SPORTS

Nationals score facile victory
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 20
Three goals, including two in a row, by striker Michel Onengiye Ofori was the highlight of DSA Senior Division League runners-up SAIL-Indian Nationals’ facile 4-1 victory against Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB), Guwahati, in a Phase-II second Division National Football League match at the Ambedkar Stadium in the Capital on Wednesday.

In another match, Border Security Force (BSF), Jalandhar scored a 2-1 victory against Accountant General Audit Football Club of Haryana (Chandigarh). BSF mounted pressure from the start and scored the first goal in the 19th minute when defender Surjit Singh’s long-ranger zoomed into the net (1-0). Captain D.S. Negi made it 2-0 with a header in the 36th minute.

In the second half, the Haryana team dominated the proceedings, and reduced the margin through outside left Harvinder Paul in the 79th minute. BSF’s Nirmaljit Singh and Tapan Bhattacharjee were shown the yellow card by referee Biswajeet Bohra.

Indian Nationals, strengthened by the inclusion of Michel Onengiye Ofori of Shastri Club, Manoj Kumar Joshi of City Club and Jagmohan Singh of Chandigarh Sporting, who were hired on loan basis, were on a roll from the very beginning and opened the account in the 20th minute when Michel Ofori found the mark. Stung by the reverse, the Assam team fought hard to score an equaliser, but their strikers K.Shyam Bandhu Singh and Utpal Samumatary were found unequal to the task when presented with scoring opportunities.

However, in the second half, ASEB’s substitute player Joseph Lalnunzira pulled off the equaliser in the 67th minute following a wrong clearance by Nationals’ mid-fielder Manoj Joshi.

Michel Ofori regained the lead for Nationals when he struck again in the 69th minute off an indirect long-range kick (2-1) while Cassious Akumu Owino made it 3-1 off a header in the 73rd minute (3-1). Michael then completed the tally (4-1) in the 86th minute. Nationals’ custodian Viswanath Deb effected two good saves to foil Assam striker M.S.Dawngliana. Nationals’ Michel was booked with the yellow card by referee Stanley Gegory for rough play.

There will be no match on Thursday. On Friday, Bengal-Mumbai take on Indian Nationals while BSF will clash against ASEB.

Shilpi Samiyar, Dinesh Rawat win 200m golds
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 20
Shilpi Samiyar of National Hydro- Electric Power Corporation (NHPC) and Dinesh Rawat of Central Electricity Authority (CEA) emerged the fastest sprinters when they won the 200 m races in the fifth Inter-Power Sector Athletic Meet at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the Capital on Wednesday.

Shilpi clocked 36.3 secs to win the gold. She was followed by Indu Bidani of NHPC and Sumitra of CEA. Sumitra also annexed the 800m gold when she clocked 4 minutes 9.3 secs. She was followed by Arti Kohli of NHPC and Kulvant Kaur of Bhakra Beas Management Board.

In the men’s 200m, Dinesh Rawat posted a time of 22.2 secs to win the gold. C.D. Kundu of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) and Balbir Kumar of Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) took the silver and bronze respectively. Indu Bidani of NHPC hurled the iron ball to 6.30 metres to win the shot put gold for women.

Santosh of CEA and Anju Arora of Ministry of Power won the silver and bronze respectively. Mr Yogendra Prasad, CMD, NHPC inaugurated the two-day meet, being organised by the Power Sports Control Board.

Following are the other results:

800m (men): Balbir Kumar (BBMB), 2:23 secs; Dharam Singh (BBMB) and Desh Raj (BBMB). Discuss Throw (men): Surjit Singh (BBMB), 32.07; Ajmer Singh (BBMB) and P. Biswas (DVC). Triple Jump (men): F.P. Tigga (DVC), 11.91m; Amar Singh (BBMB) and D.S. Rawat (NHPC). Long Jump (women): Tejinder Kaur (BBMB), 3.41m; Indu Bidani (NHPC) and Parminder Kaur. Javelin throw (women): Santosh (CEA), 16.28m; Tejinder Kaur (BBMB), Kulvant Kaur (BBMB).

Indian girl for Special Olympics
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 20
Tamana Chona of Delhi is one of the 12 International Special Olympic athletes who have been selected to deliver the movement’s messages around the world. Representing every region of the world wide movement, these individuals will serve a two-year term as global messengers, in addition to maintaining their regular sports training and competition schedules.

Special Olympics is an organisation for children and adults with mental retardation. More than one million athletes from 160 countries train and compete in 26 Olympic-type summer and winter sports. Tamana Chona, a highly motivated athlete, is an excellent swimmer and badminton player. Earning good grades in school, she has obtained qualifications in travel and tourism and early childhood care. Tamana currently teaches in one of Delhi’s leading schools.

Nikhil stars for St. Marks 

New Delhi, March 20
A fine all-round performance by Nikhil Mahajan (42, 3x6, 1x4; 2 for 38)enabled St. Marks School, Meera Bagh beat hosts Bal Bharti School, Pitampura by ten runs to enter the quarter-final of the first Jubilant Cricket Tournament at the Bal Bharti School ground. Nikhil Mahajan was adjudged the man of the match.