SPORTS

Annual calendar of athletics events
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 16
The Amateur Athletic Association of Chandigarh has released the annual calendar of various athletics events to be organised during the session 2003-2004.

This year, as per the directive of the Amateur Athletic Federation of India (AAFI), first Chandigarh inter-district meet will be held in the second fortnight of September. It has been decided to divide the Union Territory into two districts — north and south. The athletes of these districts will participate in the inaugural National Inter-District Athletic Meet to be held at Patna from November 13 to 16, 2003.

The other events are as follows: July 27: Trials to select sub-junior and junior Chandigarh state athletics team that will participate in the North Zone Junior Athletic Championship to be held at Delhi on August 18 and 19.

August 1: Coaching camp for juniors and trials to select the senior Chandigarh state athletic that will participate in the National Inter-state Senior Athletics Championship to be held at Jamshedpur from September 2 to 5.

September 13 to 15: Participation in the Inter-Zonal Junior Athletic Championship to be held Bhopal.

October 18 and 19: Chandigarh State Athletics Championship for sub-junior, junior and seniors. The Chandigarh athletics team will be selected during this meet for participation in the national (under-22) Athletics Meet to be held from November 28 to 30 at Bangalore.

November 12: Coaching camp for under-22 athletes.

December 17 to 21: Participation in the National Inter-state Junior Athletics Championship to be held at Quilal (Kerala).

January 18, 2004: Chandigarh State Cross Country Championship for juniors and seniors. During this championship, the Chandigarh athletics team will be selected to participate in the National Cross Country Meet to be held at Shimla on February 8.

City’s maiden attempt to promote hockey
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, May 16
The city today made a maiden attempt to join the global campaign to popularise hockey with St. Stephen’s School, Sector 45, in association with the Sports Authority of India, and Sector 18 Sports Training Centre, holding a hockey awareness campaign. The three-hour session was held at Sector 18 Hockey stadium, which attracted around 100 participants.

As part of the programme held on the eve of the Global Youth Hockey Marathon, more than 100 trainees along with hockey players of the STC-18 had an interactive practice session today.

The initiative of a former international hockey player, Ms Satinder Kaur, now a sports teacher at St Stephen’s School, evoked appreciation.

Amarbir Singh, a Class X student of St Stephen’s School, said, “this is for the first time when we were told that hockey has a bright future and it encourages one to continue playing this sport.”

Neha, a student of SGGS Khalsa College, Sector 26, and a national- level hockey player, was all praise for the effort made by organisers in giving a positive direction to the children to join hockey. She said most of our young players today do not have much interest in the sport and hoped such an endeavour would be successful.

Gurkaran Kahlon, a Class IV student of St Stephen’s, was quite thrilled for learning the basics of the sport from her mentor, Ms Satinder. He was happy that at the other corner of the hockey field, his father was also watching him play. Babita, a student of Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector 18, and who has just taken to hockey, said, seeing her seniors involved in a dedicated manner in this sport, inspired her a lot.

HAFED to set up badminton academy
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, May 16
In a step, which would give boost to badminton in Haryana, HAFED has adopted badminton. This was revealed by Mr Devendra Singh, Managing Director of HAFED, who is also the president of the Haryana Badminton Association (HBA). He stated this while presiding over the annual general meeting of the association held at Panchkula. This arrangement has been done in collaboration with the HBA.

Mr Devender Singh said HAFED will also set up a badminton academy for seniors and nursery for 10-14 years age group children. He said the Sector 3 sports complex, in Panchkula would provide the coaching facilities for these young children. He said, a team which would represent HAFED consisting of seven boys and five girls would be selected for future tournaments.

The HBA also decided to host the Haryana state junior badminton championship at Yamunanagar from August 7 to 10 and the Senior state badminton championship at Rewari from August 21 to 24.

Devendra Singh said it has been made mandatory for all the district units affiliated to the HBA to finish their respective state championship by July.

