City skaters shine in nationals

Our Sports Correspondent

Ludhiana, February 8

After stamping their class in the Open Punjab State Skating Championship, Punjab Schools Championship and then National School Games, Chashmeet Singh Sehgal and Harshveer Singh Sekhon of Ludhiana have proved their mettle in the Open Nationals as well, which was held in Chennai from January 27 to 31.

Training under coach Naginder Negi at Leisure Valley Skating Rink, Sarabha Nagar, Chashmeet bagged three medals in the Under-16-year category, while Harshveer annexed four medals, including two gold medals, in the above-16 year group.

Chashmeet, a student of Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, BRS Nagar, has performed exceedingly well in the current sports session as he wrapped up four gold medals in the Open Ludhiana District Roller Skating Tournament.

He bagged top honours in the time trial, 1,000-m rink race, point to point (10-km) rink race in addition to the elimination race.

Chashmeet then took part in the Open Punjab State Skating Championship held from September 23 to 27 at Ajanala, where he repeated his performance by clinching gold medals in these four events.

Harshveer annexed three gold medals in the Punjab School Games held at Sangrur in December 2017. He finished ahead of others in the time trial, 1,000-m and 500-m rink races.

In the National School Games held at Belgaum in Karnataka from December 9 to 13, Chashmeet won a bronze medal in the 1,000-m rink race event

In the Open National Speed Skating at Chennai, Chashmeet secured a gold medal in the point-to-point race besides silver medal in the 1,000-m rink race and a bronze in 300-meter time trial event.

Similarly, Harshveer Singh, a student of B Tech-II at Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College (GNDEC), gave a good account of himself in the Open Punjab State Roller Skating Championship by clinching four medals including two gold medals (10-km track point race and 1,000-m rink race) and silver medals in the 20-km elimination road race and 15-km track elimination events.

On the basis of this performance, Harshveer was selected for the Open National Speed Skating Competition and justified his selection by winning four medals.

He proved too good for his immediate opponents, emerged victorious in the 10-km track point race and 21-km marathon besides winning bronze medals in 15-km elimination track and 20-km elimination road race, respectively.

Chashmeet and Harshveer have been preparing for the selection trials to be held in May for the upcoming Asian Games, Asian Roller Skating Championship and the World Championship.