Manipur wushu players display their medals won at the 38th
National Games underway in Uttarakhand.
- IMPHAL — Wushu
players from Manipur won three gold and three silver medals on the second day
of the 38th National Games in Uttarakhand, Manipur Olympic Association (MOA)
officials said on Wednesday.
- Bonish Yurembam, Tongbram Saya Chanu, and Konjengbam Luxmi
Devi each won a gold medal in the men's nanquan, women's changquan, and women's
nanquan events, respectively. Similarly, Marshal Salam, Khaidem Panthoi, and
Hanjabam Langlentombi secured one silver medal each in the men's changquan,
women's nanquan, and women's nanquan events.
- It is worth mentioning that 39 wushu players, including 20
female athletes from Manipur, along with their coaches and managers, are
participating in the ongoing National Games, which were formally inaugurated by
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Dehradun on January 28. The Games will continue
until February 14.
- In an exclusive interaction with Eastern Mirror, the state
wushu coach, M Bimoljit, stated that the events of the day were just the
beginning and that they plan to participate in more than a dozen
categories/events.
- As a coach, Bimoljit, an Arjuna Awardee, expressed pride in
the performances of the players despite facing numerous challenges back home in
the state. He also expressed confidence that, with the blessing of the
Almighty, they would bring more glory.
- Earlier, in an interview ahead of the National Games, state
wushu coach Bimojit, who won the Rajiv Gandhi State Award in 2011, had informed
the MOA media team that they would do their best to improve the performances of
the wushu players and expect no fewer than 10 gold medals.
- Wushu, which was introduced for the first time in the
National Games in Guwahati in 2007, is one of Manipur's major sources of medals
in previous National Games. So far, four wushu players from Manipur have also
received the Arjuna Award.
- In the 37th National Games in Goa in 2023, Manipur won 9
gold, 4 silver, and 2 bronze medals, compared to 6 gold, 5 silver, and 2 bronze
medals in the 36th National Games in Gujarat in 2022.
