England top badminton player targets Commonwealth Games medals

Housnlow: England’s number one men’s singles player, Rajiv Ouseph says this weekend’s English National Badminton Championships could be an important stepping stone en route to October's Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

The 23-year-old is top seed for the men’s singles at the Championships, which got under way today at Manchester Velodrome.

Rajiv, ranked 24th in the world, is aiming to win his third successive title - if successful, he would be the first person to achieve the feat since Darren Hall in 1991.

“It’s not something I’m going to think about much, I’m just going to take each match as it comes,” said Rajiv.

“The English Nationals are a good opportunity to test yourself against the other players in the country.

“There’s a bit of pressure, because you’re expected to win, but it’s good to have that pressure sometimes.

“We’ve had a period of hard training over the winter and I’m feeling good going into the championships.”

Rajiv, who trains at the Badminton England’s National Badminton Centre in Milton Keynes, has his heart set on a place in the England team to compete at the Commonwealth Games.

Subject to selection, he thinks he would have a good chance of winning a medal in the men’s singles in India – despite the likely presence of Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei, current world number one and reigning Commonwealth Games champion.

“He’s just won a couple of big tournaments but, if you’re in the other half of the draw, realistically I think medalling would be quite achievable," said Rajiv, a member of England’s bronze medal winning badminton team at the Bendigo Commonwealth Youth Games in 2004.

“The Commonwealth Games are definitely up there for me. Playing at the Games would definitely be an experience for me.

"It’s just below the Olympics and it’s a multi-sport event - they don’t come around very often.”

Rajiv is coached by two-time national champion Aamir Ghaffar, who represented England in the men’s singles at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, finishing fourth.

England have won the Commonwealth Games men’s singles gold only once – that went to Stephen Baddeley in Edinburgh in the1986 Games.

England finished second to Malaysia in the badminton medals table at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games with two golds, a silver and two bronzes.

Anju Bobby George willn't participate in Commonwealth Games

Bangalore: India's medal chances in athletics at the Commonwealth Games in October received a blow on Friday with ace long jumper Anju Bobby George pulling out of the mega event.

The former World No.4, who has not competed since the Beijing Olympics, told TOI here that she will be skipping the whole of 2010 and hopes to return to action early next year. "I wanted to take part and win before my fans in Delhi. But I won't be able to compete due to personal reasons and I have already informed the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) officials," Anju said without revealing the details.

Asked if fans would be able to see her back in action again, as a comeback from a two-and-a-half-year sabbatical is difficult, Anju was very confident about her return. "No way I am quitting the sport as I still feel I can compete in one more Olympics. I'll try and be ready for the London Games in 2012. And If I compete there, I'll surely not go as a spectator. I'm sure with all my experience and with the help of Bobby (husband and coach), I can make a comeback," the 32-year-old Customs officer added.

Anju first hogged the limelight winning the bronze medal in the CWG in 2002 and then in the Busan Asian Games where she clinched the gold. The next year she created history in Paris becoming the first Indian to win a medal (bronze) in the World Athletics championship. In 2005, Anju was again basking in glory after winning the silver in the World Athletics final, an achievement rated by many as the high point of her career.

However, Anju's best performance came in the Athens Olympics when she led the field in the first round after touching down at 6.83 metres. In the end, the Indian couldn't improve further and settled for the sixth place.

Participation of Abhinav Bindra in Commonwealth Games is Uncertain

NEW DELHI — India's only Olympic individual champion Abhinav Bindra was on Monday embroiled in a tug-of-war with sports officials over his participation in the Commonwealth Games later this year.

Bindra, who won the 10m Air Rifle shooting gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, is not assured of a place at the Games which India hosts in New Delhi from October 3-14.

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) wants Bindra to attend trials like other contenders if he wanted to be picked for international events.

Bindra, 27, prefers to train abroad on his own and wants the NRAI to judge his current form on his scores in competitions in which he takes part in various countries.

The NRAI dropped Bindra for next month's Commonwealth shooting championships in New Delhi, a test event for the Games, saying it was only following sports ministry guidelines which makes it mandatory to attend trials.

A "frustrated and distressed" Bindra has appealed to the association and the ministry to let him train abroad as per the schedule charted out by his coaching staff.

"I don't see the chance of future success if I am not going to be allowed to prepare in the way my professional team has planned," the shooter said in a statement over the weekend.

"These modules have worked very well for me in the past and have helped me be the current world and Olympic champion.

"It is quite unfortunate and extremely distressing to me that my point of view is not being appreciated and respected. It leaves me very frustrated and upset and does not really leave me with much motivation."

Bindra said he will go ahead with a planned training tour of Europe next week and speak to his coaching staff on his "future course of action".

NRAI secretary Baljit Sethi defended his federation, saying it was bound by sports ministry regulations.

"We have been told by the ministry to select teams after trials," Sethi told AFP. "The team we have picked for the Commonwealth championships has been approved by the government."

A sports ministry official confused the issue further by saying the government had no objection if Bindra was exempted from attending trials.

"It's for the national sports federations to lay down the selection criteria," ministry official Injeti Srinivas told the Press Trust of India (PTI).

"If the NRAI tells the ministry it wants to follow a separate approach for the top shooters and exempt Abhinav from trials, we would have no objection. But we have not received any such request till now.

"The ministry only insists on federations having a well-calibrated selection criteria implemented in a transparent manner so that it results in the best team representing the country."

Usain Bolt to Skip Commonwealth Games 2010

Sprint Sensation Usain Bolt would not be seen in the forthcoming Commonwealth Games 2010 slated to take place in the Indian capital New Delhi later this year.

The much hyped 2010 Commonwealth Games according to reliable resources would miss Olympic champion and world record holder Usain Bolt. His manager Ricky Simms had said that fastest man on earth till date is working arduously for 2011 World Athletics Championships and would most probably miss the bus for October games.

Addressing a query related to Bolt’s participation in the Commonwealth Games, Ricky told Sunday Mail, London "It's now looking unlikely Usain will be going to the Commonwealth Games. His priorities have to lie elsewhere. First and foremost is his four-year plan leading up to the next Olympics, which is exactly what he did prior to Beijing in 2008".

Elaborating more on the issue Ricky gave reasons behind this move “"The timing of the Commonwealth Games is the issue here. By the start of October, Usain will have needed to have rested and then began his pre-season which, as every athlete knows, is massively important". Simms explained.

On Usain’s future engagement, Ricky said "It's started well enough with what he achieved at last summer's Berlin World Championships, but this year is all about the Diamond League and a continuation of his preparation for 2012. He also views the World Championships in 2011 and 2013 as crucially important".

Usain Bolt’s non participation will definitely be a huge jolt to hundreds of sports lovers who were planning to witness his thundering speed and tiger like leapin athletics at 2010 Commonwealth Games.