BHOPAL, 24 October 2003 — The four-day water sports extravaganza, 10th Senior & 4th Junior Asian Kayaking & Canoeing Championships in Bhopal, the city of lakes, hills and mosques was held from Oct. 1-4, 2003.
Two Asian records were bettered as China emerged overall champions. Eleven Asian nations participated at Bhopal’s Boat Club on the banks of the picturesque Upper Lake. The Indians finished fourth overall and third in the junior section
India made history here when Digvijay Singh Neggi notched up gold for the first time in any international kayaking and canoeing competitions outside the KT (tourism) classes. Reigning champions China having a total of 28 medals, though less than both Japan and Iran, with 19 golds, five silvers and four bronzes to their credit were crowned overall champions once again. In fact, despite fielding a second string team the Chinese’ supremacy was never in doubt. Japan upstaged Iran, the runners-up of the last edition of the championship. Though bagging highest number of 31 medals, Japan finished second with 12 gold medals, nine silvers and 10 bronzes. Iran came third with 10 golds, 15 silvers and four bronzes. Spurred by juniors for hosts India, who finished fourth, this mega event proved to be the most memorable affair. Neggi and W. Amutombi won a gold medal each in an Olympic event for the first time. Neggi won the gold in K-1 1000 meters and Amutombi in the C-1 500 meters. Both Neggi and Amutombi also won a silver each in K-1 class 1 of 500 meters and C-1 1000 meters respectively in the junior category. Neggi also shared two bronze medals in team events.
India’s Naveen Sahu of Bhopal completed a grand golden double. He won a gold medal in senior men KT-2 500 meters, a non-Olympic event, partnering A. Macharia on the penultimate day of the championship. On the second day in tandem with Sat Kumar he had won gold in KT-2 1000 meters. While the duo of Manoj Kumar & Karan Singh had a brace of silver medals in C-2 1000 & 500 meters both in junior men. Karma Topo had a brace of bronze medals in the senior category.India’s other bronze medalists were Shanti Swaroop & A. Yendapha (K-2 1000 meters junior men), Surinder Beniwal & Yendapha (K-2 500 meters junior men), Daleep Beniwal & Ajit Kumar G. (C-2 1000 meters senior men), quartet of DVS Neggi, Lalit Kumar Singh, Surendar Beniwal & N. Sanjay Singh (in K-4 both 1000 & 500 meters junior men), Mrs. Smita Aziz & Mrs. Kochumol Mathuo (KT-2 500 meters senior women) and pair of Siji Kumar S. & Sanjit Singh (C-2 200 meters senior men).
Indonesia bagged a total of 19 medals including one gold, nine silver and nine bronze to occupy fifth place to be followed by China Macau with one gold and two silver medals. Chinese Taipei and war-battered Iraq with two silvers & seven bronzes and one silver & two bronzes respectively stood seventh and eighth in the overall medals tally. Singapore and Thailand had a lone bronze medal each.
Meanwhile, two Asian records were broken in the four-day championship. On the final day of the championship, the Iranian quartet of Milad Mohsen, Moshiri Keivan, Sayadi Abas, Mohammadi Alireza set a new Asian record in the K-4 class in 200 meters. The Iranian quartet by clocking 00:31.54 second in K-4 200 meters senior men section bettered the record set by Koreans (00:31.57 second) in the last edition of the championship in Tehran in 2002.
