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Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.</s>The Commonwealth Games gold has given him the confidence and star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra is now aiming to grab another yellow metal at the upcoming Asian Games, which he admitted will be tougher than the Gold Coast CWG.

Neeraj became the first Indian javelin thrower to win a gold at the CWG at Gold Coast last month with a throw of 86.47m but he said that effort will not be enough for a gold in the Jakarta Asian Games in August.

“Winning a gold in CWG with a very good effort early in the season is a big confidence-booster going ahead in the year. Not only the gold but the performance has made me assured that I can do better. Winning an Asian Games gold is my next target,” the 20-year-old Haryana athlete told PTI.

“I worked hard to win the CWG gold and I will have to work even harder for the Asian Games. The Asian Games will be tougher (than the CWG) and I have to do better than my personal best (of 86.48m) if I have to win a gold in Jakarta,” he added.

At Gold Coast, going into the final round, Neeraj was the clear favourite to win the gold as Kenyan former world champion and Rio Olympics silver medallist Julius Yego crashed out at the qualification stage while Trinidad’s Keshorn Walcott, the 2012 London Olympics champion and Rio Games bronze medallist, had already opted out of the CWG.

“In Jakarta, there will be Taipei’s Asian record holder Cheng Chao-tsun (who has a personal best of 91.26m) and then Ahmed Bader of Qatar, who can throw above 85m. So, it will a tough competition in the Asian Games and it will not be easy,” said Neeraj, who is targetting 90m before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Taipei’s Cheng Chao-tsun has been Neeraj’s close rival in Asia in the last couple of years. Last year, the Taipei thrower had beaten Neeraj in an Asian Grand Prix event while the Indian got the better of him in the Asian Championships in Bhubaneswar.

But Chao-tsun is the only Asian to break the 90m barrier in the men’s javelin throw as he hurled the spear to a distance of 91.26m on his way to win the World Underside gold medal in Taipei City in August last.

Qatar’s Ahmed Bader is an up and coming talent and won a silver behind Neeraj in the 2017 Asian Championships in Bhubaneshwar. He has a personal best of 85.23m.

“I will be preparing well for the Asian Games. I am going to start with the Diamond League in Doha on May 4 where the competition will be of Olympics and World Championships level with three-four competitors, who can hurl above 90m or near about consistently taking part,” said Neeraj who will be in Finland for six weeks before the Asian Games as part of the Athletics Federation of India’s training-cum-exposure tour.

All the top Indian athletes will be sent in different countries, mostly in Europe, before the Asian Games depending on their disciplines – like jumps, throws, sprints and long distance race – and all the top coaches will accompany them.

In the season-opening Doha leg of the prestigious Diamond League series, Neeraj will be competing against the likes of reigning Olympic champion Thomas Rohler of Germany, world champion Johannes Vetter, also of Germany, and world silver-medallist and 2018 Diamond League champion Jakub Vadlejch of Czech Republic.

Rohler and Vettel have been competing for some time in a sort of a match of who can throw above 90m more often while Vadlejch has been consistent at 88m or 89m-plus.

Asked if he will be training under former world record holder and national team javelin head coach Uwe Hohn, he said, “Yes, I will be with him. There is no plan to train under another coach as of now.”

Before the Commonwealth Games, Neeraj had a three-month training stint in Offenburg, Germany under reputed coach Werner Daniels before returning to the national camp at NIS Patiala to be under Hohn, another German.

The AFI has decided to host the National Inter-State Senior National Championships – which will serve as selection trial for the Asian Games – in Guwahati from June 26-29.

“I have already qualified for the Asian Games (by getting the better of qualifying standard of 81m). So, let us see (whether I take part or not).”

If he does not take part in the meet, he will have to appear for a confirmatory trial on August 15 to see whether his performance level is at the requisite level.

After his exploits in Gold Coast, the international media described him as an Indian from a poor family but with Bollywood looks. Asked about his take on this description, Neeraj said, “It is up to them to write like that. I don’t take it seriously and it does not affect me. At this stage in my career, I am thinking just about my sport.”

For all the latest Sports News, download Indian Express App</s>NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday will meet Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2018 medal winners at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

The 2018 Commonwealth Games has been India's third most successful CWG of all time.

India won a total of 66 medals, which included 26 gold, 20 silver and 20 bronze.

Earlier, India won 101 medals in the Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010 and 69 medals in the 2002 Melbourne Games.</s>Alysha Newman will face a star-studded field in her followup to pole vault gold at the Commonwealth Games earlier this month.

