil (Mas) 11-7, 11-3, 11-7.
Girls:
u-15: Saanvi Kalanki bt Chung KY (Hkg) 3-1 (11-7, 5-11, 11-8, 8-3 (retd.); u-17: Harleen Tan (Mas) bt Anika Dubey 11-5, 11-5, 8-11, 11-7; u-19: Anahat Singh (Ind) bt Whitney Isabella (Mas) 13-11,11-6, 11-6.
-Team Sportstar
INDIAN FOOTBALL
NorthEast United FC signs forward Lalbiakdika on a long-term deal
NorthEast United FC announced the signing of forward Lalbiakdika Vanlalvunga on a long-term contract that will keep him at the club until the end of the 2027 season.
Vanlalvunga, 25, joins the Highlanders from Aizawl FC following the conclusion of his contract with the I-League side.
At Aizawl FC, he registered eight goals and nine assists in 37 appearances over two seasons. His performances in the 2024–25 campaign — five goals and six assists in 20 matches — played a crucial role in helping his side avoid relegation.
“Coming from Mizoram, I’m truly delighted to join NorthEast United FC. It’s a club that represents the region and one I’ve always dreamed of playing for,” Vanlalvunga said.
“Lalbiakdika is an excellent addition to our forward line. He is consistent, intelligent, and one of the most promising Indian attackers. His versatility gives us depth in the final third, and I am confident that, with the right environment, he can develop into a top-level professional,” Juan Pedro Benali, Head Coach, NorthEast United FC, said.
Lalbiakdika becomes NorthEast United FC’s second Indian signing of the summer, following the arrival of Lalrinzuala Lalbiaknia. The duo will link up for the Highlanders up top as the 2024 Durand Cup champions kick off their pre-season in Guwahati on 13 July.
-Team Sportstar
SQUASH
India secures three bronze medals, four final berths at 32nd Asian Junior Individual Championships 2025
Saanvi Kalanki, Anahat SIngh, Aryaweer Dewa and Ayaan D will play the final in their respective categories.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Saanvi Kalanki, Anahat SIngh, Aryaweer Dewa and Ayaan D will play the final in their respective categories.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
India continues its stellar performance at the 32nd Asian Junior Individual Championship 2025, securing four final berths and three bronze medals in the semifinals.
Aryaveer Dewa entered the boys U-17 final, while Ayaan D qualified for the U-13 summit clash. Top-seed Anahat Singh made it to the U-19 girls final, and Saanvi Kalanki reached the U-15 girls final.
India also clinched three bronze medals – Amarya Bajaj in the boys U-13 category, Aryaman Singh in the boys U-15 and Anika Dubey in the girls U-17.
-Team Sportstar
GOLF
Indian golfers face early exit from Irish Open
Things were looking bleak for the Indian women golfers at the KPMG Irish Open as three out of four in contention were staring at an early exit at Carton House on the Ladies European Tour.
Led by Tvesa Malik, who had the best card among the four Indians on the first day with an opening score of 1-over 74, none were inside the projected cut line of even par.
Tvesa was tied 72 out of a field of 131 players, while Diksha Dagar and Avani Prashanth with rounds of 75 each were T-91 and Hitaashee Bakshi with 77 was T-133.
-PTI
Shubhankar and Veer stutter on opening day at Munich
Indian golfers Shubhankar Sharma and Veer Ahlawat struggled on the opening day of the BMW International Open on the DP World Tour, carding 2-over 74 to be tied 116 in a field of 156 players, here.
Shubhankar made two birdies and four bogeys in his round while Ahlawat shot three birdies, three bogeys and one double bogey.
-PTI
Bhullar lies Tied 37 in Morocco
Indian golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar shot one-under 72 to lie at Tied-37 in the USD 2 million International Series Morocco here.
Bhullar, the most successful Indian on the Asian Tour with 11 wins, was four shots behind John Catlin, the reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion.
-PTI
TENNIS
Riya-Sada enter Bucharest ITF women’s tournament final
Riya Bhatia in partnership with Sada Nihimana beat Rutuja Bhosale and Wushuang Zheng 6-3, 6-3 in the doubles semifinals of the $60,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament in Bucharest, Romania, on Friday.
In the final, Riya and Sada will play the third seeds Estelle Cascino and Patricia Maria Tig.
The results:
$100,000 Challenger, Cary, USA
Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Kody Pearson (Aus) & Joshua Sheehy (USA) bt Niki Poonacha & Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan 6-7(4), 6-2, [10-2].
€91,250 Challenger, Brasov, Romania
Doubles (semifinals): Vladyslav Orlov (Ukr) & Santiago Taverna (Arg) bt Siddhant Banthia & Alexander Donski (Bul) 5-7, 6-4, [10-8].
$30,000 ITF men, Hillcrest, South Africa
Doubles (quarterfinals): Gerard Henning & Philip Henning (RSA) bt Ishaque Eqbal & Thando Longwe-Smit (RSA) 6-4, 6-7(1), 6-3.
$60,000 ITF women, Bucharest, Romania
Doubles (semifinals): Riya Bhatia & Sada NIhimana (Bdi) bt Rutuja Bhosale & Wushuang Zheng (Chn) 6-3, 6-3.
$15,000 ITF women, Hillcrest, South Africa
Singles (quarterfinals): Lexue Xiao (Chn) bt Smriti Bhasin 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.
$15,000 ITF women, Los Angeles, USA
Singles (pre-quarterfinals): Krisha Mahendran bt Claire An (USA) 6-2, 6-0.
-Kamesh Srinivasan
