JAMMU: Ace judokas of the State, Shweta Thakur and Danish Sharma on Wednesday left for participation in the selection trials to pick of Indian team for the SAF Games and other forthcoming international, qualifying events and national coaching camps.
The trials, conducted by the Judo Federation of India, shall take place at Sports Authority of India (SAI) Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh on 9th January. The SAF Games are scheduled to be held in mid of February.
“We have to report at SAI Centre, Bhopal on January eight for accreditation and weigh-in. The brief trials, four minutes for women and five minutes for men, shall take place from 9 am onwards on January nine,” gold medal winner in two back to back Nationals, Shweta Thakur told.
The trials shall be held in different weight groups of below 60 kg, below 66 kg, below 73 kg, 81 kg, below 90 kg and below 100 kg in men category. Women: below 48 kg, below 52 kg, below 57 kg, below 63 kg, below 70 kg and below 78 kg.
“Only two players from J and K are taking part in selection trials for prestigious SAF Games considering their performance in the senior nationals. While Shweta shall compete against other judokas, attending to the trials, in below 70 kg, Danish shall take on his opponents in below 90 kg,” informed Senior Judo Coach of the State Sports Council, Suraj Bhan Singh. Important to mention here that both these top state judo players have already represented India in the World Universities after winning gold in All India Inter-University meet.