By Kamran Khan
Tata Steel Chess India: Good start for Magnus Carlsen
World number one Magnus Carlsen had a solid start at the Tata Steel Chess India Rapid & Blitz tournament, held at the Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium on Wednesday, November 13. On the opening day, Carlsen drew his first two games against R Praggnanandhaa, and Nihal Sarin, before securing a win against Vidit Gujrathi. The Norwegian is currently tied for second place with two points.
This marks Carlsen’s first participation in the event since 2019. He shares his spot with SL Narayanan, who has two points after defeating Vincent Keymar in round one and drawing with Wesley So and Arjun Erigaisi.
Carlsen had earlier said: “It’s fascinating to see a different brand of chess. A lot of the older players from my generation aren’t likely to surprise you at a major, but with the younger players, it’s about understanding their style of play.”
Neeraj Chopra names javelin legend Jan Zelezny as his coach
Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Neeraj Chopra has a new coach, and he is a big name in the world of athletics. Legendary javelin champion, Jan Zelezny, will be his new coach for the upcoming 2025 season.
Zelezny, a former Czech athlete, is a World and Olympic champion and holds the world record with a throw of 98.48m. Neeraj expressed his excitement, stating, “Zelezny was the best in the sport for many years, and I believe working with him will be invaluable. Our throwing styles are similar, and his expertise is unparalleled.”
The coach will join the Indian Olympic gold medallist in South Africa for a 31-day training camp, which will start in November. Neeraj will train with with him for the next two years, though not for the full Olympic cycle.
Zelezny said: “We are getting to know each other better and will begin our training together at a traditional winter camp in South Africa. I am confident in his progress, especially in the technical aspects, and I believe he can continue to achieve top results in major championships.”
Para-swimmer Shams Aalam sets new world record
In his pursuit of breaking new barriers as a paraplegic swimmer, Mohammad Shams Aalam Shaikh set a world record earlier this week. The para-athlete from the village of Rathaus in Bihar’s Madhubani district became the first swimmer with paraplegia to complete the longest swim in open water at the National Takshila Open Water Swimming Competition in Patna. Aalam’s achievement was officially recognized and certified by the World Records Union.
Aalam swam a 13 km distance from Janardan Ghat to Law College Ghat along the Ganga river, finishing with a time of 2:03:13. The event was organized by the Swimming Federation of India (SFI) and hosted by the Bihar Swimming Association (BSA).