A 33-member Sikkim Strength Lifting Association (SSLA) team is all set to represent the State in the 27th Senior National Men & Women Strength Lifting Championship 2018.
It will be held from 25-28 September at Hardoi in Uttar Pradesh.
The State team which comprises of 17 women and 16 men will be leaving on 22 September for the championship. The team will be accompanied by an international strength lifter, Pema Dorjee Bhutia as team coach and Kado Bhutia as team manger.
Speaking to media persons on Thursday, team coach, Bhutia informed that this senior national championship was also a selection trial for team India for the upcoming 7th International Strength Lifting Championship, which is scheduled to be in January next year at Nagpur, India.
He informed that the state team has been shortlisted as per the performance in the state championship held in the first week of this month. “All team members have performed well in the recently held state championship and everyone is in a good form to give their best in the senior nationals to win medals and laurels for the State,” he expressed.
Bhutia informed that 12 young promising lifters were giving their debut appearance in the national level championship while rest have already represented and won medals for the State in the past.
He expressed his confidence that the team would give its best not only to win medals but to win the team championship this time. He expressed immense happiness on more participation of young women in strength lifting. He further stated that more participation of women was a good sign for the promotion and development of strength lifting in the State.