The 23-year-old Londoner will take part in the Diamond League season-opener Friday at Doha, Qatar along with the three Olympic medalists from Rio two years ago — champ Katerina Stefanidi of Greece, American Sandi Morris (silver) and New Zealand’s Eliza McCartney (bronze), who was Commonwealth runner-up to Newman at Gold Coast, Australia.

Newman is coming off the momentum of a Commonwealth Games record of 4.75-metre effort in her last outing. That height matched her third-place performance at last year’s Diamond League final in Brussells, an event won by Stefanidi at 4:85m.

The Diamond League consists of 14 invitational one-day track and field meets over the course of four months.</s>Ben Somerford



 



Several Hockeyroos and Kookaburras were today part of the Australian Team who got the opportunity to thank the community for the overwhelming support shown during the 2018 Commonwealth Games.





Commonwealth Games Australia last week confirmed a series of TeamAUS Celebrations in capital cities, with several hockey stars involved in Monday’s event at Murray Street Mall in Perth. 



Hockeyroos Emily Smith, Karri McMahon, Grace Stewart, Brooke Peris, Savannah Fitzpatrick, Stephanie Kershaw and Rachael Lynch along with Kookaburras including Jake Harvie and Jake Whetton were in attendance.



Kookaburras veteran Eddie Ockenden was part of the celebrations in his home city Hobart at Princes Wharf on Saturday.



Australian Team Chef de Mission Steve Moneghetti said the events provided Team Members with the opportunity to acknowledge the amazing support from the Australian community. 



“Our team was overwhelmed by all of the support during Gold Coast 2018, from right across Australia,” he said.



“The Australian Team was able to achieve incredible success on the Gold Coast and a big part of that success is owed to the amazing home crowd support.” 



TeamAUS Celebrations will be attended by locally based Team Members and a selection of gold medallists from Gold Coast 2018. 



TeamAUS Celebration Details:
• Brisbane – 12noon, Friday, 27 April, Street Parade – Queens St Mall to King George Square
• Hobart – 12noon, Saturday, 28 April, Public Celebration at Princes Wharf No1
• Darwin – 12noon, Sunday, 29 April, Public Celebration at Darwin Waterfront Peninsula
• Perth – 12noon, Monday, 30 April, Public Celebration at Murray St Mall
• Adelaide – 12noon, Tuesday, 1 May, Public Celebration at Rundle Mall (Gawler Place Canopy)
• Melbourne – 12noon, Wednesday, 2 May, Public Celebration; Location TBC
• Sydney – 12noon, Thursday, 3 May, Public Celebration at First Fleet Park
• Canberra – 12 noon, Friday, 4 May, Public Celebration; Location TBC



Hockey Australia media release</s>England’s historic Commonwealth gold in the netball on the Gold Coast was a long time coming – and for no one more so than Jade Clarke.

The match, which ended in a huge Roses pile-on after Helen Housby showed ice-cool nerves to sink the winning shot in the last second of the 52-51 contest against hosts Australia on April 15, was Clarke’s 150thin England red.

It was the 34-year-old’s fourth Commonwealth championships, having previously claimed bronze at Melbourne 2006 and Delhi 2010 before a fourth-place finish in Glasgow.

But while she concedes she may not feature in the next Commonwealths in Birmingham in 2022, with the Ricoh Arena Coventry hosting the netball, Manchester-born Clarke, who can play at centre or wing attack, is adamant retirement for club or country is not on her mind.

“I think I’ll be sat in the crowd cheering on the England team at the next Commonwealth Games but I can’t wait,” said the Wasps player.

“With England I’m going to take it a year at a time – my goal was always to make World Cup 2019 – it’s in Liverpool, half an hour away from my house – I would love to be playing in that.

“Competition is fierce, it’s going to be even fiercer now with more people stepping up and wanting to be part of that team which won gold. That a huge goal for me.

“Club-wise I’m going to keep playing until my legs don’t go any more – I love playing for Wasps, it’s been a brilliant year and I’ll just keep going.”

Team England Official Partner npower organised for Clarke and teammate Natalie Haythornthwaite to surprise local schoolgirls at their club’s home court at the Ricoh Arena on Friday, ahead of their Netball Superleague match against Manchester Thunder.

Sporting their gold medals from Australia they chatted to the youngsters, took questions from students and joined in with a couple of drills after being shown footage of the famous moment in Brisbane which won them the Commonwealth crown.

