*Wushu players make history, Gymnasts blossom, Boxers sparkle
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 12: The State of Jammu and Kashmir, which otherwise, is striving hard to create a niche in the field of sports at the national and international scene, has finally succeeded in crafting space on the country’s sports map by giving its best shot in the ongoing 35th National Games at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.
The State sportspersons blossomed in the disciplines of Gymnastics, Wushu, Boxing and Kayaking and Canoeing in these Games.
It is for the first time in the history of sports in the State that all the players representing the Wushu made it to the medal winning stage, with two sealing berth in the finals to be held tomorrow and the other two losing in the semifinals to win bronze medals.
The boxers, on the other hand kept the State’s Flag high by winning three bronze medals, with Pardeep Sharma losing to Youth World Boxing Champion from Andhra Pradesh in 49 kg category in the semis to claim a bronze, while Dheeraj lost to Kulvinder of Kerala in 60 kg category to win a bronze medal and Anju Bala winning a bronze medal in 60 kg category by losing in the semifinals to Chowa Devi of Kerala.
Earlier, in these games, the ace Gymnasts of the State namely Palak Kour, Mitali Dogra, Mridul Gupta and Pawandeep Kour displayed extraordinary skill, grit and guts to beat the best in the country and claimed team gold in rhythmic gymnastics, while Palak won individual gold and silver medals in individual apparatus championship with ball event and individual all-round finals. Mitali had won bronze in individual apparatus championship with ball and club events.
State and Sher-e-Kashmir Awardee, Adil also displayed skill and showed composure to win bronze in Kayaking and Canoeing Championship during the National Games.
In Wushu today, Bhanu Pratap Singh in 65 kg weight category defeated his rival from Jharkhand in the semifinals, while Pradeep Singh in 70 kg got the better of his opponent from Uttar Pradesh by knock out, his second knock out in the Games.
Both these players will face the rivals from UP and Rajasthan in the final bout tomorrow. Other two semifinalists from J&K, Raj Singh Naranaia in 56 kg and Sandeep Singh in 75 kg category lost their bouts against their rivals from Meghalaya and Services respectively to win bronze medals.
National coach, Kuldeep Handoo and Ajay Paul Gill are accompanying the team as coach and manager respectively.
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