The Bronze tigers

The Indian hockey team recently gave a stellar performance against Great Britain to claim the bronze position in the Sultan Azlah Shah Cup hockey tournament in Malaysia. 

In a closely contested match, India scored a 3-1 win against Britain. Indian national hockey team carefully pieced together moves in the second half to score three goals. 

The team, which included player of the tournament Sardar Singh, skipper Bharat Chettri and star drag flicker Sandeep Singh, was coached by Michael Nobbs. The team made a dramatic comeback after winning the fourth match, signalling the readiness and perseverance of the hockey team.

Shivendra Singh scored a brilliant goal drawing parity to India. Ten minutes later Sandeep Singh scored a penalty kick bringing another point to India with the help of a drag flick. India’s victory was sealed when, on the penultimate minute,Tushar Khadekar, scored a goal against Great Britain.

This match was an example of what the Indian team is capable of. It is a sign that the team is ready to face the Olympics. Furthermore, a team like this coupled with the motivation and training from their coach means that the team has been moulded into a formidable force, ready to take on the Olympics and make India proud.  We wish the Indian National Hockey team all the best!

-IOS Sports and Entertainment.

The Fast Relief Punch

FMCG major Emami Ltd. has roped in World Champion boxer Mary Kom to endorse its leading single brand ‘Fast Relief'. This is the first time the company has got on board a sports star to endorse its products. 

In the deal signed recently, Emami Ltd. has taken five-time World champion Mary Kom, cricketer Gautam Gambhir, boxer Vijender Singh, shuttle player Saina Nehwal and wrestler Sushil Kumar to be its brand ambassadors. The quintet will soon be endorsing the company’s pain relief brand - Fast Relief.

Traditionally, Bollywood stars have endorsed Emami's brands but now with Fast Relief the company aims to extend its reach to the big market of sports fan. With the Olympics around the corner this is a recognition of the growing interest in sports and the big fan-following of boxing and several other sports. 

This is a big endorsement for Mary Kom as Emami is one of the most competitive companies in the pain management category with around 13 percent share of a Rs. 3000cr market. The other brands in the segment are Zandu Balm and Mentho Plus balm, encompassing a turnover of Rs 387cr last year.

Emami CEO, Sales and Supply-chain and Human Capital, N Krishna Mohan said, “Fast Relief is designed for the active and ‘on-the-go’ population, which is a lot these days. The theme of ‘Fast Relief’ is fairly reciprocated in the sports field, which involves injuries and aches. It is sometimes misinterpreted that cricket is the only game played in the country. With five five-star sports persons endorsing the brand, the endorsement will celebrate the budding spirit of other sports in our country.”

So as she packs her bags for the London Olympics maybe Magnificent Mary can pack a few 'Fast Reliefs' for her opponents, as they would surely need all the help after facing her left hook.

Go Mary!

                                                                                                          -IOS Sports and Entertainment.

                                                                                                            No pain, No gain.

                                                                                 

IOS at London 2012.

IOS at Olympics 2012

The London Olympics 2012, the foremost sporting event in the world, which has world’s top athletes competing for the ultimate sporting accolade in the world - the Olympic Gold. The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad, will take place in London, United Kingdom from 27^th July to 12^th August 2012. With over 200 countries participating, team India is all set to put their best foot forward. Indian athletes who’ve been preparing for this golden event all year long are eager for their shot at the gold. Indians will be seen participating in almost all the games.

We at IOS too, have built our London Bridge.

For IOS it’s a proud moment, many of our talent are on the winning team headed for the London Olympics. A yearlong determination and grit by our talent and our team has been proved fruitful.

At the London Olympics 2012, IOS will be showcasing Indian talent in the following events:

Athletics:

Krishna Poonia: Krishna Poonia is a national woman discus throw champion of India. She led an Indian clean sweep in the women’s discus final at the Commonwealth Games on 11 October 2010, winning a gold medal with a throw of 61.51 meters.

She will be participating in the event Women’s discus throw in the Olympics. The event will be held on 3^rd and 4^th August, 2012.

