Budhia fails to make it in school sports event

Budhia (now six-year-old), who came to the limelight after running a distance of 65 km at one go from Puri to Bhubaneswar in May 2006, could not qualify for the first round of 50-meter race and second round in the one-leg hopping race at the annual sports event of DAV school at Chandrasekharpur, in Bhubaneswar , last week.

Budhia was eldest among his mates in UKG and therefore expected to lift all the trophies, +but he performed very badly+, said one of his classmates.

Budhia, however, was declared as winner in the eat-and-run race which was a fun game.

School principal Keshab Satpathy, however, did not see anything wrong in the child like Budhia failing to make it in 50-meter race or one-leg hopping event.

“Budhia is meant for long run. Therefore he could not make it in short run like 50-meter race,” Satpathy said adding this should not be a parameter for judging ability of a talent like Budhia. He said the boy was doing well in studies.

Budhia Singh who had been staying at the state run Sports hostel here after his mother had differences with his former trainer Biranchi Das, said he was not comfortable with the short distance race.

“I can run a long distance easily. I was never serious to win the event. It was a fun for me,” Budhia said adding that he was getting proper training from the coach at the Sports hostel.

The child’s government appointed coach Arun Das also maintained similar view saying Budhia was physically fit for the race. “But, he does not know the technique of winning short distance runs. He will be soon trained in this department of the athletics,” Das said.

He said though the boy possessed all qualities of becoming an Olympic prospect, Budhia’s actual training would start after he attained 12 years of age.

“Now it is time for the boy for fun and games, not sports,” he said.

Expressing surprise over the boy’s dismal performance at the school sports meet, Budhia’s former trainer Biranchi Das said his ex-disciple might not be in good physical condition.

“I wish Budhia win gold medal in Olympic,” Das said suggesting good training and personal care for the boy for improvement of his both physical and mental growth.