LONDON OLYMPICS OPEX 2012 (III)

            An amount of Rs. 3.95 crore has been spent so far under ‘Operation Excellence for London Olympics 2012’ (OPEX 2012) Scheme for the training of thirty Athletes who have been trained by twenty-six Coaches/ Supporting Staff. The total duration of Camps has been 335 days. This was stated by Shri M. L. Dogra, Director, Athletics Federation of India, in review meeting of the preparation for Olympics, 2012, called by Shri Ajay Maken, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports. Shri Dogra also said that 2012 might certainly prove to be a water-shed year for Indian Athletics as there is big chance of India registering its presence in medal tally in the London Olympic Games.

            In the meeting, Shri Maken emphasised that AFI needs to adopt a futuristic outlook besides focussing intensively on London Olympics Games so that talent pool in the country remains in proper circulation. Seeing to that, the Sports Minister said, more players must be included in the camps so that present strength of 30 (15 Men and 15 Women) is able to touch the sanctioned strength of 47.

            The Director, AFI, also gave the details of training of 8 Athletes currently undergoing training abroad under the aegis of National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) scheme. The details are as follows:

            The AFI Director mentioned that AFI is keeping a close watch on the performances of these athletes vis-a-vis the top athletes of the world so as to be able to make a realistic assessment of India’s chances in Olympics.

            Eight athletes from India have already qualified for London Olympics. They are: Krishna Poonia (Discus throw), Mayookha Johny (Triple Jump & Long Jump), Tinku Luka (800 m), Vikas Gowda (Discus throw), Om Prakash Karhana (Shotput), Ram Singh Yadav (Marathon), Babubhai  Panucha (20 km walk) and Gurmeet Singh (20 km race). AFI Director also stated that at least ten more athletes are likely to qualify for London events.

            The upcoming events for qualification to London Olympics at domestic and international level are as follows:

A. Domestic Qualifying Events

·       Indian Grand Prix at Patiala / New Delhi - 8th & 13th April 2012.

·       Senior Federation Cup at Patiala, 21st to 24th April 2012.

·       Senior National Inter State Meet at Hyderabad, 23rd to 26th June 2012.

B. International Qualifying Events

·         Asian Indoor Athletics Championships, Hangzhou (China) -18^th & 19^th February 2012.

·         IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships, Istanbul (Turkey) - 9^th to 11^th March 2012.

·         Asian Race Walk Championships, Nomi City (Japan) -11^th March 2012.  

·         Asian Grand Prix Meet (3 Legs) Bangkok, Kanchaburi, Nakomratsima (Thailand) - 6^th, 9^th & 13^th May 2012.

·         IAAF Race Walking Cup, Saransk (Russia)- 12^th & 13^th May 2012.

·         IAAF World Combined Events Challenge, Gotzis (Austria) -26^th & 27^th May 2012

·         IAAF Race Walking Challenge, Sestosen Giavanni (Italy)- 17^th June 2012

·         4^thAsian All Stars Athletics Meet Almaty (Kazakhstan) -30^th June to 1^st July 2012.

            For individual athletic events, qualifying standard deadline for London, 2012, is 8^th July 2012. For relays, a team has to be in the best 16 teams of the world till 2^nd July 2012.

            A total of seventeen athletes, three men and fourteen women, were in the Indian contingents in the Beijing Olympics, 2008. However, none of them was able to win any medal. But the high time in Indian Athletic history came during the Commonwealth Games, 2010, held in New Delhi, when India won a total of 12 medals (2 Gold, 3 Silver and 7 Bronze) and during the Asian Games, 2010, held in Guangzhou, China, where India again won 12 medals, this time 5 Gold, 2 Silver and 5 Bronze.

 RM/AJ/RS