Athletes aren't born, they're scientifically made here
Chennai: Hailing from a poor family in Thanjavur, 28-year-old Rosy Meena Paulraj, a national gold medallist in pole vault in 2022 with 4.2m and bronze medallist in the Asian Games, struggled to keep her aspirations alive for the Olympics.
Rehabilitation, training, and nutritional support were simply unaffordable in private centres.
Her Olympic dream got a fresh lease of life as the Tamil Nadu govt launched a cutting-edge Sports Science Centre — the first of its kind in the state — in the heart of the city to sculpt world-class athletes through science and precision.
Inaugurated a month ago by sports minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, the 3-crore facility set up by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) is already attracting medal-winning athletes like Rosy.
Located at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the centre offers everything under one roof: biomechanics analysis, reflex calculator, sprint training with automated timers on 40-metre tracks, and cryotherapy (ice/heat) rehab. It also offers massage therapy, sports nutrition, ball and rubber balancing, and psychological counselling, with over ten staff members taking on different roles.
Around 25 athletes train here daily in disciplines ranging from fencing and kite surfing to javelin and pole vault, apart from sprint.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed!
IC Markets
Start Now
Undo
"For pole vault, the initial run and body posture are key. In this centre, the real-time camera helps with identifying delays in the initial thrust. The coach here helps me correct it," said Rosy, who trains here every evening at 4 pm. She also receives strength training and cardio here.
As it is located right in the Nehru Stadium, athletes can stay in the hostel to train whenever they want.
Nineteen-year-old P Aravindhan, who participated in the World Fencing Championship, said he is training here to recover from a knee injury.
"They do cryotherapy, generating ice through the machine. Apart from this, balancing training and rope strength training are also done. The facility helps in overall improvement," he said.
The centre is free for international, national, and state event athletes who are in the high-performance category. The rest need to pay up to Rs 5,000 for 10 sessions.
Saju Joseph, manager of the centre, said recovery is an important factor in sports, apart from training.
"We study injury patterns and provide not just corrective treatment but also identify the cause. If athletes are wrong in posture, it could hurt a certain muscle. Hence, we correct the posture," he said, adding that injury recovery involves massage training. "We have psychologists to understand why some athletes have a delay in initial thrust during a sprint when the gun shoots, and relieve related anxiety," he said.
In this centre, nutritionists also provide food suggestions to help athletes reduce carbs and improve protein intake. "TN athletes at home naturally consume idly, dosa, poori, or pongal as breakfast. This doesn't have any protein. We recommend small changes with the addition of chickpeas, soya, chicken, egg, and beef, which could increase protein intake and strength. We also follow it up in this centre every day when they come," said J Lavanya, sports nutritionist at the centre.
Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with
Brother's Day wishes
,
messages
and quotes !
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
25 minutes ago
- Time of India
'It's such a meritocracy': Tom Brady throws shade at NFL draft system while defending Shedeur Sanders
Tom Brady speaks on Shedeur Sanders' situation with the Browns (Getty Images) NFL icon Tom Brady offered advice and encouragement to Shedeur Sanders after his fifth-round NFL Draft selection by the Cleveland Browns, drawing parallels to his own overlooked draft position. Brady emphasized that meritocracy in the NFL allows any player to succeed regardless of draft spot. Tom Brady sends powerful message to Shedeur Sanders Following his selection by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the NFL Draft at pick number 144, Shedeur Sanders received significant encouragement from legendary quarterback Tom Brady. Sanders' draft position, while not a complete surprise, echoes the journey of many highly successful athletes who were not initially top picks. Tom Brady himself, a seven-time Super Bowl champion and three-time NFL MVP, was chosen much later in the 2000 Draft, as the 199th overall selection in the sixth round by the New England Patriots. Shedeur Sanders (Image via AP) Drawing upon his personal path, Brady addressed the drafting of "Coach Prime"'s son in a video shared by @bleacherreport, offering him valuable guidance. Brady stated, "Regardless of where you're picked, everyone's got the opportunity to be their best and show up, and I think the great thing about the NFL is it's such a meritocracy. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Fungo nas unhas: veja o novo método que elimina rapidamente Acabe com o Fungo Undo If you play well, you're going to get the opportunities to get a chance to go out there on the field and play and perform well". Brady further expressed his confidence in Shedeur's future with the Cleveland Browns, affirming, "I know he'll be ready for that moment whenever it happens. I'm very excited to watch him get out there. I've known him a long time and am proud of the young man that he is. I know he'll take advantage of whatever opportunities come his way." The Cleveland Browns face a complex quarterback dilemma under head coach Kevin Stefanski. With five players vying for the starting spot and no clear frontrunner, Stefanski's decision is paramount. The competition is especially critical given last season's challenges, where star signal-caller Deshaun Watson suffered an Achilles tendon injury, sidelining him for a considerable part of the year. This situation sets the stage for a compelling battle for QB1. In week two of organized team activities, Joe Flacco, 40 years old , is making a strong push to be the starting quarterback. Kenny Pickett, 26, also aims to solidify his position as the team's long-term signal-caller. Also Read: Tom Brady panicked over Gisele Bündchen's reaction over ubderaged son's wild night with Snoop Dogg New additions Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders have joined the quarterback competition. All are dedicated to earning the confidence of Coach Stefanski and the fanbase, striving to boost team performance and achieve success.
