Bhubaneswar, December 28: A two-day high-performance and sports science workshop for Kho Kho coaches began at the Kalinga Stadium Sports Complex on Monday here.
Being jointly organised by the Sports and Youth Services Department and Odisha Kho Kho Association, the workshop will impart training to at least 33 khokho coaches from 16 districts in the State who aim to imbibe modern scientific training in the sport at the grass roots level.
Odisha has shown impressive forms at national-level tournaments in recent years in khokho, which is being considered for inclusion in the next Asian Games. The state won back-to-back bronze medal in the Khelo India Youth Games in the girls’ U21 category in the last couple of years. At the National Sub-Junior Championship for girls which was held last year in Ranchi, Odisha toppled reigning champion Maharashtra, while the Odisha boys’ team bagged silver medal in the National Sub-Junior Championship as the top honours went to Maharashtra.
Speaking on the occasion, Sports & Youth Services Department (DSYS) Secretary Vishal Kumar Dev lauded the organisers for taking the initiative to promote the indigenous sport which is catching the imagination of the fans at the Khelo India Youth Games and other multi-event games.
He also felicitated the khokho players like Satyajit Singh, and Sasmita Nathsarma, Mandakini Majhi, Subhashree Singh, Madhusmita Ojha and Papu Maradni, for making the State proud by winning medals in national and international levels recently.
Odisha Kho Kho Association president Narayan Patra said, “We are very thrilled that khokho in Odisha is getting a huge boost from the Sports and Youth Services Department. We are confident that this will lead to a lot more success for khokho teams from the State.”
Lt. Colonel A Rajesh (Retd.), who is a certified Exercise Physiologist from the American College of Sport Medicine and Sr. Consultant for High-Performance, is conducting the workshop.
The workshop was being organised adhering to COVID-19 protocol.
