Indian buffalo racer grabs sports minister’s attention: Will call Srinivas Gowda for SAI trials

[Kool_SRG]

Sports minister Kiren Rijiju has offered support to Srinivas Gowda, who is being compared to decorated Olympian Usain Bolt, after the Karnataka man came up with a record-breaking run at a Kambala racing event in Karnataka.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Srinivas Gowda played down comparisons to Usain Bolt
• Srinivas broke Kambala racing record after completing 142m race in just 13.42s
• I'll ensure that no talents in India are left out untested: Kiren Rijiju

 

Srinivas Gowda, a Kambala jockey from Karnataka, is all set to get an opportunity to meet 'top' Sports Authority of India coaches after his record-breaking run at a Kambala racing event earlier this month.

Srinivas Gowda shot to fame after it came to light that the 28-year-old man had broken the record for the fastest run in Kambala, a sport from Karnataka where farmers sprint with a pair of buffaloes on slush tracks.

Srinivas Gowda reportedly completed the 142m race in just 13.42s, setting a new record in the traditional sport of Karnataka.

Srinivas Gowda, who is a part-time construction worker, was soon compared to sprint great Usain Bolt on social media. A section of users calculated that Srinivas would have completed a 100m race in 9.55s, which is 0.03s faster than Usain Bolt's 100m world record.

Responding to the buzz on social media, Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, said he will invite Srinivas Gowda for trials by top SAI coaches.

"I will call Srinivasa Gowda for trials by top SAI Coaches. There's a lack of knowledge in masses abt standards of Olympics, especially in athletics where ultimate human strength and endurance are surpassed.I'll ensure that no talents in India are left out untested," Kiren Rijiju was quoted as saying by ANI news agency.

 

Srinivas on comparisons to Bolt

Meanwhile, Srinivas Gowda played down the comparisons to Usain Bolt. "People are comparing me to Usain Bolt. He is a world champion, I am only running in a slushy paddy field," the Karnataka Kambala jockey said.

This is not the first time Kiren Rijiju has assured support to athletes after their social media clips went viral. Last year, the sports minister invited a Madhya Pradesh man, Rameshwar Singh after a video of him completing a 100m race on barefoot in 11s went viral.

[Kool_SRG]

 

[Kool_SRG]

Karnataka's Buffalo Racer Compared To Usain Bolt. What He Said

Srinivasa Gowda, from Moodabidri in Karnataka, has now been called for trials by the Sports Ministry.

New Delhi: 

Having been compared to the world's fastest man, Usain Bolt, after running at a record speed during a traditional buffalo race, this Karnataka man is nothing but modest.

Srinivasa Gowda recently ran 142.5 meters in 13.62 seconds during the buffalo race Kambala in a paddy field in Mangalore's Kadri after which a video clip of his performance went viral leaving social media users in awe.

"People are comparing me to Usain Bolt. He is a world champion, I am only running in a slushy paddy field," he said after a Twitter post pointed out that his timing was faster than international athlete Usain Bolt, who currently holds the world record in the 100-metre race at 9.58 seconds.

Mr Gowda can be seen running barefoot alongside two buffalo in a muddy field filled with water while competing in Kambala.

Kambala is an annual buffalo race held in Karnataka. Traditionally, it is sponsored by local Tuluva landlords and households in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. Participants sprint through a field, which is normally either 132m or 142m, with two buffalo that are tethered together.

Mr Gowda, from Moodabidri in Karnataka, has now been called for trials by the Sports Ministry.

"I'll call Karnataka's Srinivasa Gowda for trials by top SAI Coaches. There's lack of knowledge in masses about the standards of Olympics especially in athletics where ultimate human strength & endurance are surpassed. I'll ensure that no talents in India is left out untested," Union Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted today.

Mr Rijiju said the man will reach the SAI centre on Monday. "I will ensure top national coaches to conduct his trials properly," he added.

In the past, the Kambala sport has attracted strong criticism from animal rights groups. The PETA had earlier approached the Karnataka High Court alleging Kambala involves cruelty to animals. The high court agreed and banned the sport, which led to mass outrage. However, soon after, the state government passed an ordinance or executive order to allow it, subject to some conditions.

[Kool_SRG]

 

[Agnes]

I used to think Rijiju is a smart man. Ofcourse I was 20 then. 

 

[Kool_SRG]

 

[Kool_SRG]

 

[Kool_SRG]

Its a big question mark how he can emulate the performance on a track where he has to run with shoes on but this raw talent isn't used it... 

Should be given a try and see how it goes.