MANGALURU/SHIVAMOGGA: Kambala jockey Shrinivas Gowda, the toast of Twitter who is drawing comparisons to ace sprinter Usain Bolt, will meet CM BS Yediyurappa in Bengaluru on Monday but ruled out taking part in athletics trials with the Sports Authority of India.
Gowda was celebrated as a potential Olympian after a clip of his race went viral, amid
"I will meet the CM on Monday. I am keen on continuing in kambala," Gowda told TOI. Asked about the clamour for a crossover into athletics, he said, "For the time being I have no plans to appear for SAI trials. I am busy with the Kambala season and will consider meeting them following that and after consulting my well-wishers." The 28-year-old has won 32 medals in 11 kambala events this season so far.
Earlier, state sports minister CT Ravi said in Shivamogga: "The State Athletic Association will assess Gowda and take a call on training him. Rijiju also issued a statement and directed us to check the facts before taking any step." That appears to be off the cards now as kambala season stretches till first week of March and Gowda is set to take part in races every weekend.
On Saturday, the jockey indicated his priority was kambala. "Running in slush and on a regular sports track is different. I have been trained to run on kambala tracks," he had said.
In Video:Kambala racer Srinivasa Gowda steals limelight for his ‘Bolt’ speed
Gowda was celebrated as a potential Olympian after a clip of his race went viral, amid
claims that he had done 100m in 9.55 seconds, against Bolt's record of 9.58
. Union sports minister Kiren Rijiju and SAI said Gowda would appear for trials at SAI's Bengaluru centre on Monday. The government "will do everything to identify sporting talents", Rijiju had tweeted. "I will meet the CM on Monday. I am keen on continuing in kambala," Gowda told TOI. Asked about the clamour for a crossover into athletics, he said, "For the time being I have no plans to appear for SAI trials. I am busy with the Kambala season and will consider meeting them following that and after consulting my well-wishers." The 28-year-old has won 32 medals in 11 kambala events this season so far.
Earlier, state sports minister CT Ravi said in Shivamogga: "The State Athletic Association will assess Gowda and take a call on training him. Rijiju also issued a statement and directed us to check the facts before taking any step." That appears to be off the cards now as kambala season stretches till first week of March and Gowda is set to take part in races every weekend.
On Saturday, the jockey indicated his priority was kambala. "Running in slush and on a regular sports track is different. I have been trained to run on kambala tracks," he had said.
In Video:Kambala racer Srinivasa Gowda steals limelight for his ‘Bolt’ speed
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