Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar on Monday wished everyone on the occasion of National Sports Day, and urged the nation to hail the Lawn Bowls women’s gold medal-winning team at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham.

Tendulkar urged the countrymen to take up any sport and play it regularly. “Age is no bar to transform India into a #SportPlayingNation! On #NationalSportsDay let’s all pick up any sport and play it regularly. Let’s be a fitter nation.”

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“The story of Rupa, Lovely, Nayanmoni and Pinki, is a story of hope. The ‘super four’ went on to ultimately bring India the first Gold in Lawn Bowls at the Commonwealth Games 2022. They not only re-introduced a lesser known sport to us, but also due recognition for themselves. Rupa Rani Tirkey was once a kabaddi player. Nayanmoni Saikia a weightlifter, Pinki Singh a cricketer, while Lovely Choubey was a sprinter.”

“Despite their humble beginnings, they came together for a sport not known to many. And now with such a historic gold to their names, they have stood tall for the old adage — “Age is just a number,” wrote Tendulkar in his Twitter post.

On August 2, the India lawn bowls women’s team won a historic gold medal in the fours format, beating South Africa 17-10 in the final. Lovely Choubey (lead), Pinki (second), Nayanmoni Saikia (third) and Rupa Rani Tirkey (slip) were the members of the gold medal-winning team in women’s lawn bowls fours.

“We’ve seen several instances of people breaking the barriers of age to triumph in their dedicated sports. The examples are plenty around the world. Everyone’s hurdles are different, but it is with sheer determination and perseverance that one overcomes them. Sport is such a means which instills hope in people, and uplifts the spirit and mood of not only the sportsperson but also the nation, at large.”

“In a country of 1.3 billion, what stops us then from breaking the hurdles and triumph in sports? As a youthful and vibrant nation, we have all from a young age to the old fighting for glory in their respective sports. On this National Sports Day, let us then continue with our collective endeavour to make India a ‘sports playing nation’ from a ‘sports loving nation’,” concluded Tendulkar.

(Inputs from IANS)