Swimming Mohammed Yaqoob Saleem has in a few years emerged as one of the brightest stars in the Karnataka swimming fraternity
into the blue – Mohammed Yaqoob Saleem / photo: murali kumar k.
One of Hazibul Macci’s first acts on moving to Bangalore in 2004, from K.R. Puram in Hassan District, was to take his grandson to the swimming pool. The kid had shown a tremendous liking for playing in water and also Macci felt, a healthy distraction would keep him away from bad company in the neighbourhood. First taking him to public sessions at Jayanagar’s P.M. Swimming Centre on holidays, and then enrolling him in a beginner’s course there, Macci was satisfied that the boy would remain sufficiently active. He scarcely envisioned, though, that in a few years’ time Mohammed Yaqoob Saleem would grow to become one of Karnataka’s leading young swimmers.
Bags of medals and several individual championships later, Yaqoob admits in his early days“was only playing here.” Under then coach Rohit Das, Yaqoob travelled to Neyveli for his first significant competition, a non-medallist short course meet in 2006. “I won a bronze there. It was then that I started concentrating.”
Still nervous of the big stage, Yaqoob entered his first State meet a year later and finished with a gold in the 100m freestyle. “I had no clue,” the 14-year-old recalls. “I just swam and finished first. It assured me that I had the ability.” In the years since, he has won State Sub-Junior individual championships (Groups III and IV) and National silver and bronze medals. The apogee came in 2010, when he won a gold at the Nationals, in the 200m freestyle in Bangalore, raucously cheered on by his family.
“That was his big breakthrough,” feels John Christopher, his current coach at PMSC, who that day was seen on the pool deck animatedly urging his ward towards the finish. “It was reward for his commitment. He’s extremely serious about his swimming.” The day begins at 5 a.m. for Yaqoob, his morning session in the pool lasting two hours and after school, there are three further hours of training. “I cannot recall him missing a single session, citing illness or a friend’s birthday or a function,” says Christopher. Yaqoob admits that it is tiring. “I try to catch some sleep after school. When I go home from the pool in the evening, it’s almost 9. I just finish my homework and go to bed.”
Last year, he graduated to the Junior category (Group II), doubting initially that he would be able to handle the step up. “There were older swimmers in my group. I wasn’t entirely confident.” He needn’t have worried. At the State championships, five golds and yet another individual championship came his way.
Being a Junior also meant he could compete in middle and long distance events (400, 800, and 1500m races are not open to Sub-Juniors), something he had been training for, for some time. At the Junior National meet in Bhopal last year, his first, he finished with silvers in all three aforementioned events. “I felt his strength was his heart-rate,” says Christopher. “So I thought he would make a good endurance swimmer.” There was also a gold in the 4x100m medley relay but at the 2012 Junior Nationals, Yaqoob is aiming for a bigger prize — the individual championship. “If I work hard, I can,” he says.
Christopher is convinced that it is a reasonable target. “I definitely don’t want to weigh him down with unreasonable expectations. Nobody is saying he has to win everything tomorrow morning. He’s young and he’s got a long way to go. He has to enjoy swimming.”
Yaqoob’s father Ghouse Mohiddin, a Section Officer at the Maulana Azad National Urdu University, admits that he hadn’t foreseen such progress. “I wouldn’t say I’m completely surprised — because he has worked so hard to get here.In the beginning I didn’t expect that he would become this good. His grandfather only brought him here to keep him occupied.”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Shreedutta Chidananda / March 15th, 2015
Mohammed Yaqoob Saleem, a PUC I Arts student of Surana College, has been making waves in more ways than one way.
He has not only made his institution proud of his achievements but has also continued the tradition of top swimmers emerging from the city.
Saleem is an expert in freestyle swimming though he can also be a tough contender in other strokes. But the 200, 400 and 1,500 metres freestyle events are his forte and he brooks no opposition in these events.
Recently, Saleem won three gold medals in the state-level PU Board swimming championship at the Basavanagudi swimming pool.
In the state junior swimming championship in June, Saleem bagged six gold and two silver medals. Not surprisingly, he made it to the state junior team. A month later, Saleem proved his worth in the National Junior swimming championship in Bhopal by claiming an incredible five gold and two silver medals.
Saleem continued to impress and proved to be a strong contender in any meet he took part in.
