Harpal  Singh Bedi

New Delhi: Alpine Skiing athlete Md Arif Khan, who has qualified  for the Winter Olympics was on Friday included  in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Core group.

Arif   Khan will take part in the Winter Olympics in the Slalom and Giant Slalom events. He has also been approved an amount of Rs 17.46 Lakh under TOPS towards training in Europe and procurement of equipment, ahead of the grand event in China.

He won the quota in giant slalom in a competition in Montenegro in December last year. A month prior, he earned the quota place for the Slalom event

The feat earned  him an the unique distinction of becoming the first Indian to win direct quota spots in two different Winter Olympics events, besides being the first athlete from the country to seal a berth at the Winter Olympic games 2022.

His  current training base is in Austria, where he is accompanied by his coach and physio.

The Sports Ministry’s Mission Olympic Cell (MOC)  approved  his inclusion until the Winter Olympics, scheduled this February in Beijing, China.

The MOC approved the European training camp for Khan for a total of 35 days, which started since his qualification for the Winter Olympics..

The Gulmarg-based Arif Khan  is the first  athlete  from the Kashmir Valley to represent  the country  in the Winter Olympics

He had won two gold medals, in the Slalom and Giant Slalom events, at the 2011 South Asian Winter Games, held in Uttarakhand.

HSB