The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

SPORTS

PNB Hockey Academy trials begin
Our Sports Reporter

Director of PNB Hockey Academy Khushal Singh inaugurating the selection trials in the presence of selectors Ajit Pal Singh and Harbhinder Singh at the National Stadium in New Delhi on Friday.

New Delhi, August 9
Trials to select players for the Punjab National Bank (PNB) Hockey Academy began at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi on Friday.

The two-day trials will conclude on Saturday. PNB Hockey Academy Director Kushal Singh said trials would also be held at Dhyan Chand Hockey Stadium in Lucknow (on August 12 and 13) and at Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium at Burlton Park in Jalandhar (August 17 and 18).

Mr Khushal Singh said the PNB Hockey Academy would be set up at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi in association with the Sports Authority of India. He said 24 promising players would be selected to the academy after the trials. Mr Khushal Singh inaugurated the trials at the National Stadium on Friday in the presence of former Olympians Ajit Pal Singh and Harbhinder Singh, who are also the selectors of the academy.

PNB Assistant General Manager and convenor of the hockey academy S. S. Chopra also witnessed the trials.

BSF promotes Krishan Kumar
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, August 9
The Border Security Force (BSF) Director-General, Mr Ajay Raj Sharma, at a pipping ceremony at the BSF headquarters in Delhi on Friday felicitated Sub-Inspector Krishan Kumar for winning a gold medal in the 55kg wrestling event at the just concluded Commonwealth Games at Manchester. Krishan Kumar has also been given out of turn promotion as he has been elevated to the rank of Inspector. He beat a Canadian by a margin of 4-2 points to win the gold.

Krishan Kumar joined the BSF in August 2001 as Sub-Inspector after he was selected by the BSF spotters from the Sports Authority of India Wrestling Centre in Chandigarh. He was then groomed by the BSF with specialised coaching, special diet and expert technical guidance. He made remarkable strides and won a gold medal in the Junior Wrestling Championship held at Mashhad, Iran, in June 2002, besides winning gold medals in the All-India Police Games and the Junior National Wrestling Championship.

Born in a village at Shahpur, Panipat (Haryana), on August 25, 1982, Krishan Kumar stole the spotlight when he won a number of gold medals at the national and junior national championships from 1995 to 1999. He represented India in the third Junior Asian Wrestling Championship held in Delhi in August 2002.

The BSF’s contribution to Indian sports is very commendable. It has produced 16 Arjuna Awardees, and currently employs 59 international and 163 national-level sportspersons in various disciplines.

One meet record set in Delhi swimming
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, August 9
One meet record was lowered in the Delhi State Open and Tiny Tots Aquatic Championships, which began at the Talkatora swimming pool, in the Capital on Friday.

Hitender Tokas of JSTS created a new meet record in the 50m butterfly for men when he clocked O:28.79 secs. The old record was held by Varun Sethi of Delhi Public School at 0:29.80. Varun Sethi, now representing JSTS, won the 100m free style for men, when he clocked O:59.27 secs. Varun Sethi added a double when he finished first in the 200m breast stroke event too, with a time of O2:28.51. After Pankaj Rathi of JSTS set the momentum by winning the gruelling 1500m free style event for men, with a time of 19:21.50 minutes, JSTC swimmers hit the tape first in most of the day’s final events. Meenakshi Tokas of Alisha SCI won the 400m free style for women with a time of 05:15.64 minutes. Rajnish Kukreti of MS BR also annexed a double crown when he swam to glory in the 100m free style and 50m butterfly for boys.

Hemanthika of Poorna Prajana clocked O:51.95 secs to win the title in the 50m breast stoke. In all, JSTC swimmers stood first in 13 finals.

FCI trounce Oriental Bank in DSA tourney

New Delhi, August 9
Five times former champions Food Corporation of India (North Zone) trounced the Oriental Bank of Commerce 6-2 in a league match of the Delhi Soccer Association Institutional Football Championship at Ambedkar Stadium in the Capital.

In another match, Northern Railway were held to a 1-1 draw by the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC). Bhupender Sharma put Railways in the lead with a goal in the fifth minute. OSR