Pune (Maharashtra)[India], September 12 (ANI): Maharashtra beat Karnataka with the ultimate rating of 31-10 within the finals on the lately concluded fifth National Wheelchair Rugby Championship 2023 held at Balewadi, Pune from September 10 to September 11, 2023.
The championship was performed by The Indian Rugby Football Union (Rugby India), the only real governing physique for the game of rugby in India, in affiliation with the Wheelchair Rugby Federation of India and Mitsubishi Corporation. The championship obtained an awesome participation of over 120 athletes from throughout the nation.
“The growth of wheelchair rugby in India has been astonishing. Ten years ago, six players played the sport. Yesterday, 14 states participated at the National Championship which Maharashtra won. At Rugby India our view is very simple – whatever format of rugby you want to play, wherever you want toplay, whenever you want to play, you will always have our support. Nothing gives us greater happiness than players with ball in hand dashing (on a wheelchair or otherwise) for the try line!” mentioned Rahul Bose, President, Indian Rugby Football Union, on the closing of the occasion. This National Wheelchair Rugby Championship 2023 marked a significant milestone for Wheelchair Rugby in India. With the participation of 14 states, the occasion was the most important nationwide wheelchair occasion that Rugby India has hosted until date. The states taking part had been Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and host Maharashtra.
The semi-finals had been performed between Karnataka and Haryana with Karnataka profitable 9-7 and Maharashtra and Bihar during which Maharashtra triumphed with a rating line of 22-13. Maharashtra and Karnataka confronted off within the finals the place Maharashtra emerged victorious with the ultimate rating of 31- 10. Bihar received the three/4th place match towards Haryana 23-9. The 5-8 positions went to Odisha, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh respectively.
“I have been participating since the first edition of these championships which were held in Patna. I was desperate for the opportunity to compete at such a stage since I am quadriplegic and competing in Wheelchair Rugby is a massive achievement personally for me and other athletes. These championships held in Pune organized by Wheelchair Rugby Federation of India and Indian Rugby Football Union are the best national championships so far and I am proud to have captained the Maharashtra team to victory. Thank you to the organizers and everybody involved for such a fantastic championship.” Said Bhavesh Trivedi, Captain, Maharashtra, Winners of the fifth National Wheelchair Rugby Championship.
Earlier within the week, the Japan Wheelchair Rugby Federation additionally hosted a day-long wheelchair Rugby workshop the place coaches and consultants from Japan labored intently with the athletes from all taking part states throughout a day-long Wheelchair Rugby teaching clinic. (ANI)