Shillong, May 19: The Meghalaya State Olympic Association has suggested taking the Meghalaya Games to different districts in future years in order to act as a catalyst to improve sports infrastructure around the state.
The Meghalaya Games have only, so far, been held in Shillong, though Tura is scheduled to host the event this year and Jowai next year.
Today a review meeting was held in Tura with Sports & Youth Affairs Minister Shakliar Warjri (also ex-officio President of the MSOA), Working President of the MSOA John F Kharshiing, officials from the Sports & Youth Affairs Department, MSOA and representatives of the 20 different sports associations to get a sense of the preparations and inspect various venues for the upcoming Tura Games.
Volleyball and sport climbing have been proposed as new sports this year. There are, however, question marks over golf due to the availability of a suitable course. The other disciplines scheduled to be held are archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, cycling, football, gymnastics, judo, karate, shooting, swimming, table tennis, lawn tennis, weightlifting, wrestling and wushu.
During the venue review, the Rongkhon swimming pool was inspected and the government has agreed to renovate the facility. The Inter State Bus Terminal facility, with its spacious campus, was also inspected as a potential Athletes Village.
Other sites that were visited were the police shooting range, cricket ground, youth hostel, Tura Indoor Hall and athletics track.
“The Meghalaya Games were revived in 2019 after a 16-year hiatus, with the third edition held in 2020. The upcoming Games will mark the fifth edition. The government has also initiated discussions on hosting the Games in districts lacking proper sports infrastructure. By hosting the games, the government aims to develop infrastructure and provide facilities for youth to participate in various sports,” Kharshiing said. “The government expressed its commitment to improving sports facilities and infrastructure throughout Meghalaya. Discussions were held regarding the refurbishment of the youth hostel and the construction of an indoor facility in collaboration with the Tura Sports Association,” he said.
(TSR representative photo)
