Village games, Not Olympics, More Important for this Youth

The village game of Kambala, which involves running with a raging bull in muddy and slushy farm lands is fast turning out to be a breeding ground for international-standard runners. After Srinivasa Godwda, who completed Kambala race faster than Usain Bolt, who is the fastest runner in the world, another sprinter Nishant Shetty, completed the race faster than Gowda. If their run is compared to Usain, they are surely running faster.

It is a mystery as to how these runners remained out of the limelight and how their sprinting prowess was unrecognised. Now, the Union Sports Ministry is trying to bring them to Patiala and give them the needed training so that they can compete in the international athletics events. However, Srinivas Gowda says he is not interested in running in international meets. He says that running in Kambala events is more important for him rather than the international outings. He said that he would thing of the international events only after completing the Kambala events. He said he would need another month's time to come to the trials in Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, Karnataka CM Yediyurappa hasgiven a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh in recognition of his extraordinary feat.