The Indian boxing team has faced a number of difficulties ahead of the 2026 Mixed Team World Championship. After completing their training camp in Belfast, the team arrived in Glasgow, but a significant portion of their luggage remained in Belfast. This raises concerns about the athletes' preparation, as the boxing matches are scheduled for Friday.
Twenty-two members of the Indian boxing contingent traveled from Belfast to Glasgow on Tuesday, but not all the baggage of players and coaches could accompany them. According to sources, the small size of the aircraft flying between Belfast and Glasgow did not allow for the transport of all the bags.
Among those whose luggage was delayed are athletes such as Sakshi Choudhary (51 kg), world champion Jasmine Lamboria (57 kg), Parvin Hooda (65 kg), Jadumani Singh (55 kg), Kapil Pohria (90 kg), as well as the men's head coach S. Kuttappa. In addition to them, the luggage of some other team members also did not reach Glasgow.
The greatest concern is that this luggage includes the athletes' training kits and ceremonial costumes, which are due at the opening ceremony on July 24. The team hopes that their belongings will be delivered to Glasgow before the start of the boxing competitions.
It should be noted that this situation is not unprecedented. Previously, when the Indian boxing team was traveling from Doha to Belfast for a training camp, the players also experienced delays with their belongings and went through similar difficulties.
The team's problems were not limited to luggage. Sources reported that accommodation was not arranged for the women's coach in the same hotel where the Indian boxers stayed. This could negatively affect coordination between the athletes and support staff.
Currently, the Indian team's focus is on the prompt delivery of the luggage to Glasgow so that the athletes can complete their final preparations without further complications. The boxing competition starts on Friday, and the Indian boxers will step into the ring with high expectations of winning medals.
All Blacks legend Sean Fitzpatrick believes that Rassie Erasmus's greatest achievement is creating an unprecedented depth of squad within the Springboks. He compared the current two-time World Rugby Champions from South Africa with the iconic New Zealand team of 2015.
Fitzpatrick noted that while winning two consecutive World Cups is highly significant, Erasmus's true accomplishment lies in fostering an extremely competitive atmosphere within the team. The All Blacks legend emphasized that players at the highest level discuss this competition.
Under Erasmus, the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup titles in 2019 and 2023. Ahead of the next major tournament, South Africa is again considered one of the main favorites to retain the Webb Ellis Cup. However, they face their main rivals—the All Blacks, who achieved similar success in 2011 and 2015.
Fitzpatrick explained Erasmus's success by citing the 2015 team, which defeated Australia in the final. He stated that one could field another 15 players in the same positions in that team and still remain clear favorites. Such a level of squad depth, according to Fitzpatrick, was astonishingly realized by Rassie.
Comparing the current Springboks squad to the 2015 All Blacks team is a huge compliment, as the New Zealand team is considered one of the greatest in rugby history. Meanwhile, the All Blacks are undergoing a period of transformation following the appointment of Dave Rennie as head coach.
Fitzpatrick noted that Dave Rennie's primary task is to recreate that same fierce competition. He added that it is important to have several players constantly competing against each other for highly contested positions, regardless of the weekly match result.
The dominance of powerful Southern Hemisphere teams remains a defining characteristic of the sport. Since England's victory in 2003, New Zealand and South Africa have won all the World Cups against each other. Even despite Ireland's impressive rise as a global power in recent years, the Irish have yet to advance past the quarter-finals of the tournament.
The first automobile race in the world took place on July 22, 1894. Seventeen out of 21 registered participants took part, covering a distance of 126 kilometers (78.3 miles) from Paris to Rouen. This competition, also known as the Paris-Rouen Test, not only paved the way for races like Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500 but also marked the beginning of the automotive era by demonstrating the reliability of automobiles.
The idea of holding such a contest was proposed by Pierre Gifford, editor of 'Le Petit Journal', in December 1893 under the pseudonym Jean Sans Terre. He suggested the competition for 'wireless carriages' (Whiteurs Sans Chevaux), emphasizing not speed, but that the cars should be 'safe, easy to drive, and economical to operate.'
More than 100 applications were received before the deadline in April 1894, showcasing various modes of movement, including steam and gas engines, as well as gravity and pendulums. However, only 23 vehicles were ready for the final tests scheduled for July 19 and 20, 1894, and 19 of them successfully completed their route. Two more vehicles were recognized on July 21, bringing the total number of official participants to 21.
The competition started at Port Malot in Paris at 8 am to a large crowd of spectators. The vehicles ran either on steam or internal combustion engines. While one car had a steering wheel, the others were controlled by a tiller. Considering stops, including a lunch break in Montese, the average speed of the cars was 11.6 miles per hour.
Count Albert De Dion, co-founder of the French automobile manufacturer De Dion-Bouton, maintained a constant advantage throughout the race using his 20 horsepower steam tractor, which towed an open carriage, even after making a wrong turn in a potato field in Igouville. Nevertheless, despite finishing first at 17:40 in Champ-de-Mars in Rouen in 6 hours and 48 minutes, all judges concluded that De Dion's tractor and trailer combination did not meet the competition's requirements.
As a result, the main prize of 5000 francs (equivalent to approximately $40,000 by today's standards) was divided equally between the French manufacturers Panhard & Levassor and Les Fils de Peugeot Frères, as they most closely adhered to the ideals of the competition. The Paris-Rouen Test itself became a true victory for the automotive industry, laying the foundation for the acceptance of the automobile as a reliable means of transport and awakening the public's imagination. Approximately a year later, in June 1895, the Paris-Bordeaux-Paris race took place, where participants covered a distance of 732 miles.
Attempting a clean strike from thick grass requires a decisive downward movement so that the clubhead can cut through the dense turf. The tournament The Open Championship demonstrated how difficult the situation can be for top players trying to hit from thick bushes and deep grass. Several approaches are presented that can help manage this challenging situation.
Hitting from thick grass is one of the most difficult tasks on a golf course. Heavy grass snags the clubhead, reduces swing speed, and can easily twist the face of the club upon impact. The main principle is to accept the situation, choose a realistic target, and focus on safely getting the ball back into play.
First, you must carefully assess the ball's position. Check how much grass is behind the ball and whether it lies flat or half-buried. If the ball is low, avoid attempting a long and ambitious shot. Instead, use a club with a higher loft, such as a pitching wedge or sand wedge, and aim at the fairway.
Your stance should facilitate a steeper angle of attack: place the ball slightly further back in your stance and shift more weight onto your front foot. If additional loft is required, you can slightly open the clubface, but you must maintain a firm grip, as the thick grass will try to close the face. During the backswing, use an early wrist hinge and feel as if the club is moving quickly upward during the backswing. Then, execute a decisive downward strike through the ball. It is important not to try to 'sweep' the ball out of the grass—the goal is first to hit the ball, and then allow the clubhead to cut through the thick grass.
Club selection is paramount. Thick grass reduces both distance and control, so it is better to choose a club with a higher loft rather than a lower one. Trying to force a long iron or driver through a poor lie often leads to another difficult shot. Finally, remain patient. A sensible recovery shot may not look impressive, but it can prevent a double bogey or worse. Play toward the wider part of the fairway, accept the inevitable, and give yourself a good chance to recover on the next shot. Smart course management is often more valuable than taking unnecessary risks.
