Srinagar

The Jammu and Kashmir contingent has undergone a 21-day camp to prepare for the inaugural Khelo India Water Sports Festival (KIWSF) here and the 17-strong group is hopeful of securing national spotlight with a strong performance in the event starting August 21.

The Festival will run till August 23 and feature three medal sports -- rowing, canoeing and kayaking.

More than 400 athletes from the 36 states and Union Territories of the country are here to compete at the iconic Dal Lake, an established world famous tourist spot.

Muhammad Abbas Kand of Rainawari in Srinagar downtown has been preparing hard for the upcoming Games. He will take part in rowing doubles in the light weight category.

"I am hopeful of fetching a gold medal for Jammu and Kashmir. I am also elated that the Games are being held inside Dal Lake. It will give a boost to water sports in the region and also bring the much-needed limelight to water sports athletes like me," said Abbas.

Abbas, who has won nine state and district level medals and participated in seven national events, including the 37th National Games in Goa, is among the 17 water sports athletes from J&K here.

Abbas and other water sports athletes from J&K have been training under the guidance of water sports coaches Parvez Ahmad Shagu of the J&K Police team and Waseem Raja of the J&K Sports Association.

Like Abbas, Irtiza Ali and Muntazir Ali are also looking forward to their participation in the rowing Pairs event.

Irtiza, who hails from the Saida Kadal area of Srinagar and won a bronze medal in the 43rd junior national rowing championships at Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh, wants to improve his performance and fetch gold this time around.

Zahid Hussain is another J&K water sports athlete who is keen to make a splash in KIWSF. Zahid, a national bronze medal winner, has also won 25 district and state medals. He will be taking part in the canoe slalom event.

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"Team India water sports athletes will come here. We will learn techniques from them. We will race with them really hard," Zahid said.