Set up with the aim to become the nursery of Indian Olympic prospects, the Army Sports Institute (ASI) here has just 10 representations among the 158-member strong Indian contingent at the Commonwealth Youth Games which started today.
Strange as it may sound, the ASI, which officially came into being in September 2005 with motto “To Win Olympic Medals for India and We Will” does not have representations in athletics, in which India fielded the maximum — 55 athletes.
It has six boxers, three weightlifters and one wrestler in the Indian contingent.
The CYG, which is the “trial games” for the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, offers a platform to the future prospects for India but the poor representation from ASI, which has set eyes on 2012 London Olympics, might sound surprising.
But ASI commandant Col. Satpal Ahlawat chose to differ.
According to him, their junior athletics programme only began in July 2006. “We picked the juniors, in the age group of below 14 years, only in July 2006. So we did not have the boys in that particular age group of 18 as stipulated by the Games federation… By next year, our boys will graduate to that category,” Ahlawat told PTI.
“Our representation may be less but all the boys we have fielded are good medal prospects. You can at least hope for four to five gold medals from them. T. Nanao Singh (48kg) is a definite prospect for a gold in boxing … In wrestling, Ajit Patil (42kg) is favourite as I don’t think there would be much competition for him in his light weight category…” “Yukar Sibi (62kg) and Anupdeo Toppo (77kg) start favourites in weightlifting … I expect all of our athletes to come out with medals,” Ahlawat added.
