Excelsior Sports Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 10: Jammu and Kashmir put up an impressive show, finishing fourth in the senior category at the 10th All India Inter-Sports Authority of India (SAI) Kayaking and Canoeing Championships, which concluded at the National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) Alleppey in Kerala today.
The hosts, NCOE Alleppey, emerged overall champions at the four-day event, which saw participation from eight SAI centres across the country, SAI said.
NCOE Bhopal topped the sub-junior category, while NCOE Jagatpur also put up a strong performance.
J&K bagged a total of eight medals – two gold, two silver and four bronze. Both gold medals came in the senior men’s category, with Mohammad Hussain and Sajad Hussain striking gold in canoe doubles 200m and 500m.
The duo had earlier shined at the Khelo India Water Sports Festival (KIWSF) held at Dal Lake, Srinagar, in August.
The Alleppey meet, featuring 197 athletes including 92 girls, witnessed 96 medal events. Prominent SAI centres from Bhopal, Jagatpur, Port Blair, Bilaspur, Roorkee and EME also participated.
Officials said the recent Khelo India Water Sports Festival has provided a major boost to water sports in the country, especially after Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the event’s achievers in his August Mann Ki Baat broadcast.
NCOE Alleppey dominated with 24 and 15 gold medals in the senior and junior sections, respectively. NCOE Bhopal secured 11 golds in the senior category and topped the sub-junior section with seven golds. Jagatpur finished among the top three across all categories.
For the record, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Kerala were the top-performing States at the Khelo India Water Sports Festival, which was an open age-group event.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