Boxing:

Mary Kom: Also known as ‘Queen of the ring’ and ‘Magnificent Mary’, Mary Kom isthe first woman boxer from India to have won five World titles consecutively. She has more than three Asian titles and eleven National titles under her belt. She is also a recipient of the prestigious Arjuna Award, the Padma Shri Award, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and a special award from AIBA (International Boxing Association).

She will be participating in the event Women’s flyweight (51kgs) in the Olympics. The event will be held on 5^th,6^th and 8^th,9^th August, 2012.

Wrestling:

Yogeshwar Dutt: Yogeshwar Dutt is an Indian wrestler from Haryana. He began his wrestling career in the Indian National Championship in 1998. He won the Gold medal in the 2003 and 2012 Commonwealth Championship. He also won Gold in the 2008 Asian championship.

He will be participating in the event Men’s freestyle (60kg). The event will be held on 11^th August, 2012.

Amit Kumar: Amit Kumar, a newcomer in the arena of wrestling, hails from Haryana. He is one of the youngest wrestlers in India and has won a gold medal in the Asian Junior Championship last year. He won gold again this year as he defeated his opposition in the Olympic qualification match securing his trip to this year’s Olympics.

He will be participating in the Men’s 55 kg freestyle event that will be held in 10^th of August.

Shooting:

Ronjan Sodhi: Ronjan Sodhi is India’s ace trap shooter and one of India’s foremost hopes for a medal at the London Olympics, 2012. He hails from the bread basket of Punjab, but trains in Italy and is one of the most respected names in international shooting. He is also the first Indian shooter to book a berth for the London Olympics, 2012 and will be leading India’s charge in shooting.

He will be participating in the Men’s double trap. The event will be held on 2^nd August, 2012.

Heena Siddhu: Heena Siddhu is one of India’s foremost shooters and a national shooting champion. Hailing from Punjab, at the young age of 19, she already has several remarkable achievements to her name, including a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.

She will be participating in the event Women’s 25m pistol in the Olympics. The event will be held on 1^st August, 2012.

Field Hockey:

The India Hockey team has a history of success. It won its first Olympic gold medal in 1928 and until 1956, the Indian men's team remained unbeaten in the Olympics, winning six gold medals in a row. In total, the Indian field hockey team has won eight Olympics gold medals — the highest among all national teams. On Feb 26th 2012, the Indian men's national field hockey team has qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics after a gap of 8 years.

Sardar Singh:Sardar Singh, the captain of the Indian hockey team during the final of the Olympic Qualifiers, 2012, held in New Delhi is the backbone of the Indian national team.

Respected internationally for his incredible talent, game control and vision on the field, Sardar is the fulcrum of the national team and will be a key component of India’s challenge in the London Olympics.

Shivender Singh:Shivendra Singh, the ace Indian hockey striker was born on 09 Jun 1983 in Uttar Pradesh. He has a total of 125 caps and has scored 53 goals. He also plays for the Indian club Bhopal Badshahs.

Sandeep Singh: Sandeep Singh hails from the sporting state of Haryana and has achieved an incredible amount in his 25 years.

India’s hockey star and drag flicker, Sandeep is respected internationally for his talent and feared by the defense and keepers across the world for the power and accuracy of his drag flicks.

SV Sunil: SV Sunil is a talented Indian hockey forward. Hailing from Coorg, a popular hockey region in Karnataka, he sets up goals for others, besides also scoring when in opportune moments.

He played his first senior international at Chennai in the 2007 Asia Cup and lead India to victory.Despite his father’s death, he did not miss the Azlan Shah Cup duty in 2010, and returned with gold.SV Sunil plays for Services and Karnataka in the domestic circuit and represented Bangalore Hi-Fliers in the Premier Hockey League.

The Indian Hockey team is participating in the Olympics in the following games:

India VS Netherlands, 30^th July.

India VS New Zealand, 1^st August.

India VS Germany, 3^rd August.

India VS Korea, 5^th August.

India VS Belgium, 7^th August.


Weightlifting:

Ravi Kumar: 24 year old Ravi Kumar is a talented weightlifter who hails from Berhampur in Orissa. Originally a bodybuilder, he took to weightlifting on his trainer’s advice. He has 9 gold medals to his credit from various events, including the Commonwealth games.

