We should learn from the Chinese — Gopi

Hyderabad, March 18: Four-time National champion Pullela Gopi Chand has favoured a China-like system of shaping and promoting sports talen...

Hyderabad, March 18: Four-time National champion Pullela Gopi Chand has favoured a China-like system of shaping and promoting sports talent.

The National badminton champion appreciated the efforts of Prakash Padukone who has made sustained efforts to promote the game in the country. “The advent of academies, like the BPL in Bangalore, has come a long way in helping the player in honing their skill. But more such academies should come up and sponsors should come forward in helping the game. The money should be spent on right people and then you will see the change. Players should take sport as a career. There should be more professionalism,” he said.

He added ever since Padukone had taken over, “The players’ voice has been heard. Things have changed for good.”

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Gopi Chand said emphasis should be given at the sub-junior and junior level. “Proper care should be given at this stage so that the players are properly moulded and prepared for higher level of competition.”

Gopi Chand, who helped India to qualify for the main draw of the Thomas Cup in New Delhi recently, said foreign coaches training Indians should be a continuous process. The coach has to have a say and should be retained for a period of time. “The foreign coaches will be more useful to help our doubles combination, mainly to guide them in physical part of the training.”

Gopi Chand, presently ranked 26th in the world, had to miss the All-England and French Opens because of illness. He had suffered from a bout of typhoid and has recovered now. He will be fit in a couple of days. Gopi Chand felt that gap between top ranked players in the world and the Indians is marginal. “We match them in stamina and skill. I think what we lack is the speed and a bit of aggressiveness. But a couple of players are really coming up though it is still a long way to match the Chinese and Indonesians,” said Gopi Chand, whose priority apart from Thomas Cup, is the Sydney Olympics.

He felt he needed to sharpen his strokeplay and mental aspect of the game. “My strength of the game is in my attacking ability.”

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Expressing his gratitude to his parents and national coach Mohammed Arif, Gopi Chand said, “Arif Sir helped me during the initial stages of my career, inculcating a sense of discipline and hard work.”