SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2015 (PAGE-3) 2015: J&K witnesses mixed moments in sports The sports sector in the State witnessed mixed moments-both pleasant and unpleasant during the year 2015. While, on the one hand, Gymnasts, Wushu players, Judokas, Paddlers and Canoeists kept the State's flag high at the National and International scene, on the other hand, internal bickering within the elitist sports body-the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), badly affected the State teams and drastically declined their performance graph in the BCCI Tournaments. Rajesh Dhar recounts both these moments, which are now a part of the sports history of the State. SURYA BHANU PARTAP the summit clash. Jammu University team has the distinc- CREATES HISTORY tion of entering final of the prestigious Tournament for 4th Surya Bhanu Partap Singh created history by consecutive season. winning prestigious bronze medal in the World GOVT FELICITATES 38 OUTSTANDING Wushu Championship held recently in at SPORTSPERSONS Jakarta in Indonesia. He also clinched gold in To give fillip to sports in the State, the Government of 35th National Games held at Kerala in Janu- Jammu and Kashmir presented cash awards to 38 outstand- ary 2015. Bhanu Partap and Rajinder claimed ing sportspersons of the State in an impressive function, bronze medals in Pars Cup held in Iran earlier organised by J&K State Sports Council in Jammu recently. in the year. These winners attributed their suc- Mittali Dogra Bilquis Mir Palak Kour Krupali Singh Nippu Jamwal Shikha Bhau Shweta Thakur This award is really a great initiative by the State Govern- cess to coach Kuldeep Handoo, who has the dis- ment to give impetus to sports in the State. tinction of being Wushu Coach of India. BOXERS SPARKLE GYMNASTS BLOSSOM J&K boxers namely Pardeep Sharma, Dheeraj Kumar Ace gymnasts of the State namely Mitali Dogra, Palak Kour and and Anju Bala clinched bronze in the 35th National Games likes continued their customary business of winning medals at the national scene in the year 2015. Mitali, Palak, Mridul Gupta and held at Kerala earlier this year. Boxer Harpal Singh also Pawandeep Kour won a team gold in 35th National Games. Palak claimed a gold in Senior National held at Nagpur, while clinched 2 gold and one silver and Mitali claimed one gold and 2 Pardeep Sharma clinched a gold in BR Ambedkar Cup at bronze medals in these Games. These meritorious sportspersons Jabalpur. Pardeep also claimed a silver medal in World Mil- are the trainees of Gymnastics coaches including Arjuna Awardee, itary Games held at Seoul in South Korea during the year. Krupali Patel Singh, SP Singh and Manisha Gupta. These boxers are the trainees of boxing coach Anil Wad- Kuldeep Handoo Harpal Singh Anil Wadhera Mehraj-Ud-Din Wadoo S P Singh Ranjeet Kalra Atul Pangotra WADOO SHINES hera. Jammu and Kashmir's iconic footballer, Mehraj-ud-Din Wad- FENCERS DAZZLE; VANSH, doo, who has been bringing laurels for the State from a decade, TEJA REPRESENT INDIA has done it again by lifting the Indian Super League (ISL) title As per their custom of shining at the higher levels, the with his franchisee side Chennaiyin Football Club, recently. State fencers sparkled in the year 2015 by wonning 15 medals ANSARI MAKES BCCI CUT in the National Level Tournaments, including 2 bronze Minister for Information Technology, Technical Educa- medals in prestigious 35th National Games at Kerala and tion and Youth Services and Sports, Molvi Imran Raza one gold in Under-23 Youth Games. The team of Kerala Ansari made it to the Board of Control National Games included Rashid Ahmed, Ujjwal Gupta, for Cricket in India (BCCI) by being Vishal Thappar and Javed Ahmed. Above all, Vansh Maha- nominated in prestigious BCCI Commit- Ishan Pandita Parvez Rasool Mithun Manhas Ian Dev Singh Praful Dhar Vansh Mahajan Pardeep Sharma jan won bronze in Cadet Nationals and represented India tees in the recently held AGM. Apart alongwith Teja Singh in Commonwealth Cadet and Junior from the Sports Minister, BCCI vice brought laurels to the State and the Country as well in the name. event at Cape Town in South Africa. The fencers attribute president, ML Nehru, Rajeet Kalra and year 2015. JUDOKA SHWETA their excellent performance to the sheer-dint of hard work Ankush Abrol were retained in the Sub ATUL CONTINUES ARTISTRY IN TAEKWONDO WINS GOLD Committees. Kalra was also renominat- Atul Pangotra, who ahs won laurels for the State, many Gritty judoka, Shweta Thakur won gold medal in the ed Member of J&K Sports Council and a time, continued his artistry in Taekwondo this year also. Senior National Judo Championship held at Chandigarh its Standing Committee and named He represented the Country in Taekwondo Australian Open recently. Shweta