Indian gymnast Pranati Nayak has learnt to live with injuries and the long road back to competition after those setbacks, but the frustrating cycle has done little to dampen her spirits as she chases a maiden Asian Games medal in her fourth appearance at the mega-event. The 31-year-old, who is the only Indian gymnast selected for the quadrennial event, left for Aichi, Nagoya, Japan on Wednesday night for the Games beginning September 19. It has come about after a carefully managed recovery from plantar fasciitis (inflammation of foot) that bothered her this season. She missed out on the women’s vault final at the Commonwealth Games because of this.

“I am 100 per cent fit now. Injury is a part of a gymnast’s life. A gymnast has a lot of injuries. We have to take care of them,” Nayak, who trains at the Odisha AM/NS India Gymnastics High Performance Centre, told PTI.

“I had made a mistake while running (in Glasgow) but injury was not the reason behind it. After coming back from Commonwealth Games, I have focused on perfection, landing and flexibility. I made a running mistake.

“I can’t do anything about it now. It was a very difficult phase for me. Now I am ready and focused,” she said.

The immediate response after Glasgow, however, was to step away from the apparatus rather than increase the workload.

“She had a slight injury in her leg. That’s why after the Commonwealth Games, we gave her a full three-week rest. She went home to visit her family. After that, I didn’t make her do total vaulting. We focussed on preparatory basic training stages,” coach Ashok Mishra said.

“When she got used to the rotation and twisting, when her leg recovered, then we focussed on vaulting.” Nayak had recovered from a grade 2 ankle ligament tear suffered in 2025 to win a silver medal at the FIG World Challenge Cup in Tashkent in May this year.

The return was also about regaining confidence in the movements that precede a vault, something she admits can be difficult after an injury.

“It is very difficult. The recovery takes a long time. After that injury, I had to face a lot of problems. But I never gave up. I will try to give my 100 per cent in the upcoming competition,” said the Midnapore gymnast, the first Indian to claim three Asian Championship medals.

She has also worked on the mental side of her comeback, including with consultations with psychologists, to help her concentrate on the routine rather than the pressure surrounding it.

“I have worked with a lot of psychologists. They say that you should focus on what you are doing. If you think well, it will be good. You should train your mind. Even if I can’t train much, I can keep repeating the drill in my mind,” Nayak said.

The approach will be particularly important in Nagoya, where Nayak expects a strong field featuring leading gymnasts from across Asia.

“The Asian Games will be very tough. All the top gymnasts and a lot of Olympic medallists will participate. I saw them in the qualification for the Asian Games,” she said.

Nayak has the high-difficulty Tsukahara 720 in her repertoire, but Mishra is not looking to unleash it immediately. The first objective is to get her through qualification with a clean vault and into the final.

“Our target will be to qualify for the first final. She did Tsukahara 720 before, but if she does a perfect 360 with execution, a fixed landing, and a spring straight 360, then she’ll be in the final,” Mishra said.

“When she qualifies for the final, we have two days to think whether we’ll go all out. She has two vaults, a 720 and forward 540. We’ll see how she suits the equipment, and how she does it.” The final decision will be taken after assessing how Nayak responds to the equipment and training in Japan.

“Once we get there, we’ll train for three days and then we’ll set up mentally,” Mishra said.

Nayak won three Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships medals in Ulaanbaatar (2019), Doha (2022), and Jecheon, South Korea (2025). She also holds two World Cup bronzes from Cairo (2024) and Antalya (2025). But an Asian Games medal remains a missing piece in her collection.

“My competition is with myself, so I will try to give my best. I will see how I am landing and how is my jumping and then will decide which vault I will go for,” Nayak said when asked whether she would stick to a 360-degree vault or attempt a higher difficulty.

The 2020 Olympics remains an emotional milestone for Nayak, so much so that she has etched the Olympic rings as a tattoo on her right arm.

At 31, she knows the window for a gymnast at the highest level does not stay open forever, but her sights remain firmly set on one more Olympic appearance in Los Angeles.

“I will not give up till the time I am fit.” 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Featured Video Of The Day

Neeraj Chopra Wins Silver, Yashvir Singh Bronze As India Seal Double Podium In CWG Javelin

Eddie Hearn has predicted that Conor Benn will soon retire from boxing, after his former ally’s emphatic loss to Ryan Garcia.

Last week, Garcia stopped Benn in the second round, retaining the WBC welterweight title in their Las Vegas main event.

Garcia, 28, dropped Benn with a hard right hook, and although the Briton beat the referee’s count, he was overwhelmed by the American, forcing the referee to stop the fight.

Benn, 29, later said he was unsure what his next move will be, and that his priority is spending time with his family. He had previously suggested, however, that he will move back up to middleweight next.

