Kochi: The Keralite athletes who won medals at the recent Asian Games were felicitated by Malayala Manorama here on Wednesday. Eight of them had won medals at the continental spectacle held in Indonesian cities Jakarta and Palembang, while a ninth tasted success as a coach.
At a glittering function, the stars were honoured with gold lockets by India’s third-largest circulated newspaper.
At the Kochi office of the 1888-founded Malayala Manorama, the second-oldest Malayalam daily, chief associate editor Riyad Mathew felicitated the achievers on the first such occasion for the medallists at the August 18 to September 2 quadrennial event.
The guests comprised Jinson Johnson (gold in 1500m and silver in 800m), Y Mohammed Anas (silver in 400m, 4x400m men's relay and 4x400m mixed relay), Neena Pinto (silver in women's long jump), V K Vismaya (gold in 4x400m relay), P Kunhu Mohammed and Jithu Baby (both silver in 4x400m relay), P U Chithra (bronze in 1500m), P R Sreejesh (captain of the men's hockey team that won bronze) and Indian athletics team deputy coach P Radhakarishnan Nair.
Malayala Manorama editorial director Mathews Varghese and sports editor Anil Radhakrishnan spoke on the occasion.
The invitees came with their families, making it a memorable evening for them to relive the moments of glory at the Games where India finished eighth with 15 gold, 24 silver and 30 bronze medals.
