Sarala is India's best bet

By Our Sports Reporter

NEW DELHI, MAY 2. Defending champion Sarala Shetty will lead the Indian challenge with the host aiming to better its previous year performance at the Asian powerlifting championship, which gets underway at the Shah Auditorium here on Thursday.

India would be banking on Surekha Naik, silver medallist in the 2000 championship in Uzbekistan, and the 1999 silver medallists - G. Raj Rajeshwari, T. Chitra, Ruma Pal, Sampa Guha and Narender Kaur - to boost its chances in the team event. The teams from Chinese Taipei and Uzbekistan are strong contenders for the team title.

In 2000, Indian women had finished third behind Chinese Taipei and Uzbekistan while the men stood fourth behind Chinese Taipei, Iran and Japan.

Sarala, three-time world bronze medallist and Asian record holder, is India's best bet. The Asian champion, whose record stands at 560 kg, will be taking part in the 82.5 kg category.

India is fielding a 54-strong contingent at the championship being conducted in three weight categories (senior, junior and sub-junior) in both men and women.

On the men's side, India could hope for a good show from Ashoke Kapoor, the Asian dead-lift record holder. The seven- time National champion and Asian silver medallist in 1999, is competing in the plus-125 kg category. Jagwinder Singh Cheema is also a medal hope in the junior section.

Of the 13 countries participating, seven nations are fielding its women's team also. The Philippines was added at the 11th hour after the organisers had earlier announced participation of 12 countries.

Teams from 11 countries - Japan, Chinese Taipei, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan,, the Philippines, Nepal, Indonesia, Iran, Korea, Sri Lanka and India - have reached here. Turkmenistan is expected on Wednesday night and Pakistan in the evening.

``The 18-member all-men Pakistan team got their visas only yesterday. The team manager has informed us that they were reaching Delhi on Wednesday evening,'' said Mr. P. L. Anand, Joint Organising Secretary of the championships.

The championships were formally inaugurated on Wednesday by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Director- General, Mr. Shekhar Dutta, by lighting the traditional lamp. Mr. Susumu Yoshida, vice-president of the International Powerlifting Federation and General Secretary of the Asian body, was also present on the occasion.

* The Indian team:

Men: Prakash Garje (52 kg), Mahesh Pedamkar (56 kg), V. R. Srikumar (60 kg), Santosh Burte (67.5 kg), Avtar Singh (75 kg), Jeevan Singh (82.5 kg), S. Bhagvati (90 kg), Sunil Kumar K. K. (100 kg), M. Thangarajan (110 kg), Shanavas M. (125 kg), Ashoke Kapoor (125 kg and above).

Juniors: M. P. Kumar (52 kg), Atish B. Shinde (56 kg), Dharam Veer (60 kg), Sujeet Kumar Jha (67.5 kg), Pradeep J. (75 kg), V. Raja (82.5 kg), Md. Ezaz Khan (90 kg), Vinayan V. (100 kg), Karamjeet Singh (110 kg), Rakesh Kumar (125 kg), Jagwinder Singh Cheema (125 kg and above).

Sub-juniors: Amarjit (56 kg), Dhrup Nath Singh (60 kg), Ramesh Malik (67.5 kg), Midhun Kumar Athady (75 kg), Santosh Kumar Tewari (82.5 kg), Maninder Pal Singh (110 kg), Deepak Manku (125 kg).

Women: Surekha Naik (44 kg), Vidya Karve (48 kg), Siji K. (52 kg), Dipti Arun Waikar (56 kg), G. Raj Rajeshwari (60 kg), Sarala Shetty (82.5 kg), T. Chitra and Ruma Pal (90 kg), Sampa Guha and Narender Kaur (90 kg and above).

Juniors: V. S. N. L. Renuka (48 kg), B. Irin (52 kg), B. Tejaswini Naidu (56 kg), Jamuna Gurung (60 kg), I. Bhavani and Beant Kaur (67.5 kg), Ch. Sujata (75 kg), N. Geeta (82.5 kg), Sunita Rani (90 kg), Nilima Chatterjee (90 kg and above).

Sub-juniors: Minti Gogoi and Shilpi Agarwal (44 kg), Pushpalata Singh (52 kg), Geeta Kumari (56 kg), Babita Rani (82.5 kg).

Coaches: Bhupinder Dhawan, Puran Singh, M. R. Mandal and R. C. Joshi.

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