The Bhutanese Leading the way.
More than 100 students from mainly Thimphu and Paro are taking part in a tennis training camp organized by the Bhutan Tennis Federation at Changlimithang, Thimphu.
Funded on a government budget of Nu 100,000 through Bhutan Olympic Committee, the main aim of the training is to keep students active during their winter vacation, hunt for future tennis player and to promote sports in the country.
The training which began on December 21 will conclude on January 2. The participants are between the age group of 6 to 15 years.
After the rigorous training, the Bhutan Tennis Federation will be sending three boys and two girls to represent Bhutan in the under -14 division in Bangkok, Thailand.
The tournament is scheduled to begin from January 10-30. A week-long training will be given to the Bhutanese tennis players in Bangkok to acclimatize themselves to the weather and surroundings.
Bhutan Tennis Federation will also send two men and one woman to take part in South Asian Association Federation tournament, which is to begin from February 10 -16.
There are 30 regular and more than 100 irregular junior tennis players being trained by three tennis coaches with help from 8 senior tennis players.
Assistant Coach, Yonten Gyeltshen, said there is a need to promote sporting culture in Bhutan. He said the role of parents in supporting their children to take up sports is important, not just during the winter vacation.
A student of the Druk School, Kinley Yangden, who is going to take part in the junior level tennis tournament in Bangkok, has been playing tennis for three years. “It is a good opportunity that I get a chance to represent Bhutan. I am preparing well for this tournament, even if I can’t win the tournament I am sure that I will play well and let my opponents say that she was a tough opponent to play,” she said.
A student at Loseling Middle Secondary School, Khenrab Nima, is the winner of the national junior series tennis tournament 2015, under- 14 division, is practicing hard for the tournament in Bangkok.
“I started to play tennis since the age of 9. As a player and as a tennis fan, I like world number 1 Novak Jokovic,” he said.
Similar tennis training camps are also being organized in places, like Wangdue, Samdrupjongkhar, Gomtu and Samtse.
