Date:19/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/19/stories/2006121914830200.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

That heady feel!

V.V. Subrahmanyam

Asiad medallists on cloud nine

PRIZED POSSESSION: Asiad medallists Sathi Geetha, Gagan Narang, J.J.Shobha and P. Shankar arrive at Hyderabad airport on Monday night.

HYDERABAD: The `Golden Girl' Sathi Geetha arrived from Doha Asian Games almost quietly in the company of other medallists - shooter Gagan Narang, heptathlete J.J. Shobha and athlete P. Shankar on Monday night.K. Ranga Rao, secretary of APAAA, former national champion Rami Reddy and Arjuna awardee P.V.Ramana welcomed them.

Geetha remarked that the relay gold was something she would cherish for a long, long time since she had the privilege of running the first lap. "We were expecting a medal but not a gold," she said.

The warmth with which she appreciated her coach Nagapuri Ramesh's contribution was an acknowledgement of their decade-old training stint.

For Shobha, it was a comeback to big circuit after a self-imposed break due to serious injury. "I lost about 150 valuable points in high jump which proved costly," she remarked. But, she is happy to be back with an Asian Games medal.

So was the case with ace shooter Gagan Narang who feels winning Asiad medal is as good a feeling as an Olympic medal for they are not `gifted' away by the competitors.

"It was a great feeling and the competition was tough with the presence of Chinese," he added.

Shankar preferred to keep a low profile for he did not run the race in which India 4 x 400 m relay squad won the silver.

"It was good to get the feel of the Asian Games and should inspire us to bigger deeds," he concluded.