Located at a height of 2,240 metres above the mean sea level, Udhagamandalam in the Nilgiris has always attracted athletes from across the country looking to make incremental gains from the altitude training that the hill district offers. With the inauguration of the Tamil Nadu government’s dedicated high-altitude training centre in the hills earlier this year, athletes, coaches, and government officials hope that it can help in transforming the fortunes of Indian athletes at elite events.
The training centre, which was inaugurated in February by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Minister for Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin, is home to 50 athletes selected from government schools across the State. They are staying in the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) hostel.
Sports medicine
District Sports Officer B. Indira told The Hindu that the centre has dedicated facilities to expedite athletes’ recovery through sports medicine and psychology. It also has facilities for working with athletes through the sports physiology department to improve their performance and for using sports science to study the benefits of altitude training.
“We also have relaxation rooms, rehabilitation facilities, as well as equipment to measure sports performance, including lactometers,” said Ms. Indira. “Currently, it is south India’s only dedicated high-altitude training centre, so it attracts athletes from across the region, who hope to improve their performance,” she added.
Before the centre was opened, for high-altitude training, athletes from across India would use the facilities of the stadium built in Udhagamandalam under the Hill Areas Development Programme (HADP). But they lacked tools for recovery as well as customised training plans to measure and improve their performance. Over the last few years, the stadium’s football ground has been returfed with natural grass, and a state-of-the-art synthetic track was laid.
“More facilities are to be added to the centre: weight rooms as well as equipment for measuring athletes’ VO2 max,” added Ms. Indira. VO2 max, or maximal oxygen consumption, is the maximum amount of oxygen that an individual can utilise during intense exercise. It is an indicator of fitness levels.
Athletes using the facilities too hope the new facilities will help them gain an edge over their competitors. P. Royshan of Ramanathapuram district has been staying at the SDAT hostel since he was 12. Now 17, Royshan, specialising in triple jump and heptathlon, is aiming to qualify for the Olympics in 2028 or at the latest in 2032.
“All of the athletes are very excited about the new facilities at the high-altitude training centre. With the help of our coaches and modern equipment, we believe we can beat the best in the world,” said Royshan.
Currently, 50 students from government schools across Tamil Nadu are training in Udhagamandalam. “At the request of athletes wanting to train here, we can accommodate them in the hostel,” said Ms. Indira, adding that most athletes, even from north India, prefer training in the Nilgiris, thanks to the facilities available here.
“The 50 athletes currently staying in the hostel were all chosen from across the State as they showed incredible potential in becoming world-class athletes,” she said. A team of dedicated coaches works with the athletes to ensure that they realise their potential.
Used by servicemen too
The Nilgiris has produced a multitude of world-class athletes, say SDAT officials. They hope the training centre would help athletes from across the region in qualifying for and competing at both national and international tournaments and competitions. “High-altitude training is preferred not only by endurance athletes like runners, walkers, and cyclists, but also by football and hockey players. Each year, athletes from the Indian Army and Navy too use the facilities,” said Ms. Indira.
However, despite the optimism, the lack of staff and technicians required for the centre is a cause for concern. Asked about the problem, SDAT officials said the process of filling the vacancies is under way. Efforts are also being made to install more equipment for the athletes.