Last year was particularly good for him. Representing Bengaluru in the state Dasara meet at Mysore in September, Saleem went on to bag five gold medals and won the individual championship which he says was the icing on the cake.
Saleem’s coaches are singing praises and at the rate at which he is going, he is bound to turn out to be a bright prospect for the state at the senior levels.
Karnataka has dominated the swimming scene at the national level for years. Be it the sub junior, junior or senior national meets, swimmers from Bengaluru and Karnataka have emerged on top. This year, Maharashtra displaced them from the top spot but only marginally.
It is talented swimmers like Saleem who emerge on the scene with unfailing regularity who hold out hope for the future. The Basavangudi Aquatic Centre and a couple of the other pools have excellent facilities, including highly qualified coaches. Saleem is in safe hands as he attempts to set more pools on fire in his quest for glory.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by S. S. Shreekumar / December 09th, 2014
Yadlapalli Pranjala wants to realise her dream by playing in a Grand Slam.–Photo: By arrangement
City girl Yadlapalli Pranjala achieved the best-ever ranking by any girl from India in the contemporary ITF juniors’ circuit when she reached World No. 19, according to the latest rankings.
“It’s a great feeling to be the best in the ITF juniors’ circuit from India. But, I know there is still a long way to go and I am grateful to my coach Ilyas Sir (Ilyas Ghouse at the GVK Tennis Academy, Jubilee Hills) for all the support,” says an excited Pranjala.
Ilyas mentions that Sania Mirza was ranked No. 20, but that she played very briefly in the ITF circuit before stepping in the big league and everyone knows she belongs to a different class altogether. This young talent, who for long has been tipped as the next bet in women’s tennis from the city after Sania Mirza, achieved this ranking by virtue of her consistency in the big league.
The most notable being winning the 2014 Grade IV ITF juniors title here, runner-up in Thailand ITF juniors, winner in the ITF Junior Grade I in Chandigarh, making it to the second round in the Junior Australian Open this January, winning the singles in the ITF Juniors Grade I in Thailand in March this year and a ‘double’ in the Asian Closed junior championship in Delhi.
The 12th standard student of Chinmaya Vidyalaya (Begumpet) says her dream is to “play in a Grand Slam” and is grateful to GVK Group for its support. “It means a lot to me as I chase bigger goals,” says India No. 1 in under-16 & 18 categories.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by V.V. Subrahmanyam / Hyderabad – June 19th, 2015
Bilquis Mir, the first Kashmiri Muslim woman to become coach of Indian canoe team, will once again be at the helm of affairs of the national side in the International Canoe Federation (ICF) championship to be held in Italy in August this year.
“I am happy to be chosen as coach of Indian team for the International Canoe Federation (ICF) championship to be held in Milan, Italy from August 19 to 23,” 29-year-old Mir told PTI.
“I will also take part in coaching camp of the senior team of India for ICF championship in SAI, Bhopal from July 18 to August 18,” Mir said.
Selected for the third time as a coach to train the players, she believes Indian team can make a big lead in the championship. “I am confident that India will make a big lead,” she said.
Mir was the first Kashmiri woman to become a national Kayaking and Canoeing coach. She was also inducted into the International Panel of Elite Referees — the first Indian woman to get the honour. She was also honoured with the state award for outstanding sportsperson in 2010.
She also holds the feat of being the first Indian to be selected as the International Technical Official for canoeing at All Africa Games 2011.
It was in 2007, the sports planners appointed her as the coach for the national team, which was a rare honour for a woman of J&K.
“I was the first woman from Jammu and Kashmir to become the national coach of canoeing team from 2007 to 2010,” she said.
“I feel happy to represent India as a coach. It is honour for me,” Mir said, adding “I started my career in 1997. It was not easy to reach here. I braved huge opposition but remained consistent and today I am here.”
The canoe champion credits her family, especially her mother, for supporting her in her sporting success.
“It was my family that stood behind me firmly. What I am today it is because of them. They supported me at every point.
“You know the situation Kashmir has gone through during all these years. It was difficult for me but motivation and support of my family is foundation stone of my success,” she said.
Hailing from Srinagar, Mir represented India in World cup in Hungary and is a national medalist since 1998.
“I passed my coaching course from Hungary with excellent grades. And it proved a milestone in my life. Plus Sports Authority of India and J&K youth services and sports helped me when I was in Hungary for coaching course,” she said.
