BHUBANESWAR 30-Sep-2015
If hockey is alive and kicking again in India, some amount of credit must go to Sports Authority of India (SAI), which has been grooming talents in its training centres across the country and feeding accomplished players to National teams. In order to inculcate healthy competitive spirit among its trainees and constitute formidable teams for different National championships, SAI has also been conducting inter-centre and inter-region tournaments every year.
The SAI All-India Inter-Region Tournament, which was revived after a gap of one year, concluded here at Kalinga Stadium Hockey Complex on Wednesday, bringing to the fore plenty of hidden talents in the process.
Asserting supremacy in the six-day tournament that featured 36 teams from 13 zones, Northern Region, Sonepat, bagged a treble, emerging champions in sub-junior boys`, junior and senior girls` categories. The remaining three titles were shared by North-Eastern Region, Imphal (Sub-junior girls), Central Region, Bhopal (Junior boys) and Southern Region, Bangalore (Senior boys).
Host Eastern Region reached finals in four categories but only settle as runners-up in all four. In junior boys final, Eastern Region missed the title narrowly, losing to Central Region in shoot out. Prithiraj CN scored the best goal of the tournament to enable Southern Region beat Regional Centre, Lucknow 3-1 in senior boys` final.
Intercepting a pass from the mid-field early in the second half, Prithiraj sprinted down the left flank and fired a tumbling reverse hit from the top of the semi-circle, which rocketed into the right corner of the Lucknow post, leaving their goalkeeper and the entire defence helpless.
K P Somaya gave Southern side the lead with a field goal seconds before half-time, while Rahil MD scored their third goal in the 43rd minute. The Lucknow side missed two easy scoring opportunities before Danish Khan scored their only goal in the 45th minute.
Odisha Sports Minister Sudam Marndi, SAI Eastern Region Director and State Sports Secretary Saswat Mishra handed over the trophies at the closing function. Cuttack SAI Centre in-charge Manoj Bhadra was present on the occasion.
RESULTS (All finals): Sub-junior girls: North Eastern bt Southern 5-0. Sub-junior boys: Northern bt Eastern 3-2. Junior girls: Northern bt Eastern 2-1. Junior boys: Central bt Eastern 7-4 in shoot out (FT 2-2). Senior girls: Northern bt Eastern 3-2. Senior boys: Southern bt Lucknow 3-1.
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PHOTO: Players of Southern Zone celebrate after winning the senior boys title in Bhubaneswar on Sept 30, 2015.
