BOMBAY: Fourteen year old Arti Pradhan, a tenth class student from Thane in Maharashtra on Thursday created history by becoming the youngest Indian to swim across the treacherous English Channel.
She is the eighth Indian swimmer to achieve this distinction, emulating the feat first performed by Arti (Saha) more than two decades ago.
Braving chilly weather and choppy seas, Arti took 12 hours and 23 minutes for her swim from Dover in England to Cassal in France, a distance of 20 nautical miles.
The five feet five inches tall, Scholl girl weighing 63 kgs was almost carried away by a strong current midway through her attempt.
ZURICH: The qualifying rounds for the 1990 Soccer World Cup in Italy will start on March 1 next year and be completed by the end of November, 1989, the International Football Federation (FIFA) said.
The draw will be held on December 12.
European teams will compete for 14 places in the 24team finals which run from June 9 to July 8, 1990, FIFA said in a newsletter. Italy, as hosts, and Argentina, the holders, have automatic entry to the finals.
FIFA’s executive committee has resolved the thorny question of where to place Israel by again including them in the Oceania group, the smallest of FIFA’s six confederations.
INDIANAPOLIS: Two players were sent off and five booked as Brazil beat Chile 20 in extra time to win the Pan American Games soccer final.
Substitute Washington and striker Evair scored a goal apiece in each period of extra time after the teams finished 00 at the end of 90 minutes.
Tempers flared seconds from the final whistle after Brazilian Nelsinho brought down Fernando Medina. The referee, linesman and officials from both sides stepped in to break up the fighting before Nelsinho and Chilean substitute Rene Pinto were dismissed.
BRNO, Czechoslovakia: World Championship motorcycling returns to Czechoslovakia this weekend after a five year break with Australia’s Wayne Gardner seeking to beat off a challenge from American Randy Mamola in the 500 cc class.
Czechoslovakia has spent some 400 million crowns (75 million dollars) on a new track at Brno after the old circuit over public roads nearby was declared too dangerous for Grand Prix racing.
Motor sport has a fanatical following in Czechoslovakia and the organizers expect a huge crowd. Some 100,000 fans flocked to the Woodland track last weekend for a touring car race, its first topline event, and this weekend’s crowd could test the circuit’s 200,000 capacity.
TOKYO, Japan: The 14th Asian baseball championship opens in Yohohama with China meeting defending champions Japan in the first game.
South Korea and Taiwan, both runners up in last year’s world amateur baseball championship, will also compete in the seven nation competition spread over four cities, including Tokyo.
STRASBOURGH, France: A tiny 13yearold Soviet girl today became Europe’s youngest ever diving gold medalist with victoryin the high board final at the European swimming championships. Elena Miroshina, 1.42 meters tall, came to Strasbourg only because she was too young to compete in the European Junior Championships which set a minimum age of 14, organizers said.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 28, 1987
