Sports Reporter
JAMMU: Climbers from the State held the State flag flying high by winning eight medals, including two gold, two silver and four bronze in the 23rd National Sport Climbing Championship held at Indore in Madhya Pradesh.
While Shivani Charak, an international Sport Climber of J&K, bagged three medals, including two gold medals in Speed Climbing and Bouldering and a silver in Lead climbing in the Junior Girls category, Mrityunjay Sharma, another international climber, also clinched equal number of medals. Mrityunjay’s medals included a silver and two bronze in Speed and Lead, and Bouldering respectively in the Junior Boys category.
Another talented climber, Ritesh Sharma added two medals to State’s kitty by winning two bronze medals in Lead and Speed in the Sub Junior group.
The other J and K climber also excelled in various categories but somehow remained medal less.
Ajay Deep Singh finished at the 4th place. Similarly, Arun Deep lost to Asian Champion and eventual winner Maibham of North East Zone in the final. Much was expected of Asma Gul, in the Sub Junior Girls category, but she just could not withstand the high pressure of national competition and failed to win a medal.
“Over all, it was an excellent performance by the eight member team with six climbers entering the final rounds in various forms of competitions and three climbers,” expressing his satisfaction over the performance of State climbers, General Secretary of Mountaineering Association J&K (MAJK), Ram Khajuria said.
Shawetica Khajuria and Shashi Kant Sharma accompanied the State team as Manager and Coach respectively. The State team was sponsored by J&K State Sports Council.
On return, the team along with the Secretary and Joint Secretary of the MAJK Ram Khajuria and Shawetica called on the Secretary, J&K State Sports Council, Waheed ur Rehman Parra, who congratulated the climbers for their performance and hoped that the climbers would work more hard and win the National Championship next year.
He assured that the Sports Council shall provide the infrastructural and coaching facilities and all other possible help for the promotion of the game. Mushtaq Ahmad Baba (OSD to Secretary) and Sonam Sidharth (Executive Member of MAJK) were prominent among others present.