Selected

Shivalik Public School, Sector 41, has selected 12 players for its volleyball academy and four for the basketball academy after the selection trials held last month. According to Mr DS Bedi, Director-Principal of the school, the selection trials had evoked a massive response as participants poured in from many states of the region.

All the selected players will be given free lodging, boarding, education and sports kit.

The players chosen for basketball academy are: Gursimran Singh, Karan, Sowinder Singh (all Punjab) and Babloo (Haryana) and for Volleyball academy are Rohit Kumar (Haryana), Manpreet Singh, Sandeep and Hardeep Singh (all Punjab), Karan Kapta, Ashish Kalta, Ankit Khachi and Brij Bhushan (all Himachal Pradesh), Amit Negi and Rakesh (both Chandigarh), Mohit Malik (Uttaranchal).

Selection trials

The Chandigarh Football Association will hold the selection trials on May 18 at Panjab University grounds to select the UT team for the 11th Senior National Women Football Championship to be held at Chennai from June 8 to 10. Mr Rakesh Bakshi, secretary of the association, said the trials will begin at 7.30 am. The camp for the probables will begin on May 19.

Golf coaching camp

A seven-day-golf coaching camp will be conducted by European Certified Golf teacher Ajay Gujral at the Chandigarh Golf Club from May 27 to June 2. The boys and girls between 10-18 years could contact for the above camp.

Softball meet

KALKA: A district level softball championship was organised by the Panchkula Softball Association here on Thursday at the local Railway Ground. Various teams from the schools of Kalka. Surajpur and Panchkula took part in the championship.

In the sub-junior section (boys), Saint Bir School secured first position due to the outstanding performance of Rashid, Mohit, Gaurav, Baghel and Lincon Chaudhry, while the team of Amravati School secured second position. In sub-junior section (girls), Amravati Public School, Surajpur, secured first position because of brilliant performance by Divakshi, Harish, Akshita Rana, Ushi Bhavna and Aditi Harish. In junior section (boys), Saint Bir School secured the first position and in junior section (girls), Hindu Senior Secondary School, Kalka, secured first position. Mr Prem Chand Sharma, a former Municipal Commissioner, gave away the prizes to the winners.

Teams in sub-junior and junior sections of boys and girls section were also selected for taking part in the state-level softball championship to be held on May 17-18 at Rohtak.

ADMINISTRATION

Rs 3 cr water supply scheme for Pinjore
Our Correspondent

Panchkula, May 16
The district administration will spend Rs 2.86 crore on a water supply scheme for Pinjore. The project is almost over and laying of a pipe- line is under progress.

Ms Satwanti Ahalawat, Deputy Commissioner said, water scarcity in Pinjore would be over with the completion of the project. Water pipelines were being laid in Azad Nagar Colony of Kalka and a sewer was being laid in Friends Colony.

A NABARD-funded project is being taken up in Morni areas at a cost of Rs 2.54 lakh. With the completion of the project, persons of over 550 hamlets would get water connections, she added.

Rs 1.60 crore have been spent on augmenting the water supply schemes in rural areas.

Under this project, new sources were being developed for Mankian, Mandhna, Siketri, Khera Sita Ram, Tipra, Kanguwal and Bhairon Ki Sair. Besides pipelines were also being laid in Alipur, Khangesra, Rattewali, Mankian, Johluwal, Rampur Jhangi, Tipra, Dharampur, Kher Sita Ram and Kiratpur, the DC said.

To remove water scarcity in the area, new tubewells were being dug in Khera, Kona, Tibbi, Sukhdarshanpur, Dhandardo, Bhareli, Sangrana and Dhani Taprian villages, Ms Ahalawat said.

Under the PRI scheme, Rs 3,55,800 had been spent in the Morni block on the repair of streets, school buildings and chaupals. in Bhoj Mataur, Bhoj Paonts, Bhoj Plasra, Bhoj Niata, Kothi, Mandana, Kudana and Bhinwar villages.