Srinagar, June 25: A strong sprint at finish line saw Anzil Mukhtar of Amar Singh College winning inter-college cycle race on Thursday. The race started at General Post Office and culminated at Kashmir University gate.
Around 60 cyclists representing different colleges of the Valley participated in the event. It was first big cycling event of the year and almost all the top cyclists like Shabir Ahmad, Ghulam Rasool, Umer Nabi, Mudasir and Anzil participated.
As expected the competition turned a real thriller. Till finish line no one was able to judge who will be the winner.
As the race was flagged off, novice cyclists sprinted faster. After first two kilometers, they got fatigued and the bunch of cyclists comprising of Anzil, Umer, Ghulam Rasool, Shabir, Mudasir and other five took lead. There was neck-to-neck battle between riders through out the distance. Through out distance riders in the leading bunch were doing pacing against each other in order to check each other’s stamina. Riders maintained constant speed of 40-kms and at times clocked more than 55-kms. At Naseem Bagh, riders started to sprint hard as less than kilometer was upto finish line. Anzil, Shabir and Ghulam Rasoool managed get away from the rest. It was close contest between these three and no one was able to judge who will finish first. At Hazratbal chowk Anzil took risk of taking sharp curve while Shabir and Ghulam Rasool struggled due to their high speed and took long curve.
The risk-taking move helped Anzil to finish first with a fraction of second ahead of Shabir and Ghulam Rasool. He finished first with the timing of 29:23:12 and retained the title. Shabir of Islamia College finished second with the timing of 29:33:24 while Ghulam Rasool of Physical College Ganderbal finished third with the timing of 29:50:22. Umer Nabi of Islamia College finished fourth while Muhammad Rafi of Amar Singh College finished fifth. Tariq of Gandhi College, Mudasir of Islamia College and Zahid Ahmad Rather of Islamia College finished sixth, seventh and eight respectively. Barkat Ali finished ninth while Ashiq Hussain finished 10th.
The prize distribution ceremony was held at University campus in which position holders were supposed to be awarded. However, the Kashmir University officials including director Physical Education and Sports department, Dr Nisar Ahmad had to face embarrassment when winners refused to receive the medals.
They were protesting against the department for not sending them to inter-university events for several years.
Refusing to receive his medal, Ghulam Rasool said, “Cycling is world’s toughest event and it requires lot of hard work. But all our hard work gets wasted when we are not able to participate in national events. From last several years’ KU has not sent it’s cycling team for inter-university competitions.”
Following Ghulam Rasool, Anzil and Shabir also refused to receive the medals, “We are being given mere assurances and not being given opportunity to participate in national event. We’ll receive medals only when we return from inter-university competition,” they said.
It was only after repeated assurances by the director and other officials that riders accepted the medals.
Meanwhile, the girls’ inter-college cycling race would be held on Friday from Nishat to Kashmir University gate.
Champions
Anzil Mukhtar Kadam
Anzil, a final year student of Amar Singh College is currently ranked as top cyclist of the Valley and his retaining of inter-college title proved it.
In last two years, Anzil has won almost all the major cycling events. He represented state so far in two national cycling events. In one of the event, he got seventh place. He missed two national events due to the examinations and could not participate in inter-university event because Kashmir University didn’t send its team for the event.
Anzil says, “I wanted to win this event desperately because I wanted to leave college on winning note. The competition was tough as in it all the top cyclists were competing against me. I won with a fraction of second and that too because I took high risk at last curve.”
“I’ll be happy if Kashmir University sends us for inter-university championship. I’m confident our team will bring couple of medals,” he added.
Shabir Akhoon
Despite losing his dominance in last two years, Shabir of Islamia College is most successful and only national medal winner cyclist of the state till date.
In 2006, he became first and only cyclist of the state to win medal in national cycling championship. He won gold in mass start 20-kilometer event in Punjab.
Shabir has participated in two national cycling championships and out of that he won medal in one. Apart from that Shabir has been dominating the cycling arena of state from past several years. He won all the highest cycling titles of the state. He won 100-kilometer Tour-de-Kashmir event from Srinagar to Pahalgam twice.
In last two years, after the emergence of new cyclists, he lost his place as top cyclist. But for Shabir the reason for his loosing the tag of top cyclist is discontinuing of regular practice.
“I won almost all cycling titles of state and also won gold medal in national championship for state. But in return I got nothing. That disappointed me and discontinued my regular practice. I restarted practice only for this event in hope that team will be sent for inter-University event,” he said.
Ghulam Rasool Kawa
Ghulam Rasool has the distinction of being only National Institute of Sports (NIS) qualified coach and International Mountain Terrain Biking (MTB) cyclist of J&K.
He has represented state in five national championships. Apart from that he has also participated in coupe of international MTB events. Last year, he bagged third place in International MTB Himachal race and also finished ninth in Pune International MTB event. He has also won inter-college title twice as a student of Amar Singh College.
After getting his coaching diploma, Kawa didn’t discontinue his practice and instead started to prepare himself for MTB cycling events, which are considered toughest cycling events.
Despite being only qualified coach of state, he didn’t get a job. He joined Physical Education College Ganderbal to study B. P Ed degree. As a student of the college, he competed in inter-college event and competed against his own students Anzil, Mudasir, Umer and Shabir.
“We have lot of talent, but it needs proper grooming. I request departments like JK Police and JK Bank to form cycling teams so as cyclists can be adjusted,” he said.
http://greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=26_6_2009&ItemID=10&cat=4
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