National Games: Manipur boy helps Jharkhand win aquatics gold
By IANSWednesday, February 16, 2011
RANCHI - Jharkhand finally managed to win one gold medal in aquatics in the on-going National Games here Wednesday and the credit goes to Manipur boy Hemjit Netei.
The 22-year-old Netei, representing hosts Jharkhand, won the gold in the three-metre spring board diving.
“It is a great feeling to win a gold medal. My next aim is to qualify for 2012 London Olympics,” Netei told IANS.
Of the 20 gold medals on offer from the pool, Netei’s was the only saving grace for Jharkhand.
With no swimming pools available in the run-up to the Games, swimmers were reduced to “dry practice” — lying on their back or on stomach, and flailing their arms and legs as though they were in the swimming pool.
Netei and his coah Sanjay Uttekar were happy with the swimming complex and termed it world class.
“I wish we could have practiced in this swimming pool before the Games. This is the best swimming pool in the state and will help the state to produce good swimmers,” said Netei.
Interestingly, the Jharkhand Swimming Association (JSA) has objected to champion Delhi swimmer Richa Mishras inclusion in the state team. Richa has bagged six gold and a silver so far in the Games for Delhi.
