Long Distance Runner Swat Ghadve felicitated

Pune, Mar 2 (UNI) Promising long distance runner Swati Ghadve of Pune was today felicitated by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) for being selected in the 19-member Indian squad for the Asian Cross Country championship to be held in Amman, Jorden on March 10.

Speaking on the occasion, IOA President Suresh Kalmadi said it was the need of the hour that the athletes, both men and women, from Maharashtra, specially from Poona District Amateur Athletic Association(PDAA) should take advantage of the five year plan (2007 to 2012) mooted by the Athletic federation of India (AFI).

The apex body will select elite athletes both senior and juniors to be put through specialised coaching camps under expert coaches in the preparation for the ensuing 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games to be held in Pune followed by the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi.

''Our focus will be on the 2008 CYG and 2010 commonwealth Games,'' he said and hoped the athletes would take all the benefits to garner maximum medals in the 2008 CYG and the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Singling out the performance of Swati, who hails from Hadapsar near Pune, he said the gutsy Swati impressed the athletic pundits with her performance in the national crosscountry championship held at Vishakhapattam on February 4.

She has been included in the four- member junior women's team to take part in the six kilometers race in Amman along with Rohini and Monika Raut of Maharashtra and Saloni Chowdhary of Uttar Pradesh.

Another long distance ace Pringal Gogai of Pune is also in the junior mens team to take part in the 8 Kms race in the Amman Asian crosscountry.

MAAA Vice-President Abhay Chhajed, PDAAA President Bharat Desarda, PDAA joint secretary Ms Manisha Ghate (Kondhalkar) were present.

The 19-member India suqad for Amman comprise six elite athletes each from Maharashtra and Indian Railways while four from the Service and three from Uttar Pradesh. The indian team expected to leave for Amman from Delhi on March 5.

UNI