Deoghar, Aug 21: Thirteen taekwondo players from Deoghar, including six girls, have been selected to represent Jharkhand at the 70th National School Games following their impressive performances in the state-level open selection trials held in Ranchi.The selection trials were conducted at Khelgaon on August 18 and 19, where young athletes competed for places in the state squad.
The selected players are Shubham, Deepak, Rishabh, Aarav, Ruchir, Rahul, Shantanu, Sulochana, Riya, Priya, Shraddha, Saumya and Ichha.The players will compete in the National School Games, organised by the School Games Federation of India.
The national-level competition is scheduled to be held from November 26 to 30 at different venues across the country.According to the schedule, the Under-17 events will be hosted in Srinagar, while Ranchi will conduct the Under-19 competitions. The Under-14 boys’ events are scheduled in Dimapur and the Under-14 girls’ events will take place in Hamirpur.
Coach Praveer Kumar Rai, who will accompany the Jharkhand squad, said the selection of 13 players was a significant achievement for Deoghar.He said the athletes had displayed skill, determination and competitive spirit during the state trials and would now undergo focused preparation for the national competition.
The coach said the training programme would aim to improve the players’ technical abilities and confidence ahead of their national-level appearances.The selection has brought recognition to Deoghar’s young sporting talent and is expected to provide the players with valuable experience as they compete against school-level athletes from across the country.
