NEW DELHI (India): India’s Minister of State (Independent Charge) Youth Affairs & Sports Kiren Rijiju said on Saturday that he will arrange trials for buffalo jockey Srinivas Gowda whose record-setting performance in a traditional footrace has seen him compared to sprint legend Usain Bolt.
“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,” tweeted Rijiju.
On a track of muddy slush, Gowda ran 142.50m in 13.62 seconds on January 31, setting a record in the traditional buffalo race known as Kambala held every year in southern Karnataka state.
The 28-year-old farmer has since become a sensation after people praised him on social media and compared him to retired Jamaican sprint superstar Bolt, who is the world’s fastest man for his record run of 100m in 9.58 seconds.
Comparing Gowda’s performance with the Jamaican star’s record, commenters have assumed that the farmer would have run 100m in 9.55 seconds, which is 0.03 seconds faster than the Olympian’s feat.
“Just one look at his physique & you know this man is capable of extraordinary athletic feats. Now either @KirenRijiju provides him training as a 100m sprinter or we get Kambala to become an Olympic event. Either way, we want a gold medal for Srinivasa!,” tweeted top Indian industrialist Anand Mahindra.
Rijiju said that authorities have called Gowda to the capital for trials under the country’s best coaches.
“Officials from Sports Authority of India have contacted him. His rail ticket is done and he will reach SAI centre on Monday. I will ensure top national coaches to conduct his trials properly,” Rijiju wrote on Twitter.
However, critics have doubts on his performance, considering the high standards of the Olympics and the help received from the buffaloes, who during the races are lashed together with ropes and outfitted with a plough while a participant matches their speed and controls them.
“I did not think I would run this fast. The buffaloes were quick and I followed them,” Gowda told reporters.