Mir, who recently won the J&K state award for outstanding sportsperson, was just 10 when she started canoeing. And since then there is no looking back.
She plans to set up a kayaking and canoeing club in Kashmir and she is confident that her team can win medals in 1000m singles, 1000m doubles and 200m doubles.
When Zafar Iqbal speaks about hockey, you have to listen closely. The former national captain and coach, who led India at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and who was part of the 1980 team that won the last Olympic gold medal for the country, spoke to TOI Sports on the state of the sport, the reason why Indian hockey has not matched its past glory, the differences from when he was a player and more.
“When I first went to Argentina I did not know that hockey was that big there. There were 75 men’s clubs just in Buenos Aires! Before we went to Moscow for the 1980 Olympics,” said Zafar Iqbal. (TOI Photo)
Excerpts:
Star Sports has been running a catchy advertisement on TV in the build-up to the Hockey World League. Do you think more of the same can act as a boost to the team and create awareness?
Definitely, it would do a lot of good. Earlier, there was a lot of coverage of Indian hockey, during my playing career. Nowadays, there is hardly any if you were to compare. In my days, if there was any tournament played in the country, all the newspapers covered it. The Beighton Cup, Gold Cup, Agha Khan, Obaidullah Gold Cup, MCC and what not. But today there is hardly any coverage. Its more commercialised. So its good to see TV commercials showcasing the achievements of the current team. It will do a lot of good. People will go through the present hockey situation and naturally they will divert their minds towards hockey rather than purely cricket or a few other games.
What impact do you think sponsorship such as that of Hero MotoCorp and other companies would have had on Indian hockey during your time?
There was no need for sponsorship in the 1970s, ’80s or prior to that because hockey was very popular. People were following it deeply, in the sense that what was happening to the team when it went to tour Europe, Australia and the like. As I said, there was a lot of coverage back then. But for the last 20-odd years there has hardly been any coverage. That has had an impact, I would say. It has also killed this game.
That said, you have to be competitive with other sports. If you want to live upto the expectations of people, you have to perform. Slowly, over time, we could not do much as desired with the people of our country. Earlier, we were winning a lot and we never started focusing when he started losing in international hockey, such as in ’62 or ’72. We never bothered. We felt that ‘okay, we will recover’.
At the same time, the other countries have progressed like anything. They concentrated on everything, they encouraged different levels of hockey. Look at Holland, Germany, Spain, Argentina. I don’t think we planned our game in a manner that we should have, just going and playing without any game plan prior to a tournament. In the 1978 World Cup in Buenos Aires, I remember though we were defending champions, there was hardly any planning. Our coach, Mr RS Gentle, never bothered. Players were going here and there. Just before a match we would assemble and the coach would say ‘okay, you are playing and you are not’ and that was it. You cannot survive that way in such big competitions. That was a big blunder on our part. We never focused on how to improve our game when we started losing. Be it ’68 or ’72, we won bronze medals but never thought that we have to bounce back or looked at what was wrong with our system. This is my reading for the last 40 years.
Now we are focusing and planning and the team is playing much better. We didn’t to that. It was like ‘okay, we’re playing against Spain? No problem, chak de fattey sher de putter! Bharat maata ki jai!‘. That was our attitude, instead of looking at what we should be planning for. There wasjosh but no proper planning.
And what if there had been proper planning?
Then we would have performed much better! Lose or win, a team should have planning that is inserted in the minds of players, that this is how we should play against Germany, this is their weak point and strong point, this is how we should defend. We would go out and do it, but not in the manner in which our opponents were planning.
You say that today there is planning, so what is lacking in our hockey?
There are many reasons. Funding, development, a proper system, lack of enough quality players. We have talent, of course. We have some fine players. Sometimes there is an open goal that is missed, a pass is deflected, a pass is not good enough. You can look at it in many ways. There is no doubt that our players are getting more confident, though they may not as good as an Ashok Kumar, Dhyan Chand or Ajit Pal Singh, BP Govinda….
Or a Zafar Iqbal….
(Laughs) It may not just be about individuals. Game-wise, they are doing pretty well. Overall the structure needs working, which will take time.
Are foreign coaches making a difference?
There is an impact, there are some good strategies, but not as much as we would like. Maybe its because of a lack of quality players. We are lacking a big talent pool. If you compare us to Australia, Germany, Holland or England, even Argentina, they have many quality players. Of course we have world class players too, but not as many.
