Sania Mirza Sohaib Malik Marriage

Indian tennis star and heart throb of millions of Indian youngsters Sania Mirza is finally all set to marry Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik in April. Sania had broken her engagement because of incompatibility with her childhood friend Sohrab Mirza barely two months earlier.

Sania's father Imran Mirza and other family members were not available to comment on reports by a Pakistani television channel that former Pakistani captain would marry Sania.

According to Geo News, Shoaib Malik's mother met the family of Sania, and sought Sania for her son. The channel claimed that Sania's family has accepted the proposal and the two families are all set to conduct the engagement the two.

The channel even claimed that the engagement ceremony was expected to take place next month.

Confirming the news, Sohaib Malik wrote in his Twitter page, "Thanks for all your support. And the news of me marrying to Sania is true. Inshallah will get married in April."

"I fully understand what it takes to be an international sports person and I will support Sania in her career as long as she wishes to play," he said.

"Representing India at the 2012 Olympics is very important for her and I will be the proudest husband if she can win a medal for her country," he added.


A statement by Sania's father Imran Mirza also stated that 23-year-old Sania and the 28-year-old all-rounder will be based in Dubai, where Malik is a resident.

"This is a unique case where the husband and wife will represent their respective countries in sport," said Mirza in Hyderabad.

"My wedding, inshallah, is going to be the biggest day of my life. I have been in the constant glare for too long and would appreciate privacy at this very personal moment in my life," Sania was quoted as having said in a statement.

"I hope to be fully fit to represent India in the Commonwealth and Asian Games that are scheduled for later this year," she said.

Sania's mother, Nasima said, "Marriages are made in heaven."

We wish the couple good luck and the very best although i know how you guys feel about Sania Mirza finally getting married. As consolation here are some hot pictures of Sania Mirza for you.

Spain wins Euro cup 2008 Final

Their last significant title came in the 1964 Euros at home and it took Spain 44 years to claim their first major football title as they beat Germany 1-0 in Sunday's European Championship final in Vienna.

Fernando Torres scored the only goal of the game, sliding the ball past German keeper Jens Lehmann after 33 minutes to win the Euro cup 2008 Final.

Germany started the second half strongly as they went in search of an equalizer with German captain Michael Ballack firing a shot narrowly wide on 58 minutes.

But Spain had a series of chances to double their lead midway through the half as Sergio Ramos headed straight at Lehmann and Andres Iniesta forced two more saves in quick succession from the German keeper.

Marcos Senna also went close for Spain with nine minutes left, failing to connect with the ball at full stretch in front of an open goal after substitute Dani Guiza's clever headed pass.
Spaniards swept their first-round games, eliminated World Cup champion Italy in a penalty-kicks shootout in the quarterfinals, then routed Russia 3-0 in the semifinals.

Torres, who had 33 goals for Liverpool this season but has been invisible in Euros, came through off a brilliant feed from Xavi Hernandez.

This was the last game for 69-year-old Aragones, the oldest coach to win the Euros.

"The most important thing about our team, perhaps, is the manager," Torres said. "He has confidence in us and he lets us play. We have brought him the championship in his last game for Spain and we are very happy we could make this history for him and for us."

The three-week Euro 2008 tournament in Austria and Switzerland had already delivered plenty of drama, excitement and hugely entertaining football, raising expectations that the title showdown would serve up a suitably thrilling finale.

The match also offered an intriguing contest between two football-obsessed nations with contrasting records of success.

Germany were chasing a record fourth European Championship title to go with those they won in 1996, 1980 and 1972. With three World Cups to their name as well, the German national side have a reputation as pragmatic and perennial challengers for major honors, most recently reaching the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup.

The Spanish, by contrast, had long been considered the sport's biggest underachievers. Home to two of the world's greatest clubs in Real Madrid and Barcelona and one of Europe's strongest leagues, it had been 24 years since Spain last reached a major final, losing to France in the 1984 European Championships.

The country's sole previous international success came in the same competition as hosts in 1964 and the current squad's run to the final had captured the nation's imagination, Goodman said.

With two of the world's top clubs, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, the nation has tons of talent. Now with the With two of the world's top clubs, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, the nation has tons of talent. What it has lacked is fortitude.

No one can say that anymore as they have put their critics to rest and emerged as the European football champions in an exciting and thrilling tournament.

Wimbledon 2008

The word Wimbledon conjures images of tennis whites, green grass, bowls of red luscious strawberries topped with cream and of course, rain that somehow manages to leave a mark. Steeped in tradition, the aura of Wimbledon is difficult to explain but easy to grasp and it engulfs you from the moment you step off the tube at Southfields station.

The sleepy suburb of Wimbledon comes alive for two weeks, bursting at the seams with wide-eyed, chatty tourists. The walk to Gate No.1 that takes 15 minutes on a normal day resembles the early morning rush hour back home.

