Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju today inaugurated National Centre of Excellence for Winter Sports here.The Advisor to LG, Farooq Ahmad Khan, DG SAI, Mukund Pradhan, Secretary, Youth Services and Sports J&K, Sarmand Hafeez, Secretary J&K Sports Council, Nuzhat Gul and President Winter Games Association J&K, Mohammad Abbas Wani, were present on the occasion.Speaking on the occasion, MoS, Kiren Rijuji said that Nstion Centre of Excellence is a value addition to the sports infrastructure at Gulmarg, to make it centre of adventure and professional sports activities with signature effect on over all manifestation of sports talent of the youth. He said this will create a lot of opportunities for the locals, besides serving the aim of government to make Gulmarg an international destination of sports.Meanwhile, the continued snowfall throughout the day led to the cancellation of several events that were scheduled to be held at Hill Top and Kongdori. The rescheduled date will be notified by the Winter Games Association.However today, in Men's Cross Country event of Nordic Game, 38 participant took part in which Thumpstan Tsewang (ASCB) obtained gold medal, Shubum Panhar (ASCB) silver while Riyaz Ahmad and Padma Namgial shared bronze Medal. In Women's Cross Country event, 22 athletes participated with a result, Gold medal went to Bhavani T N, from Karnataka, Silver to Prince from AIPSCB and Bronze medal was won by Tsering Ladol from Ladakh.Also, Long distance Snow Shoe competition event was held for Mens Senior and Junior categories which were flagged off by Col. Ashutosh.
In the event players from different states of the country participated where in Senior Men's competition Vishal Vishnu from Maharashtra bagged Gold medal, Muzamil from J&K took home sliver medal and Suhail Nissar shah from J&K had to remain satisfied with bronze medal. Similarly, in Junior long distance competition of the same sport, Ajaz Ah Kenu & Pavneet Sing from J&K received Gold and Silver medals respectively while Ghulam Syed Hyder got bronze.Participants showed enthusiasm during the course of sports events and said that they are overwhelmed with joy besides termed the experience of winter games very impressive and memorable.Besides, several sports events for senior categories of Men and Women, individual and group games were organized by the J&K Sports Council so far.A Snow Shoe 150 meters of Sprint event competition was held for Mens senior group in which 18 participants from J&K, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttrakhand, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Ladakh took part.In the competition, Muzamil Hussain Mir and Suhail Nissar Shah from Jammu and Kashmir team bagged first and 2nd position respectively while Hussain from Ladakh secured 3rd position.Event was flagged off by DG, Sports Authority of India, Mukund Pradhan in presence of Director Tourism, Jammu, Dr Naseem Javid Choudhury and other officers and officials of the sports department.In women's Icestock sports event, Ladakh secured Gold, J&K A team had Silver while Chandigarh and J&K B team had bronze.Similarly, in Mens category of Icestock sport, J&K A team and J&K B team wrested Gold and Silver medals respectively while Andra Pradesh and Karnataka secured Bronze each.