Alleppey (Kerala), Oct 10 : Hosts National Centre of Excellence (NCEO) Alleppey emerged overall champions in the four-day 10th all-India Inter-Sports Authority of India (SAI) kayaking and canoeing championship.

After rowing, kayaking, and canoeing are gaining in popularity, and this all-India SAI event saw upcoming water sports enthusiasts hoping to represent India at major Asian and global competitions. Athletes from eight centres participated in the all-India meet.

The first-ever Khelo India Water Sports Festival, held at Srinagar's Dal Lake from August 21-23, has given water sports a fresh impetus. Ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted some of the prominent KIWSF winners in the August episode of his popular radio show, Mann Ki Baat, athletes are showing more intensity.

Aimed at promoting water sports in the country, 197 athletes, including 92 girls, competed in 96 medal events in Alleppey. NCOE Alleppey, NCOE Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), and NCOE Jagatpur (Odisha) were the top-performing SAI centres.

Apart from these three, water sports athletes from Jammu & Kashmir, Port Blair, Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh), Army Boys Sports Company Roorkee, and ABSC EME participated. The competition saw some international and national-level athletes like Vaishnavi R, Akshaya B, and Yogita Verma taking part in various events.

Jammu and Kashmir finished fourth in the seniors' category. Overall, the Union Territory won eight medals ' two gold, two silver, and four bronze. Both their gold medals came in the senior men's section when Mohammad Hussain and Sajad Hussain won gold medals in canoe doubles 200 and 500 metres. Both boys had finished with multiple medals at the Khelo India Water Sports Festival in Srinagar.

NCOE Alleppey proved to be the best SAI unit, winning 24 and 15 gold medals in the senior and junior sections. NCOE Bhopal, which finished second in the senior category with 11 golds, emerged on top in the sub-junior section with seven gold medals.

Jagatpur remained in the top three in all three categories ' senior, junior, and sub-junior. For the record, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Kerala emerged as the top three states in the Khelo India Water Sports Festival, which was an open age-group competition.

/IANS