India athletes had a dream run at the 18th Asian games after they achieved country’s best medal haul at the Asian event and India’s Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Tuesday said the countdown for 2020 Olympics has started for the Indian athletes after their impressive show in Indonesia.
Rathore congratulates the athletes
“You made the entire country proud with your achievements. We salute the passion you have shown but this journey is not complete,” Rathore said during a function to felicitate the medal winners with cash awards in New Delhi.
“The countdown now has started for the Olympics (2020 Tokyo). You can’t be satisfied with this. You should always think about what is the next,” he added.
The message by the athletes should be positive
“You have now become ambassadors of your sport, ambassadors of your state and for youngsters of the country. So your message should always be positive,” Rathore said.
“Everyone has problems, everyone has challenges but the goal should be to never give up. Never say no, never feel defeated. That is what makes champions.”
Words of motivation by the sports minister
“You did not reach here easily. You had to overcome many obstacles but because of these obstacles you are what you are today. Don’t think about obstacles, only think about your capabilities,” Rathore said.
@Ra_THORe Sir rightly said that all of us are here today because we fought the challenges & pushed our limits, that this is just the beginning & we will keep looking for what’s next & marching forward. Thank you again on behalf of all indian athletes! #WhatsNext #JaiHind #AG18
— Ankita Raina (@ankita_champ) September 4, 2018
The success at the Asian Games was a result of teamwork- Rathore
“The success is a result of teamwork of the government, IOA, federations, athletes and coaches. These medals belong to the whole country,” Rathore said
