In the ongoing Asian Games at Hangzhou, where the Indian sports team has shown the best performance so far, the players of Punjab have won more than 15 medals for the first time in the Asian Games thus performing to their best. Today, India won the Gold Medal in the Women's Compound team Archery competition in which Parneet Kaur, a resident of village Mandhali (Mansa) was also an important member.
Punjab Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said that it is a matter of pride for Punjab that in the 72-year history of the Asian Games, Punjab's players have won a total of 16 medals by showing their best in Hangzhou this time, while Men's Hockey and Men's Cricket competitions remain pending. Earlier, Punjab players had won a total of 15 medals in the first Asian Games held in New Delhi in 1951.
Meet Hayer said that the the sportspersons who fulfilled Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann's dream of making Punjab a leading state on the sports map deserve congratulations. He said that under the new sports policy made on the instructions of the Chief Minister, for the first time, prize money was given by the Punjab Government for preparation, under which 58 Sportspersons were given a total prize money of Rs. 4.64 Cr thus giving Rs. 8 lakh to each player. He said that now after the return of all the our players, the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann will honour all the medal winners with cash prizes.
The Sports Minister congratulated the winners and wished the Hockey and Cricket players good luck for the next knock-out matches. He also congratulated Punjab's Parneet Kaur, who won the Gold Medal in Archery today, saying that the young archer has made the state and the country proud. He also credited the coaches and parents of the players for their achievements.
20 players from Punjab have so far won a total of 16 medals with six Gold, six Silver and four Bronze medals in Athletics, Shooting, Archery, Cricket, Rowing and Badminton. Yesterday Harmilan Bains of Punjab won the Silver Medal in 800 meters after 1500 meters. Manju Rani won a Bronze Medal in the 35 km walking team event.