Initially, I was very much in favour of foreign coaches. The feeling was that they should come here and teach us some strategy and game plans. But for whatever reason, I have not been impressed with the last three of four coaches. Jose Brasa was okay, Michael Nobbs had some good ideas. Paul Van Ass was a good player in his time and will give his best. But whether they have enough quality players is also a question that must be asked.
Which reflects on the system….
Yes, and many changes have taken place to international hockey. In my opinion, it will take time. Competitions like the WHL and such will have an impact. But at the same time, in general people are not very enthusiastic about hockey. We need more reporting, more awareness. Hockey’s progress in our country is not very fast. It is growing slowly. Aisa nahin hai ki you can capture world hockey in the next five years. There is a big gap between us and the top teams. We are bad at some basics, such as trapping. Our base is lopsided, its not systematic.
You know, when I first went to Argentina I did not know that hockey was that big there. There were 75 men’s clubs just in Buenos Aires! Before we went to Moscow for the 1980 Olympics, we were at the NIS Patiala where we were told that the surfaces there were very fast. One day, the authorities there shaved off all the grass and then ran a roller over the turf, and then put cow dung all over. Their logic was that the surfaces in Moscow would be something like this! Then we landed in Moscow and saw synthetic Poligrass surfaces and were stunned.
It has been said that Indian hockey failed to adapt to the changes, such as the more aggressive, fast European style of play as well as to the turf variations. Do you agree?
It is a wrong perception. If you are a quality player, you will do well anywhere. That is the hallmark of a very good player. I saw the Pakistan team which like us had no experience playing on astro turf, do so well. The fund distribution system has not helped. The government gives Rs 150 crore to hockey, which SAI then has to distribute between so many federations. Some of the federations don’t get much out of this stock. Hockey India has had to drop tours because of a lack of funding.
That said, the Hockey India League has helped. Our youngsters get to play with good foreign players. They are finding themselves playing with and against someone like Jamie Dwyer. That pushes them.
Which of the current lot excites you?
We have good players. Rupinder Pal Singh is good, so is Gurbraj Singh. When I was a selector for three years, Gurbraj was not playing for the country. He was removed but I kept insisting that this boy be selected. He is very confident. Then he came back and has been playing for the last four years. Sardar Singh is slowing down, but he is a good player. We need quality players in the front line.
Do we have enough goal scorers?
Not like before, when you could easily identity scorers. But this team is playing good hockey.
There seems to a perceived weakness in the mind, particularly when it comes to final moments. It seems like the team starts to get the jitters….
Nothing like that. We have strong players, physically and mentally. Their defence is okay, they are sustaining the pressure.
What are your expectations of the team at the 2016 Rio Olympics?
For us, the WHL is only a test of where we stand. Just to qualify doesn’t mean you have won the gold. In 2012 right here in Delhi, when we won the final of the Olympic qualifiers, I was asked whether we could win an Olympic gold. My response was that this is just a small wall, and that we must jump much higher walls in London. The Olympics is a different level. Looking at Rio 2016, I think India will finish somewhere between sixth and tenth. I’m not saying we cannot do something special, but that is a realistic expectation. Of course, we can do something special and reach the semi-finals. It is possible, but the team needs a very positive outlook. They must play fearlessly.
Which Indian who you played with most impressed you?
Mohammed Shahid was a great player. It was largely because of him that we won that 1980 Olympic gold. If he hadn’t played so well we would have lost. Opponents used to put two men to mark him, he was that good. Nobody could stop him. He would leave the Australians in a tizzy. Shahid had jugglery. By nature, he was like that. If I want to play like that, I cannot. He had that exceptional advantage. That was his flair. He would suddenly break and opponents would fall here and there and he would zoom past them. That was his class.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Sports> Hockey / by Jamie Alter, TNN / June 19th, 2015
Den Thimmaiah of Kodagu emerged as the fastest driver at the second edition of Maruti Suzuki Autocross Championship at Supernova Arena in Bengaluru on Sunday. Thimmaiah won three races which included four podium finishes.
K.G. Subramanya Swamy was unanimously elected as the Chairman of the Mysore District Football Association (MDFA) during its Annual General Meeting held in city yesterday. L.Manjunath was elected as Hon. Secretary while G.R. Sanjay as the Hon. Treasurer.
