The three- day Uttarakhand State Boxing Competition of mini group and sub- junior group was inaugurated by Pauri District Magistrate Chandra Sekhar Bhatt and Superintendent of Police Ajay Joshi at Ramlila ground on Friday in the presence of sports lovers, boxers and officials from the district.
In all, 297 boxers from 11 districts - Pauri, Dehradun, Haridwar, Rudraprayag, Uttarkashi, Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Champawat, Pithoragarh, Almora, and Bageshwar- are participating in the mini and sub-junior groups boys and girls category championship. In this championship, 184 boys, 113 girls, 33 ring officials, and 12 coaches/managers are representing eleven districts. Two districts left out are Chamoli and Tehri. The boxers who would win in the tournament will participate in the national tournament in mini group (8 to 11 years) and sub- junior group (12 to 16 years) category.
DM Bhatt welcomed the boxers and officials from different districts of Uttarakhand and stressed on sportsmanship. The boxers must focus on the sport itself and not on the medals. Superintendent of Police Joshi also welcomed the participants from different districts, saying that these boxers will shine in the national and international arenas. Additional Director, Sports Department and secretary, Uttarakhannd Boxing Federation Dharmendra Bhatt said that the winners and the runners in mini and sub- junior categories will represent Uttarakhand in the national tournament.
The selected boxer will undergo 15 days’ training before they embark on the national tournament the dates of which are yet to be announced. Expressing happiness over the State coming out with flying colours in the domain of boxing, he said that two girls from the State Priyanka Chaudhary (Kashipur) and Monika Saun had represented Uttarakhand in the National and World Championship held in Korea last month.
Indian Olympic Association general secretary and Uttarakhand Boxing Federation president Mukerjee Nirman, International coach Janadhan Singh Balldiya, Rudraprayag District Sports Officer C l Verma , Dy SP D S Tomar were among others present during the inauguration. The girls from the Govt Girls Inter College staged a cultural programme on the occasion.