Two-day sports conclave to train athletes for Olympics begins in Mizoram
Aizawl: A two-day Mizoram sports conclave to prepare athletes and sports persons from Mizoram to participate and represent the country in the Olympics began in Aizawl on Thursday.
The event was inaugurated by Chief Minister Lalduhoma at Baptist Centre in Aizawl’s Falkland area.
It is the first national-level sports conclave being hosted by Mizoram with a vision of developing world-class athletes to excel for India in the 2036 Olympics, officials said.
Speaking on the occasion, Lalduhoma said that the event marked the beginning of the state's journey towards a shared dream of seeing Mizoram and India shine on the global stage at the Olympics in 2036.
The conclave is dedicated to nurturing world-class athletes who will bring laurels for India in the Olympics, he said.
Keeping the vision to prepare athletes to win medals in the Olympics, Mizoram has been actively implementing grassroots programs across various Olympic sports disciplines to identify and nurture young talents, the chief minister said.
He added that the state has been focusing on infrastructure development and aligning its policies with the vision 2036 Olympics.
Lalduhoma said that his government would take steps to adopt “Vision 2036 Olympics” as a state government policy.
“Despite the state government’s limited budget and lack of resources, we will leave no stone unturned to ensure that our athletes have access to state-of-the-art infrastructures to train and augment their development,” he said.
He said that the state government is also planning to conduct a state-wide coaching programme for young athletes that will double as a talent identification programme.
Sports minister Lalnghinglova Hmar in his keynote address said that the sports conclave is envisioned to bring much-needed attention to sports development and train athletes, with a special focus on the development of 8-15 year olds youths who will be positioned to hit their prime physical condition by 2036.
He said that the conclave will serve as a platform for key stakeholders to voice their opinions and share expertise, thereby inspiring the development of world-class facilities and promoting the growth of future athletes in the state through lively and meaningful discourse.
“Our first priority is to find and nurture talented athletes from all over Mizoram. Our state is brimming with young athletes with the potential to succeed in sports,” he said.
The sports minister said they are devising a programme under the state government's flagship programme- the handholding policy (Ban-a kaih) to provide basic coaching to potential athletes in every village
The programme, to be run in Public-Private Partnership mode will also double as a talent search network system to identify and develop athletes with Olympic-level potentials, who will be provided advanced coaching and a platform to compete consistently, ensuring that our athletes have a strong foundation from an early stage, he said.
Olympic sports disciplines will be given priority in the implementation of the programme, he said.
Hmar said that the state government welcomes partnerships and collaborations for the construction of modern stadiums, sports complexes and training facilities in the state
It also seeks to build a strong network of partners, including national and international sports organizations, the Indian Olympic Association, government agencies and corporates, he said.
The event was attended by Assam sports minister Nandita Garlosa, Meghalaya sports minister Shakliar Warjri, Indian Olympic Association CEO and AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, important officials and representatives from different sports associations and promotion organisations.