Winners of the 45th Nagaland State Masters Open Badminton Championship 2023 with organizers on Saturday. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | November 11th
The Li-Ning 45th Nagaland State Masters Open Badminton Championship 2023 concluded on November 11. The 3-day state championship, hosted by the Dimapur District Badminton Association at the DBC Indoor Stadium, featured 118 players from 11 districts and the Nagaland Police competing in men’s singles and doubles in the 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+ and 55+ age categories. The championship also coincided with the Nagaland Badminton Association’s golden jubilee commemoration.
The combination of Saku Jamir and Alem Pongener took the doubles title in the 55+ event defeating Dr Athikho and Khanngaining. Yekhuvi Achumi won in the 55+ singles event defeating Alem Pongener.
Bendangnochet and Angam Saiza defeated Dr George and Saku Jamir in the 50+ doubles event. In the 45+ doubles, K Pikuto and Kavito defeated Dr Wati and Kuhozhe, while Tajenkaba Ao defeated Haidingsap Zeliang in the 45+ singles.
In the 40+ doubles, K Pikuto and Kavito defeated Er Y Akito Sema and Hekato Swu. Meyiakum Jamir defeated Hekato Swu in the 40+ singles.
Tongpangmeren Imsong and Imliwapang Tzudir defeated Along Jamir and Pusutemjen Longkumer in the 35+ doubles, while Imnatoshi Longkumer defeated Joshua Keppen in the 35+ singles.
Advisor to the Chief Minister, Abu Metha, who was the special guest at the closing ceremony, called for investment in badminton. According to him, badminton is a sport, where Asians have excelled and that Nagas also has potential to excel and compete at the international level.
However, he added that it would require approaching the sport professionally and not as a hobby alone. While the scope and potential of Nagas in sports is known, he stressed on putting in the required and right investment to unlock the potential. Metha, who is also the Associate Vice President of the Athletics Federation of India and Secretary General of the Nagaland Olympics Association, said it requires an ecosystem that not only grooms talent but also inculcates discipline and mental conditioning required of a professional sportsperson.
While stating that the state is “alive with energy and enthusiasm,” he added that it is time Nagaland gets known for achievements and not for guns. Metha also released a coffee table book, published in commemoration of the NBA golden jubilee.
Atu Pongener, credited with having sown the seed of badminton in Nagaland as a coach, back in the 1960s, recalled the journey of badminton in the state. As the first badminton coach from Nagaland to graduate from the National Institute of Sports (NIS), he recalled how badminton got introduced to high schools and later to colleges starting in 1970 and the way it has transformed today.
2023-11-11 16:15:19
#45th #Nagaland #State #Masters #Open #Badminton #Cship #concludes #MorungExpress
