MOKOKCHUNG TIMES EXCLUSIVE | NOVEMBER 13
Mokokchung is probably at the lowest ebb in the field of games and sports today. This can be evidenced from the fact that the district did not win a single gold medal at the Nagaland Olympic and Paralympic Games 2022 held in August. Now, Mokokchung Times inquired if there was any athlete from Mokokchung district representing the state at the ongoing North East Olympic Games (NEOG) 2022 in Meghalaya. Unfortunately, the answer is naught.
According to Rongsenmeren, an athlete from Dimapur who is representing Nagaland at the NEOG, Mokokchung has not been able to produce successful athletes over the years because there is an inherent lack of motivation and encouragement. Neither the parents nor the community or society promotes athletes. As such, there are no role models to look up to.
Rongsenmeren, who will be competing in the men’s relay race representing the state at NEOG, believes that there is also a lack of connection. He says that athletes from other districts are staying at the State Sports Academy in Kohima and State Sports Girls Academy in Dimapur as well as SAI training center Dimapur. However, very few athletes from Mokokchung get to stay and train there. Athletes from the other districts train there in good numbers and then go on to represent their district and state, he added. He also pointed out the lack of competitive events in Mokokchung, particularly in the field of athletics. Rongsenmeren is a multiple time state and regional gold medalist in athletics.
For Merensoba, an athlete from Mokokchung who was the only person to win 2 silver medals at the NOPG 2022, the fault lies with the athletes and the society at large. He says that it is impossible to compete with others by staying within one’s comfort zone. Though he did not get selected to represent the state this time, he says he trains himself and hopes to make the cut in the future.
For Somnath Chakraborty, a Judo coach at Nagaland University, who is also officiating the NEOG 2022 and is the Nagaland State Judo team coach at the event, Mokokchung would need proper coaches, regular practice on the part of the athletes and proper infrastructure if the district is to excel in games and sports. “The mentality must change. You cannot compete with others and win medals by practicing a few weeks or a month,” he says.
He also says that there is a difference between individual events and group or team events and that an individual athlete can excel even without adequate infrastructure if only the athlete would train rigorously and regularly.
Nagaland is represented by a 285 strong contingent at the ongoing NEOG 2022. However, it could not be confirmed if there were any athletes from Mokokchung district among the 285 Nagaland athletes.
(Banner photo: www.nokinketer.com)