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Asiad 2026: Captain Pushpa Rana backs India to defend women’s kabaddi gold | Asian Games 2026

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India women’s kabaddi captain Pushpa Rana is confident the team can successfully defend its gold medal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, with the defending champions treating the expectations surrounding them as motivation rather than pressure.

 

Leading a 12-member squad in her first assignment as captain, Rana said India have prepared by studying opponents, analysing past performances and addressing the areas identified by the coaching staff.

 

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The team will begin its campaign against Bangladesh on September 21 before taking on Iran and Japan in Group A. Rana said the squad is determined to carry forward the success of previous generations.

Rana sees gold-medal expectations as motivation

India have won 11 Asian Games gold medals in kabaddi, including three in the women’s event, and will enter Aichi-Nagoya as the defending champions. At the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, India beat Chinese Taipei 26-25 in a closely fought final.

 

 

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Rana said the history created by the senior players has given the current squad an added sense of responsibility, but the players are embracing that responsibility positively.

 

“When our seniors have already done a good job, they have made their own history, so it is up to us to maintain that momentum. So, we see it as motivation, we don’t see it as pressure. We are also working hard to maintain that momentum,” Rana said.

 

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India also won the women’s Kabaddi World Cup in November last year, adding to the team’s confidence ahead of the Asian Games. 

India step up preparations ahead of campaign

Rana said the team’s preparation has involved both match-specific training and detailed analysis of its opponents. The players have also been working on weaknesses highlighted by the coaching staff from their previous performances.

 

“First of all, we practise according to the situation. We also analyse the videos of the upcoming matches. Our coaches also tell us about the shortcomings of the past and what needs to be improved. And now we are working on that. I think our team is well prepared,” she said.

 

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The captain will also have senior players to lean on as she takes charge of the side. Rana has previously served as vice-captain and said the experience of players such as Ritu Negi and Sonali Shingate will be valuable as she settles into the leadership role.

 

“I rely a lot on the seniors because they are already captains like Ritu Negi and Sonali Shingate. So, their advice is very important to me,” Rana said.

 

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She also singled out Chinese Taipei as one of the teams India will need to keep an eye on, given their narrow defeat in the Hangzhou final.

Kajla hopes gold can inspire more girls

Pooja Kajla, meanwhile, believes another Asian Games gold would have significance beyond the medal itself. The Arjuna awardee said the success of Indian women across different sports can encourage more young girls to take up sport.

 

“First of all, it is very important to win gold at the Asian Games. Along with that, as we talk about the girls of the cricket World Cup, there are also juniors who are very inspired by the success of Indian women in sport,” Kajla said.

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“If we bring gold, then small children get inspired by us and they will also ask their parents to let them play,” she added.

 

Kajla also credited the team’s strength and conditioning camp, organised jointly by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) and Mashal Sports, the organisers of the Pro Kabaddi League, for improving the players’ understanding of recovery.

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“They gave us a few more classes on sleep and recovery. So, I got to learn a lot from there,” she said.

India begin title defence against Bangladesh

The women’s kabaddi competition at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will begin on September 21. India have been placed in Group A and will open their campaign against Bangladesh.

 

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The defending champions will then face Iran on September 23 before completing their group-stage fixtures against hosts Japan on September 24. The semi-finals are scheduled for September 25, followed by the gold medal match on September 26.

 

India’s 12-member women’s kabaddi squad is led by Pushpa Rana and includes Ritu Negi, Sonali Shingate, Sanju Devi, Pooja Kajla, Ritu Sheoran, Jyoti Thakur, Pinki Roy, Manisha Kumari, Bhavna Thakur, Raj Rani and Nikita Kumari.

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Vikings Coach Called a “Psycho” as Heavyweight Battle Awaits

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Normally, the nickname that gets assigned is that he’s “The Mad Scientist.” What about being a “psycho?”

Vikings coach Brian Flores took some time to hop onto the Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast. Simms, a former NFL passer who is now a prominent NFL commentator, sent along the quip, doing so in praise of Minnesota’s DC being an unusually aggressive guy. That’s an observation that prefigures a Week 2 game against Ben Johnson, a flamethrower of a playcaller with seemingly boundless creativity.

Vikings Coach Brian Flores is a “Psycho”

Lately, the descriptors have been flying.

Rookie fullback Max Bredeson has been generating praise in the Twin Cities. Some of that praise got sent over by head coach Kevin O’Connell, who offered the quip that Bredeson is somebody who is intelligent but who has some “screws loose.” Note (as Will Ragatz does) that the description comes after Bredeson got described by OC Wes Phillips a “meathead” and a “dirt bag” during the summer.

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NFL: Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
Sep 13, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) reacts before a play during the first half against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images – Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Likewise, WR3 Jauan Jennings got described as a “dirt bag” by Kyler Murray. Doing so came as a compliment due to the physicality and grit behind the way Mr. Jennings blocks. One can only assume that Minnesota’s WR3 felt honored by the description.

Does that clarify how Simms is talking about Flores in the moment?

“You’re a psycho in a good way,” Simms notes, “like I say about most good coaches.” Flores took the comment in a positive way, as his chuckle demonstrated. By this point, Brian Flores has heard it all since his aggression isn’t a new feature of his play calling.

The Simms comment arrived after Flores confirmed that he enjoys going toe-to-toe with football’s foremost architects on offense, such as Ben Johnson, Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan, and others. From the outside looking in, the Vikings coach appears to get satisfaction from outwitting these brilliant football minds. Why wouldn’t he?

