Sports
Golf, Rugby to be part of 2016 Olympics
MUMBAI:The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session has voted that Golf and Rugby sevens be included in the 2016 Olympics that is to be held in Rio de Janeiro.
Following an evaluation by the Olympic Programme Commission of the seven sports seeking to enter the Olympics, the two sports were recommended by the IOC Executive Board (EB) in August.
Says IOC president Jacques Rogge, “Both Golf and Rugby are very popular sports with global appeal and a strong ethic. They will be great additions to the Games.
“The two sports, voted on separately in alphabetical order of the sports, Golf then Rugby, received a simple majority of votes cast by the members of the session. The result of the first vote was not revealed to the session until the vote for the second sport were taken.
International Golf Federation Secretary General Peter Dawson says, “The International Golf Federation is absolutely delighted by today’s results. We thank the IOC for the thorough process and are looking forward to playing our part as a member of the Olympic Movement. This is great for golf and we hope to be of great benefit to the Olympic Games as well.”
Says International Rugby Board president Bernard Lapasset, “I am so delighted and proud. My thanks to the IOC members for their wonderful support. Rugby is honoured to be a part of the Olympic Sports Programme and we are already looking forward to Rio 2016.”
Sports
Ashish Limaye bags gold and bronze at Montelibretti 2026 event
Indian rider shines in Italy, gains ground ahead of higher-level tests
MUMBAI: Ashish Limaye delivered a strong performance on the international stage, clinching both gold and bronze at the FEI Eventing Competition Montelibretti 2026 held in Italy earlier this month.
Competing against riders from across the globe, Limaye secured the top podium finish in the CCI 2 Long Format riding Easy Turn, registering a score of 30.2 in a field that featured participants from five nations. He followed it up with a bronze medal in the CCI 2 Short Format aboard Willy Be Dun, scoring 32 in a much larger and highly competitive pool of 66 riders representing nine countries.
Reflecting on the outing, Fédération Equestre Internationale event rider Ashish Limaye said, “Riding at Montelibretti was amazing. To compete with such talented riders from around the world was fantastic. I’m really happy with the results and the effort our team has put in.”
Beyond the podium finishes, Limaye also achieved a milestone result on D’Avril du Pinier, earning a Minimum Eligibility Requirement, bringing him closer to qualifying for the FEI World Equestrian Games.
While the Montelibretti competition was not a direct qualifier for major multi-sport events, it serves as a crucial stepping stone as Limaye prepares to move up to the more demanding CCI 3 level.
With momentum firmly on his side, the Indian rider now looks set to build on this success as he targets bigger stages in the global equestrian circuit.
