[ M Doley ]
GANDHINAGAR, 11 Oct: Arunachal wrapped up their 36th National Games campaign on a golden note, winning two wushu gold on the penultimate day on Tuesday.
Onilu Tega won the first gold of the day for the state in the 60 kg category, beating Madhya Pradesh’ Namrata Bhatra.
Later, Nyeman Wangsu clinched the other gold in the Changquan event.
With four gold medals and one silver medal, Arunachal finished second, behind champion Services Sports Control Board in wushu.
Manpur finished third.
Mepung Lamgu had won the first wushu medal for Arunachal in Taijiquan and Taijijian all-round event, when the event started on 8 October. Realu Boo also won a silver medal in the same event on the day.
Mercy Ngaimong clinched the second wushu gold for the state on Monday.
The state had fielded an all-women seven-member wushu team for the Games and all of them were from Sangay Lhaden Sports Academy (SLSA), Chimpu.
“They performed exceptionally well, and winning five medals in their maiden appearance in National Games is a great achievement indeed,” coach Premchandra Singh said.
He said that the achievement didn’t happen overnight, and that “it is the result of more than 10 years of hard work.”
The coach said that he has been training the players since 2013.
“Some of them are the first batch wushu students of SLSA. I have been training them regularly since then (2013). I am happy that my decade-long efforts bore fruits,” an elated Singh said.
He acknowledged the support extended by Arunachal Olympic Association president Taba Tedir, its secretary-general Bamang Tago and chef-de-mission Abraham K Techi.
All the medal winners credited their success to the coach.
“Winning a medal in the National Games had been my childhood dream, and I am happy that I could fulfill my dream,” Lamgu, who won the first wushu gold for the state, said.
She is the daughter of Madhu Lamgu and Fem Lamgu, of Seppa in East Kameng district.
Echoing Lamgu, Tega said that she had also been nurturing a dream of winning a medal in the National Games ever since she came to know about the Games from her coach.
“It was great moment for me. I can’t express my emotions. I can only feel them,” Tega said when asked how she felt on winning the medal.
She is the daughter of Sophew Tega and Khamgang Tega, of Chaklagam in Anjaw district.
Wangsu, who won the fourth wushu gold on Tuesday, also credited her achievement to the coach, and said that whatever she achieved was only because of her master.
She is the daughter of Anyam Wangsu and Angap Wangsu, of Kanubari in Longding district.
Ngaimong said that she was preparing herself for the National Games since 2015.
She said that the players underwent intensive training two months ahead of the National Games.
“I am happy that our hard work didn’t go in vain and it paid rich dividends,” she said.
Ngaimong is the daughter of Jungmet Ngaimong and Rupmoni Ngaimong, of Ngaichang village in Changlang district.
Silver medallist Boo also said that she is happy with her medal, and that she would work harder to improve her performance in the future.
She is the daughter of Bayem Boo and Balowmai Boo, of Tezu in Lohit district.
Chef-de-mission Abraham K Techi expressed his elation on the wins and said that it was a proud moment for the state.
“All credit must be given to the coach,” Techi said, and urged other coaches of different disciplines in Arunachal Pradesh to “hone the latent talents of sportspersons of the state.”
Techi also said that Wushu Federation of India (WFI) president Bhupendra Singh and its technical director Sohail Ahmed were highly impressed by the performance of the state’s players.
“At least four players from Arunachal will qualify for the next Asian Games,” Techi said, quoting the WFI technical director as saying.
Informing that the Manipur government has decided to award Rs 5 lakhs along with assured government job to all its gold medal winners in the National Games, the chef-de-mission appealed to the Arunachal government to follow suit.
“Arunachal could have won two more weightlifting medals had national champions Kojum Taba and Markio Tario participated,” Techi said.
Tario is currently in Doha, participating in the Asian Championship, while Taba’s weight category was not included in the current edition of the National Games, Techi said.
Lifter Charu Pesi won the first gold for the state on the opening day. Sambo Lapung won the second gold for the state in weightlifting with a record lift in clean & jerk.
Arunachal has won six gold medals and one silver medal in the Games. The closing ceremony of the Games will be held on Wednesday.
