Gurdaspur judoka Avtar makes it to Rio Olympics 2016

25-year-old judoka Avtar Singh of Kothe Ghurala village has been selected for Olympic Games to be held in Rio, Brazil, in August 2016.

25-year-old judoka Avtar Singh of Kothe Ghurala village has been selected for Olympic Games to be held in Rio, Brazil, in August 2016.

The official information of his selection will be communicated by the International Judo Federation to the Judo Federation of India on May 31.(HT Photo)

He is the lone Indian among eight judokas selected in Asian continent quota for the Olympics.

However, the official information of his selection will be communicated by the International Judo Federation to the Judo Federation of India on May 31.

Serving in Punjab police as assistant sub inspector, Avtar, in 90-kg weight category, is sponsored by the Jindal Steel Sports Group, Mumbai (Maharashtra).

Avtar stood fifth in the Senior Asian Judo Championship held at Tash Kand (Russia) in April-2016.

In the world judo, he ranked 78th, won gold in the recently held South Asian Games at Shillong (Meghalaya).

Avtar represented India in all the Gram Slam and Grand Pix Judo competitions held during the last two years. He also participated in the Common Wealth Games organised in England in 2012.

Avtar’s father Shingara Singh, who is a Class-4 employee at the health department at Naushehra Majha Singh, is proud of his son’s achievements.

Avtar’s coach Amarjit Shastri, at the Gurdaspur Judo Training Centre, said, “With the selection of Avtar my services as a judo coach for the last 33 years have finally born fruit.”

Shastri hoped that Avtar would add to the tally of his medals at the Olympic Games.

Shastri said that there were four other international judokas — Jasleen Singh Saini, Karnail Singh Mann, Jasbir Singh and Jobandeep Singh — of Gurdaspur Judo Training Centre who were already poised to qualify for the Olympic Games 2020.

Shastri said to produce international level players at the less equipped judo coaching centre in the border district of Gurdaspur was not an easy thing.

Earlier, Arjna Awardee Sandeep Byala, late Narinder Singh, Sunil Thakur, Poonam Chopra and Kawas Bill Morea represented India in judo in different Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, Punjab Judo Association president Partap Singh Bajwa has congratulated Avtar on his selection.