A team from Secunderabad-based Army Ordnance Corps, comprising Naik Subedar S Dev Kumar and Naik Ramakrishna Rao, is on a mission here to hunt for weightlifters to train them for India.
The duo is on such a mission for the third time.
Five boys, all within the age group of 14, who were selected during physical tests conducted in 2015 and 2016 are undergoing training at Secunderabad now.
Such physical tests were conducted this year also at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Naharlagun and the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) vice president Abrham K Techi, Arunachal Weightlifting Association (AWA) general secretary Daniel Teli, media partner Pradeep Kumar and SAI coach D D Sharma assisted the Army Ordnance Corps team.
Similar physical tests will be carried out at Sangey Lhaden Sports Academy here tomorrow, Techi said, adding they had arrived here at the invitation of AWA.
Services Sports Control Board secretary general, Wing Commander Deepak Ahulwalia, honouring Arunachal Olympic Association's (AOA) request, has consented to send an IAF team in April next for talent hunt, said Techi who is also the secretary general of AOA.
"An Olympic medal will remain a dream for the people of Aruanachal Pradesh since there is neither any weightlifting coach, nor the state government is extending any support despite repeated pleas", Techie said.
The IWF global coaches, during the national championships at Nirjuli in 2011, were impressed with the weightlifters of the state and had pinned all hopes on them for winning Olympic medals for India, Techi said.
The state government should realise that sports associations and unions develop the players, and not the sports department, which fails to utilise government fund for which it is meant, Techi said.
"We have come to a point of no return after winning global and national weightlifting medals. We have to try all possible ways to prove our mettle," Techi said.
The state government is engaged in honouring medal winners trained by army coaches at the initiative of AWA, Techi said.
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