Excelsior Sports Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 3: The 12th National Ice-Skating Championship, organized by Tourism Department, in collaboration with Ice Skating Association of India, New Delhi concluded at picturesque Winter Sports destination, Gulmarg, near here.
The overall championship was lifted by Telangana, while Mumbai bagged runners-up trophy and the State of Jammu and Kashmir won 2 silver and 6 bronze medals in the Championship. Both the boys and the girls of J&K gave an exceptional performance in the Championship. The medal winners included Sadiya (Figure Skating-Senior ‘silver’), Qirah (Figure Skating Senior ‘bronze’), Muskan (Figure Skating-Junior Solo ‘silver’), Sarah (Figure Skating-Senior Solo ‘bronze’), Inam and Qirah (Pair Skating-Junior ‘bronze’), Umar and Qirah (Pair Dance ‘bronze’), Madiha and Hari Om (Pair Skating-Senior ‘bronze’) and Madiha and Hari Om (Pair Dance-Senior ‘bronze’)
204 skaters representing 19 States from all over the Country organized a breath taking demonstration in speed skating, figure skating and ice dancing in honour of the chief guest, Basharat Bukhari, Minster for Law and Parliamentary Affairs.
Prominent among others present on the occasion were MLA Mohammad Abbas Wani, Director Tourism, Mahmood Ahmad Shah, CEO GDA, Nazir Ahmad Mir, Principal IISM Col Dhillon, vice president WGFI, Shabir Ahmad Wani, General Manager J&K Cable Car, Reyaz Malik and International skier Hafeeza Hassan.
Apart from the guests, the demonstration was witnessed by hundreds of tourists.
The demonstration was performed by the athletes in flood lights prepared by the Gulmarg Development Authority.
Mr. Bukhari assured his full help to the development of skating as a sports and a tourist attraction in the State. He highly appreciated the organizers of the events for its huge success. MLA Abbas Wani also lavished praise for the tiny skaters who among others had come all the way from far off South Indian State and Assam to take part in the mega sporting event of 2016. Director Tourism, Mahmood Ahmad Shah expressed his thanks to all those who helped in successful organization of the event. He assured that more such events will be held in near future at Gulmarg and Pahalgam.
Secretary General ISAI, RK Gupta said that the Tourism Department made it possible to hold the event so successfully. He also appreciated the department for maintaining the rink very well. He informed that number of national records were broken on this well maintained rink which was not possible on other rinks of the country.
On the occasion, apart from Ice Skating, the J&K Ice Skating Association organized a demonstration of Ice Roll Ball game which was done first time in India under the supervision of Mohammad Ashraf Dijoo. Roll Ball is in fact played on roller skates but the Association introduced it on ice for the first time.
Two team of 6 players each held a demonstration match, which was liked by the spectators.
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