File photo of Avani Lekhara.© X (formerly Twitter)

File photo of Randhir Singh.© X/@Sanam83_

The SFA Championships have consistently grown since its inception.

India is set to create sporting history as Round 2 of the Indian Racing Festival presented by Kingfisher Soda will witness formula cars roaring on the streets of Chennai in a groundbreaking spectacle across the iconic stretch of Island Grounds. The street night circuit will witness more than 40 drivers vying in action in the course of the day and will set a new benchmark for motorsport in India, with the exhilarating energy and unique street circuit layout paving the way for what promises to be an unforgettable finale.

The drivers took a “track walk” across the 3.5 Kms street circuit on Saturday and later drove through to master the challenges of the technical bends and got a feel of the thrill and the fast lanes and all the drivers gave unanimous thumbs to the track.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Tamil Nadu Government for their invaluable support and assistance in securing the circuit’s safety and security. We are thrilled and poised to make history on the streets of Chennai this Sunday,” said Akhilesh Reddy, Chairman & Managing Director of Racing Promotions Private Limited, the organisers of this historic race in India.

While for many drivers at the Indian Racing Festival, this will be their first-ever night race, the practice on Saturday offered them a much-needed experience and an exciting opportunity to showcase their adaptability and skill. Each of the teams embraced the challenges of the track, mastered the unique conditions including the wind directions and its impact and demonstrated optimum tyre management ahead of the maiden street race cheered by spectators at every nook and corner of this unique circuit.

India’s Ruhaan Alva, the teenager from Bengaluru representing Sharchi Rarh Bengal Tigers, who had an impressive outing in Round 1 last weekend at the Madras International Circuit, said: “It will be fun as the track looks super challenging, pretty high speed with some nice chicanes as well. The night race is new for me, and I am really looking forward to it. It’s going to be a hot weekend, so the tyre degradation is something we will have to take care of. The low grip on track compared to what we are used to, makes it important to take care of the tires.”

Winner of Race-1 last week, UK’s 36-year-old Jon Lancaster (Chennai Turbo Riders), felt his experience in street racing would help him. “The track is going to be very technical, challenging but most of all, it looks great fun! Historical monuments provide the perfect backdrop for this great event. With the high-quality lighting, the organizers have provided only a slight adjustment approaching brake zones and apexes. The conditions will improve every session as the track gets cleaned up by the race cars, adding a nice layer to the challenge for all the drivers to adapt quickly and keep pushing the limits.”

Gabriela Jilkova of Goa Aces by JA Racing who had made her presence felt with a podium finish last weekend in Race1, and is not new to street circuit, having raced in Hyderabad in the 2022 edition, said, “Walking the track was really exciting. This is my second street track ever, the first being Hyderabad in 2022. The track has many varying characteristics which will make it even more challenging. Being a night race is awesome, extra challenge is always a good thing and I think our car is going to look beautiful under the lights. I hope the fans can enjoy it, it will be a bit cooler as well.”

As a key performance sponsor of the 2024 Indian Racing Festival, JK Tyre has been instrumental in enhancing the competitive edge across all categories, including the JK Tyre-FMSCI National Racing Championship.

Their involvement, alongside other sponsors like Kingfisher Soda and Mobil 1, has ensured top-tier performance and contributed to the thrilling, high-octane races that have captivated fans throughout the event.

Columbus Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother were killed Thursday night while bicycling in the US state of New Jersey, police said Friday. Gaudreau, 31, and his brother Matthew, 29, died after being struck by a vehicle in Oldmans Township, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Trenton. The 43-year-old driver of the car that hit the brothers was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, police said.

National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman said he was shocked and saddened by the death of Gaudreau, whose “infectious spirit for the game and show-stopping skills on the ice earned him the nickname ‘Johnny Hockey.'”

Gaudreau, who represented Team USA in world championships, played his first nine seasons for the Calgary Flames before joining the Blue Jackets in 2022.

According to local press reports, the Gaudreau brothers had returned to their New Jersey home for the wedding of one of their sisters on Friday. “The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy. Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more significantly a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend,” the club said in a statement.

“He thrilled fans in a way only Johnny Hockey could. The impact he had on our organization and our sport was profound, but pales in comparison to the indelible impression he made on everyone who knew him. 

“Johnny embraced our community when he arrived two years ago, and Columbus welcomed him with open arms. We will miss him terribly and do everything that we can to support his family and each other through this tragedy,” the team added.

His former club Calgary Flames also paid tribute to their former player and his brother. “Our hearts are broken by this devastating loss. Johnny was and always will be a member of the Flames family and loved by all of Calgary,” the said.

“It was our privilege to call Johnny our teammate for nine amazing years in Calgary. He came to Calgary as a young man and grew up here, not only as a superstar on the ice, but also a beloved member of our community.

“The pain we feel for Johnny’s wife Meredith, children Noa and Johnny, parents Jane and Guy, sisters Kristen and Katie, and the entire Gaudreau family is immense.”

Andre Agassi will kick off the PWR DUPR Indian Tour & League in January 2025.

