Sports training in India needs to be systematic: P T Usha

RAJKOT: Legendary athlete P T Usha today expressed concern at the way sports training has been imparted in Indian schools and said it should be made systematic in order to produce quality players.

"There is no dearth of talent in our country, but we need to make sports training systematic by including sports as a subject in schools and encourage children for taking up sports. It will help us in producing quality players," Usha told reporters.

The former sprinter was in the city to take part in a talent hunt programme organised by Sports Authority of Gujarat. The Gujarat government had signed an MoU with Usha School of Athletics.

"Nearly 300 children from the city took part in the talent identification test and 12 of them were shortlisted for the next round of selection," she said.

Similar talent hunt would be held in Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara on November 11, 12 and 13 respectively, she added.

The selected children would be given training by Usha at Vadodara's Manjalpur Athletics Academy.