Officials Says Top Performers Selected for State Championship, Aiming to Take Local Talent to National Level
Bilal Habib
Pampore, October 28: The Cycling Association of Jammu and Kashmir, affiliated with the Cycling Federation of India, organised the District Pulwama Cycling Championship in Pampore area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Wednesday, with around 50 cyclists from Pampore tehsil participating in the event.
The championship was attended by J&K Mountain Bike Association Vice President and retired SSP Faheem Ali Punjabi, JKMBA President Riyaz Ahmad Wani, Cycling Association J&K Vice President Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat, Swing Association President Yasir Maqdoomi, Cycling Association Pulwama President Owais Hakak, Vice President Javaid Ahmad Masoodi, General Secretary Ishtiyaq Rasool, Joint Secretary Showkat Ahmad, Treasurer Mohammad Amin Wani, police officials and other dignitaries.
The event commenced with races in different age categories, including Under-12, Under-14, Under-17, Under-19 and Open. The races were flagged off by retired SSP Faheem Ali Punjabi in the presence of other association officials from Posh Bune, Pampore. The route passed through Konibal, Dusoo and Gundbal Crossing.
Around 50 cyclists participated in the championship, showcasing their skills, enthusiasm and sporting spirit. The event provided young and aspiring cyclists with an opportunity to demonstrate their talent and compete in different age groups, officials told Morning Kashmir.
The championship aimed to promote cycling among local youth, encourage participation in sports and provide a platform for budding cyclists to develop their skills.
For the first time, the Cycling Association of Jammu and Kashmir organised a cycling event in Pampore. The initiative received appreciation from locals, who said the championship would encourage children, boost their confidence and motivate them to participate in cycling and other sporting activities.
The event also highlighted the growing interest in cycling among the youth and marked a positive step towards promoting a sporting culture in Pampore.
The results of the championship are as follows
Under-12 Category
Affan Showkat from Khrew, Shamid Amin from Khrew and M. Muneer Bhat from Pampore.
Under-14 Category
Lukmaan Imtiyaz from Konibal, Zaid Bin Hilal from Khrew and Mustafa Syed from Khrew.
Under-17 Category
Yasir Ahmad Wani from Shar Shalli, Taha Bin Showkat from Shar- Shalli and Riyaan Muneer from Khrew.
Under-19 Category
Musaib Mushtaq from Pampore, Arif Rehman from Pampore and Zaid Bin Zameer from Namlabal, Pampore.
Open Category
Ovais Hakak from Khrew
Showkat Ahmad from Khrew and Ishtiyaq Rasool from Khrew.
At the conclusion of the championship, prizes and certificates were distributed among the winners in recognition of their performances.
Speaking to Morning Kashmir, Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat, Vice President of the Cycling Association of J&K, said that as per the rules of the Cycling Federation of India, cycling activities should be organised in every state and every district. Accordingly, the Jammu and Kashmir Cycling Association organised the first-ever District Pulwama Cycling Championship in Pampore, providing local cyclists with an opportunity to showcase their talent.
He said 50 cyclists participated in the championship. Winners in the Under-14, Under-17, Under-19 and senior categories were selected for the state championship. Those who perform well at the state level will have the opportunity to represent the region at the national level.
“Cycling is practised across the world and is an Olympic sport. Athletes from different states and districts across the country participate in cycling events, and this championship has provided an important platform for the cyclists of Pulwama district as well,” he said.
Bhat said the main objective of organising the event was to encourage local youth, who have considerable sporting potential, and provide them with opportunities to pursue a career in sports.
He expressed gratitude to the parents, media fraternity, police, district administration, Sports Council and the medical team from CMO Pulwama, BMO Pampore for their support in making the championship a success.
He said the cooperation extended by the people of Pulwama district played a significant role in ensuring the smooth conduct of the event.
He also acknowledged the efforts of the local Cycling Association Pulwama members, including Javaid, Muneer, Ishtiyaq Rasool and Ovais Hakak, who are professional cyclists and had long been working towards organising a cycling event in the district.
“Bringing together more than 50 athletes for the first-ever cycling championship in Pampore was a challenging task, but the dedication of the organisers and the support of the Jammu and Kashmir Cycling Association and the Sports Council made it possible,” he said.
Bhat added that the championship marked an important step towards promoting cycling in Pulwama district and encouraging young athletes to pursue the sport at higher levels.
