Taking Sports Climbing to International Level, Odisha Sets Up High Performance Centre
Total Views |
Bhubaneshwar, July 25: Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) in collaboration with Sports and Youth Services Department of Odisha has set up a High Performance Centre (HPC) at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar in a bid to take sport climbing to international level.
IMF Director M. P. Yadav said, “Sport climbing is now an Olympic discipline and will debut in 2020 in Tokyo. With this in mind, the IMF has planned a detailed road map to spread awareness on the sport and identify athletes at an early age.”
Odisha Sports Dept. has informed that the centre, set up earlier this month, will take off with the first batch training in sport climbing slated to begin from tomorrow. Registration for the first batch of trainees in the age group of 10 to 16 is in progress. Registration has started at 10 AM on 18 July 2019 at Climbing wall site, North Stand, Hockey Complex, Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar which is free of cost. IMF also plans to build an Indian team for international level competitions.
“Sport climbing has always lacked infrastructure of international standard and proper coaches. Odisha Government has set up speed, lead and bouldering walls for climbing, which is one of the best in the country. IMF will provide competent coaches to train the future generation athletes,” said Yadav.
Yadav further ensured that there is no dearth of talent in the State, particularly in the tribal districts which have many potential athletes and the government is devising a long-term plan to train a climbing team from the State, for which it will be on a talent-hunt spree.
“To make use of facilities here, IMF plans to get national teams for their advanced training before taking part in various international competitions. After inclusion of climbing sports in the Olympic Games, many young players have evinced interest in the sport. In the recently concluded open national meet, more than 200 climbers joined,” Yadav added.
Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) is the apex national body for mountaineering and allied sports. It was initially formed as the 'Sponsoring Committee of the Cho Oyu Expedition' and later transformed into the IMF on 5th January, 1961. IMF supports, promotes and regulates national and international climbing and mountaineering in India and is affiliated to the UIAA (International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation). IMF is also the regulatory body for the competitive Olympic sport of Sport Climbing and is affiliated to the IFSC (International Federation of Sport Climbing). IMF is also engaged in mountain protection work, knowledge building and creating awareness of the Indian Himalaya.