SPORTS

GGSSS girls win handball title
Tribune Reporters

Chandigarh, July 11
Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector 8, ‘Team A’ bagged the girls handball title in the 17th Chandigarh Sub-Junior handball championships played here today.

In the girls final, GGSSS-8 outplayed Coaching centre, Sector 21 (20-4) with half time score of 15-0. Shikha scored seven points, Renu Saini and Sushma scored five each while Kusum scored two points . Sangeeta scored four points for the losers.

In the match for the third place in boys section, Coaching Centre, Sector 42, won by defeating Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, Sector 26 (7-6). At half time, CC-42 were trailing 1-2. Dapinder was the highest scorer with four points. While Astha was highest scorer for the losers with three points.

Nominated

The Amateur Athletic Federation of India (AAFI) has nominated Mr H.S. Bhadu, Secretary, HAAA, manager of Indian team to participate in the Junior World Athletic Championship to be held at Kingston in Jamaica from July 16 to July 21. According to Mr Abhey Singh Chautala, President, Haryana Amateur Athletic Association, the team will leave for Kingston on July 13 and return on July 14.

Jacob opens hockey academy
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, July 11
The UT Administrator and Governor, Punjab, Lieut-Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), today inaugurated the Chandigarh Hockey Academy at the sprawling sports complex in Sector 42. He interacted with the trainees and asked them to lay emphasis on studies as well.

Later, the boys played a six- a- side match which was witnessed by almost all top sports personalities, including various olympians and sports administrators, coaches and players of other sports. Mr M. Ramsekhar, Director, Sports said the boys would be trained in the six- a-side field adjoining the football grounds. He said the synthetic turf would be ready in a few months, till then boys would get trained on these grassy grounds and in Sector 18 hockey stadium also. Earlier the Administrator also paid a visit to the residential wing of the sports complex and inspected the kitchen and rooms.

Among 19 boys selected for the academy, two are from Chandigarh and rest from various areas of Punjab. Gurpreet Singh, Dupinder Pal Singh, Ranjot, Simrandeep Singh, Deepak Kumar, Harmanpreet, Sandeep, Jaskaran Singh, Rupinder Pal, Baljinder Pal, Suminder Singh, Dharamvir Singh, Harinder Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Impreet Singh, Sandeep Singh, Harjit Singh, Lovedeep Singh and Amanpreet Singh.

‘City cricket players need exposure’ 
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, July 11
A keen sports promoter, Lieut- Gen J.F.R. Jacob (retd), promised to make Chandigarh the centre of excellence in sports today. At the inauguration of the Chandigarh Hockey Academy, in Sector 42 sports complex, Lieutenant-General Jacob said he was trying his best to give the city a name in sports. He, however, said a beginning had been made in the right direction. The administrator announced that after football and hockey, his priority would be to give thrust to cricket by opening an academy named Chandigarh Cricket Academy in Sector 16 stadium.

He said cricket players from city with lot of potential and talent were not getting the right kind of exposure like playing in the Ranji matches, since local association did not have direct affilliation with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). He said the pitch in the Sector 16cricket stadium, would soon have a new look. He said the basic problem lay in collecting finances. He said the Bank of Punjab had given Rs 10 lakh sponsorship. The Governor was happy at the way the boys had been trained. He said the players had been provided the best food under the guidance of a sports nutritionist.

The administrator said he had asked the sports officers to send boys for the maximum tournaments in the region. Later, Mr M. Ramsekhar, Director Sports, UT also confirmed that the football boys would be sent to Pre- Subroto soccer meet tournament and the newly selected hockey players to in the Pre-Nehru hockey tournaments.

Lieutenant-General Jacob said football was likely to get more boost. He said the sponsors also wanted the returns and he was sure that these young boys would prove to be useful for the companies in times to come. The Governor said the synthetic turf in Sector 42 stadium will be re-laid in another four months.

On the badminton hall in Sector 42, Mr Ramsekhar said it was suffering due to lack of funds. Sector 7 gymnastics indoor hall also required funds for its renovation. He said though the sports budget for the present year had been increased manifold, yet many projects were in pipeline and required lot of money.

The Administrator said the swimming enthusiasts also suffered due to lack of any indoor swimming pool. He said the ongoing plan to construct an all-weather pool in the complex was already on the anvil and it would cost few crores. He, however, gave assurance that club house, gymnasium and other facilities needed for a sports complex would be made available.