Centre that produced 37 International judokas awaits new mat

The Shaheed Bhagat Singh Centre has been pushed into an existential crisis because the mat there has outlived its utility, following which it has been rendered ‘hors de combat’ as far as imparting training goes. The centre has produced 37 international judokas, including an Olympian, and more than a hundred national players so far. No other centre in the country has rolled out such impressive results.

Coaches and players alike are convinced that the time has come to replace the synthetic surface because “everything has an expiry date”. If it is not replaced, techniques may develop irrevocable faults and injuries may become order of the day, bringing a bad name for the centre.

Every morning, young trainees subtly put tape on parts of the worn-out mat in a gentle, circular motion. Later, it is sewn and stitched from the edges and corners to ensure that training goes on for the day. The next day, an encore is done.

The centre is indeed a goldmine. Judokas here include medal winners and participants of the Olympics, World Judo Championships, Asian Games and championships, Commonwealth Games and championships, World Police Games and the World University Games. This is apart from international grand-prix meets.

Minutes after Karamjit Singh Maan had won a gold medal in the World Police Games at Birmingham in Alabama in the US last week, he was surrounded by a horde of TV reporters. Maan was asked about his future plans. He replied, “The first thing I intend to do is to collect funds so that my Gurdaspur centre can get a new mat. I assure everyone standing here, if we have a new surface, a small city like Gurdaspur can produce at least two judo Olympians for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.” His words were spoken with conviction.

Like Maan, Punjab Police inspector Rajwinder Kaur, too, won a gold medal in the Birmingham games. She used to train here before shifting to PAP, Jalandhar. “We need a new surface which will provide better impact protection and have adequate shock absorption,” she said.

Coach Amarjit Shastri says, “Judo is a game for players hailing from middle class families. A majority of our trainees are actually impoverished and live in poverty. Hence, asking players to dole out money is simply out of question. A new mat costs Rs 12 lakh. I have been writing regularly to the state Sports Department, but have yet to receive a reply. My next step is to tap private channels,” he said.

Coach Shastri is now running from pillar to post to collect the requisite amount. If he does, the centre will continue to be a conveyor belt of producing top class judokas. If he does not, it will be left facing an existential crisis.

Amritsar