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Veteran athletes hog limelight

Staff Reporter

Orissa Masters' Athlete Association holds one-day meet

GOING STRONG: Senior athletes of the State participating in the 18th athletic meet organised by the Orissa Masters' Athletic Association at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.

BHUBANESWAR: When mind works age does not matter. It was proved when some septuagenarian athletes descended on turf of Kalinga Stadium to take part in the 18th State Master Athlete Meet here on Sunday.

Altogether 293 veteran athletes took part in the one-day meet organised by Orissa Masters' Athlete Association (OMAA). Of the total participants, 86 were women candidates.

Enthusiastic

Despite their growing age, these athletes enthusiastically participated in different categories including long distance running, javelin throw and jumping.

When 71-year-old Sushma Nanda won 1,500 metre race, the excitement on her face was well visible.

She asserts, "when you have determination, nothing is impossible." A national gold medallist in veteran athletic meet, Ms. Nanda had rescheduled her daily chart to make herself fit for any competition.

"I never take autorickshaw and try to cover distance as long as I can by foot. I never felt tired. Call it a god gift or sheer practice," she said.

Similarly, 75-year-old M. Krishnamurthy was seen full of enthusiasm in the meet. The event saw about 12 veterans with age above 70 participating while an octogenarian was also present.

Some of the veterans of veteran athlete meet took it professionally.

Objective

Meet K. Chitra who is nearing her retirement from government job.

"For last 20 years, I have been taking part in the veteran athletes meet. I hope to continue as long as I stay fit," Ms. Chitra, who won first prize in shot-put and discus throw, said.

"We wanted to promote veteran sports in the State. The other objective was to provide these ageing athletes a platform of get together. The practice would stretch the longevity further," OMAA Secretary Santosh Das said.

He said the veterans when took to the ground, they actually inspired younger generation to follow them.

Apart from relatives of participants, crowds in thousands gathered here to watch these veterans performing.

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