A state-of-the-art sports science centre in Kalinga Stadium was inaugurated by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday.
The comprehensive facility has been created to support sportspersons and para-sportspersons by leveraging sports science and technology. It will serve as a centre for aiding in the rehabilitation, recovery, and improvement of local sports talent and elite athletes from all over India.
India’s first individual Olympic gold medalist, Abhinav Bindra, highlighted the importance of the initiative. He said, “This is an excellent facility, and I believe sports science is the edge that athletes need to thrive at a global level. All global sporting superpowers incorporate sports science at all levels, right from talent identification to elite athlete training.
Odisha’s Sports Science Centre will support athletes and para-athletes, leveraging sports science and technology. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“I wish I had the opportunity during my career to access the wonderful technology and expertise available here. I am sure it would have helped me perform even better.”
The Sports Science Centre houses specialised labs, including a para-athlete performance lab, a biomechanics lab, an altitude training chamber, cryotherapy, and flotation therapy. Bindra lauded the para-athlete performance lab and reiterated its significance.
“Sport is something that champions inclusivity and gender equality. It is marvellous to see how Odisha is using sport to imbibe these values in society. I haven’t personally seen a state-of-the-art para-training facility anywhere in the world. The entire facility is very thought-through, inclusive, and accessible in nature. It is also inspiring to see the number of young girls from Odisha who have taken up sports,” he said.
While the integration of sports science has become a tenet of Odisha’s sport model, Bindra appreciated the changing approach to sport in the state, saying, “Odisha is making a commendable effort to change the thought process around sports performance and embed sports science and technology, not just at the elite level, but at the grassroots level.”
The rifle shooting great further added that the focus on sports science is already starting to show with Odisha athletes. “I had the pleasure of interacting with a few young athletes from Odisha, and they were asking interesting questions that were scientific and performance-related; even I did not think like that when I was an athlete. It was very heartwarming.”
The centre houses para-athlete performance lab, biomechanics lab, altitude chamber, cryotherapy and flotation therapy. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
On the long-term implications of the Sports Science Centre at the Kalinga Stadium for sports in India, Bindra remarked, “Sports results take time, but I’m happy to see Odisha is on the path to developing many champions going forward. The entire ecosystem is incredible; you walk in here and are taken to another world. The facility intends to improve the performance of athletes in Odisha, but at the end of the day, we are one nation. It is about Indian sports and giving our athletes the best opportunities.”
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