In any case, Hearn has now discussed the fight, which was Benn’s second after leaving Hearn’s Matchroom promotion in a shocking move in February.

“My last few predictions were that I thought Ryan Garcia would win inside three rounds,” Hearn told iFL TV.

“I just felt [Benn] looked lost. I don’t know, didn’t really look like himself… and in the ring he looked all over the place, he looked like a rabbit in headlights.

“Listen, Conor Benn will be done in the next year or so. He may have one more fight. Who knows? He may not even fight again. He’s made his money.”

Doubling down on the sentiment, Hearn said: “Yeah, I do [think he’ll retire soon]. I think he wants his money, and he’s made a load of money. What else is there?

Enjoy 185+ fights a year on DAZN, the Global Home of Boxing

Advertisement

Never miss a fight from top promoters. Watch on your devices anywhere, anytime.

Buy Now

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Enjoy 185+ fights a year on DAZN, the Global Home of Boxing

Never miss a fight from top promoters. Watch on your devices anywhere, anytime.

Advertisement

Buy Now

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

“He’s not gonna beat anyone of any significance at 160lb [middleweight], so what are you in the game for? He’s in the game to make money, and he’s done that.

“I don’t think he’s gonna wanna hang around in the sport of boxing; he’s got other interests, he’s got family.”

Benn and Hearn’s split was a stunning one, with Matchroom having stood by the “Destroyer” during a drug-test saga that lasted from 2022 until 2024, only for the fighter to join Hearn’s rival Dana White at Zuffa Boxing.

Benn had failed two drug tests in summer 2022 and was provisionally suspended from fighting in the UK, until he was cleared to do so again in late 2024. He maintained his innocence throughout the episode.

Benn was reportedly offered $15m to sign with Zuffa on a one-fight deal, and his promotional debut came against Regis Prograis in April. On the undercard of Tyson Fury’s win over Arslanbek Makhmudov, Benn outpointed the former world champion, who was boxing at a career-highest weight and retired after the bout. Benn then extended his Zuffa deal and faced Garcia.

His likeliest next move is a trilogy bout with Chris Eubank Jr, with whom he traded middleweight wins in 2025. Eubank Jr outpointed Benn in April, before his bitter rival returned the favour in November – scoring two knockdowns along the way.

Eubank Jr, 36, was quick to mock Benn after his loss to Garcia, while middleweight champion Denzel Bentley this week offered Benn a shot at his WBO belt.

A staple of college football could be on its last leg.

December and January always include bowl games, matchups with teams that typically would not play each other during the season, often with unique trophies or postgame celebrations based on the bowl game sponsor. The Duke’s Mayo bath, The Potato Bowl trophy, the Pop-Tart mascot, and all these fun and unique moments could soon become a thing of the past.

Advertisement

Brett McMurphy of On3 wrote yesterday that the 24-team College Football Playoff, which is all but certain to come to fruition, will likely spell the end of the traditional bowl system.

McMurphy notes the change to 24 teams could come as early as 2028, but could be 2030. And what will that mean for traditional bowl games? There could be stand-alone bowl games before the season instead, according to some bowl executive directors.

However, the logistics of that could be tricky when it comes to television contracts, as well as starting fall camp earlier.

We’ve seen a recent decline of bowl games with the expansion of the playoff, as teams that narrowly missed the playoffs opted not to play in them. However, it seems like the 24-team expansion could be what ultimately ends the bowl system.

Advertisement

McMurphy’s piece on the state of the bowl system is well worth the read. You can read it in full here.

Tweet of the Day

A fresh scheme launched by the Saudi Pro League will give stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo the opportunity to turn their social media popularity into revenue.

Under the initiative, players and content creators will be able to share links to individual Pro League matches or game bundles on their channels and claim a share of the income generated.

That could prove highly lucrative for Ronaldo should he opt to participate, given his audience of over one billion followers across social platforms. The Portuguese forward joined Al Nassr in 2022, but has hinted the current season may be his last before retirement.

Anyone clicking a link shared by Ronaldo or any other partner in the ‘Share and Earn’ initiative will be taken to a league-owned streaming service.

Selected publishers will also be allowed to host official Pro League live and on-demand broadcasts directly on their own platforms, subject to league authorisation. This works in a similar way to the Bundesliga’s UK partnerships involving YouTuber Mark Goldbridge and Burnley striker Jamie Vardy.

In that scenario, the stream for the fixture or fixtures would be embedded directly within an approved partner’s platform.

The United Kingdom and Ireland are among 16 territories where shared content can be viewed, alongside Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Canada, New Zealand, Serbia, South Korea, Malta, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Cyprus and Greece.

“The way people discover, consume and engage with sport is changing rapidly,” Omar Mugharbel, the league’s chief executive, said.

“Fans are increasingly connected to competitions, clubs and players through digital platforms and the creators and communities they trust.

