An initiative to strengthen the sport of athletics
New Delhi.
GAIL (India) Limited has embarked on a grassroots athletics
program GAIL-Indian Speedstar which is aimed at unearthing young talent across
the length and breadth of India. GAIL (India) Limited and National Yuva
Cooperative Society (NYCS), launched a grassroots athletics program GAIL Indian
Speedstar on the 22nd of March, 2016 at the Constitution Club of India, New
Delhi.
National Yuva Cooperative Society has tied up with Anglian
Medal Hunt Company as its Technical Partner for The GAIL Indian Speedstar
project. The persisting, epoch-making attempt before - focused grassroots
program aims to create a pool of athletes with knack which will possibly bring
honor for India in track events at the highest echelon of sporting events - the
Olympics 2020/2024.
The reason to launch this program is to identify, select and
nurture the hidden talent in athletes. The targeted age group is 11 - 17 years
in 100m, 200m and 800m track events across.
A panel of eminent sportspersons like P.T Usha, Rachita
Mistry, AnuradhaBiswal& Kavita Raut have been appointed in the selection
committee to support selections and guide coaching camps. As members of the
selection committee their role would include creating the selection criteria or
the GAIL-Indian Speedstar program, and developing the training plan and module
for the selected athletes at the National Level.
‘Legendary athlete P.T. Usha launched the initiative
alongside the organizers DrAshutoshKarnatak,
Director (Projects), GAIL (India) Ltd, Rajesh Pande –
President, National Yuva Cooperative Society Ltd (NYCS) and Maneesh Bahuguna-
CEO, Anglian Medal Hunt Company.
District trials were conducted under the watchful eyes of
coaches and selectors, appointed by the selection committee. The selection of
the athletes was based on talent identification and selection criteria set by
the selection committee.
Initiatory, in its first year, earlier this year with
initial trials conducted at 55 districts across 10 states in which more than
25,000 children participated out of which 850 children made it to the State
level
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon. Minister of State (I/C)
Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dutee Chand, AnuradhaBiswal and Purnima Hembram;
selected ambitious young athletes from Bhubaneswar, Odisha. 14 children have
qualified for the National level trials while Shri Dharmendra Pradhan ji,
praised and motivated the selected candidates for National level trials Camp and Selection. The first State level camp and trial was
organized on 27-28th of February in SawaiMaan Singh Stadium, Jaipur where 60
boys and girls participated out of which 4 have qualified for the next level.
The state trials were
held in Odisha (14 Selection),
Delhi (28 Selection), Kerala (28 Selection) & Jharkhand(4 Selection)followed by Maharashtra and Gujarat in the last week of April.
The shortlisted children from the State trials
will then participate in the National camp and selection which is scheduled to
be held in May 2016 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi. Shortlisted
athletes from state trials will attend an intensive national level camp. At the
conclusion of the coaching camp, final trials will be held. Winners will be
selected based on the qualification criteria and their potential. The winners
will be given extensive training throughout the year. The top 9 athletes will
then be provided with a world class coaching for over a period of 5 years with
an ultimate objective of one of these athletes to represent India at the
Olympics.
For more information on Gail-Indian Speedstar please visit http://www.gailindianspeedstar.org