The other Managing Committee members are: P. Anand (Royal FC), S. Ranganathan (Cosmos FC), Kumara Swamy (Rovers FC), Md. Shakeel Khan (Lucky XI), M.V. Ramesh (Durgambha FC). Governing Board members of KSFA: 1) Haj. Md. Rasheed Ahmed (LifeMember), M.R. Ganesh Singh (Challenge Union FC), P. Narasimha (Metro FC) and T. Puttaraj (Panther FC).
All the above candidates were elected unanimously for the year 2015-17.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports News / Monday – June 08th, 2015
Mysore District Muay Thai Trust, in association with Academy of Martial Science (AMS), conducted Muay Thai Kick Boxing bouts in Bantam Weight and Cruiser weight categories at its new state of the art premises in Krishnamurthypuram recently.
The bouts were sanctioned by Muay Thai Association of Karnataka. The opening bout of cruiser weight category was inaugurated by former Mayor and Corporator Purushotham, between Abdul Razzack and Sumanth Subrahmanya. While Suleiman Shariff and Chidambaram boxed in Bantam weight category. Simultaneously, an inaugural Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) bout sanctioned by Mixed Martial Arts Federation Of India (MMAFI), affiliated with World Mixed Martial Arts Federation (WMMAF) in Light Heavy Weight category between Chethan Gowda and M. Rakesh was also launched. This is city’s first ever authentic MMA Cage event. Naveen Shetty and R. Dinesh sparred in bantam weight category.
City Boxers for National Championships
Students of Academy of Martial Science (AMS), Krishnamurthypuram, will be participating in the 16th National Amateur Muay Thai Sub-Junior and Junior Championships to be held at Sri Kanteerava Indoor Stadium, Bengaluru, between May 25 and 30.
Participants are Samarth Vikram (VI std. student of JSS Public School, J.P. Nagar) – 10-12 years 40 kg category; R. Rashi – 18-19 years Pin Weight category; Mohammed Suleman Shariff (a student of St. Joseph Degree College) – 18-19 years Bantam Weight category and Syed Touseef Ahmed (a student of SJCE) – 18-19 years Middle Weight category.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports News / Sunday – May 24, 2015
Nasreen Makandar, 14, a slum girl in Vijayapura, has proved that true grit pays off in the long run, and picked up a GOLD medal for her efforts. She was part of the under-16 Karnataka team which defeated Punjab in the rural national-level basketball tournament conducted recently by the ministry of youth affairs and sports at the Sports Authority of India stadium in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. There were 20 teams in the girls section.
Nasreen always nursed a passion for the game. Her father Khajamiya was a truck driver but quit his job 16 years ago after three heart attacks. Her mother Khajabi begs on the streets of Vijayapura and gets about Rs 300. They have nine children, including seven girls.
Nasreen, a class 9 student of the Anjuman High School, said she would watch students play at the Darbar High School ground. “My sisters Gousiya and Heena are division-level winners in basketball and they encouraged me a lot,” she said. She’s the first girl from Vijayapura district to win a GOLD medal at the national-level tournament.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hubballi / by Sangamesh Menasinakai, TNN / April 27th, 2015
City’s tennis player Sheikh Mohammad Iftikhar is seen with the U-16 boys singles winners trophy he won in the Championship Series National Tennis Tournament held at Trivandrum yesterday.
Trivandrum:
City’s upcoming tennis player Sheikh Mohammad Iftikhar taking part in the Championship Series AITA National Level U-16 Tennis Tournament at the Trivandrum Tennis Club from Mar.28 to Apr. 3 at Trivandrum on Friday, won the boys U-16 singles title.
Eighth seeded Sheikh Mohammad Iftikhar representing Karnataka beat G.S. Sanjay of Kerala 6-1, 6-0 in the final. In the semi-finals, Iftikhar beat J.Nitin of Kerala 6-2, 6-1. In the quarter-finals, Iftikhar beat Karnataka’s Harshit Shankar 6-2, 6-2. In the pre-quarterfinals Iftikhar got the better of Deepak Kumar of Tamil Nadu 6-3, 6-2. In the first round, Iftikhar beat Tamil Nadu’s Ajay Subash 6-0, 6-4.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports News / Saturday – April 04th, 2015
