Age is no bar if you love a game. This is the message the 65-year-old Ugyen Namgay is sending out at the first ever veteran’s football tournament underway in Gelegphu.
Popularly known as Apala, Ugyen Namgay is one of the players at the tournament. He is in team Phuentsho Punsum Cement Agency.
At 65, he is the oldest player in the team, in fact, among the entire player of the tournament. Besides his love for the game, he says, health is another reason why he is participating in the tournament.
Apala says, he had always been a fitness-freak. In his 25 years of civil service, he says, he had never been seriously ill or referred to hospital.
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Since he cannot run around much, he is positioned in the back. But when presented with opportunity he does not miss it.
Apala also seems to attract quite a number of spectators. A young spectator says he decided to watch the tournament just because he heard Apala was participating.
In his youth, Apala claims to have played football quite often.
Spectators often noticed that whenever Apala doesn’t have a match, he is always bound to be seen among the spectators, cheering the players.
He hasn’t missed a single game held in Gelegphu.
