SRINAGAR: In yet another first, four fencers from Jammu and Kashmir have qualified for the Senior World Cup.
The fencers including Vishal Thapar, Javed Ahmed Choudhary, Mayank Sharma and a promising ace fencer Shreya Gupta shall represent the country in the upcoming Senior Fencing Sabre World Cup later this month.
While the Men’s World Cup shall be held in Spain, the lone female qualifier Shreya shall be competing in Tunisia, North Africa. Both events are scheduled to be held later this week.
All the fencers made it to the cut on the basis of some outstanding performance in the National Championship and the ranking secured by them in 32nd Senior National Championship held at Amritsar in March this year.
Principal Secretary, Youth Services and Sports (YSS), Alok Kumar, applauded and congratulated the fencers on their selection to the prestigious Fencing World Cup.
Alok Kumar said that Fencing State Centre of Excellence at M A stadium, Jammu, recently sanctioned by the Center government which shall start functioning shortly besides adequate international standard fencing equipments including high quality gymnasium and physiotherapy centre in the Indoor hall of M A Stadium, Jammu, will facilitate the fencing players to use their carriers in this potential sports. The centre shall be the first of its kind in the UT.
“We are duty bound to provide best possible sports facilities to our youth who are second to none in skills and talent and the day is not far away when our athletes shall reach the podium of Olympics as well”, he added.
Secretary J&K Sports Council, Nuzhat Gul, in her message to fencers appreciated the hard work they put in while making their way to the prestigious event. ‘I am sure the day is not far away when our fencers will be ranked and recognised internationally’, she added. She also applauded the role of Shottu Lal Sharma, Fencing Coach of J&K Sports Council.
Pertinently, all the fencers are the products of Sports Council Fencing Coaching Centre, MA Stadium, Jammu and are being trained by Shottu Lal Sharma, an internationally reputed fencing coach of J&K Sports Council. Senior fencing team has been cleared by Sports Authority of India for participation in the event and all the expenses of the event shall be borne by the government.
Convener Adhoc Committee, J&K Amateur Fencing Association, while thanking J&K Sports Council for providing world class equipment and infrastructure in the UT of J&K, reiterated that this endeavor will only aid in producing more and more fencers of international calibre.