National Games begin: Some glitches, but athletes gung ho

A festive atmosphere enveloped the Maharana Pratap Sports College as athletes from various states gathered for the 38th National Games.

- Avishek Roy

DEHRADUN: They danced to the beat of the dhol and Bollywood numbers and raised the pre-Games excitement with their banter and laughter.

This is the third National Games being organised in four years and that is a huge lift given that not so long ago, the multidisciplinary event was fighting for survival. But with Gujarat, Goa and now Uttarakhand coming forward as hosts, the Games are back on the domestic calendar.

It is difficult to spot hoardings or posters featuring the athletes, despite two of India's Paris Olympics medallists - Swapnil Kusale and Sarabjot Singh - set to take aim in the shooting range here. Even Uttarakhand's most popular sportsperson, Lakshya Sen, is missing from the banners.

But in the opening ceremony, it was good to see Sen with the torch and taking the oath.

The current edition is spread across eight districts. From the plains of Haldwani and Dehradun, holy city of Haridwar to the hills of Almora, Tehri and Pithoragarh - the Games covers the length and breadth of the picturesque state. Close to 10,000 athletes will compete in 35 sports, which requires great logistical effort to pull it off.

However, a shortfall in accommodation has raised the challenge for the hosts.

A basketball team coach told HT how three players are being lodged in one room. "It is a sport where most athletes are tall. So, three players in one small room are finding it difficult to adjust. It is a bigger problem for women athletes. We have requested a change," informed the coach.

Major issues are being reported from the swimming pool in Haldwani. Several state teams and entire technical officials have been lodged one to two hours away near Bhimtal and near Jim Corbett National Park.