The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Climbing the ladder of success

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 07, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Climbing the ladder of success

Staff Reporter

`Financial pressure is affecting the performance of team members'

SOARING HIGH: Archana B.S. demonstrating sport climbing

BANGALORE: Archana B.S. and Praveen C.M. have made the State proud. These two national-level rock climbers are taking our country to greater heights. Ms. Archana and Mr. Praveen, who are part of the Indian Sport Climbing Team, will participate in the "Sport Climbing World Cup" to be held at Chamonix, France, on July 13.

The team is scheduled to depart for Geneva on Thursday. Forty countries will compete for the same title.

Ms. Archana (24), who is from Bangalore and is pursuing her post graduation in human resources, won the Asia Cup 2004 at Utarkashi. She was also ranked ninth at the Asian Championships in Beijing and secured the 14th position at the World Cup in France in 2003. Ms. Archana also has the distinction of topping every national championship since 2002.

Mr. Praveen (20), who is also from Bangalore, has been the mainstay of Indian Sports Climbing both at the junior and senior levels. A gold medal every year since 2002 speaks volumes about his talent. He secured the sixth and 11th positions at the Asia Cup and the Asian Championship, respectively.

"We have been practicing rigorously for the past year keeping in mind one objective — to secure a position at the World Cup in Chamonix," says Keerthi K. Pais, Sport Climbing Coach, Team India. He adds that Karnataka has been the best in the sport for the last 5 years on the National circuit having won gold medals at the senior and junior levels.

"It has taken a great level of commitment in terms of physical, mental and financial abilities," he adds.

Mr. Pais, with 14 years of experience in adventure sports, was exposed to sport climbing in 1998, which led him to begin coaching young children interested in the sport.

It is under his guidance that the team first participated in an international competition at the Asian Championship, Japan, and the Property Invitation Cup in China. Team India, under his tutelage, has also performed consistently on the international circuit for the last 3 years.

"My passion for sport climbing and the frantic approach of the team has made me part with my savings for this particular cause," he says when asked about the funding of the competition.

As the Indian Mountaineering Association and the General Thimmaih National Academy of Adventure, the two institutes that are responsible for nurturing talent at the national and State level, respectively, seem to have put in half-hearted efforts to pursue the sport at the international level, he says.

Mr. Pais says: "It is getting difficult to sustain performance owing to financial pressures and this will change only if we get aid from sponsors and the Government. If not, it is curtains for this wonderful sport."

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