Ambala gymnasts get new apparatus at stadium
Nitish Sharma
Tribune News Service
Ambala, July 10
After a gap of almost 19 years, gymnasts of Ambala have finally got new Olympic-standard apparatus that arrived at the gymnastics hall of the War Heroes Memorial Stadium in Ambala Cantonment last evening. The apparatus has been imported from Germany at a cost of Rs 1.28 crore.
The previous apparatus was imported from Holland in 2001, but it had suffered damage during the floods in 2004 as the water had entered the gymnastics hall. Though, it was still being used, the gymnasts were not happy with the equipment. The gymnasts and the coaches had been demanding new apparatus and raised the matter with local MLA and state Home Minister Anil Vij.
The gymnastics coach at the War Heroes Memorial Stadium, Satpal, who is also an international referee, said, “Since the apparatus was old, the players used to face problems when they competed at national and international levels with modern apparatus there. The matter was brought into the notice of Anil Vij who directed the Sports Department to get new international-standard equipment and apparatus.The new apparatus has arrived and it will be installed in a couple of days.”
The Ambala’s stadium is the only stadium where such equipment is available in the state. The gymnastic hall was renovated at a cost of Rs 7.50 crore last year.
Anil Vij, who had been taking keen interest in the upgrading of the stadium, said, “The government has been making sincere efforts to provide best equipment to players for training. With the new equipment, the players will be able to maintain better balance and there will be lesser chances of injuries. The apparatus has been imported from Germany. The hall has been renovated and with all new facilities, the players will be able to do more practice and perform better at the national and international level.”