The Championships, Wimbledon is the oldest tennis championship in the world. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments and the only one played on grass courts.

The tournament is held in the London suburb of Wimbledon, England, at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. It is held annually from late June to early July. The tournament is calendared so that it ends on the second Sunday of July and begins on the Monday, 13 days earlier.

It is the third Grand Slam tournament played each year. It is preceded by the Australian Open, which is played on hard courts, and the French Open (Roland Garros), which is played on clay courts. It is followed by the U.S. Open, which is played on hard courts.

In the Wimbledon 2008 tournament, five major events will be contested, as well as four junior events and four invitation events.

It takes something special to get a seat on Centre Court, that hallowed turf that names like Borg, Becker, Sampras and Federer call their second home. There are no flashy signs, no showy costumes and no noise. It’s just an appreciative silence that meets the players when they take court to battle it out for top honours.

The sun is shining and the forecast is good, which means Wimbledon 2008 is already better than Wimbledon 2007. Many hopes will be shattered and some new surprises sprung as every year at Wimbledon 2008.

Jeev Milkha Singh Wins Austrian Open Golf title

India's Jeev Milkha Singh took a leaf out of Nick Faldo's Open-winning book when he hit 18 pars in the final round at Fontana to win the Austrian Open title.

Faldo ran in 18 successive pars at Muirfield in 1987 to claim his first major title, and Singh repeated the feat for a round of 71 and a three-round total of 15 under to hold off Englishman Simon Wakefield by a stroke.

A closing 71 for a 15-under 198 three-round total in the weather-shortened event left Singh one shot better than Britain's Simon Wakefield.

Wakefield, Singh's nearest challenger overnight, began the final round four off the lead in the tournament reduced to 54 holes because of Thursday's washout.

The Englishman exerted pressure on playing-partner Singh by birdieing three of the last four holes but came up a stroke shy of forcing a playoff.

Earlier, Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell, who defeated Singh in a playoff for the Ballantines Championship in March, looked like being the Indian professional's threat again.

But after closing to within two strokes, McDowell bogeyed the last two holes to slip out of the winning picture on 202.

Dane Soren Hansen also got to within two strokes of Singh but double-bogeyed the last to also drift to 202.

Singh collected $337,000 in adding to his prestigious 2006 Volvo Masters title and China Open that year but admitted he may have been a little lucky to do so with Sunday's par finish.

"I had no idea about Nick Faldo and I was trying to make birdies but they just wouldn't go in," the winner said. "I think I'm fortunate to win shooting 18 pars. Simon put up a great fight."

"My game-plan was to not do anything silly," he said, "but after the 12th I decided to be a bit more aggressive."

Singh, who won the Volvo Masters and China Open in 2006, has finished second twice this year.
Victory for the Indian came after two second places this season. Singh noted: "I've knocked on the door a few times and at last it opened."

	NAME	COUNTRY	ROUND 3	SCORE	AFTER
1	JM Singh	Ind	71	-15	18
2	Wakefield	Eng	68	-14	18
3	Erlandsson	Swe	65	-12	18
3	Jonzon	Swe	67	-12	18
3	Fowler	Aus	69	-12	18
3	Edberg	Swe	65	-12	18
3	Pyman	Eng	65	-12	18
8	S Hansen	Den	69	-11	18
8	McDowell	NI	68	-11	18
8	Rock	Eng	65	-11	18
8	Delamontagne	Fra	65	-11	18
8	Sm Little	Eng	67	-11	18
13	Waring	Eng	67	-10	18
13	Brown	US	71	-10	18
13	F Molinari	Ita	68	-10	18
13	Sullivan	Wal	65	-10	18
13	Jeppesen	Swe	65	-10	18
13	Jaidee	Tha	64	-10	18
19	Bland	Eng	71	-9	18
19	Canonica	Ita	70	-9	18

Blade Runner

He had to fight to run. After being banned by IAAF from running against able bodied runners in the Beijing Olympics, he appealed his case and has finally won.

A double amputee sprinter has won the right to be eligible to compete at this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing after sport's highest court backed his appeal against a ban imposed by athletics authorities.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that South African Oscar Pistorius, who runs on prosthetic blades, is eligible to compete against able-bodied athletes.

Pistorius was born without fibulas -- the long, thin outer bone between the knee and ankle -- and was 11 months old when his legs were amputated below the knee

Pistorius, 21,, runs on shock-absorbing carbon-fiber prosthetics that resemble bent skis -- earning him the nickname "Blade Runner."

Pistorius, a Paralympic Games champion and world record holder, had lobbied the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to allow him to compete at the Olympics this August, but after extensive tests the IAAF ruled in January that his J-shaped prosthetics qualify as technical aids, which are banned in IAAF-governed sports.