Clarke admitted that she has not come down from that high and the team have been riding the crest of a wave ever since.

But the Partington veteran is now hoping the success can push netball even more into the public consciousness with increased television exposure and the possibility of a professional league in this country.

“You think of what having a gold medal feels like and it’s so much better than you even think it’s going to be,” added Clarke.

“Lots of men and dads have stopped me and said how they were crying while watching it with their kids, it’s been brilliant and I love that everyone is talking about netball.

“The final was a great experience – it was probably actually the worst we’ve ever prepared for a game. We had the semi-final the day before. We got back late and were too excited to sleep.

“Before the game, Ama [Agbeze, captain] gave us all a letter on a sheet of paper with a number, we all had to put them in order on the wall and once it was it said, ‘If not now, when? If not you, who?’

“That struck a chord with me – we could have gone into that final being happy with a silver medal whatever happens, but then you start thinking, ‘we’re here to win and we can do something amazing. Why can’t it be us?’ This was our time.

“Now it’s time to get netball in the media, get it on TV – there’s a market for it, everyone absolutely loved that game.

“I want to see a professional league in England and every game on TV. I want to see it go from strength to strength because participation is there, people are playing and people want to see it.”

Team England Official Partner npower organised for gold medallists Natalie Haythornthwaite and Jade Clarke to surprise local students from Rugby School and King Henry VIII Preparatory School with a netball session at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry, where they also thanked them for the power of their support during the 2018 Commonwealth Games.</s>GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 09: Lineo Chaka of Lesotho is greeted by Eloise Wellings of Australia, Madeline Hills of Australia and Celia Sullohern of Australia as she finishes the Women's 10,000 metres final during the Athletics on day five of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games at Carrara Stadium on April 9, 2018 on the Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 09: Lineo Chaka of Lesotho is greeted by Eloise Wellings of Australia, Madeline Hills of Australia and Celia Sullohern of Australia as she finishes the Women's 10,000 metres final during the Athletics on day five of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games at Carrara Stadium on April 9, 2018 on the Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Michael Steele

SHE may have won the hearts of our nation, but now Celia Sullohern's act of sportsmanship with her fellow 10,000m runners has attracted international attention.

Their act of waiting for the final runner to cross the finish line after their race at the recent Commonwealth Games has been nominated for the Laureus Sporting Moment of the Month.

The Laureus Sporting Awards are the biggest awards in the world, covering sports worldwide, with the moment of the month campaign culminating in the award of the Moment of the Year being presented at the annual award ceremony.

The citation reads: "10,000m running may be considered an individual sport but Australian athletes Celia Sullohern, Madeline Hills and Eloise Wellings rebuked this notion when they demonstrated the ultimate act of 'team playing' and sportsmanship. During this year's Commonwealth Games on Australia's Gold Coast, Lineo Chaka, representing the southern African nation of Lesotho, ran the last few laps of the women's 10,000 metres five minutes behind the winner Chesang and three minutes behind the runner in front of her."

"The home stretch would have been a lonely one for Chaka's first attempt at running a 10,000m but for the three Australian athletes who remained on the track waiting for her to finish despite the exhaustion they must have felt after one of the most gruelling events in the Games. Yet as Chaka approached the finish line, with the almost-capacity crowd urging her on, the three Australians were clapping and cheering the 30-year-old, encouraging her to run as strongly as she could. Once the tired Chaka had come to a standstill, after stopping the clock at 36:55.77, she was met with hugs from Sullohern, Hills and Wellings in a moment befitting the 'Friendly Games' moniker that is always associated with the Commonwealth Games. "It was lovely to stand there and show what I hope was a bit of Aussie sportsmanship," said Sullohern."

The winner is determined by public vote, and at the time of writing, Sullohern's act of kindness was in the lead with 44% of the total vote. They are up against stories of a soccer player who battled cancer twice getting to play at Wembley, a Chicago nun who helped her inspire he local college to NCAA success, and the kindness of Russian tennis player Alexander Zverev to a young fan.

You can vote for the moment by visiting here: https://mylaureus.com. Voting closes at the end of May.</s>Annastacia Palaszczuk has accused former premier Campbell Newman of looking to axe the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast during his premiership, but the ex-LNP leader says he has "no idea" what his successor is talking about.

The allegation was made after LNP leader Deb Frecklington asked about "bungles", including who was responsible for athletes being cut from the closing ceremony and quiet trade on the Gold Coast during the Games.

