15-day-long sports festival concludes in Sector 66

The festival was inaugurated by shooting veteran Omendra Singh, coach to Abhishek Verma, who won Bronze for India at the Asian Games last year.

The second edition of a 15-day sports festival at a private condominium in Sector 66 concluded on Sunday evening. The festival began on April 20 and comprised over 70 activities, including badminton, cricket, athletics, snooker, pool and many more. Over 900 residents participated in the festival that was held at Emaar Palm Drive complex.

15-day-long sports festival concludes in Sector 66(Photo by Praful Gangurde/ HT Photo) Representative Image

The festival was inaugurated by shooting veteran Omendra Singh, coach to Abhishek Verma, who won Bronze for India at the Asian Games last year.

The festival that was started by a group of fitness enthusiasts in the condominium allows younger residents to access myriad sports facilities under one roof and find out what they are good at, while allowing older residents to amp up their energy levels and have fun.

Suresh Thakran, one of the founders of the festival and a national-level runner, said, “The idea of the festival is to bring fitness back into focus. I am a corporate professional myself, and we have sedentary lives. Such initiatives emphasise that despite busy schedules, one needs to take care of one’s health and prioritise fitness.” Reetu Sirohi, a resident, said, “The atmosphere has been electrifying. Residents from the ages of seven to 70 years participated enthusiastically in the activities.”

Residents agreed that community sports are a dying trend, but must be encouraged as they contribute to fitness, camaraderie and goodwill among them.