The IAAF does allow athletes with prosthetics to compete in able-bodied sports, as long as the IAAF believes they do not give the athlete an unfair edge.

But Friday's ruling by the CAS in Lausanne, Switzerland, overturned that verdict. Appeals of court decisions are allowed, but on very limited grounds.

The South African won gold in the 200 meters, and bronze in the 100 meters at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens. He holds the Paralympic world records in the 100, 200, and 400 meters.

Since Athens, he has competed in two able-bodied races in which he finished second and last, respectively.

Pistorius will have emphasized to the court the disadvantages he feels he has by running with prosthetics.

"There are disadvantages when it's windy, when its raining, (and) it takes him longer to get up to speed at the start," Riddell said. "He will be hoping that they take everything into consideration and not just rule on how much spring his prosthetic limbs give him."

In November, the IAAF carried out tests on Pistorius over two days at the German Sport University in Cologne to determine if his prosthetics, known as Cheetah limbs, could be considered a technical aid.

A team of more than 10 scientists used high-speed cameras, special equipment to measure ground-reaction forces, and a three-dimensional scanner to record body mass.

The scientists concluded Pistorius was able to run with his prosthetic blades at the same speed as able-bodied sprinters with about 25 percent less energy expenditure. Pistorius' blades gave him an energy return nearly three times higher than the human ankle joint offers in maximum sprinting, they said.

Riddell described Friday's ruling in Pistorius' favor as "groundbreaking," and said it raised questions about the future of paralympic sports.

"What does this do to the future of the Paralympics if he's allowed to run in the able-bodied Olympics? Is he actually doing a disservice to other Paralympic athletes? Does it cheapen the Paralympic Games?" Riddell posed the questions.

Khali becomes the highest paid Bollywood Star

A giant former road worker from India who has become an international wrestling sensation is now a star in his homeland too and soon people will see The Great Khali in Bollywood flicks.

The Atlanta-based Dalip Singh Rana, who hails from Himachal Pradesh, stands over 7ft 3 in tall and weighs nearly 200kg. Nicknamed the "Great Khali", Rana is a top draw at the hugely popular World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). He is the first Indian to be signed up by WWE, and enjoys top billing in the famous American showbiz circus alongside fighters such as Hulk Hogan and The Rock.

Like many WWE stars - such as The Rock, aka Dwayne Douglas Johnson - Khali has done a few odd Hollywood roles, including a 2005 film called The Longest Yard.

On the set of another film, called Get Smart, the wrestler surprised Hollywood actor Steve Carell. "Literally, you shake his hand and you are shaking the inner part of his palm. He could put his hand over your entire head and crush you," Carell told a reporter later.

Rana got his nick name The Great Khali from the war cry he utters in his wrestling bouts.He says the Indian Godess Kali which has been distorted in Khali and hence the nick name.

With some Hollywood work under his belt, Khali is now looking at offers from Bollywood.

Khali has jumped on the bandwagon of international artistes who are swarming to India and making it big in Bollywood.The wrestler will make his Bollywood debut with Sahil Khan’s ‘Rama – The Saviour’. And interestingly the wrestler has charged Rs. 2 crore for his shoot which extends only upto four days.

After signing his debut film, it is believed that Khali has increased his fees to Rs.1 crore per day’s shoot. If this is true, then it means that Khali has ahead of SRK and Amitabh Bachhan to become Bollywood’s highest paid actor.

Meanwhile, Khali’s other project is with director David Dhawan for an untitled film that will also star John Abraham. For his Indian fans who haven’t been able to get their due share of the wrestler, Khali will also be seen in ‘Khusti’, a Venus production and an Ashtavinayak flick that will be directed by Neeraj Vohra.

With four projects already lined up and many more offers pouring in, Bollywood might soon become a second home for the wrestler.

Khali says he is a vegetarian and abhors alcohol and tobacco. He says he lives a "simple life" with his homemaker wife Harminder Kaur .

Khali have no complaints as his popularity is now soaring in his homeland. "Great Khali" is going to soak in all the attention and fame now coming his way in the land of his birth.

Olympics | China 'to top Games medal table'

 

BBC SPORT | Olympics | China 'to top Games medal table'

 

China is being tipped to end the reign of the United States as the leading Olympic nation at the Beijing Games.

Research undertaken by Sheffield Hallam University predicts the hosts will win 46 gold medals in the Chinese capital.

"China has set its stall out to become the number one nation in sport and to top the table in its host event," Professor Simon Shibli told BBC Sport.

"We are forecasting China will win 46 gold medals, which probably exceeds most other people's forecasts."

China is the most populous country in the world, with approximately 1.33 billion people, compared with the 305.8 million of the US.

Professor Shibli analysed past Olympic performances, China's record in turning bronze and silver medals into gold ones, and recent success on the international stage to reach his conclusions.

