KOZHIKODE: With dreams of winning gold medals and making their mark on the sporting arena, a 26-member contingent of students from Kerala Board schools in the UAE reached Kozhikode on Sunday to participate in the State School Sports Meet.
The team comprises young athletes from Gulf Model School, Dubai; Model Private School, Abu Dhabi; New Indian Model School, Sharjah; and New Indian Model School, Dubai. Having undergone systematic training and preparation, the students have arrived with high hopes of securing medals and showcasing their sporting prowess at the competition.
“The students have prepared systematically for the meet, and we are hopeful of winning medals,” said Sumesh Kumar, head of the sports department at Gulf Model School.
The participation of expatriate students in the sports meet marks a significant step towards providing young Malayali athletes studying abroad with an opportunity to compete alongside their counterparts in Keralam. The initiative was introduced during the previous LDF government, with the education department opening the state-level sporting event to expatriate students for the first time in 2024.
According to the organisers, there has been a continued enthusiasm among students in UAE-based Kerala Board schools to compete at the state level.
Opening sparks row over torch lighting
Kozhikode: The inauguration of the State School Sports Meet sparked controversy following an unexpected change in the torch-lighting ceremony, with Chief Minister V D Satheesan lighting the ceremonial flame instead of former Indian track-and-field star and Rajya Sabha MP P T Usha. According to the official announcement ahead of the event, Usha was to light the flame marking the beginning of the meet. The organisers’ last-minute move triggered questions over the change in the programme. Eyewitnesses alleged that Usha was left standing to one side of the stage during the proceedings, giving rise to criticism over the manner in which the ceremony was conducted.
