Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

Guntur lad who loves to rule the rink

J. R. Shridharan

Shaik Khaja wins medal in the National Roller Skating Championship held in Mumbai

Shaik Khaja holding up his medal

VIJAYAWADA: For twenty-two-year-old Shaik Khaja of Guntur, skating is not just a passion but also a means of earning his livelihood. This die-hard skater took part in the open National Roller Skating Championship held at Chembur (Mumbai) on April 22 and won a silver medal amid stiff competition from the best of skaters across the country.

"I lost the gold medal to a Maharashtrian skater by quite a distance, but the participation has given me the much-needed exposure," says Khaja, who, apart from taking part in various National and State meets, coaches over 30 young skaters at the rink at Dr. Kondabolu Lakshmi Prasad Public School at Guntur.

Ambitious

Participating in the Quads category, Khaja completed 15 rounds at the 200-metre rink at Mumbai in less than eight minutes to finish second. Incidentally, Khaja also took part in an all-India invitation speed skating championship at Pune in 2004 and finished fourth, both in rink and road events. Armed with a diploma in electronics and instrumentation, Khaja repairs mobile phones as a part-time avocation to meet the travel expenses for the skating events. However, Khaja is dejected, as he says he is not getting support from the Guntur District Roller Skating Association.

"I participate in the national events on my own. My ultimate goal is to participate in the international skating championships representing India. As the rink in Guntur is not up to the mark, I am practising on the National Highway No. 5 to fine-tune my manoeuvring and increase my speed."

High cost

The high cost of the equipment is also a cause of concern for the committed skater. "Quality quads or inline skates range from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 6,000. If trained on proper rinks, the wear and tear of the skates would be less," he says.

Four of Khaja's students -- Anjani Prasad, Sandliya, Sandeep and Vidyasagar -- represented Andhra in the open National roll ball (basketball on wheels) competitions held in Pune recently.

"Quality rink is essential to meet the national and international standards. Barring Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad, we do not have quality rinks in coastal Andhra," he felt.

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