SPORTS REPORTER
JAMMU: Mrityunjay Sharma clinched bronze medal in sub-junior category in the just concluded National Sport Climbing Championship at Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata.
Other three climbers, Shivani Charak in the junior girls, Shilpa Charak in girls’ speed climbing and Hardev Singh in lead climbing in the boys category also performed well securing fifth, sixth and 10th positions respectively.
Sharing more details after an interaction with the team on their return, general secretary of the J and K Mountaineering Association, Ram Khajuria informed that in the semifinal, Mrityunjay Sharma had topped the 50ft high climbing wall along with five climbers from other zones to qualify for the final round but had to contain with third place.
Mrityunjay received a cash prize of Rs 5,000 along with a medal and a gift hamper. Similarly, Shivani Charak and Shilpa had entered the final round in their respective categories by giving creditable performances. However, both the climbers could not repeat their excellence and finished fifth and sixth respectively, disclosed Khajuria.
Hardev Singh, a very silent climber, was unlucky to enter the final round because of a technical incident and eventually secured the 10th place.
The championship was organised by Indian Mountaineering Foundation East Zone Committee, Kolkata under the aegis of Indian Mountaineering Foundation, New Delhi. General Secretary of the Tawi Trekkers and a National judge in Sport Climbing, Shawetica Khajuria and Anil Kumar were the manager and coach respectively of the state team. The team was sponsored by the J and K State Sports Council.
On arrival, the team was accorded a warm welcome by office bearers and members of Mountaineering Association of J and K as also other senior climbers.
Prominent among others present included vice president, Yogeshwar Kumar, treasurer Shawetica Khajuria, Rakesh Goswami and Navneet Gupta (both executive members).