Dimapur, September 29: The 1st Men’s Open Amateur Badminton Tournament commenced at Rüsoma Village on September 29. The event was organised by the Rüsoma Village Youth and Sports Association (RVYSA). Asian Football Confederation (AFC) coach and former international player Roko Angami inaugurated the tournament.
In his address, Angami said badminton is an important game while citing the achievement of PV Sindhu for winning a silver medal in recent Rio Olympics and bringing laurels to the country with sheer hard work and dedication. He encouraged players to be dedicated in their field to prosper. Stating that discipline, dedication, and determination to be important, he encouraged patience and hard work to be a successful and professional sportsperson. Roko Angami called upon sportspersons to be patient and grab every opportunity to prove their talent. On the social front, he maintained that the Naga society should do away with ’blame games’ and work toward unity. He also called upon the youngsters to be vigilant against corruption and stand firm for the welfare of the village and society.
Further, Angami appreciated the organisers for initiating the tournament and hoped for consistency in providing platform to players. He encouraged players to display sporting spirit and give their best. He declared the 3-day tourney open.
14 players are competing in singles while 25 teams for doubles from different parts of the state.
