Published 16:04 IST, February 15th 2020
Kambala 'Buffalo' racer elicits hilarious Anand Mahindra ultimatum for Kiren Rijiju
Anand Mahindra took notice of Kambala jockey Srinivasa Gowda who has been compared to Usain Bolt and suggested a quirky way of getting him an Olympic gold medal
- India News
- 3 min read
Karnataka villager and Kambala jockey, Srinivasa Gowda became an overnight sensation after his dream sprint which has drawn comparisons with Usain Bolt's 100m World Record. Several personalities have hailed the 28-year-old's athletics as he covered 142.5m in just 13.62 seconds in the traditional buffalo race of Karnataka. Now, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra took notice of Srinivasa Gowda and suggested a quirky way of getting him an Olympic gold medal.
Taking to Twitter on Saturday, Anand Mahindra hailed Gowda as he said that just one look at Gowda's physique and you know the man is capable of extraordinary athletic feats. Mahindra then suggested that either Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju provides the Karnataka man with training for Olympics or we get Kambala to become an Olympic event.
Gowda sprints 100m in 9.55 seconds
28-year-old Srinivasa Gowda, hailing from Moodabidri in Dakshina Kannada district covered 142.5 meters in just 13.62 seconds in the traditional buffalo race of Karnataka. Gowda's swift sprint makes him the fastest runner in the history of the traditional sport breaking a 30-year-old record.
Gowda's sprint has been compared with Usain Bolt's world record. Gowda ran 142.50 meters in 13.62 seconds, people simply calculated what his speed would have been for 100 meters which turns out to be just 9.55 seconds that is .03 seconds faster than Bolt’s world record. However, the records cannot be compared directly as Bolt ran on a flat track while Gowda sprinted in a slushy field, which can be a speed deterrent. Also, the 28-year-old ran alongside a pair of buffaloes, and clearly benefited from a tug.
Kambala Race
Kambala is an annual buffalo race held in Karnataka between November and March. It is a traditional and entertaining sport where buffaloes are driven by a whip-lashing farmer in a slushy paddy field. The annual event draws large crowds and even the participants train hard with some building exclusive pools for the buffaloes to train in.
Updated 16:04 IST, February 15th 2020
