Meghalaya hopes to win medals in football and kayaking
Adverse temperature and humidity a worry for athletes
Panaji (Goa),Oct 26: Meghalaya is expecting to get medals in football and kayaking during the 37th National Games being held here.
Atleast 40 athletes from the state are taking part in the National Games which was opened here on Thursday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The state government has sent a 61-member team including officials, athletes and others for the event.
Meghalaya is competing in athletics, swimming, shooting, golf,wushu,boxing, football and kayaking.
Before leaving for the inauguration, Meghalaya officials- Finely Pariat and John Kharshiing spoke to Meghalaya Monitor at Vivanta, Panaji, here.
They said there are a lot of expectations from the Meghalaya contingent.
To a question, the duo downplayed the hot weather factor which may affect the hill state athletes by saying that the sports personalities are capable of adjusting with the situation.
Pariat, who is the general secretary of the Meghalaya State Olympic Association, said,” Our strength is in football and kayaking”.
According to Pariat, the experience of the Meghalaya contingent will help whenever the state hosts the National Games.
Kharshiing, the working president of Meghalaya State Olympic Association, said the state contingents will secure medals.
“There is hope for winning in football as the team ranked second in Santhosh Trophy”, Kharshiing said.
As Meghalaya will host the National Games in the near future after Uttaranchal and Chattisgarh, the Goa experience will help the sports personalities in the state, according to Kharshiing.
“We are also here to understand the challenges being faced by the organising committee in conducting such games. We will be submitting a report to the government of Meghalaya”, Kharshiing said, adding that the officials have a lot to learn from the challenges they are facing in Goa.
