Khelo India Games: Minister Promises Support to Best Performers

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Exhorting the 308-strong Kerala contingent to take out their best at the Khelo India Youth Games starting in Pune on January 9, Minister for Industries, Sports and Youth Affairs, E P Jayarajan, has said the best performers at the national event will be extended all support by the Government.

Jayarajan, who visited the coaching camp for the Pune-bound athletic and football teams here, said those putting up a splendid performance in the Second Edition of the event will receive full backing of the state government, enabling them to graduate to higher levels in their career.

Full-scale coaching camps have been launched across the state as a special initiative by the Minister for over 308 players who will compete in 14 disciplines, including athletics, in the Khelo India Youth Games-2019, scheduled from January 9 to 20 in Pune in Maharashtra.

Dr. A. Jayatilak, Principal Secretary, Sports and Youth Affairs; and Sanjayan Kumar, Director, Sports and Youth Affairs, accompanied the Minister during the visit.

A total of 25 coaches, 20 managers, four physiotherapists, five psychologists and one medical officer are also attending the camps. The first contingent from Kerala for the event will leave for Pune on January 6 and the 69-member athletics team the next day.

Kerala came third in athletics and eighth in the overall medal tally in the inaugural edition of the sporting extravaganza held in Delhi last year.

The camps in most disciplines for the state contingent for the event are progressing in full swing. The camp for 69-member athletics team, which includes 45 females, began at the University Stadium and Chandrasekharan Nair stadium in the state capital on January 4.

The camps for basketball, football, kabaddi, khokho, volleyball, swimming, wrestling, judo, weightlifting and gymnastics are also under way in different centres. A total of 24 male and as many female players are attending the coaching camp for basketball at Mundayad in Kannur, where under17 and 21 players are trained separately till January 12.

In all, 36 male and 18 female players are attending the football camp, which will continue at the Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium till January 6. Coaching for the12-member kabaddi team will continue till January 11 at the Central Stadium here. The training for khokho team is in progress at Sree Padam Stadium at Attingal. The state is sending under 21 male and female teams of 12-member each in this discipline.

The coaching for male players in Volleyball is underway at the Indoor Stadium at Thriprayar and for female players at the Indoor Stadium at Kottayam. As many as 48 players are attending the sessions, in boys and girls and men and women sections.

Four female and nine male swimmers are undergoing coaching at the Aquatic Complex here while two female and two male wrestlers are getting trained at the Operation Olympia Centre here.

In judo, nine male and six female hopefuls are being trained at the Indoor Stadium at Thrissur while six male and five male aspirants are being coached in weightlifting in the same facility. In gymnastics, five hopefuls are being trained at the Jimmy George Indoor Stadium here.