JAMMU: Three speedball players from Jammu and Kashmir have left for Egypt to represent India in the Sub-Junior category at the 37th World Speedball Championship, scheduled to be held from October 27 to November 2.
The selected players are Sayam Kashyap of Jammu Sanskriti School, Aadrit Gupta of G.D. Goenka Public School, Jammu, and Hridyansh Tripathi of Army Public School, Dhar Road, Udhampur. All three qualified for the international championship through national-level competitions.
Sunny Nanda will accompany the players as coach of the Indian team. He will also compete in the Senior category as a player at the championship.
Nanda said around 20 to 22 countries participate in the World Speedball Championship annually, with India consistently finishing around fourth or fifth in the overall standings.
He expressed hope that India would finish among the top three or four teams this year, adding that the Sub-Junior players from Jammu and Kashmir had been performing well in their respective categories.
Sanjeev Verma, IAS, extended his best wishes to the players, their parents, the Indian contingent and the J&K Sports Speedball Association.
Verma said he had been associated with the association since 2010 and had witnessed its efforts to promote the sport and provide young players with national and international exposure. He also appreciated the association for regularly sending teams to major championships.
BJP leader Ritika Trehan, State Convenor of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) in Jammu and Kashmir, congratulated the players and their parents and wished the Indian team success.
She said a felicitation programme would be organised to honour the players upon their return from the championship.
The J&K Sports Speedball Association also extended its best wishes to the Indian contingent, expressing confidence that the players would perform well at the international event.
