ZIRO, 16 Sep: Tayo Rini and Mom Nitin won the women’s and the men’s open singles badminton titles at the 2nd Ziro Badminton Championships.
Rini beat Khoda Punya, while Nitin beat Duyu Tubing in the finals at the Hapoli Indoor Badminton Club here in Lower Subansiri district on Sunday.
The open men’s doubles title was won by Mom Nitin and Duyu Tubing, beating Kalung Takhii and Peter Tato.
In the open women’s doubles, Tayo Rini and Michi Yamung beat the pair of Khoda Punya and Dani Dilhyang to win the title.
Mom Nitin pairing with Khoda Punya beat Duyu Tubing and Tayo Rini to win the open mixed doubles title.
Michi Buker beat Tamo Tagia to win the veteran men’s singles title, while Bamin Laji won the super-veteran men’s single title, beating Tage Tari.
The veteran men’s doubles was won by the duo of Mihin Tapin and Nani Nobin, defeating Michi Buker and Tailang Tatung.
Gyati Kacho and Bamin Laji beat Mihin Tapin and Tage Tari and won the super- veteran men’s doubles title.
Pura Sancha and Radhe Neya won the boys’ and girls’ under 13 singles title, respectively. While Sancha defeated Tage Ganya, Neya beat Racho Byantung.
Radhe Donya and Tage Ganya beat Yachang Mwdo and Bamin Lapang to win the boys U-13 doubles title.
Hibu Koku and Racho Byantung won the 13 girls’ U-13 doubles event, defeating Michi Chimi and Mudang Enjaah in the final.
Khoda Markus beat Arup Saikia and won the U-17 boys’ singles title, while Tage Annee beat Radhe Neya to win the U-17 girls’ singles title.
The duo of Kime Sunya and Tage Annee won the U-17 girls’ doubles title, defeating Dhumin Muri and Padu Oniya.
Nani Qeerun and Nako Opo beat Arup Saikia and Kunal Goyary and won the U-17 boys’ doubles event.
The award for the youngest player of the tournament in the girls’ category was given to 9 years and 7 months old Radhe Neya, while the award in the boys’ category went to 7 years and 8 months old Tamo Byoda.
Radhe Senyi and Kime Sancha were declared the emerging players of the tournament in the girls’ and the boys’ category, respectively.
Arunachal State Badminton Association (ASBA)president Ratu Techi, who witnessed the final matches and distributed the prizes, said that badminton has become a professional and lucrative sport these days.
“Ziro has the potential to be a hub of badminton with the required and matching badminton infrastructures, good road connectivity from the state capital, availability of hotels and accommodations and favorable climatic condition suitable for badminton,” Techi, who is also the Sagalee MLA, said.
“The future is bright for talented and hardworking badminton players,” he said, adding that “it is my dream to see badminton players from Ziro at the state, national and Olympics.”
The ASBA president assured to look into the memorandum of the Ziro Badminton Association (ZBA) submitted to him, which included financial and logistic support to conduct future ZBA badminton tournaments, affiliation of the ZBA with the Lower Subansiri Badminton Association and the Arunachal Badminton Association, and recognition of Ziro Badminton Championship as a district-level tournament.
Ziro-Hapoli MLA Hage Appa said that badminton is one of the best sporting events to maintain physical fitness.
“Ziro Badminton Championship is an excellent platform to identify the talents of young shuttlers from the early age of six years and above and hone their skills under professional guidance to prepare them to participate at future state, national and international tournaments,” he said.
Tanw Supung Dukung president HK Shalla said, “Our tribal players can also train and win Olympic medals, like the players of China, Korea and Japan. We share the same characteristics and traits with South Asian countries and our players can also win Olympic medals provided they train with discipline, dedication and hard work.”
Winner of super-veteran men’s double category and one of the oldest participants Gyati Kacho said that badminton is one of the best sporting events to keep oneself fit.
“I have been playing badminton since 1990, which keeps me physically fit. Also, Ziro has good quality indoor badminton courts in all the villages,” he said,and appealed to the youngsters to avail the facility and play badminton in the evening hours instead of indulging in drugs and alcohol.
ZBA president Kago Gambo, its secretary Dani Kiibyo and its organising chairman Takhe Pugang thanked the sponsors, participants and the parents of the shuttlers for successful conduct of the tournament.
In total 114 matches were played in the three-day tournament, informed chief referee Koj Tajang. (DIPRO)
