The Hindu : Sport : Samaresh wins David Dixon Award

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 27, 2006

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Sport - Sports : General

Samaresh wins David Dixon Award

Melbourne: Samaresh Jung may have failed to surpass Ian Thorpe and Susie O'Neill as the greatest athlete of the Commonwealth Games but the Indian sharpshooter was given the `David Dixon Award' after being adjudged the `Best Athlete of the 18th Commonwealth Games' here on Sunday.

Jung, who won five gold, a silver and a bronze in pistol shooting competitions, becomes the first Indian ever to bag the honour in Games' history.

The Commonwealth Games Federation(CGF) president, Michael Fennell, handed over the award to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) secretary, Randhir Singh, in the absence of Samaresh who has left for China to compete in the ISSF World Cup.

Rare honour

H.J. Dora, chef-de-mission of the Indian contingent here, said: ``It is a rare honour for an Indian athlete and it will inspire the younger generation in the country to come up with more medal winning performances in the international arena".

"The whole Indian contingent is proud of Jung's exploits. The long periods of training and hard work put in by him has borne fruit.''

The award, named after the former honorary secretary of the CGF for 17 years, David Dixon, was introduced in the last edition of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

Natalie Du Toit, a South African swimmer with disability, won the first award. — Agencies

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