Strength-lifting team leaves for national tourney

GANGTOK, 11 Feb: A Sikkim Strength Lifting Association [SSLA] team will be representing the state in the 20th Junior Men & Women National Championship and 20th Senior & Master Men & Women National Strength Lifting and Inclined Bench Press Championship 2013-14, which started today at Howrah in West Bengal. The team left for the championship on Monday.
The seven-member team has Pema Dorjee Bhutia, Chandra Bahadur Dong, Phurba Tamang, Pem Dorjee Sherpa, Hishey Namgyal Bhutia, Bhai Chung Chung Bhutia and Karma Doma Bhutia. The championship is scheduled to end on 14 February.
SSLA general secretary, Pintso Namgyal informs that the team underwent rigorous training sessions in preparation for the championship. He informed that after formation of the state association last year the state team is taking part in this prestigious national championship for the second time. It is informed that in the last edition of the championship Pema Dorjee Bhutia had won a gold medal for the state.
SSLA hopes that this time as well, the state team will return with medals, expressed Mr Namgyal.
The association conveyed especial thanks to Rajya Sabha MP, Hishey Lachungpa, Chief Whip, Ugen T Gyatso and UDHD Minister, DB Thapa for supporting the team as well as Chewang Sangderpa and Sumeet Thirani for their voluntary support to the association.