East Khasi Hills bagged the title of overall champions at the State Level Inter School Athletic Meet, which concluded at the SAI Centre on the NEHU campus here today.
At the end of the three-day event, EKH secured 12 gold medals, six silver and three bronze. Besides winning the overall title, EKH were the girls’ champions having won eight gold, four silver and two bronze medals. The boys’ team champions were East Jaintia Hills, who finished with seven gold, one silver and seven bronze. West Jaintia Hills were runners-up in both girls’ and boys’ divisions.
EJH finished second in the overall medals table with 10 gold, two silver and 10 bronze. WJH, who were in the lead at the end of yesterday, dropped to third place with nine gold, 12 silver and seven bronze.
Individual awards for Best Athlete were also presented at the prize distribution ceremony today. In the U-14 category, Amandy Rumnong (EKH) won the award in the girls’ division and Rikangku D Sangma (South Garo Hills) in the boys’. Sibilda Maring (Ri-Bhoi) and Saidul Ali (EJH) won the U-16 girls’ and boys’ awards respectively, while in the U-18 category, Eliciana Lyngdoh (EKH) and Henry Yoga A Sangma, both representing EKH, won the girls’ and boys’ awards respectively.
The meet was organised by the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs in collaboration with the Meghalaya Athletics Association.
There were a total of 809 athletes – 397 boys and 412 girls – and 36 team officials who participated in the meet, which featured three age categories – U-14, U-16 and U-18 – in seven track and five field events.
In her speech, the chief guest, senior civil servant and noted former archer Matsiewdor War Nongbri, told the budding athletes “Please make use of your talents, the training that you have, please make use of the passion that you have for your sport, because this is the time that you can grow. I urge all my athlete friends to take these things forward and to use them to the best of your abilities through the training and help that you get from your coaches, officers in the district and the department itself.”
