MEDAL HOPE?: Budhia Singh at the programme organised in Guntur on Sunday

GUNTUR: Language was not a barrier for little running-sensation Budhia Singh when he playfully interacted with school children in Guntur on Sunday and expressed his desire to become a great sportsperson.

The four-and-a-half year-old child prodigy from Gautam Nagar Slum of Orissa State Capital Bhubaneswar, who barely had anything to eat, today dreams of a career in long-distance running thanks to his coach Biranchi Das, who first identified his talent.

True to Oriya traditions, Budhia touched the feet of all elders he came across on his first-ever visit to the State and his innocence touched the hearts of children and elders alike.

Playing with the large badge attached his T-shirt at Kanna Concept School, every now and then making sure that his mentor Biranchi was around, he went round shaking hands with children of all age groups.

Unable to believe that this lean and short Budhia could have run 65 km from Puri to Bhubaneswar to etch his name in the Limca Book of Records, curious children wanted to know what he ate, how he practiced.

"I get up at 4 a.m. and perform exercises suggested by my `Sir' and practice running at least till 8 a.m.," said Budhia in Oriya translated into Hindi by his coach.

"I wish to bring name to Orissa, country and my coach by running. I do not feel tired even after running for a long time, as I eat egg, bananas, Chatua, milk and papaya," Budhia told school children answering their questions.

Acharya Nagarjuna University Vice-Chancellor V. Balamohandas, Circle Inspector J. Bhaskar Rao, Bala Bharathi founder Yerram Sambi Reddy and Kanna Educational Institutions founder Kanna Master were present on the occasion.

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