Sports lovers in for a mega feast

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News service

Jalandhar, October 22

While the 34th edition of the Olympian Surjit Hockey Tournament will kick off tomorrow at the Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium here in Burlton Park, the World Kabaddi League (WKL) will begin from October 24 at Guru Gobind Singh Stadium in the city.

According to Deputy Commissioner Varinder Sharma, also the president of the Surjit Hockey Society, the 34th edition was a league-cum-knock out basis tournament.

All 12 teams in men’s category have been divided into 4 pools.

Last year’s champion Punjab National Bank, Delhi, ONGC, Delhi, Indian Railways are seeded in pool-A, Indian Air Force, Mumbai, Bharat Petroleum, Mumbai & Punjab Police in pool-B, last year’s runners up Indian Army, New Delhi, Indian Oil Mumbai, Indian Navy Mumbai have been kept in pool-C, whereas Punjab and Sind Bank, Delhi, CAG Delhi and Air India Mumbai have been placed in pool-D.

The winner of each pool will qualify for the semi-finals to be held on October 30.

In the women’s section, last year’s champion Western Railways, Mumbai, CRPF, Delhi, UCO Bank and Punjab-Xi have been seeded in pool-A, whereas runners up Haryana-XI, North Central Railways, Allahabad & RCF, Kapurthala, have been placed in pool-B.

The top team of each pool will meet each other in finals on October 29.

Additional Deputy Commissioner, Ludhaina, Iqbal Singh Sandhu, who is also the administrative secretary of the Surjit Hockey Society, said the tournament committee was expected to attract hockey followers in large numbers.

This year too, the spectators who come to see matches and the players/officials participating in the tournament will get prizes such as Alto cars, LEDs and washing machines.

The entry to the tournament is free to promote the game among sports lovers.

In the third season of the World Kabaddi League that will commence from October 24 to November 12 in Jalandhar and Mohali, city residents will not get to enjoy maximum action as the tournament will shift to Mohali during the semi-finals and final matches.

The teams include Khalsa Warriors (United Kingdom), Vancouver Lions (Canada), Royal Kings (USA), Punjab Tigers (Canada), United Singhs (United Kingdom) and California Eagles (USA).

Kamaljit Singh Hayre, who is commissioner of the WKL, said all 33 matches would be played in two cities. Like Surjit Hockey meet, there will not be any entry fee for the WKL matches at the stadium.