National Games: Services complete hat-trick of titles

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Despite the debate over participation of Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) in the National Games since 2002, the fauji sports teams completed their hat-trick of titles which began at the 33rd edition of the Games in Guwahati.
Services' reign at the top continued in Kerala due to their massive medal hunt in canoe & kayak (16 gold), shooting (15), athletics (8), rowing (8) and gymnastics (7).
Kerala (54 gold) and Haryana (39) finished second and third as Services ran away with the title with a collection of 91 gold, 32 silver and 35 bronze.
"We have done it in style. Last time we had 70 gold medals but this time we had f gone up to 91. This became possible because we give due focus to all sports with backup facilities," SSCB chef-de-mission HN Bhagwat told TOI.
Services made their maiden entry into the Games at the Hyderabad Games where they finished behind Andhra Pradesh and Punjab.
They won the title in the next Games in Guwahati with 59 gold followed by Manipur (51) and Assam (38). In Ranchi, they retained their crown with a massive haul of 70 gold followed by Manipur (48) and Haryana (42).
The campaign of hosts Kerala, who once trailed in the fourth place, picked up momentum in the second week as they emerged on top in athletics (13 gold) and cycling (7). While the women athletes powered Kerala's medal rush in athletics, Mahitha Mohan stole the limelight in cycling with a triple gold.
However, Haryana's performance is all the more impressive as most of the floating players opted to compete for Kerala or Madhya Pradesh this time.
Haryana and Services topped the weightlifting events with both winning two gold and two silver each. Kerala did well in badminton with three gold, two silver and three bronze.
Olympic silver-medallist Vijay Kumar led Services' gold hunt in shooting while Elizabeth Susan Koshy created history for the hosts.