Click to play videoNew Delhi: The Asian Indoor Games in China will see a new event in only its second edition—wall climbing. And India is sending its own contingent to compete at the big stage.
It's this bunch of six not-so-familiar faces who will be doing what they do best at the Asain Indoor Games in China—climb walls. All the hard work, stamina, and team spirit will be put to test at the Games where this event is being held for the very first time.
"We have put in a lot of hard work in the past three months at least, and we have trained them very well on the rocks, especially in Badami in the south. So I think they are ready for it and we will come back with a good result," says Keerthi Pais, India's coach.
And these six players bank on their confidence, the camaraderie they share with each other; their recent success in the Asian Championship, and of course an unequalled passion for the sport.
"My husband and my entire family has supported me throughout. Even my in-laws have encouraged me a lot," says 24-year-old Dasani.
"To give my best over there and get medals for our country," is Prasanth's aim at the Games.
The passion is in place. The big issue assailing this sport, though, is very obviously its popularity. It's only in the last few years that this niche sport has gained some ground. The obvious solutions:
"Apart from that, from the IMF (Indian Mountaneering Foundation) what we are doing is that we are trying to include this sport in the National Games that's going to happen next time," says Keerthi Pais.
"We are trying to have it as a demonstration at least, if not a regular part, but as a demonstration in the Commonwealth Games, so that it will then be easy to get it included in the Olympics," says Harish Mamgain, Manager, Sport Climbing (IMF).
Till then, it's this attitude that the sport itself needs to carry forward in this country: to keep climbing.
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