GANGTOK, : Four-time Olympian archer Tarundeep Rai is carrying Sikkim’s hopes
for a gold medal in the upcoming 38th National Games taking place at
Uttarakhand.
Rai
is representing his home State of Sikkim for the first time and features among
the 41-member Sikkim contingent for the national competition which commences
from January 28. The Government of Uttarakhand is hosting the 38th
National Games which concludes on February 14.
Sikkim
is competing in five sports – archery, boxing, athletics, cycling and women’s
football.
“Four-time
Olympian Tarundeep Rai is representing Sikkim in the archery competition of the
38th National Games. We are expecting him to bring laurels for the
State. We are expecting medals in other four sports disciplines also,” said
Sikkim Olympic Association (SOA) general secretary Jaslal Pradhan at a press
meet here on Friday.
Rai
is the sole archer from Sikkim competing in the archery competition which is
being held from February 1 to 7.
Three
pugilists from Sikkim are contesting in the boxing category while two are
taking part in the cycling competition. Only two players from Sikkim are
competing in athletics. They are all accompanied by their respective coaches.
The
bulk of Sikkim contingent for the 38th National Games consists of
the State’s women football team which includes 22 players and four officials.
It is for the first time that Sikkim’s women football team is playing in the
national games. They were selected for their excellent performances in 2024 and
are leaving for Uttarakhand on January 25.
Four
senior executives of SOA are accompanying the State team.
The
SOA secretary shared that the players and their coaches would be leaving for
Uttarakhand on different dates as per their sports events’ itinerary. Dehradun
is among the four venues in Uttarakhand hosting the 38th National Games.
It
was informed that in the past, Sikkim had won gold medals in karate and
taekwondo events but these sports disciplines no longer feature at the national
games.
Cash
prizes are awarded by the SOA and the State government to the medal winners
ranging from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 30,000.
