Ganji (rice gruel) for breakfast, fish and chicken for lunch and dinner is the secret diet followed by Kambala jockey Srinivasa Gowda and many others like him including the latest sensation Nishant Shetty.
After Gowda became a star on the internet, another Kambala runner Nishant Shetty has beaten Gowda over 100 metres by 0.04 seconds. In fact, Shetty covered 143m in 13.68 seconds on Sunday, reportedly at the Soorya-Chandra Jodukare Kambala in Venoor while Gowda ran 142.5 meters in 13.62 seconds on February 1 in Kadri.
If calculated for 100m, Srinivas Gowda covered the distance in 9.55 seconds while Nishant Shetty has overtaken the former by completing the same distance in 9.51 seconds.
So how did Srinivasa get those rippling muscles and natural six-pack? It is because he works as a construction worker and add to that, a lot of rigorous training that includes yoga and personality development is what has made Srinivasa Gowda, the Kambala star today.
He tells India Today that fish is a must for him apart from being a staple diet, it has also made him strong and given him a good stamina. A normal Kambala jockey also includes in their daily diet fruits, coconut-based chutneys and food cooked in coconut oil.
But their training does not end here. Professor Gunapala Kadamba from the Kambala Academy says that each and every Kambala jockey needs to understand the animal well. They have to give the buffaloes good oil massages, clean the dung and learn the art of tying the rope which is not very easy.
Running on a slush paddy field is completely different from running on a normal track that Usain Bolt competes in. In Kambala, the heels play an important role whereas it is toes in a track race. So much so that sprinters who have tried their luck in Kambala have failed by tripping at the start of the race. However, the biggest difference here is that without the buffaloes, these speeds would never be achieved.
"I never thought I will run this fast. The main role was by the buffaloes and the owner. He (owner) looked after the buffaloes very well. I believe the buffaloes can run ever faster," Srinivasa Gowda told India Today. Similarly, Nishant Shetty says, "The Buffaloes ran well, so I ran well. Only if the buffaloes run, we can run or we cannot. Buffaloes are the most important in this event. We cannot call it our achievement. I do not think we can be compared with Usain Bolt either."
Professor Kadamba also adds that, one cannot compare Srinivasa Gowda and Usain Bolt as both run in different grounds saying, "We can't compare Usain Bolt to Srinivasa Gowda. Even tomorrow, if Bolt participates in Kambala, he cannot be like Srinivasa Gowda."
Most Kambala jockeys begin practising at an early age to master the art of running with the buffaloes. Gowda began at the age of 15 and has taken part in hundreds of Kambala events in his career as a jockey.
In fact, while growing up, Gowda's family did not own any buffaloes and he would run to his neighbour's home every day after school to play with these animals. It was later on that when people told him that he had strong hands and would do well in Kambala that he joined the Kambala academy.
Sports Authority of India (SAI) is now eagerly watching young Srinivasa and is hoping he will do well in the track trials slated for anytime after March 10.
Link:
Srinivas Gowda reveals the champions' diet which helps him excel in Kambala racing - India Today
