Indian sportspersons supported by various private and public limited companies showed their prowess at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games 2018. In such a scenario players supported by the Indian Railways athletes were also at the forefront of winning India many medals.
Indian Railways Athletes – Making India Proud!!
Indian Railways said that it was a matter of pride that 40 percent of gold medals for India, 10 out of 26 in the recently concluded Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, were won by Indian Railways athletes.
The Indian contingent, with 66 medals in all, turned in its finest performance ever at the CWG games standing third in the medals tally.
Railway officials today said that the results convincingly proved the public transporter’s sports motto “Think Sports, Think Railways”.
“It is a matter of great pride that forming 25 per cent of the Indian contingent, Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) athletes clinched 40 per cent of the total golds won by India. Indian Railways athletes won 10 Golds, one Silver and four Bronze medals in the CWG games,” Rekha Yadav, Executive Director, and RSPB Secretary, said in a statement.
The RSPB, this year, will be celebrating 90 years of its inception, said officials.
She said that 49 athletes from RSPB participated in the CWG 2018 Games in disciplines like weightlifting, wrestling, hockey, athletics, basketball and gymnastics.
“Almost the entire women’s hockey team comprised Railway girls,” added Yadav. All seven wrestlers from the RSPB won medals and came back with a 100 percent strike rate.
Indian Railways athletes (Wrestlers) who won Gold medals at CWG 2018 include:
- Sushil Kumar – Gold in 74 kg category
- Rahul Aware – Gold in 57 kg category
- Sumit Malik – Gold in 125 kg heavyweight category
- Bajrang Punia – Gold in 65kg category
- Vinesh Phogat – Gold in 50 kg Freestyle category
Indian Railways athletes (wrestlers) who won Bronze medals at CWG 2018 includes:
- Sakshi Malik – Bronze in 62 kg category
- Kiran Bishnoi – Bronze in 76 kg category
Indian Railways athletes (weightlifters) who won Gold medals at CWG 2018 includes:
- Mirabai Chanu
- Sanjita Chanu
- Punam Yadav
- Satish Sivalingam
- Rahul Ragala
- Pradeep Singh bagged a Silver
Indian Railways athletes ( boxers) who won medals are:
- Pugilist Manoj Kumar – Bronze in 69kg category and
- Navjeet Dhillon Bronze in Discus throw
“The RSPB not only provides a sustainable source of livelihood through its liberal recruitment policies, but also nurtures sportspersons with round the year training, camps, diet, medical support, even during their post playing years,” Yadav said.
She said that excellent infrastructure spread across its network nationwide, and a stellar team of in-house coaches and support staff, had given the RSPB an unparallelled ecosystem for 29 sporting disciplines under its belt.
“We have single-handedly supported the rise of women in sports in the country. We have empowered and encouraged young girls to pursue sports,’ she said.
Yadav informed that the RSPB was one of the first organisations to raise a women’s wrestling team in India. Incentives to athletes, like out of turn promotions, increments, off-season training, 330 days special Casual Leave for outstanding athletes, three to four camps followed by tournament exposure have paid rich dividends, she said.