Time of India
25 minutes ago
- Time of India
LeBron James and his sons look all chilled out as they enjoy Maui vacation together
LeBron James and his sons look all chilled out as they enjoy Maui vacation together (Image Credit: Getty Images) LeBron James and his sons, Bryce and Bronny, could not escape the camera and got spotted chilling out during their vacation in Maui. The trio was completely in holiday mood and was seen roaming around by fans. James is serving rejuvenation goals with his latest picture clicked in Mauvi. The fans were also amused by the picture and shared their thoughts about it. LeBron James heads out to Maui with sons Bronny and Bryce James LeBron James is out for vacation and enjoying a chilled-out escapade to Maui with his sons, Bronny and Bryce James. They were spotted wearing casual outfits and had kept low-key to avoid unnecessary attention. An X user shared LeBron James' picture and captioned it as: 'LeBron James spotted on vacation in Maui alongside teammate Bronny James — and future teammate Bryce James' The picture was originally posted on TikTok. It has garnered about 161.3K views till the writing of this news piece. LeBron James is making headlines with speculations around his retirement. He has showed immense faith in his team Los Angeles Lakers' composition and thinks that the team will be more powerful with the addition of Luka Doncic in it. LeBron James had to cut short his 2025 season due to a knee injury. Due to his injury, he also missed the Met Gala show this year. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Madonna's Daughter Steals the Spotlight with Her Gorgeous Red Carpet Look CleverClassic Undo His wife, Savannah James, attended the same on his behalf. LeBron was also filmed dancing recently, which raised questions about his departure due to injury. Fans shared interesting thoughts on LeBron James' latest vacation picture LeBron James is enjoying the team's offseason time by spending it with family and doing all things he likes the most. His recent picture from Maui vacation drew fans' attention too. They shared various view points while commenting on the picture. One fan commented on Bryce James' impending debut in NBA and said, 'Bryce will play for another team.' Since the post predicted Bryce James will follow in the footsteps of father and elder brother, a fan commented, 'They blend right in' An excited fan commented, 'Wow. 3 lakers in 1 photo' A fan sarcastically commented, 'Who needs championships when Dad is manipulating the Lakers?' Another fan shared his thoughts on future of LeBron's sons, saying, 'I feel like Bryce will be the better nba player compared to Bronny.' Also Read: 'It's a perfect matchup' - NBA icon LeBron James reacts to the face-off between OKC Thunder and Indiana Pacers LeBron James and his son, Bronny James, has made history by being the only father-son duo who have played NBA together, representing the same team.
Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
'RCB fans are indebted': Tejasvi Surya's sarcastic salvo at Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar after Bengaluru stampede; Virat Kohli gets a mention
NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party MP Tejasvi Surya on Friday took a dig at the Congress-led Karnataka government over the Bengaluru stampede, which claimed the lives of 11 people. Surya mockingly credited chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy CM DK Shivakumar for Royal Challengers Bengaluru's long-awaited IPL trophy, while reacting to the chaos and political drama following victory celebrations and stampede. 'We, RCB fans, are indebted to CM Siddaramaiah and DCM DK Shivakumar for winning us the IPL after 18 years. They displayed incredible cricketing and leadership skills on the field and brought our club this long elusive glory,' Tejasvi wrote on X. The tweet, dripping with sarcasm, further said: "We are also very upset about Virat Kohli, other players and the RCB Management for poor arrangement of the security measures at the program organised to honour CM & DK and their families for winning us the trophy.' 'Good that RCB Management is arrested and police commissioner is suspended. They are primarily responsible for security in Bengaluru,' Tejasvi wrote. Ending his post with another sharp punchline, the BJP MP said: 'Anyways, CM and DKS can now go back to Chinnaswamy Stadium to start practising for their next IPL season.' Meanwhile, the Karnataka government removed MLC K Govindaraj from his role as political secretary to chief minister Siddaramaiah. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Secure Your Child's Future with Strong English Fluency Planet Spark Learn More Undo An official notification issued by the state government confirmed the development: 'The appointment of K Govindaraj as Political Secretary to the Chief Minister is hereby revoked with immediate effect. Accordingly, K Govindaraj is hereby relieved from the post with immediate effect.' Govindaraj, who was reportedly involved in organising the event, faced criticism over the lack of planning and coordination at the high-profile celebration. The chief minister has also taken stern administrative action, suspending Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda and four senior police officials for lapses in crowd control and public safety. The state government is under pressure from both the public and opposition parties to fix responsibility for the tragedy and ensure such lapses are not repeated.
