Erode:

A rousing welcome was accorded to Marshal Mary, an M Com student with PKR College of Arts and Science at Gobichettipalayam, on Saturday morning when she arrived here after winning the gold in women’s beach kabbadi at the third Asian Beach Games, held in Haiyang in China.

Mary and her team mates won the gold defeating  Thailand 54-25 in the final on June 17. According to her, India put up a good show and dominated the match. The Indian team consisted of Mamata, Priyanka, Priyanka Negi, Kavita Devi and Randeep Kaur besides Marshal Mary.

A large number of students, sports enthusiasts and citizens had gathered at Erode railway station to receive Mary. She was taken to her college in a procession with people gathering along the road to greet her.

The district collector and the mayor were conspicuous by their absence as they had to attend to some state ministers who were visiting the region.

Mary told TOI that her victory was significant since had trained in land-locked Erode. “Others in my team had practiced on real beaches. But I was able to contribute my bit to win the event,” she said. She credited her coach N Anpu, a staff of the PKR College, for her success. “He had convinced the management about the need to build a beach kabbadi team. We have a dozen players and Anpu trained us on two truck loads of sand purchased by the management at market rate,” she said.

Mary and her friends used to train for two hours daily in the morning and evening.

Mary, a native of Sankarapuram near Villupuram, had represented India recently at an international tournament in Colombo.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Coimbatore / TNN / July 01st, 2012