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Three weeks after the tournament ended, the Kerala government announced cash prizes for Commonwealth Games medallists from the state. The cabinet that met Wednesday announced Rs 20 lakh for gold medal winners and Rs 10 lakh for silver medal winners. This is not the first time, the state government has taken so long to announce prize money.
After the Tokyo Olympics last August, the LDF government headed by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had not announced a cash prize for PR Sreejesh who was the lone medal winner from the state until a week later. The government was also criticized for its delay in announcing cash prizes. Nonetheless, it has finally done and as many as five athletes will benefit from this announcement.
Triple jumper Eldhouse Paul will be the sole recipient who will get Rs 20 lakh as he was the only athlete from the state to win a gold medal. Another triple jumper, Abdulla Aboobacker and long jumper M Sreeshankar will get Rs 10 lakh each for securing silver medals in their respective events. Hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and badminton player Treesa Jolly also secured silver medals.
PR Sreejesh was the last medallist from the state as the Indian Men’s Hockey won the silver medal after losing to Australia in the final on August 8. Meanwhile, shuttler Treesa Jolly also secured a bronze medal in the women’s doubles event along with her silver medal in the mixed team event.
Notably, India won a total of 61 medals at the quadrennial event including 22 gold medals. The most of them came in wrestling. India also bagged their first-ever medal in Lawn Bowls as the Women’s Four team defeated South Africa to take the top medal home. Indian shuttler also reigned supreme as they won the gold medal in Women’s Singles (PV Sindhu), Men’s Singles (Lakshya Sen), and Men’s Doubles (Satwik/Chirag).