Skaters from Telangana reap medals

 Telangana | Written by : Suryaa Desk Updated: Sat, Feb 18, 2017, 12:35 PM

Hyderabad Feb  18 : Skaters from Telangana have done it again, reaping a rich haul of six gold, 10 silver, and four bronze medals in the just-concluded Senior National Roller-Skating Championship in Noida.


Above all, the gold medallists — Veda Dundigalla, Vaibhav Bhamidipati (gold in pair and solo dance events), Vanshika Konanki, Kanti Sree and Juhith Chalamacharla — have earned the eligibility for final screening scheduled in May for the world championship to be held in China this August. For silver and bronze medallists like Kairavi Falguni Thakkar, Manish Sivakumar, Eluri Krishna Sai Rahul, Nihal Kopparthi, Gokul Sivakumar and others, it’s a sign of better things to come.


With the two-time bronze medallist in 2010 Asian Games and arguably the India’s best skater now, Anup Kumar Yama, donning the coach’s role, the young talent can bank on his experience and gain the desired confidence to dream big.



Rigorous training



Following the Sport Authority of Telangana starting the first, full-length rink at Gymkhana Ground at Secunderabad, Yama had the liberty to train these skaters not just at his own Yama Skating Academy at Marredpally (which is one-third of the stipulated size of the rink) but also at the new venue to ensure that the results are there for all to see.


Yama, the Arjuna awardee, points out that what separates his training methods from the others is that it’s mandatory for parents to accompany their children for daily practice sessions as they are also given a feel of what it means to mould raw talent into champion performers. “Right now, about 100 skaters are being trained by me. And I am glad at the kind of support the SATS is extending and I am sure we will produce world championship medallists soon,” says Yama.


Interestingly, fitness specialist Senthil monitors not just the physical aspects of the skaters but also the diet that they follow to keep them competition-fit at the highest level.


“Yes, it will not be a bad idea if the rink is covered with a roofing so that the facility can be put to optimum use in all seasons,” Yama feels.