Kerala   

Kochi’s synthetic track inaugurated

KOCHI: A sharp lunge at the end, despite her heavy frame, showed that Shiny Wilson has lost none of the finishing flourish.

The run, by some of Kerala’s biggest stars including T.C. Yohanan, M.D. Valsamma, Mercy Kuttan, Sebastian Xavier, S. Sreesanth and T.K.S. Mani and many members of his triumphant 1973 Santosh Trophy football team, marked the colourful opening of Kochi’s new synthetic track at the Maharaja’s College Stadium here on Thursday evening.

With the Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan busy with the LDF meeting in Thiruvananthapuram, Education Minister M.A. Baby inaugurated the track on his behalf.

The theme of the evening was sports awareness, sports for all and infrastructure development with both Mr. Baby and Sports Minister M. Vijayakumar harping on the issue.

“We have waited long for this, it comes 20 years after our first synthetic track came up in Thiruvananthapuram. But we will have some big events here and we are preparing to host the 2009 National Games in Kerala,” said Mr Vijayakumar.

The arrival of N.P. Pradeep, the star of India’s maiden triumph in the Nehru Trophy football tournament in New Delhi yesterday, midway through the function, made the evening livelier. The Sports Minister presented Pradeep, who hails from Thodupuzha, a memento and promised rich rewards from the Government.

A torch relay by the stars, which began at the Ernakulam Town Hall, preceded the inauguration. The State athletics Championship, on September 7, will be the track’s first meet.

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

Stories in this Section

KC(J) to decide on Kuruvilla
Central team to study feasibility of dam in Pampa
Project to monitor avian migration
Rice, with love
Uncertain future for Gulf returnees
Cooperative sector’s offer
Paramount Airways offers new service
No end to channel war
Clouds of smoke
PeOPLESPEAK
Excited fans
Optical illusion
In need of urgent attention
Government medical college teachers’ meet in Kottayam
Upholding a tradition
Kochi’s synthetic track inaugurated
A big Onam let-down
Campus Notes
Stars on a new track
Amnesty extended by 2 months

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu