Khelo India presents a much-needed platform for younger expertise: Anju Bobby George – The Sports activities Mirror – Sports activities Information, Transfers, Scores

Anju Bobby George, the primary Indian athlete to make a podium end within the World Athletics when she received the bronze medal within the 2003 showpiece, is upbeat that the Khelo India Youth Video games (KIYG) can ultimately bridge the much-needed hole between grassroots programme and severe competitors in athletics. The upcoming version of the Khelo India Youth Video games will probably be held in 27 disciplines throughout eight cities in Madhya Pradesh and can get underway right here with a vibrant opening ceremony on January 30.

The monitor & subject occasions of KIYG 2022, a three-day affair, will probably be held at T.T. Nagar Stadium in Bhopal from February 3-5 and is anticipated to see some carefully contested occasions. The opposite cities which can play hosts within the central India state are Indore, Ujjain, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Mandla, Khargone (Maheshwar) and Balaghat.

Anju a member of the Union authorities’s Mission Olympic cell answerable for deciding on athletes for the TOPS (Goal Olympic Podium Scheme),  the 45-year-old lengthy soar ace feels that the Khelo India scheme varieties the muse of a pyramid construction by way of grooming expertise.

“It’s an distinctive undertaking with the proper intent from Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi and the Sports activities ministry, and it has already began producing the outcomes. It’s nevertheless a steady course of and we’ve to construct on it,’’ Anju instructed the KIYG media throughout an interview. 

“The Video games are providing younger kids as much as 18-years a sort of publicity in entrance of talent-hunters which beforehand didn’t exist. The athletes who make the minimize are supplied with authorities funding for coaching and in addition get an out-of-pocket allowance, which provides them a giant sense of pleasure,’’ she mentioned.

Anju additionally the Vice President of Athletics Federation of India, earned a uncommon feather in her cap when World Athletics – the world governing physique of the game – conferred her with the Lady of the 12 months award of their annual awards gala in 2021 for her contribution within the sport and a number one voice of gender equality in sport.

Every self-discipline in KIYG is monitored by a bunch of spotters, who’re entrusted with the job of adopting promising members as Khelo India Athletes on the premise of their efficiency within the KIYG, Nationwide Championships and open choice trials. The most recent figures launched by Union Sports activities Ministry final December says that 2841 athletes have been chosen from 21 sports activities disciplines to this point.

“The promising athletes have an opportunity to make the following grade for Nationwide Centres of Excellence (NCOE) initiatives of Sports activities Authority of India after which be in line for the nationwide camp and ultimately the TOPS scheme in the event that they present the potential to that stage,’’ Anju mentioned. 

In 2016, Anju opened a coaching academy for younger ladies in Bengaluru, which has already helped to provide a world U20 medallist in lengthy jumper Shaili Singh within the 2021 version. Requested if her academy is getting into any members within the KIYG, Anju introduced: ‘’Six of my academy ladies has been registered in monitor & subject occasions within the Video games in Madhya Pradesh in lengthy soar, triple soar and hurdles. They may get an opportunity to rub shoulders with among the Indian athletes, and that’s a giant plus by itself.’’  

 The expansion within the variety of disciplines over previous 5 editions – from 18 within the first version in New Delhi to 27 in Madhya Pradesh – reveals that the stakeholders of KIYG are able to increase the horizons. Hima Das, the quickest lady within the nation, had been part of sturdy fields in monitor & subject occasions in earlier editions and was the torchbearer of the Video games when it came about in her house state Assam (2019) whereas Dutee Chand stood out with a 100m gold within the Khelo India College Video games in Bengaluru in 2021. Shooter Mehuli Ghosh and weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga are among the many main rising Indian athletes who first broke by from this platform.

The upcoming version in Madhya Pradesh will see water sports activities being included for the primary time with canoe slalom, kayaking, canoeing and rowing – which will probably be held on the MP Water Sport Academy on Higher Lake in Bhopal.

Tags: Anju Bobby George, Bhopal, Khelo India, KIYG, KIYG 2022