PM Narendra Modi: Younger athletes among Asian Games medal winners is sign of a sporting nation | Asian-games News

Prime Miner Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the presence of younger athletes among medal winners at the recently-concluded Asian Games is a sign that India has become a sporting nation.
Modi was addressing the contingent of Indian athletes who participated in the Hangzhou Asian Games at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in New Delhi.
India’s performance at the Games was horic as the country won 107 medals including 28 gold medals, making it the best ever performance in terms of the total number of medals won in the continental multi-sport event.
Modi said that Indian athletes were no longer just satisfied participation.
“The new thinking of young India is no longer satisfied with just good performance, rather it wants medals and wins,” he said.
Funds, or rather the lack of it, has perenially been the problem of upcoming athletes, especially in sports where equipment is expensive and athletes must go abroad for training. Modi promised that it won’t be the case going forward. “I assure you that lack of money will never be a hindrance to your efforts,” he said.
The PM also congratulated the coaches and trainers and praised the physios and officials for their contributions.Bowing before the parents of all athletes, he highlighted the contributions and sacrifices made them.“From the training ground to the podium, the journey is impossible without the support of the parents,” he said.Most Read
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Modi also congratulated the women athletes, saying they had given some amazing performances and accounted for half the medals won the 660-member contingent. “The government will pull all stops to ensure the athletes get the best. You have crossed 100 medals. Next time, we will go way past this record. Put your best effort for the Paris (Olympics),” Modi said.
The PM also gave the thumbs up to the sports minry’s flagship programme, Khelo India, saying it has been a huge success.
“This Asian Games, 125 athletes were the products of the Khelo India programme and they won 40 medals. This shows that Khelo India is progressing in the right direction. More than 3,000 athletes are getting training, coaching, medical and dietary assance under Khelo India. A total of Rs 25,000 crore assance is being given to athletes. Money will not come in the way of the athletes. In the next five years, the government will spend an additional Rs 3000 crore on athletes and more infrastructure will be created,” said Modi.