GCU sports: Physically-challenged students shine at opening ceremony

Three-day 116th annual sports start at GCU

LAHORE: Physically-challenged students of the Government College University (GCU) Lahore actively participated in the inaugural ceremony of the university’s 116th annual sports.

About 6,000 students from 32 departments of the university took part in the opening ceremony that featured a march past, oath-taking and an athletic meet.

The Department of Electrical Engineering bagged the trophy for the best march-past contingent. Contingents of the Department of Physical Education and Department of Political Science stood second and third, respectively. “The contingent of physically-challenged students won our hearts,” said Vice Chancellor Hassan Amir Shah.

For the first time in the university’s history, physically-challenged students are formally participating in the annual sports. The GCU Directorate of Sports has specially designed some competitions for them, including a wheel chair race, crutches race and a white cane race.

Earlier, led by Mohsin Naveed, the GCU athletes took the oath to take part in three-day annual games abiding by all the rules and in the true spirit of sportsmanship. Musicians from the Nazir Ahmed Music Society (NAMS) presented a special anthem for 116th GCU athletics meet.

In his message, GCU Sports Board Chairman Ikramul Haq said that sports taught students tolerance and developed a spirit of healthy competition among them. “The GCU has always encouraged students to take part in sports and healthy co-curricular activities,” he said.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Sports Director Khadim Ali Khan said developed countries attached great importance to sports as well as education. “Sports education disciplines students. Students should never compromise on the standards of sportsmanship. The spirit of sportsmanship is more important than winning,” he said.

The start of the first day of the annual sports was marked by an 800-metre race, which was won by Muhammad Ramazan, a student of Physical Education Department. Muhammad Raees Younas, Abdul Kareem, Subhan Masood and Alam Saddam won gold medals in shot put, long jump, 200-metres race and javelin throw (boys).

The 5,000 metres race, the 1,500 metres race, the triple jump, and the pole vault competition will be held today (Thursday).

The ministerial staff race, the naib qasid race, the four-legged race, the cricket ball throw for girls, pillow fighting, staff children’s race, stilts race, 60 metre race, sack race, chaati race for girls and obstacles race will be held on Friday.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 17^th, 2016.