“For generations, sports distribution has largely been a relationship between rights holders and broadcasters. Developments in technology and the growth of the creator economy give us an opportunity to add another dimension to that relationship – one in which a broader network of partners can help connect our football with fans and participate in that growth.

“By democratising both access and distribution, we can bring live RSL football closer to international fans while giving approved content creators, our clubs and players, and other distribution partners a genuine stake in helping us reach new audiences.

“For the SPL, this is an opportunity to innovate, learn and build new relationships with the people and platforms shaping how sport is discovered and consumed around the world.

“As we continue to grow internationally, we want to explore new models that bring fans and the league closer together while creating shared value as our international audience expands.”

Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly and director Mark Walter have sold their stakes in the club to majority owner Clearlake Capital, giving the investment firm full control of the Premier League club.

Clearlake, led by co-founders Behdad Eghbali and Jose E. Feliciano, previously owned 61.5% of Chelsea. Boehly, Walter and Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss each held 12.8%.

Chelsea said Wyss will remain an “important stakeholder and partner” in the ownership group.

Boehly, who became chairman in 2022 after the consortium completed its £2.3 billion takeover of Chelsea from Roman Abramovich, will now leave the position.

It is understood that Clearlake has paid close to £1 billion for the stakes held by Boehly and Walter, although people close to the deal put Chelsea’s overall value at around £5 billion.

The change follows reports of a rift within the ownership group, with both sides having explored the possibility of buying each other out.

In his farewell message, Boehly thanked those who helped the club during his time as chairman.

“It has been an honour to serve as Chairman of Chelsea Football Club,” Boehly said.

“I would like to thank the many who helped secure a bright future for the Club, including the English Premier League, the coaches and players, the talented leadership and staff at Chelsea, and the legions of dedicated fans.

“I have valued my partnership with Clearlake and the wider ownership group, and the collective decisions and investment we have made to support the immediate and long-term success of the Club.

“I am confident that Chelsea is well positioned for continued success under Clearlake’s leadership.”

Boehly and Walter have also sold their stakes in Chelsea’s partner club, French Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.

Since the 2022 takeover, Chelsea’s highest Premier League finish has been fourth, achieved in the 2024-25 season. The club also won the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup during that campaign.

Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League last season and appointed Xabi Alonso as their manager in the summer.

The club has also gone through major changes to its squad since the takeover, with the ownership initially focusing on signing younger players on long-term contracts.

Eghbali and Feliciano thanked Boehly for his “time and contribution” as chairman, saying he will “always be a part of the Chelsea story and family”.

They said their focus would remain on investing in Chelsea’s infrastructure, sporting performance and player development while working towards long-term success.

Chelsea also has plans to either redevelop Stamford Bridge or move to a new stadium, an issue that has reportedly caused tension within the ownership group.

Despite Clearlake taking full control, the club said there would be “no changes to the day-to-day operations, leadership or strategy at the club”.

Boehly, who is also a co-owner of baseball franchise the Los Angeles Dodgers, had been chairman since the 2022 takeover.

JJ Gabriel has shocked Manchester United by asking to leave the club

JJ Gabriel has been told he’s ‘spitting his dummy out’ after Roy Keane delivered a blunt message to Manchester United, insisting the club cannot afford to indulge a frustrated 15‑year‑old at a time when Michael Carrick is under pressure and desperate for wins. United were caught by surprise when Gabriel requested to leave the club this week.

United chiefs were left stunned by the revelation, particularly as the plan had been to include Gabriel in the squad to face Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday night ahead of a possible debut. Had he featured in the 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford, a game United led 2-0, he would have become the youngest player in the club’s history.

Even so, United believe the situation can still be resolved, with time left on his contract. Gabriel cannot be de‑registered, but he will be able to negotiate a move abroad once he turns 16 next month, helped by the fact he holds an Irish passport.

Speaking on The Overlap, Keane addressed the situation but stressed above all that United need wins, having lost their last two matches. “Carrick’s under pressure. Obviously, [Sir Alex] Ferguson, we go back and sometimes you’d throw lads into the first team, but United they need wins,” he said.

“I don’t think United are in the position to go ‘We can write off a cup game tonight and play a couple of young lads’. No, we need to get some wins, we need to get some momentum into the season and if some 15-year-old is spitting his dummy out, we’ll deal with that.”

Carrick also broke his silence on the issue following the loss to Brighton. “I just think we’ve got to be really careful of the whole situation, you know,” he admitted.

“He’s a young boy, he’s 15, and for me, definitely, and from a club point of view, is looking after our younger players, their welfare, their well-being, their exposure, and I think we’ve got to be really, all of us, I think we’ve got to be really conscious of that, really, in this situation.”

