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Deepankar Sharda
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, April 23
Sixteen players from colleges under Panjab University (PU) have been selected to represent the Indian universities' team in the 30th Summer Universiade (University) Games, scheduled to be held at Napoli in Italy from July 3 to 14.
The four-member athletics squad comprises Renu from the Khalsa College for Women, Ludhiana, Harjit Singh from the SGGS College, Sector 26, Niharika Vasisht and Ravinder Kumar Tiwari, both from DAV College, Sector 10, and Kajal from the PGGC, Sector 11,who will be the only one participating in fencing.
In shooting, Nina Chandel from the PU Campus and Anhad Jawanda and Gauri Sheoran from DAV College, Sector 10, will carry a big responsibility, while in taekwondo, Lakshay from DAV College, Sector 10, and Shagun from GGDSD College, Sector 32, will carry medals hopes for the Indian squad.
Three judokas -- Vinita from the Khalsa College for Women, Ludhiana, Suman from GGDSD College, Sector 32, and Priya Ramgarhia from Government Girls College, Ludhiana -- will vie for the top honours. National-level gold medallist swimmer Chahat Arora from MCM DAV College for Women, Sector 36, along with Sahil Chora from SGGS College, Sector 26, and Siddhant Sejwal from PU Campus, will feature in the Indian team swimming line-up.
“This year, 16 players from the PU have been selected for the World University Games. The trials were conducted in universities. Every year, approximately 10 of our players get selected for this championship,” said Parminder Singh, Director, Sports (PU).
Happy over their selection, some players are also concerned about the travel expenses, which they have to pay before participating in this championship. Under the Panjab University Sports Committee (PUSC), the selected players have to bear the travel expenses for participating in the World University Games, which are reimbursed on production of bills.
“Earlier, we used to give advance to the players, but they never submitted the bills. We have been facing the wrath of the audit department and for the past 10 years, the authorities have been reimbursing the amount later,” said Parminder Singh.
Sprinter in the making
Sprinter Harjit Singh (21), who recently won the 100m silver in the Federation Cup at Patiala, is one of the most decorated athletes in the squad. He is currently attending the Indian team training camp at the NIS, Patiala. He belongs to Majri village in Fatehgarh Sahib and has been training at the PAP, Jalandhar. “I started
as a long jumper, but after participating in the 100m event at the Kila Raipur Games; I started focusing on the track event. It was only after my performance in the Federation Cup that I was selected for the
World University Games,” he said, adding that, “The authorities should understand that not all players can bear such huge travel expenses. We have to take care of our diet Though the amount gets reimbursed, they should give at least half the amount prior to the games.”
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