In response, Ms Palaszczuk said she had heard "rumours" the former LNP government had considered cancelling the Commonwealth Games.

"I have heard rumours which I would like clarified - and perhaps the member for Currumbin may be able to help us here - that the former premier Campbell Newman and the member for Currumbin were looking at axing the Commonwealth Games," the Premier said under parliamentary privilege.

"That is a rumour that has been circulating. I would be more than happy for them to clarify that."</s>The Commonwealth Games Federation has allegedly contacted the Nigeria Olympic Committee to provide personal information about the Nigeria athletes and officials who disappeared during and after the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.

Six Nigeria athletes, two coaches and one of the powerlifting helpers allegedly absconded in the Oceania country.

Top sports ministry allegedly left Australia seething after a woman boxer pulled a fast one on them to disappear at the airport while the Nigerian contingent were waiting for their flight back to Nigeria.

Sources claimed that the boxer breached the strict security measures put in place by the ministry to prevent more athletes and officials from running away after she asked to use the restroom.

“The ministry officials were convinced that the boxer would not run away when she asked to relieve herself because she left her bag with one of the officials,” a source said.

“As she did not appear, the officials decided to look for her in the restroom but she was nowhere to be found.”

Africa was thrust into the spotlight at Gold Coast 2018 for all the wrong reasons after some Cameroon, Uganda, Rwanda and Sierra Leone athletes were reported missing.

Eight Cameroon athletes vanished from the Games Village, some having failed to turn up to their scheduled events.

Rwanda weightlifting coach Jean Nsengiyumva disappeared after he asked to use the toilet.

The CGF and Australian authorities, who condemned the disappearing act, however said the missing athletes and officials hadn’t broken any laws since they are still within their visa conditions. Their visas expire at midnight on May 15.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton warned the runaway athletes and officials to leave Australia before the expiration of their visas, warning them that they would be hunted down and deported.

“The compliance officers will be out there, I promise, tracking these people down and they’ll be deported as quickly as possible,” Dutton had told Macquarie Radio.

Our correspondent learnt that Australian police and immigration are preparing for action against the missing athletes and officials who will become illegal aliens in the country after May 15.

It was learnt that the CGF decided to contact the NOC for information about Nigeria athletes and officials who have yet to leave Australia to aid their deportation if they breach their visas.

However, spokesman for the NOC Tony Ubani denied any knowledge about CGF’s contact.

“I’m not aware of any inquires from the Commonwealth Games Federation,” Ubani told our correspondent on the telephone.

Copyright PUNCH.

 All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.</s>The triumph of six Commonwealth Games athletes connected to Bangor University have been celebrated.

Wales’ first gold medal at the Games in Australia was secured by university staff member Gareth Evans, 32, from Holyhead.

Bangor University trained Tesni Evans from Rhyl, added a bronze to Wales’ tally of 37 for playing squash.

Mr Evans a former painter and decorator who now works at Canolfan Brailsford, was one of five weightlifters from Bangor who were in the Wales squad competing on the Gold Coast.

They were; Seth Casidsid, a psychology graduate who works at Canolfan Brailsford; psychology student Catrin Jones; sports science student Harry Misangyi and Hannah Powell, a sports science graduate, who works for Welsh Weightlifting based at Canolfan Brailsford.

University Vice-Chancellor John G Hughes told the athletes: “You have done Wales proud and you have done Bangor University proud. You are fantastic role models for our University community and I congratulate you all on your achievements.”

Mr Evans said: “I can’t thank Bangor University enough for the support they have given me with my Commonwealth adventure and hopefully bringing back the gold was just desserts for them.

“It was nice to be awarded as well with a nice plaque by the University, so it’s they have really shown their support and how much they appreciate what we have done at the competition as well. That was really good.”

Weightlifting Wales chair Barry Eaton said: “In addition to Gareth’s medal success, what we have here is a stream of talent, which I’m sure hold future medals for Wales.

“The sports facilities at Bangor University are second to none, and the best in Wales for weightlifting.”

University director of Sport Richard Bennett said: “We have invested in our facilities and in our elite athletes over the last few years, and it has been a huge honour to back these individuals in the Wales squad. We are delighted to be able to thank them for their superb performances.”

Each team member received a commemorative plaque and then enjoyed a gold medal cake.
Kenyan boxer Brian Agina goes missing as his team prepares to return from the Commonwealth Games in Australia.