International weightlifter K. Ravi
Kumar of Berhampur qualified yesterday to compete at the London Olympics. The
23-year-old weightlifter, the only from Odisha to enter the Olympics league, is
vying for a medal at the apex-sporting event to start from July 28. Ravi got a
qualification slot for the London Olympics games in the 69-kg category. “I
stood sixth in 69-kg category in the Asian Qualifying Tournament held at Seoul
in South Korea and qualified to take part in the London Olympics. I lifted a
total of 335kg in clean, jerk and overall weight,” said Ravi, who is suffering
from a muscle injury on his left shoulder. “I will definitely try to bag a
medal in London Olympics. Though the Olympics record in 69-kg weightlifting is
346kg overall and 358kg in world championship, I have in mind to lift more than
335kg in overall weight,” Ravi said. On asked whether the injury on his left
shoulder will anyway affect his ambition to bag an Olympics medal, Ravi said:
“Not at all.” “Prior to the Asian Qualifying Tournament held at Seoul, I
underwent a spot injection on my shoulder to step forward. Fortunately, there
is no problem on my shoulder now and I am temporarily relieved,” he said.
Ravi said he is practising seven
hours a day to achieve his goal. “We will take parte in the Commonwealth
Championship at Samoan islands situated in the Central South Pacific from June
4 to June 8 prior to the London Olympics,” he said. K. Suryakanta, the proud
mother of Ravi Kumar, is happy after her son qualified for the mega-sporting
event. “Ravi will definitely bag a medal in the London Olympics. There will be
other senior weightlifters in the Olympics than my son, who not only is young
but also suffering from shoulder pain. But, I am sure that he will definitely
bring a medal for India with the blessings of the almighty and the people of
the country,” Suryakanta said.
Source: The Telegraph
You have conquered the hearts of Orissa and the rest of India. Now, you should move ahead and conquer rest of the World,” Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said to the Prince Group while felicitating the members at the State Secretariat on Thursday.Presenting them a trophy having a globe attached to it, Patnaik said the trophy was just symbolic to it. “The group would move to the international arena,” Patnaik said. He also announced that on behalf of the State Government, Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) would send all the 26 members of the team to New York and London.“They should have an international exposure. OMC will arrange everything and also organise their dance at the international level so that they could compete at the international arena,” Patnaik said. He also inquired from the members whether they had ever seen London and New York on the TV. Few of them replied they had seen these metros in the film only. Distributing sweets among them, Patnaik went a step ahead and announced that all steps would be taken so that the group be able to perform at the National Youth Festival held at Bhubaneswar. “I will personally write to the Union Sports Minister MS Gill so that the group would be able perform at Delhi during the Common Wealth Game to be held at New Delhi in 2010,” Patnaik said. The atmosphere was so electrifying that Patnaik sat for nearly half an hour and watched all the programmes that they had performed in Mumbai. Patnaik also invited them for a photo-session.It was never seen that Chief Minster came down to the down-stair to have a photo-session with anyone. All along with the 26 members, Berhampur MP Siddhant Mohapatra and Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Pani came down to the stairs near the entrance of the Secretariat. Patnaik personally took care so that no other members came along with the photo-graph.“We had never dreamt of such a gift. We would do our best to come out with flying colours,” said leader of the Prince Group 26-year-old Krishna Reddy. The team was escorted to the Secretariat on a police escort.Earlier, the State Government announced to give them four acre of land and Rs 1 crore to set up a dance academy at Amabpua near Ganjam. “I am proud of my Ganjam boys. Also I belong to Ganjam,” Patnaik said after giving his blessings to all the children.
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