Meerut :

Days after Meerut-based Annu Rani won a bronze medal in the women’s javelin throw event at the Asian Games in South Korea, she was given a grand welcome by people at Bahadurpur village on Monday afternoon. Villagers garlanded the 21-year-old several times over, and gifted her a shawl.

Amarpaal, Annu Rani’s father, who was at first not so enthusiastic about her interest in the javelin throw sport, said, “Villagers have given such a grand welcome to her that we are all feeling like celebrities.”

Annu Rani is the second contestant in these Asian games to have returned to Meerut with laurels. Seema Punia, who won the gold medal in the discus throw event, also belongs to Meerut. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav announced a cash prize of Rs 50 lakh to Punia.

On Monday, as Annu Rani returned, few people even remembered that when she first took to javelin throwing, her father and neighbours had tried to dissuade her.

“I would never have imagined that among these are people who opposed my participation in the games,” Annu Rani said. District president Meenakshi Gaur visited the family on Monday.

Annu Rani’s throw of 59.53 metres was her personal best, but Chinese duo of Zhang Li and Li Lingwei grabbed the first two places at the Asian Games, outperforming her.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Meerut / by Ishita Bhatia, TNN / October 06th, 2014