He will be participating in the Olympic 69 kg men’s weightlifting event that will be held on 31^st July.

Soniya Chanu: Soniya Chanu is currently one of the most talented female weightlifters in India. She has won numerous medals before. India has high hopes for her among the female contenders that will represent India at the Olympic weightlifting category from India.

She will be competing in the female 48 kg weightlifting category at the Olympics on 28^th July this year.

Judo:

Garima Choudhary:  22 year old Garima Choudhary hails from Meerut. She is India’s only Judoka who will represent our country in the Olympics this year. She has been practicing judo since the age of 14.

She will represent India at the Olympics as she attempts to bring back gold from her event that will be held on 31^st July.

We at IOS, are proud to be managers of such brilliant talent. We are certain that they’ll strike Gold in the Olympics and we wish them all the best for the same.

Jai ho!                                                  

    -  IOS Sports and Entertainment.

 

Fast-paced glory- Parvinder Awana.

Kings XI Punjab pacer Parvinder Awana has been chosen by the All-India Selection Committee to replace injured pace man RP Singh in the India ‘A’ squad in the upcoming West Indies tour. For the overwhelmed pace man, this is a dream come true.

Awana - A rising star

Being the ultimate exhibition of cricketing talent from around the world, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is not only a platform for established players but also gives an opportunity to showcase lesser known talent. The IPL has done well in introducing several small-time cricketers to the headlines. Cricketers like Rohit Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, and RPSingh made it big through the IPL. One such talent is Parvinder Awana, the Kings XI Punjab fast bowler.

Playing cricket in the remote lanes of his village-Harolla, Awana never dreamt that he would make it to where he is today. After losing his father at a young age he had a tough time growing up. He would’ve landed in the police as a constable if it wasn't for his uncle who insisted that he pursue cricket. Now at 25, Awana is glad he followed that advice.

The right-arm pace man’s cricket journey began when he was selected as India’s fastest bowler in the Scorpio Speedster contest. After winning the contest, Awana was sent to Australia where he honed his skills under former Australian player Damien Fleming after which he debuted in Delhi’s Ranji team. His extraordinary performances lead Delhi to their first championship win since 1991-92 and earned him the big ticket- IPL.

Awana has now booked a berth in the Caribbean-bound team, replacing RP Singh who succumbed to a knee injury. Awana who had been initially ignored from the India ‘A’ squad for the tour of West Indies was simply overjoyed when Chetan Chauhan called up one  morning to inform about his inclusion in place of an injured Singh.

“What IPL gave me was instant recognition. Now people on the street recognize me and ask for autographs, " he says.

Awana’s wicket spree in the IPL brought him in the spotlight. Now that the pace bowler is looking forward to the West Indies series, he is also hopeful of several such opportunities. 

The IOS team wishes him all the best in all his future endeavors and we are certain that he’s just a few steps away from the Big Game- World T20.

For talent like him, there is always IPL and IOS.

                                                        - IOS Sports and Entertainment.

The Queen of the Ring.

Mother of two, inspiration for millions and hope for a billion- Such is our Mary Kom aka Queen of the Ring.

Hailing from a remote village in Manipur, MC Mary Kom is the First woman boxer from India to have won Five World titles consecutively. She has more than three Asian titles and eleven National titles under her belt.

 She is also a recipient of the prestigious Arjuna Award, the Padma Shri Award, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and a special award from AIBA (International Boxing Association). A mother of twin sons, a caring wife, her achievements are inspirational for all the women of this country.

While she remains unbeatable, it is unfortunate that she also remains unknown. While the entire nation was in an IPL trance and glued to their TV screens, Mary Kom courageously fought her way through all the odds and etched her name in history as the First Indian woman boxer to find a spot in the ultimate event- the Olympics. After facing over 50 boxers at the World Women Championship, Mary Kom recently earned herself a berth at the London Olympics 2012 where she will be representing India.

 We owe it to her and to the country to help her achieve her dreams- To win the medal that awaits her at the London Olympics 2012.

She is an Indian standing for all of us in the greatest sport event. Let her not stand alone. Let’s pray and shower her with all our support to bring Home the Gold.

                                                             -IOS Sports and Entertainment.