PANJIM: The 36th National Games gets underway in Gujarat on Thursday, emerging from its seven-year hiatus. Goa will go into the multi-sport event hoping to improve on its showing at the last edition in 2015 in Kerala.
Limping to 25th position out of 32 states, Goa collected 11 medals (one gold, three silver and seven bronze) six of which were delivered by taekwondo. The others were won in triathlon, Badminton and swimming.
But for much of the Games, Goa languished at the bottom of the table till taekwondo came to the rescue.
Goa will now take part in 13 disciplines that include football (women), mallakhamb, kabaddi, cycling, judo, wushu, boxing, triathlon, athletics, beach volleyball, badminton, gymnastics and aquatics. The total strength of the contingent is 81 athletes. Almost 7,000 athletes from 28 Indian States, eight Union Territories and Services, the sports team of the Indian Armed Forces, are competing for medals in 36 different sports.
Coaches and officials have been candid about expectations in Gujarat. In badminton, Anura Prabhudesai is a medal contender. The 22-year-old is ranked No. 14 in the women’s singles in the country and Sandeep Heble, Secretary of the Goa Badminton Association, said, “The women's singles field at the National Games is tough. There are a number of players who are playing at a very high level presently and, on a given day, each could beat the other.
“On current form, Unnati Hooda, Aakarshi Kashyap and Tasnim Mir might be considered favourites. Unnati represents Haryana, Aaarshi is from Chattisgarh and Tasnim from Gujarat. However, Anura has been training hard at the Khelo India centre at Campal and if she peaks at the right time, her chances of winning a medal are bright. At the last edition, Anura led Goa to a bronze medal and we hope she comes back with gold this time."
Football has a huge stake in Goa. Interim President of the Goa Football Association Anthony Pango was hopeful that the women’s team would return with the gold. He said, “The girls have been training very hard for the past 20 days and the effort they have put in is exemplary.”
Athletics, the mother of all games, will draw much attention at the Games. Goa, however, will have just one athlete in action -- Vijay Vishwakarma, a 20km walker. Coach Patrick Soares said, “He has clocked 1 hr 28 minutes and 30 seconds. I expect him to finish in the top six.” It is important to note that there is a qualifying standard for the first seven in each discipline.
Vijay said he is confident he would do well but he faces a stern challenge gauged by the national record which is 1hr, 20 minutes, 16 seconds.
As for boxing, Santosh Birmole, coach, expects two medals from his three member team comprising two men and a woman. Ashok Patil and Puspender Ratti will punch hard for medals and Priti Chawan is expected to win a medal.
Placid Fernandes, cycling coach, said, “We are a team of five – three men and two women. I feel at least three of them will finish in the top 10 out of 60 in the road race. We also have cyclists in the time trials.
Babun Das, gymnastics coach, feels his squad can produce two medals from the artistic and trampoline categories.
Coach Shivkaran Kewat can expect two gold in judo. The team of two, one from each gender, should come good, he expects.
Swimming could fetch two medals going by Keshav Naik’s assessment. The coach said, “We have two swimmers who should win us medals.”
Jose Desa, the triathlon coach, is pragmatic. “This is a very young team and it’s not the time to look for medals. We know nothing about the competition and participants are new to the sport.”
Similar sentiments were expressed by Valerie Britto e Fernandes, the wushu coach, who said the exposure will be good for her charges.
Mallakhamb, among the most native of sports, will witness intense competition between Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and hopefully Goa. Coach Prajot Naik, for one, eyes medals.
What is surprising this year is that no Goan practitioner of Taekwondo will be participating. This is due to the fact the association is riven by serious issues of malpractices. Cases have been filed and in all this, the athletes have suffered.
There’s a mood of hope and quiet confidence across disciplines as Goan participants head to Gujarat. In the end, medals are the gauge for sporting progress and stakeholders are keeping fingers crossed that the State’s contingent finishes with a healthy tally.