KIIT Stadium plays host to women’s baseball camp, while Unit-VI Athletic Association set to organise tournament in Bhubaneswar to promote football in schools
Baseball camp
A women’s baseball camp was held at KIIT Stadium in Bhubaneswar last week. Twenty players, including three from Odisha, took part in the camp, which started from July 22. The initial phase of the camp was held in Chandigarh from July 3 to 12 with 50 players. Selected players from the camp took part in the Bhubaneswar camp. Coaches Dillip Nayak, Jitendra Sindhe, Subhas Swain and Vijay Partnorder guided the campers at the KIIT camp. Three players from Odisha — Binu Sahu, Rupasi Lenka and Geeta Bhuyan — have confirmed their places in the final camp that will be held in Delhi from August 15 to 30.
Football tourney
The Unit-VI Athletic Association will host the 29th MCL Cup Inter-School Football Tournament on Unit-VI High School Ground in Bhubaneswar from August 8 to September 3 to promote football in schools. Twenty-four high school teams of the city will take part in the tournament. Palasuni High School is the new entrant this year. The champion team will receive a trophy along with a cash award of Rs10,000, while the runner-up team will get Rs 5,000.
Rowing
Five rowers from Odisha were a part of the Indian junior boys’ and girls’ team, which took part in the World Junior Rowing Championships held at Trakai in Lithuania from August 2 to 6. The team consisted of seven boys and nine girls and coaches Ismail Baig and Jenil Krishnan. Ritu Kaudi, Sumitra Mallick and Kamala Lakra from the state took part in the women’s coxless four event and Dipika Xess and Reshma Kumari Minz (also from Odisha) took part in the women’s quadruple event.
Skating event
Dibyaranjan Giri and Nikhilesh Nayak of Odisha have been selected for the 19-player team that will take part in the 50th international skating event —Flanders Grand Pix International Speed Skating — at Oostende in Belgium from August 11 to 13. Dibyaranjan will take part in the cadet event and Nikhilesh will compete in the Scholieren event. The Indian contingent, consisting of 34 members, will reach Belgium on August 10.
Sports awards
Hockey player from Odisha Dipsan Tirkey will receive a cash award of Rs 8,00,000 from the state government for his outstanding performance in the Junior World Cup Hockey Tournament held this year.He will be presented with the award during the Biju Patnaik Sports Award Ceremony on August 29.
Apart from Dipsan, swimmer G. Narahari will also receive a cash award of Rs 3,00,000 for crossing the English Channel.
Women footballers
Four women footballers from Odisha - Lochana Munda, Manisa Panna, Pyari Xaxa and Jabamani Tudu - along with coaches Maymol Rocky and Ronibal Chain received a warm welcome in Bhubaneswar on August 2.
They were a part of the Indian women's national team that registered a victory over Malaysia by 2-0 in a friendly international match played in Kuala Lumpur on July 31. Two goals by Odisha striker Pyari Xaxa led the Indian team to victory.
