Abid Khan
Srinagar, Mar 22: After more than 20 years, players from JK will represent India in the Olympic Games. Two skiers from JK have qualified for the winter Olympics 2010 scheduled to be held in Vancouver, Canada from February 12, 2010.Tashi Lundup and Jamyang Namgial will represent India in skiing events in men’s category. Tashi Lundup will participate in cross-country and Jamyang Namgial will participate in Alpine Ski.
Both skiers are presently with Indian Army and are posted at High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) in Gulmarg. Hailing from Leh region, Lundup and Namgial are the first players from the region to represent India in an international event. It is also only second time that players from JK will participate in Olympics. Previously, only Gul Mustafa has participated in Olympics.
Lundup, a Havaldar in Army qualified for the games by securing qualifying points at Federation of International Ski (FIS) races held at Turkey, Bursa and Bolo from March 10 to 11 and 13 to 14 respectively this year. He also secured qualifying points by participating in FIS Nordic world ski championship held in Liberec, Czech Republic from February 18 to 28 this year. Due to his excellent performance in the three events, he secured enough points to qualify for the Games.
Lundup is National Winter Games cross-country championship as he won first place in fifth National Winter Games held in Gulmarg in February 2008.
He has also secured third position (bronze medal) in FIS 10-kilometer race held in Iran, Shemshak in 2007. He represented Indian team in Asian Winter Games held in Changchun, China in 2007.
Namgial also a Havildar in Army qualified by securing points at Federation of International Ski (FIS) races held in Turkey, Erzurum on 13 March this year. He participated in other qualifying race in same country at Sarikamis on March 16. Before these two races, he also performed brilliantly in FIS Alpine World Ski Championship held in Val d Isere, France in February 2009.
Namgial, a national champion in Alpine Ski discipline in fifth National Winter Games held at Gulmarg in February 2008 also represented Indian team in Asian Winter Games in Changchun, China in 2007.
Winter Games Federation of Indian (WGFI) member, Mudasar Mir said, “It is an honor that two players from our state have qualified for the Olympics.”
“Our future generation will definitely get motivated towards skiing. After 2010 Olympics, I’m sure we will see huge number of players coming to Gulmarg for skiing,” he said.
Published in Greater Kashmir on Mar 23:2009 link
2 comments:
That really is good news. Something to cheer about. You have been doing some interesting stories. Keep up the good work.
@ Mynei : thanks ..i just try rest hapens itself
nwy wr u have been all these days
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