In Week 1, Coach Flores empowered his guys to fly forward. He has always allowed his guys to do so but the Packers game became a bloodbath toward the end. Dallas Turner and Blake Cashman were particularly effective, but those two weren’t alone. Levi Drake Rodriguez, Andrew Van Ginkel, Jalen Redmond, and several others all had good moments.

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Green Bay crumpled under the pressure, a reality that should be understood in both a literal and metaphorical manner.

Vikings EDGE Andrew Van Ginkel pursues Caleb Williams in 2024
Dec 16, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) passes against the Minnesota Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (43) in the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

What’s now of interest is how things will go in Week 2.

To be blunt, Chicago is a clear step ahead of Green Bay and the chasm appears to be widening. Caleb Williams is quickly proving to be the best passer in the division. He’s operating behind a better offensive line and throwing to a better collection of skill. Most important, Ben Johnson is remarkable at what he does (as Chicago’s 59 points in Week 1 demonstrate). Tricking Johnson isn’t easy, so Flores has his hands full.

Stealing a win from inside Soldier Field isn’t going to happen unless the Vikings coaching staff puts together an elite game plan. Both of Kevin O’Connell and Matt Daniels have a major role to play, but Brian Flores may be leading the most important phase as the Vikings try to insulate QB2 Carson Wentz.

Look for the “psycho” to try to make Williams skittish from the beginning of the 1st quarter to the end of the 4th quarter. Doing so means concocting a strategy that proves too much for Johnson to solve.

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Fantasy football Week 2 Start ‘Em & Sit ‘Em: Baker Mayfield draws favorable revenge spot

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Week 2 is always fun because you get to see who overreacts to what happened in Week 1. Fantasy managers love to panic, but you shouldn’t rush to judgment after one game. Relax.

For example, you should remain confident in Ja’Marr Chase, Colston Loveland and Jaylen Waddle, among others. As long as they are healthy, they should perform at a high level for the majority of the season.

On the other hand, there’s reason for concern for Drake Maye and Justin Herbert since both quarterbacks could be without their best receivers. Maye won’t have A.J. Brown (ankle) for at least the next four games, and Herbert could be without Ladd McConkey (ribs) in Week 2.

I also hope the Falcons get Cooper Rush off the field in favor of Michael Penix Jr. (knee) or Tua Tagovailoa (oblique). Either quarterback is a boost for Drake London and Kyle Pitts, but you should downgrade both in Week 2 against Carolina if Rush starts again.

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There are plenty of other examples, pro and con, of how to react to what happened in Week 1. Just remember that bad games happen. Great players aren’t always great for every performance.

It just stings a little more when one of your stars struggles in Week 1. We’re all fired up for the start of the season, and then you get a dud — or worse, an injury — and it’s a depressing feeling.

Thankfully, Week 2 is here. You got the chance to alter your lineup with the waiver wire or maybe a trade. Hopefully, your team is ready to go.

We also hope your best players deliver a solid outing, especially if they struggled in Week 1. But just be prepared for more letdowns. It’s a long season, and even if you fall to 0-2, you’ll be OK. You can still recover and make the playoffs and compete for a championship.

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As always, we’re here to help with the starts and sits that you need. So let’s get to it. Week 2 is here. And it’s going to be a lot of fun

Pick NFL at Underdog Fantasy, where new users who play $5 now get $100 in site credits with promo code CBSSPORTS2 in select states.

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49ers (vs. MIA)

The 49ers defense played great in Week 1 against the Rams, holding them to 7 points with one interception, one fumble recovery and just 290 total yards allowed. It’s a big difference when Nick Bosa and Fred Warner are healthy, and  San Francisco should dominate the Miami offense in Week 2. The Raiders held the Dolphins to 13 points in Week 1 with five sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery. The 49ers DST should be amazing in Week 2.

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Vikings (at CHI)

The Vikings defense came alive late in Week 1 against the Packers and finished with four sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery. But the Bears offense could be tough to stop. Chicago just scored 59 points in Week 1 against Carolina, and Caleb Williams was sacked just twice. The Bears also had one fumble. I don’t want to trust the Vikings DST against Chicago in Week 2.

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Tiffany Stratton Suffers Horrifying Accident Falling On Her Neck Leaving Everyone Concerned

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Tiffany Stratton has suffered an accident during a live stream. The star fell on her head, leaving everyone concerned about her well-being.

Tiffany Stratton suffered an accident and was hurt during her live stream

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Tiffany Stratton was live on Twitch tonight, where she was training and hitting different moves at the WWE Performance Center, and was working on some moves. Unfortunately, while this was happening, she suffered an accident and ended up falling on her neck.

Stratton was doing flips to the outside using the ropes. The star was trying out the move and had previously successfully bounced off the ropes using her knees to hit a senton onto the pad on the outside. However, after the successful attempt, things went wrong. After a few moments, while she was talking, she tried the move again, but this time she didn’t bring up her knees to bounce out.

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Instead, she just went up and over and fell directly on her neck. There was a moment when everyone there was concerned for her, and she stayed down, audibly groaning. It was clear that she was hurt.

Thankfully, it turned out to apparently not be too serious as she stood right back up.

The video of the moment can be watched below.

What made the moment even odder is that Je’Von Evans entered just after this, having missed it. Stratton tried to greet him after standing up, but even then it could be seen that she was in some pain as a result of the botch.

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Hopefully, it was just a botch and the star is not injured. She continued to stream for some time after, but ended it earlier than usual. There are no updates as to her health as of now.

We at Sportskeeda Wrestling send our best wishes to the star.