Pic: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Sep 19: Two fireman from the state, who won medals at the 13th World Fire-Fighters Games at Chungju, South Korea, received a rousing welcome and were felicitated by higher officials here at fire service station in Pandeshwar on Wednesday, September 19.

Rajesh K Madivala and Ashwin Sanil represented India at the meet and they won three bronze medals among themselves in powerlifting and athletics respectively.

Rajesh, attached to Kumta fire station, bagged bronze medals each in 80-kg bench press event with a lift of 135-kg and powerlifting with a combined total of 435 kg in squat, bench press and deadlift. Ashwin Sanil, fireman at Udupi fire station, won the third place in 4x100 relay and creditable fourth place in 100 metres. It was also the first time that a team from Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services took part in an international sports meet.

Director in-charge of Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services H S Varadarajan said, “The government made all arrangements for the athletes to send them to participate in the sports meet. Cooperation from higher officials from Delhi was key for these two to make it possible for this event and bag the medals.”

Ashwin and Rajesh, with 13 years of experience in service, proved their talent on international level.

Rajesh said, "We gave our best in the event. Every event was very challenging.”

India ended up at the seventh position in the event with a medal tally of 14 gold, 16 silver and 18 bronze. More than 7,000 fireman from 63 countries took part in the global event.