Asiad boost for Bindra, Vijender

Mumbai: Beijing Olympic Games gold medallist Abhinav Bindra and nine other top Indian medal hopes are part of the Samsung Sports Ratna programme launched to help them in their training and preparations for the upcoming Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. The other top shooters in the scholarship support programme are Manavjit Singh Sandhu, Gagan Narang and Ranjan Sodhi while boxing hopefuls Vijender Singh, Akhil Kumar, Nano Singh Thakchom and Mayengbam Suranjoy Singh along with grapplers Sushil Kumar and Ramesh Kumar complete the list. Samsung`s support was in line with its `Olympic Ratna Programme` for the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, wherein it had supported top ranking athletes across individual sports disciplines with their training expenses while preparing for these multi-discipline events, a media release said. Bindra has been a `Samsung Olympic Ratna` at the Athens as well as the Beijing Games and his association continues into the `Sports Ratna Programme` for the 16th Asian Games, the release said. Samsung India is also the "Official Partner" for the Indian contingent at the November 12-27 sports extravaganza. Samsung`s president and CEO for South West Asia, J S Shin, said that boosted by the success of the programme for the 2008 Olympics, the companay had brought in more sports persons under the programme. "Encouraged by the success of our `Olympic Ratna Program` at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, this year we have increased the number of athletes being supported for the Asian Games to 10 sportspersons," Shin said after launching the programme. Lauding Samsung`s continued support and commitment to the Asian Games and Olympic programmes, Indian Olympic Association chief Suresh Kalmadi hoped that it will translate into results with a richer medal tally at Guangzhou. "I hope that the `Samsung Scholarship` for individual players and the Company`s support to the Indian Olympic Association for the entire team will yield strong and positive results resulting in a richer medal tally for the country," he said. Olympic Council of India`s Secretary General Randhir Singh also appreciated the initiative taken by the company in supporting the training of the athletes and its commitment to strengthening the global sports movement by supporting global sporting events like the Asian Games and the Olympics. PTI