UPOA to host State Games in December

LUCKNOW: Come December-January and Uttar Pradesh Olympic Association (UPOA) will once again host the State Games almost after a gap of four years to give its athletes adequate exposure before the 36th National Games, scheduled to be held from March 30 to April 14 in Goa.

Uttar Pradesh, which had 68 medals, including seven gold, 31 silvers and 30 bronzes in the last National Games at Thiruvananthpuram in 2015, will aim for their all-time best in Goa this time.

“We are planning to host the State Games in December-January as we need to give adequate practice to our athletes before the National Games,” UP Olympic Association’s secretary Anandeshwar Pandey said on Friday.

On last Friday, the Indian Olympic Association announced the commencement of the Goa National Games, which were actually supposed to be held in November-December.

“We wish to break all previous records of medals in Goa as in the last four years, our sports standard has improved a lot,” said Pandey, who also happens to be the secretary of the Handball Federation of India and also the treasurer of the IOA.

“Now, we have better infrastructure and I am hopeful that our sportspersons too would put their best foot forward when they get a chance to play the Goa Games,” he added.

There will be 35 disciplines in the National Games this time which include archery, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, billiards and snooker, boxing, canoeing and kayaking, cycling, fencing, football, gymnastics, handball, beach handball, hockey, judo, kabaddi, khokho, lawn bowl, modern penthalon, netball, rowing, rugby, sepak takraw, shooting, squash, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon, volleyball, beach volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, wrestling, wushu and yachting.

UTTAR PRADESH, WHICH HAD 68 MEDALS, INCLUDING SEVEN GOLD, 31 SILVERS AND 30 BRONZES IN THE LAST NATIONAL GAMES AT THIRUVANANTHPURAM IN 2015, WILL AIM FOR THEIR ALLTIME BEST IN GOA THIS TIME