Afghanistan’s Taliban government has banned mixed martial arts (MMA).© AFP

USA’s Major League Baseball catcher, Danny Jansen, registered a never-seen-before feat in the sporting world, as he went on to play for two teams in the same match. It all started when Jansen was batting for the Toronto Blue Jays on 26 June against Boston Red Sox, but the game was soon suspended due to rain. A month later, on July 27, Jansen was traded to the Red Sox, putting him in line to play against his own team in the rain-suspended match. Though Jansen didn’t feature in quite a few games fro Red Sox since his move, he found a spot in the team when the rain-suspended match resumed on Monday.

“I don’t even know how this works,” Jansen said to The Athletic after being traded to Boston. “I’ve heard about it a couple times. That’d be funky.”

Jansen found himself a spot in the Blue Jays’ lineup when the rain-affected game was rescheduled, and was announced as a split doubleheader for Aug. 26.

“I’m just going to put my head down and play,” Jansen had said before the game resumed following the rain disruption. “It’s definitely a cool thing.”

“Definitely grateful,” he said. “Honestly, when I heard about it, I didn’t think I would be the first. The game has been around for so long. It’s one of those oddities that happen in this sport. It’s extremely rare and cool,” he added.

The first player in @MLB HISTORY to play for both teams in the same game: Danny Jansen pic.twitter.com/rQHjp5dZyn

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 26, 2024

So far in his career, Jansen has featured in 13 games for the Red Sox, batting .257 with a .794 OPS, two home runs and five RBI. While playing for his former side Toronto, he featured in a total of 61 games, compiling a .212 batting average, .671 OPS, 13 doubles, six home runs and 18 RBI.

Jansen revealed that he will give a jersey to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, as well as the lineup card from the Blue Jays-Red Sox matchup that etched his name in history.

S8UL Esports, India’s leading esports and gaming content organization, further solidified its position as a global leader in gaming content creation by winning the ‘Content Group of the Year’ award for the third consecutive year at the Esports Awards 2024 on Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This unprecedented achievement, which makes S8UL the first-ever esports organization to win this award three times in a row, stands as a testament to S8UL’s commitment to excellence in content creation in the global gaming and esports landscape.

Founded by industry veterans Naman Mathur, popularly known as ‘Mortal’, Animesh Agarwal, aka ‘8Bit Thug’, and Lokesh “Goldy” Jain, S8UL Esports has made history by winning in this award for the third consecutive time. This year, they were competing in this category against global gaming content powerhouses like OfflineTV, G2 Esports, Karmine Corp, Sentinels, Fnatic and T1 Esports.

In his award acceptance speech, Animesh Agarwal, aka 8Bit Thug, Co-Founder of S8UL and 8Bit Creatives, encapsulated the significance of this win by saying, “The first time could have been lucky, the second time was a charm, and the third time firmly means that the best content group of India is the best in the world. This award belongs to our entire team of S8UL whose belief in our vision and relentless contributions have made this achievement possible.”

Adding to their accolades, S8UL Esports also received the ‘Fan Engagement’ badge in the ‘Ones to Watch Class of 2024’ category, further cementing its reputation among one of the most popular content organisations in the world. This badge recognizes S8UL’s outstanding efforts in building a strong, loyal and interactive community.

Since its inception, S8UL has been a trailblazer in the Indian gaming landscape. By bringing together some of the nation’s most talented content creators under one banner, S8UL has consistently delivered top-notch content and provided a plethora of brands a medium to connect to the youth audience.

Speaking on the momentous occasion, Lokesh Jain aka Goldy, Co-Founder of S8UL and 8Bit Creatives, said, “We are beyond thrilled to receive this award for the third time. It is a testament to our entire team’s hard work, dedication and passion. Over the past four years, we have collaborated with around 560 brands and this financial year alone, we are close to closing deals with over 120 brands, both endemic and non-endemic. We are continuously working towards shaping the future of Indian esports and gaming creators’ economies on a global scale.”

Naman ‘Mortal’ Mathur, Co-Founder of S8UL and widely regarded as the ‘Face of Indian Gaming and Esports,’ was also nominated for the ‘Esports Personality of the Year’ category for the third consecutive time. Mortal’s fifth straight nomination at the global Esports Awards highlights his global influence and contribution to the esports community.

Reflecting on the journey, Mortal said, “Being nominated alongside the world’s top esports personalities is an honour. Our focus at S8UL has always been on pushing the boundaries of what gaming content can be. We strive to deliver messaging that resonates with our audiences and this award is the perfect recognition of that effort.”

The Esports Awards are a prestigious annual event that celebrates and honors the best of esports all across the world including the players, teams, media, hardware providers, games, events, and personalities. This year’s edition which was streamed live on Twitch, YouTube, and Kick, witnessed a peak viewership of 92.3K, with 8bit Goldy’s live watchalong with S8UL members on his channel drawing the highest individual viewership at 43.2K PV.

India outperformed numerous strong contenders en route to secure the silver medal.© X (Twitter)