Kangra youth dashes to 800-m gold at National Federation Cup

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Dharamsala, May 16

Bringing laurels to the state, Ankesh Chaudhary, an athlete from Pathiar village in Kangra district, has won the 800-m gold in Senior National Federation Cup, held in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha.

Ankesh’s journey started from his days in Green Field Senior Secondary School, Nagrota Bagwan, from where he passed out in 2015 session. It was in the school that a young Ankesh spent long hours in basketball court, besides running in the playground before the morning assembly, which helped him build his stamina.

Ankesh said he used to take keen interest in athletics, basketball and other sports in school. “I won four gold medals running barefoot and wearing jeans. I watched players online to learn the nuances of sports,” he recalled.

In 2014, while representing his school in the District Athletics Meet at Dharamsala, state Sports Hostel coach Bhagirath Chaudhary encouraged him to excel in the sport of his liking. After this, Ankesh got a call from the state Sports Hostel at Una where he got professional coaching. It worked wonders for him, as in 2017 he won a bronze in Junior Nationals and a gold in North Zone Nationals.

His current coach Subedar Chatholi Hamza offered him the opportunity to train under him. Under the guidance of national coaches and athletes in Army Sports Institute, Pune, Ankesh further improved his timing.

Ankesh has never looked back since then and has competed in many national championships, besides in Khelo India Youth Games, where he won many gold and also set a new record in the 800 metres.

Ankesh got recruited in the Army as Havildar in 2019 under the special sports quota. In 2021, he won a race in World Athletics Continental Tour in Manchester, England. He has to his credit a gold in Race B group at World Athletics Continental Tour, Manchester, in June 2022 and a bronze in 32nd National Games Gujarat on November 2022. Now, he has won a gold in the Senior National Federation Cup.