Gymnastics is not a very popular sport in Kozhikode or even in Kerala. Part of the reason is that there are no real gymnastics training facilities in the State to nurture potential talents.
The Kozhikode District Sports Council is now ready to fill this gap by opening a Gymnastics Training Centre in the city. The centre is being opened in association with the Kozhikode Corporation in the hall behind the grand stand pavilion in E.M.S. Corporation stadium. The corporation council having approved the sports council’s proposal on Saturday, the training centre will come up in less than two months, said K.J. Mathai, president, Kozhikode District Sports Council.
The sports council had received ₹1-crore-worth gymnastic equipment as part of the National Games held in the State in 2017. The equipment will be put to use at the training centre. Training will be given by coaches under the sports council.
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“Gymnastic equipment is very expensive, and not many can afford it, hence the lack of a gymnastic training centres in the State,” Mr. Mathai said.
The centre will offer training to children from the age of four. “Flexibility is a necessity for almost all sporting events. But we do not have enough facilities, and we make do with basic exercises,” he said, adding that the training was not just for those who chose gymnastics as their event. There will be a facility for sportspersons to train at the centre, he said.
The training centre will be run by a monitoring committee consisting of Mayor, Deputy Mayor, chairpersons of health and education standing committees, sports council president and a member proposed by the sports council.
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