is the trainee of Judo coach Suraj Bhan Chairman of High Level State Committee to liaison with and his student Kajal clinched gold in Senior National Taek- Singh. For the success of Judo players like Shweta, Nippu Ministry of Sports, Government of India. wondo Championship at Cuttack in Odisha. Jamwal and Shiksha Bhau, apart from Suraj Bhan, other J&K FOREST TEAM SETS RECORD IAN, PARVEZ, MANHAS SLAM coaches and promoters of the game like Arshi Nad, Ritika Jammu and Kashmir State Forest team set a record by BIG TONS IN RANJI Slathia and Vikas Gupta deserve appreciation. winning gold medal in Football, Billiards and Snooker and J&K's star cricketers Parvez Rasool, Ian Dev Singh PALLAV BAGS BRONZE IN SKATING a silver medal in Cricket in the recently held 22nd Nation- Chauhan and Mithun Manhas slammed big hundreds in the Pallav Gupta won bronze medal in skating, the lone al Forest Sports Meet at Bangaluru in Karnataka. ranji Trophy during this season. Ian scored three centuries, medal by the State in the 51st National School Games in the BALI BHAGAT CREATES HISTORY while rasool and Manhas hit two centuries each. Apart from discipline of skating all age groups (U-14 to U-19) held at J&K Forest Minister, Bali Bhagat, created history by this talented trio, Abhinav Puri, Pranav Gupta, Umar Nis- Bhelgaon in Karnataka, recently. Pallav clinched medal in becoming the first ever Forest Minister of the Country to ar, Jatin Wadhawan, Shubham Singh Pundir and Kamran Under-19 boys speed event. represent the State Forest team in the prestigious National Iqbal scored magnificent hundreds in their J&K U-17 GIRLS CRICKET Level Football event. He was part of the J&K team that won respective age groups during the season. TEAM BAGS GOLD PRAFUL EMERGES HIGHEST Jammu and Kashmir eves won WICKET TAKER gold medal in the 61st National Ace fencing coaches and players posing for a photograph after Young off-spinner Praful School Games Under-17 investiture ceremony organized for felicitating outstanding sports Dhar emerged highest wick- Girls Cricket Champi- persons in Jammu. et taker in India by claim- onship, organised by ing 14 wickets in four the Department of by fencing coaches Chotu Lal and Rachna Jamwal. T20 matches of 60th Youth Services and AVERAGE, DISMAL SHOW National School Sports, under the The year witnessed dismal to average show from almost Games Under-14 auspices of all the other games at the National Level. Some prominent Boys Cricket Tour- School Games recognised sports disciplines where the players or the teams nament held in Federation of either gave dismal or average performances included Hock- Telangana in Feb- India (SGFI) ey, Football, Badminton, Table Tennis, Basketball, Archery, ruary 2015. Pra- and under the Handball, Tennis Ball Cricket and Athletics. Moreover, the ful took 8/6 patronage of state witnessed poor show by the organizers and sponsors against Karnata- DG Sports ka and 11/5 J&K, Jahangir as one of the state Volleyball teams participated in the pres- against Gujarat Mir at Jammu. tigious women nationals without sports shoes and proper Minister for Forests, Bali Bhagat displaying his soccer skills in this Tourna- J&K defeated kit. during a football match at Bangaluru in Karantaka ment and helped Telangana in POOREST EVER DISPLAY BY CRICKET TEAMS J&K to enter the finals. The The year 2015 witnessed poorest ever performance from gold medal in Football during 22nd National Forest Sports semifinals. State team was all the teams sponsored by the Jammu and Kashmir Crick- Meet at Bangaluru in Karnataka. J&K GETS RS selected, trained et Association (JKCA) to represent the State in the Tourna- ISHAN MAKES IT TO EUROPEAN CLUB 200 CR SPORTS and coached by 17-year old footballer Ishan Pandita, a permanent resi- ments, organised by the Board of Control for Cricket In PACKAGE the officers and India (BCCI). In the current season J&K won just one match dent of Tral in Valley, presently at Bangaluru in Karnataka, Union Sports Min- officials of the in Under-19 Boys Cooch Behar Trophy and faced humiliat- is all set for the Spanish ball as he has made it to profession- istry has sanctioned a Department including al European Club UD Almeria to play in Under-18 team, special package of Rs 200 Anju Gupta, Rajesh ing defeats against all the rivals in all age groups from which played in prestigious La-Liga last season crores for raising sports infra- Dhar, Pankaj Sasan and Under-14 category to Ranji Trophy level, including Under- STATE WINS GALAXY OF MEDALS structure in Jammu and Kash- Satika Sharma. 19 and Senior Girls. Even the records were set against the IN WATER SPORTS mir and giving fillip to sports in the JKP WRESTLER BENIA poor J&K teams during the season. Under-19 girls team The State of Jammu and Kashmir won galaxy of medals State.