Carrick reiterated that the situation surrounding Gabriel was a sensitive one when speaking to Sky Sports. “It’s more about the welfare, the care and the attention of JJ as a child, really,” he said.

FOLLOW OUR MAN UNITED FB PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester United Facebook page

“He’s certainly a young man. The situation is what it is, but we have to be careful about the exposure on that one.”

The 15‑year‑old prodigy is yet to make an official first‑team appearance, though he did feature for Carrick’s side during pre‑season. Gabriel has been a regular in senior training sessions after his outstanding campaign for United’s U18s last season, scoring 26 goals in 29 matches.

However, Gabriel’s future is now in doubt after he submitted a request to have his registration cancelled, though United have yet to accept it. The club still believe the situation can be resolved, but their chances of keeping hold of their academy gem could be complicated as the forward approaches his 16th birthday next month.

He is not short of admirers, with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris Saint‑Germain and Bayern Munich among the clubs targeting the youngster. Madrid are understood to have scouted Gabriel and were impressed by his recent performance against Sabah, where he bagged a hat-trick in the UEFA Youth League.

As he is eligible for a European passport, Gabriel could potentially move to clubs on the continent.

Jürgen Klopp selected 44 players across two separate Germany squads on Thursday ahead of four Nations League fixtures, while opting to drop the nation’s top scorer from the World Cup.

Klopp’s double squad selection turns upcoming matches against the Netherlands, Greece and Serbia into an extended audition for positions prior to the next major tournament, the 2028 European Championship in the UK and Ireland.

Advertisement

Established stars such as Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz are likely to be restricted to a maximum of two matches, as Klopp seeks to introduce fresh faces and manage physical demands on players.

The decision continues an unconventional start to his career in international football, having previously threatened to resign should he feel media scrutiny proved too intrusive or criticism became excessively overwhelming.

A significant portion of those called up on Thursday have never represented Germany at senior level, with candidates like Elversberg midfielder Felix Keidel and Eintracht Frankfurt forward Younes Ebnoutalib having played only a few top-flight club games.

Advertisement

The sole squad constraint during the league phase requires teams to submit a 23-man matchday roster before midnight ahead of each fixture, though players can be swapped between matches.

There was no place for Deniz Undav, who topped Germany’s scoring charts with three goals and two assists at the World Cup before a round-of-32 penalty shootout loss against Paraguay ended coach Julian Nagelsmann’s reign. Galatasaray winger Leroy Sané was also omitted, leaving him unable to add to his 80 international caps.

Germany stumbled through their group at this summer’s tournament, beating Curacao and Ivory Coast before losing to Ecuador.

Advertisement

They then suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Paraguay on penalties following a 1-1 draw. Germany have failed to win a major tournament since the 2014 World Cup, and have regularly underperformed over the past decade.

Klopp has brought in to try and turn their fortunes around, and his assignment will begin later this month.

Germany will face the Netherlands on 24 September, before taking on Greece three days later, Serbia on 1 October and Greece again on 4 October, and Klopp is set to use two squads to handle the congested schedule.

Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq (Image: ANI)

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is waiting for the findings of a National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) probe before deciding whether to take disciplinary action against senior players Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq.The development comes after the Lahore High Court dismissed Rizwan’s petition challenging the notices issued to him by the NCCIA. Chief Justice Aalia Neelum rejected the petition during Thursday’s hearing after hearing arguments from both sides.Rizwan’s lawyer, Qazi Umair Ali, told the court that his client had been issued notices. The chief justice advised the player to respond to them.“You should go and respond to the notice. On which date was the notice issued to you?” Chief Justice Neelum remarked, as quoted by news agency PTI.The lawyer claimed that Rizwan was questioned at a hotel after the Lord’s Test without being given a notice and that his mobile phone was taken.He said Rizwan had handed over the phone after being told it would be returned within three hours, but it had still not been returned.

NCCIA examining players’ phones

Rizwan’s lawyer also questioned the NCCIA’s authority to investigate the matter. He argued that the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit was the appropriate body to deal with corruption-related concerns involving cricketers and said the case had not been referred to the ICC unit.Rizwan had challenged the NCCIA summons in court, questioning both the agency’s jurisdiction and the nature of the investigation.Meanwhile, the NCCIA is conducting a forensic examination of mobile phones taken from Rizwan and Imam, according to PTI source familiar with the developments. The agency is expected to submit its findings to the PCB next week.“How the PCB decides to move against the two players will now depend on what findings the NCCIA submits to the PCB. If nothing out of the ordinary is found in the forensics examination they will probably get reprieves,” the source said.

PCB to decide next step

The PCB’s decision on possible disciplinary action will depend on the NCCIA report. The board is expected to assess the findings before deciding whether any action is required against the two players.For now, the focus remains on the forensic examination of the phones and the report that the NCCIA is expected to submit to the PCB.