Srinagar: Advisor to Lt. Governor J&K, Farooq Khan met with the Kashmir medal winning athletes who represented India in the World SnowShoe Championship-2020 held in Myoko, Japan.
Khan who handles sports in J&K met with the athletes who returned back from Japan on Thursday in his office chambers at civil secretariat Jammu and praised the athletes for bringing laurels for Country and J&K. The athletes who met Khan included World Junior Silver medalist Ayaan Bin Shahnaz, World senior Under-29 age group category bronze medalist Muzamil Hussain Mir , World championship participant Feroz Ahmed Khan who were accompanied by noted sports mentor of J&K Abid Rashid Pathan.
Advisor to Lt. Governor termed the medal winning feat of the athletes a great achievement as the SnowShoe is very tough sport and requires lot of hardwork and dedication.
“I had heard about Kashmir players bagging medals in Japan during World championship. To meet all of you finally here in Jammu is great and I am happy for all of you and all the sports fraternity of J&K. In the World championship in which athletes from almost every continent took part, it wouldn’t have been easy to bag medals. I must congratulate you all and hope that you keep bringing in laurels for Country and J&K in future as well,” Khan said.
“Running is very tough sport and snowshoe running must be tougher. To run five kilometer or nine kilometer on soft snow and uphill track must be very tough. This is big achievement for whole Country and that is the reason SnowShoe is also featuring in first ever Khelo India Winter Games-2020 in Gulmarg,” he added.
He told athletes to come and see him in Gulmarg and give everyone first hand experience of what a tough sport SnowShoe is.
Pertinently Kashmir athletes representing India in World SnowShoe Championship at Myoko Japan recently bagged three medals.
In the championship that saw athletes from around 17 Countries coming from different continents competing , Kashmir athletes bagged one silver and two bronze medals. It was first time ever in the history of SnowShoe sport that Indian athletes have bagged medals in the World Championship.
In junior boys category, Ayan Bin Shahnaz of Burn Hall school while representing India finished second in the five kilometre run while as 10 year old Zain Ali of Burn Hall finished third in the same category.
In the 20-29 age group category of nine-kilometers run, Muzamil Hussain Mir a former student of Islamia College while representing India finished ed third, thus bagged bronze medals.
The championship was organised by Japan SnowShoeing Federation under the auspices of World SnowShoe Federation . The Indian contingent was fielded by SnowShoe Federation of India (SSFI). In the championship athletes from Countries like USA, Canada, Australia, Italy, Germany, Spain, Sweden France and others participated.
The race was held in tough conditions with soft deep snow and the terrain was dificult with lot of uphill and steep climbs on the course. Despite all that Ayan, Zain and Muzamil competing first time ever at World level came out with flyeing colours , bringing laurels for J&K and Country.
Before leaving for Japan, the team was flagged off by Secretary Youth Services and Sports Sarmad Hafeez from Srinagar. The team included Gulzar Ahmed, Mushtaq Ahmed, Muzamil Hussain, Feroze Ahmed , Zain Ali, Ayaan Bin Shahnaz, Abid, Zulfqar and Ishfaq.