Vikas has bright future in store, says coach

If throwing coach of the University of North Carolina, USA, is to be believed, then India’s Vikas Godwa has bright future. The universi...

If throwing coach of the University of North Carolina, USA, is to be believed, then India’s Vikas Godwa has bright future. The university coach—Brian Blutreich, who has been supervising Vikas’s training for the past couple of years, also believes that the Indian born thrower is still not prepared for the International competitions.

“He still has some baby fat around his waist and is in the process of gaining international experience,” observes Brian.

Though the coach has predicted bright future, he didn’t say whether Vikas, who missed the final round of the men’s discus throw event by nearly half-a-metre during the world athletics meet held recently in Helsinki, would be among the medallists during the next Olympic Games.

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The coach said: “Vikas is very young. He started training seriously for athletics in high school only. But the fact he has recorded throws close to 65-metre mark, shows that he has potential.”

The coach is also of the view that once Vikas gets his university degree—there is still one year left, he would be a force to reckon at least at the continental level. “I think he will eventually break the Asian record in the discus.

He would also be consistent medallist in the Asian championships,” opines the coach. This to some extend, Vikas has proved his coach right. With a throw of 62 plus he grabbed silver medal in the ongoing Asian Championship being held at Korea. Regarding the Olympic Games and the world championships, the coach said: “So far he has been good competitor at the international level. As for Olympic Games, it’s too early to predict. It all will depends on training,” the coach said of Vikas’s prospects in the 2008 Beijing Games.

This summer, during the NCAA competition, the USA based Indian thrower with his brilliant performance helped his university gain top notch in the inter collegiate competition. Prior to the Helsinki meet, Vikas performance of 64 plus, also ranked him among the top 50 competitors of the world, a feat which is rarely accomplished by an Indian athlete.

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The other Indian to have figured among the top athletes was Anju Bobby George.

After the Asian championship, Vikas main focus would be coming indoor NCAA season.

His training might force him to skip the next Commonwealth Games. However, both are looking forward to the 2006 Asian Games. By the next December, according to the coach, Vikas would be both mentally and physically fit.