The Hindu : Sport : 35th National Games in May next year

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Wednesday, Feb 11, 2009
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35th National Games in May next year

Special Correspondent

A hockey stadium would be established in Kollam, a shooting complex in Kochi
The competitions will be conducted in 35 disciplines

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 35th National Games will be held across seven centres in Kerala from May 1 to 14, 2010.

The Games to be held for a second time in the State since 1987, will have Thiruvananthapuram as the main venue and will have one new discipline in beach handball.

Besides the capital, the Games will be held in Kollam, Alappuzha, Kochi, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kannur. The format for the Games was decided during the course of a high-level meeting that the State Sports Minister, M. Vijayakumar had with the IOA president, Suresh Kalmadi here on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference thereafter, Mr. Kalmadi said that competitions will be conducted in 35 disciplines and the total cost for building up new infrastructure and conduct costs totalled slightly over Rs. 600 crore.

Special relevance

The IOA president said the Games had special relevance as it would be preceding the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi during October next year. He had a word of praise for Mr.Vijayakumar citing the interest the Minister took in getting the Games allotted to Kerala and in the preparatory work connected with its conduct. “We hope to have the best Games ever in Kerala next year,” Mr. Kalmadi said. Mr. Vijayakumar expressed the hope that all required infrastructure could be build up within the specified time frame. Besides the main stadium at the Kerala University campus in Kariyavattom, Thiruvananthapuram will also have a new multi-discipline indoor sports complex. This would come up at the Central Polytechnic ground in Vattiyoorkavu. He also announced that a hockey stadium would be established in Kollam, a shooting complex in Kochi and a cycling velodrome in Thrissur. Besides, new indoor stadiums will be established in Kollam, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kannur also.

The Government, he said, in due consultation with other stake-holders was also working out a contingency plan to meet any unforeseen development in the event of the non-completion of the new infrastructure within the expected time-frame. Besides the provisions being made in the budget, the Government was also expecting substantial assistance from the Union Government to cover up the costs involved.

Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister, V.S. Achuthanandan, who will be the chairman of the NGOC, inaugurated the function held to formally constitute the National Games Organising Committee at the Kanakakunnu Palace. The Union Minister for Defence, A.K. Antony presided while Mr. Kalmadi made the keynote address. Mr. Vijayakumar welcomed the gathering and the KSSC president, T.P. Dasan presented the names of people included in the NGOC.

The demonstration events, kalaripayattu and boat racing, will be conducted in Thiruvananthapuram and Alappuzha respectively.

The proposed venues and disciplines: Thiruvananthapuram: Opening and closing ceremonies, athletics, aquatics, boxing, equestrian, kabaddi, khoo-kho, netball, rugby 7s, taekwondo, table tennis, tennis, triathlon and wushu. Kollam: hockey, handball and sepak takraw. Alappuzha: canoeing/kayak and rowing. Kochi: archery, badminton, fencing, karate-do, lawn bowls, shooting, squash, wrestling and yachting. Thrissur: cycling, judo and weightlifting.

Kozhikode: beach handball, beach volleyball, football and volleyball.

Kannur: basketball.

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