At least 365 students from 20 schools in Tsirang are competing in the five-day national level football and archery tournaments.
The students, 128 girls and 98 boys, are winners of the seven regional school sports meet held in October from Thimthrom, Chukha, Haa, Punakha, Gasa, Gelephu Thromde, Sarpang Bumthang, Trongsa, Trashigang and Trashiyangtse.
There are seven football teams each of girls and boys, and seven archery teams.
The tournaments are organised annually after the completion of the Dzongkhag School Sports Meets (DSSMs) and the Regional School Sports Meets (RSSMs).
Senior sports coordinator with Department of Youth and Sports (DYS), Damcho Wezer said that the teams first play a league round, from which the winners will qualify to play the knockout matches.
Earlier the two tournaments were conducted separately at two different venues. Since last year with the availability of good sports facilities and support from Tsirang dzongkhag administration the events were held in Tsirang.
“Besides competing in their respective sports, children are engaged in educational programmes in the evenings such as talks on health or youth issues, screening of educational movies and talent or cultural shows,” Damcho Wezer said.
The finals will be played tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the DYS’s national school games concluded recently in Punakha. At least 385 students, of which 187 were girls, participated in Basketball, Volleyball, Badminton, Table Tennis, and Chess.
Nirmala Pokhrel | Tsirang