The 4th Mokokchung Inter-School Badminton Championship 2023 got underway on Thursday at the Indoor Badminton Stadium, Mokokchung.
The yearly event is organized by Mokokchung District Badminton Association (MDBA).
Martoshi Jamir, President, MDBA, in his welcome address, said that the yearly event is a part of MDBA’s ‘Vision 2040’ where the association has set the target “to send at least one player from Mokokchung to represent India in the Olympics.”
With the vision in mind, the MDBA has started various programs such as coaching camps, Inter-School championships, district tournaments, Inter-District tournaments, Inter-Club tournaments and so on, Jamir said.
Apart from all the programs, the MDBA has also decided to open a permanent academy in a few years’ time to achieve their vision, he said.
He hoped that “with all these programs, Mokokchung will produce world class players in the future.”
He also informed that summer coaching camp will tentatively be held in the month of May or June followed by the Mokokchung District Badminton Tournament.
He further informed that Mokokchung is set to host the ‘North East Masters’ in the month of November.
Imnaonen Pongen, President of Mokokchung Town Lanur Telongjem, who was the special guest at the opening ceremony, appreciated the MDBA for organizing the championship for the 4th time and also for promoting the sport.
He asserted that the world today is fast changing and that games and sports have become a multimillion dollar industry.
Citing examples, he said athletes from Nagaland’s neighbours Assam and Manipur have produced athletes who have won Olympics medals because of their commitments.
He encouraged the players to come out of one’s comfort zone and said that “the sky is the limit to achieve excellence,” adding that “the greatest competition in games and sports is giving your best.”
Oath taking and briefing to the captains of the participating schools was initiated by the technical committee followed by the declaration of the tournament open by the special guest.
In this year’s edition of the championship, there are 137 participants representing 14 schools from Mokokchung and 6 schools competing for the team championships.
The championship will witness a whopping 168 matches which will be played over a period of 3 days.
Earlier in the program, Chubawapang Lemtur, Youth Mentor, MTBA pronounced the invocation while Olanger Longkumer of Eden Academy did a beautiful rendition of Rachel Platten’s ‘Fight Song’.
