Page 24 - Sportability

INSIGHTS FROM PANEL

DISCUSSION

UNDERSTANDING SPORTSPERSONS’
India’s first visually challenged ABILITIES, NEEDS, AND CHALLENGES
paralympian TO FACILITATE AND UPGRADE
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“ वकसी भी चनौती को म आनद क सयाथ THEIR TRAINING REGIMEN: ROLE
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स्ीकयार करतया ह।” OF NATIONAL CENTRE FOR SPORTS
SCIENCE AND RESEARCH
Mr Rishabh Gulati, Managing Editor of NewsX, and
moderator of the discussion first invited Mr Ankur
Dhama to share the experience of his sports journey “Athletes want to use sports sciences
so far. Ankur Dhama, as many may know, is 100 percent to achieve high performance at the
highest possible sporting arena in
blind. Long-distance running is quite difficult and needs the world.”
regular practice. Ankur does roughly 150 km a week of Brigadier Dr Bibhu Kalyan Nayak
running. He always has a guide with him because he Director, National Centre for Sports Science &
is blind. This implies that they train and compete as a Research (NCSSR)
team. Ankur’s coach and guide need to be aware of the
particular difficulties he encounters. Ankur and the When Ankur said that things have changed for better,
guide must be in sync, and the coach has to make sure it was the turn of Brig. Nayak to explain how the
they are well-coordinated and it is very challenging. transformation has occurred as Ankur Dhama was
Ankur, though, takes on problems such as these with treated by Brigadier B.K. Nayak as part of his
joy. He thinks that one should approach challenges with training for the Tokyo Paralympics. Brig. Nayak was
optimism. Although long-distance running is difficult, it in charge of Safdarjung Hospital’s Sports Medicine
increases his stamina and inspires him to keep going. Department back then. Because of the rigorous training,
Ankur was often injured, and Dr Satyapal used to send
When Ankur was five or six years old, he lost his vision. He him to Brig. Nayak for treatment.
then relocated to Delhi to pursue school there. He used to
play with his friends as he studied. He had no idea that Brig. Nayak’s current assignment is to set up the
he would become a long-distance runner at that point. National Centre for Sports Sciences. Ankur and other
Ankur roamed around and played cricket like other kids Indian athletes and para-athletes have special needs,
do. He then met Dr Satyapal ji at Nehru Stadium in 2007– which this institute seeks to document and meet. To
2008. Ankur ran the 500 and 800 meters back then. reduce injuries and improve performance, a strong,
However, Ankur’s ability was steadily increased from domestic sports science support infrastructure has to
800 meters to 1500 meters when Dr Satyapal began to be created.
coach him. Ankur’s endurance increased with age, and
Dr Satyapal pushed him to run 1500 and 5000 meters. Brig. Nayak stressed that knowing physiology, making
sure recovery goes well, delivering the right dietary
Dr Satyapal ji faced challenges as well because Ankur therapies, and providing psychological support are the
needed a training partner for the 5000 meters. There four main pillars on which excellent sports performance
wasn’t much knowledge on guide runners and blind is built. He pointed out that Indian athletes have unique
athletes in 2007–08. There were few amenities, but needs, and it’s important to customize diet and et.al.
things have greatly changed since then. Ankur now to meet their needs rather than adopting western
has official guides, and the amenities are much better. techniques.
Even while there’s still space for development, these
adjustments have enabled him to pursue a career in Though the National Centre for Sports Sciences is still
athletics and motivate others. in its infancy, information on more than 100 para-

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