He also plotted the likely effect, the considerable sums of money and resources being pumped into its sporting development programme by the Chinese government would have on the country's medal haul in Beijing.

Professor Shibli said conservative estimates indicated the Chinese government had spent billions of pounds ensuring its Olympians were in the best possible shape when the Games start.

"Value for money and costs per medal become of secondary importance to actually winning," he said.

China first entered the Summer Olympic arena in 1984, winning 15 gold medals in the heavily boycotted Games in Los Angeles.

For a nation to be continually improving, in the case of China to double its gold medals from 16 in Barcelona to 32 in Athens, is really quite unprecedented

Professor Simon Shibli

At the 1988 Games in Seoul, China won just five golds - the same number as Great Britain - but since then its performances have improved dramatically.

China won 16 golds in both Barcelona (1992) and Atlanta (1996) to finish fourth overall, before moving up to third in Sydney with 28 and second in Athens with 32.

"Its improvement from the Seoul Olympics in 1988 to second place and 32 gold medals in Athens is unprecedented," said Professor Shibli.

"For most nations, it is a great achievement to hang on to what you already have.

"So for a nation to be continually improving - in the case of China to double its gold medals from 16 in Barcelona to 32 in Athens - is really quite unprecedented."

Professor Shibli's research actually indicated China would win 39 gold medals in Beijing, but his team felt home support would secure the host nation a further seven.

Guo Jingjing and Wu Minxia took gold in the 3m synchronised final

"It is a top-end estimate, but that is what the data is telling us," he added.

"If China were to achieve 46 gold medals, then, in the current climate, that would be more than enough to top the table."

But not everyone agrees with the results of the research.

The highly respected Luciano Barra, the former head of the Italian Olympic Committee, has predicted the US will win 45 gold medals in Beijing to top the table ahead of China, who would get 40.

As for the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), it said it had not made any predictions for Beijing but admitted the host nation was favourite to top the medals table.

"The USOC has not made medal projections or set medal goals for this Olympic Games," a spokesman told BBC Sport.

"That said, America's athletes recognise just how challenging the competitive environment will be, and they are preparing with this in mind.

"While China is clearly the favourite, the USOC is confident Team USA will rise to meet the competitive challenges in Beijing."

The US has finished top of the medals table at the last three Olympics, thanks chiefly to the dominance of its athletes and swimmers.

What China is trying to do is broaden the base of sports in which it wins medals

Professor Simon Shibli

"China and the USA achieve their success in radically different sports," explained Professor Shibli.

"The USA typically does very well on the track and very well in the pool - and these are two areas in which China, traditionally, has not done very well.

"What China is trying to do is broaden the base of sports in which it wins medals. Quite often these are sports which are not particularly high profile."

China has been investing heavily in most of the Olympic disciplines ahead of Beijing and already boasts a strong record in diving, having won six golds in Athens.

It also picked up five in weightlifting, four in shooting and three in both badminton and table tennis.

Kelly Holmes won two of GB's nine gold medals at the Athens Games

In contrast, the US claimed 12 golds in the pool alone, with another eight coming from its athletes.

The Americans finished up winning 36 golds in Athens, just four ahead of China, with Russia third on 27.

As for Great Britain, they were 10th with nine, two less than they won in Sydney.

However, Professor Shibli thinks Team GB could reach double figures again in Beijing thanks to National Lottery funding and the London 2012 factor.

"All of the evidence suggests we have reasons to be positive," he said.

"We've been investing since the changes in National Lottery funding regulations to support athletes and national governing bodies.

"The evidence we have indicates that in the run-up to being the host nation, the would-be host tends to do better than it has in previous editions

"Given that we won nine gold medals in Athens it wouldn't be unreasonable to assume we'd do something like 10 to 12 and easily get a place in the top 10."

Robert Cheruiyot wins his third consecutive Boston Marathon

Defending champion Robert Cheruiyot, who also won last year's Chicago Marathon, has become the second person to be four-time champion since Bill Rodgers in 1980.

Robert Cheruiyot has won his third consecutive Boston Marathon and becomes the first four-time winner since Bill Rodgers.

On the women's side, Ethiopian Dire Tune won in a thrilling finish that was the closest in Boston Marathon history.

Tune and Alevtina Biktimirova ran stride for stride with each other for the last few miles, then exchanged the lead several time in the last 800 meters.

Tune broke away in the final 100 meters to win her debut Boston Marathon in an unofficial time of 2:25.25, two seconds ahead of the Russian Biktimirova.

The previous closest finish in 112 year race was 10 seconds.

The 25-year-old Biktimirova ran Boston once before in 2006, and finished sixth. She won the Honolulu Marathon this December.

The 22-year-old Tune won her second straight Chevron Houston Marathon in January.