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A winning strategy
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A scientific approach and a sustained training programme is all that is needed to improve India's dismal performance in the Olympics, experts tell Rayan Rozario
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TRAINING For the gold Photos: M. Periasamy
`Maybe four years from now.' `Maybe eight.' This is the litany we hear from concerned officials about India's prospects for medals at the Olympic Games. Why is it that India, despite its vast human resources, finds it so hard to win medals at the big Games?
Some point their fingers at poor training methods, while others attribute it to the unscientific methods of spotting talent. May be, may be not but it is indisputable that both talent identification and training play a key role in shaping quality stars.
Classic cases
If China is a force to reckon with in athletics it is because of its superior training methods. The Chinese run an equivalent of 20 marathons a month or more than 240kms each week and that too at high altitudes.
A disciplined lot
Also, discipline is rated very high.
The Chinese coaches forbid their trainees from putting on makeup, keeping long hair or wearing clothes other than sportswear. Take the case of the Indonesians.
They are great badminton players mainly because they train five hours a day and six days a week. To relax on weekends, they are allowed to watch videotapes of past tournaments. The players don't earn the privilege of this intense life easily. They need to have the talent and the dedication.
Even Vietnam, isolated from much of the world politically and economically, has been preparing for the Games for years together and has adopted a pragmatic approach. It has also restored its entire sporting programme that was once ignored because of other priorities.
What about India? It's a country with a large pool of physical talent but when it comes to winning medals it finds it difficult.
National seminar
<167,0.3m,1>Our Prime Minister only recently raised the hopes of bringing the Olympics to India in 2016.
Before that happens, something seriously has to be done to save some face.
Bearing this in mind, the Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya Maruthi College of Physical Education in the city organised a national seminar on Multi Dimensional Approach for Excellence in Sports in India - Talent Identification.
The three-day seminar sponsored by the UGC saw about 30 coaches, 100 physical education teachers from schools in and around the State, lecturers in physical education, physical directors and directress of various colleges and 500 students taking part.
Also present were leading sports scientists, research scholars and sports administrators.
Experts in the field discussed the various physical, anthropometrical (measuring body parts), lab and skill-oriented tests. The new tests that were found to be good also came up for discussion.
Former international high jumper Nalluswami Annavi dwelt on `Jumps' (the triple, high and long jumps), while Asian Games medallist A. Rajan spoke about the Seven `S' - Structure, Strength, Stamina, Speed, Supplement, Skills and Self belief.
He also explained the various factors that determine talent. D. Radhakrishnan Nair, coach, Throwers Academy, suggested useful tests for throwers. Volleyball coach and Arjuna Awardee G.E. Sridharan emphasised on the right way of identifying talent and providing training. Every one wanted more comprehensive test procedures in identifying talents.
The Vidyalaya has been doing a good job of tapping talent.
Rural talent
Recently, as part of its Golden Jubilee celebrations, the Vidyalaya under the guidance of Swami Anuragananda Maharaj and Dr S. Alagesan, conducted a talent identification and training programme for children studying in classes six and seven in rural schools in and around the Coimbatore and Tirupur educational district.
The programme was divided into three phases.
As a first step, about 100 students and seven staff members of the College conducted field trials for about 15000 boys from nearly 150 schools situated in rural areas.
At the next stage, about 150 boys were short listed for volleyball, basketball, football and athletics.
The selected boys were provided three weeks' intensive coaching and were provided with free board and lodging.
If more schools and colleges came up with innovative schemes every school or college comes up with something special then India could really turn things around.
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