The Hindu : Sport / Shooting : MVP award: Rana faces competition

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 15, 2006
ePaper

Sport

Sport - Shooting

MVP award: Rana faces competition

Special Correspondent

DOHA: Pistol ace Jaspal Rana is expected to have tough competition from multiple medal winning swimmers in the race for the Samsung Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in the 15th Asian Games here.

The 30-year-old Jaspal has won three gold and a silver medal along with a world record equalling performance in the centre-fire pistol event.

He had won his first Asian Games gold medal at Hiroshima in 1994. He also has a silver and two bronze medals from the previous Games.

The 21-year-old swimmer Pang Jiaying of China has six medals from the 15th edition of the Games, including four gold. The 26-year-old gymnast Yang Wei of China also has four gold medals.

Among other nominees, Xu Yanwei of China has five medals including three gold, while Tae Hwan Park of Korea has three gold, one silver and three bronze medals.

Like Jaspal, another shooter Tao Luna of China has three gold and a silver medal from women's air and sport pistol events. The former MVP award winner, world and Olympic champion Kosuke Kitajima of Japan is in the fray again with three gold and a silver medal.

The award is being decided by the voting of the accredited journalists covering the Games, and will be ratified by the Steering Committee before the announcement is made on Friday.

The MVP award winner will get a trophy along with a Samsung LCD TV.

The National Olympic Committee (NOC) of the selected athlete will be presented $50,000 towards the support and training of its athletes.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport