Mysuru: An exclusive diving camp, aimed at identifying promising talents and provide them with the requisite training, is being conducted at the University of Mysore swimming pool since May 9.
Since a decade now, Mysuru has been unable to bag even a single medal at diving competitions and hence the experts including national diving expert Deepak Urs along with Chandrashekar and Chandan approached P Krishnaiah, Director of Department of Physical Education, the University of Mysore requesting him to start an exclusive diving camp. Krishnaiah nodded to their request and encouraged Deepak and his team to start the camp. This is the first such camp being held in Mysuru and will conclude on July 9.
More than 15 promising divers are participating in the two-month camp, of which six are girls. The camp is conducted for the participants in the age group of 8 to 14 years. Due to demand from the public, the organisers have planned to start one more camp few days after the inaugural diving camp concludes.
Speaking to Newskarnataka, Deepak Urs, Chief Diving Coach said, “The only intention of conducting an exclusive diving camp is to start producing diving talents in Mysuru. Earlier Mysuru used to have few diving talents but now for the past many years, we have failed to get a medal at state and national level events. Hence we have started this exclusive diving camp, which is probably the first of its kind in the state. This event involves 40 percent gymnastic skills, those who are having a good gymnastic background can come out with good diving performance. For the participants, we are also imparting basic gymnastics skill as well. After the completion of the diving camp, those interested and talented will be trained in batches. To provide one to one focus, we have restricted the first batch to just 15 participants”, added Deepak who is assisted by Chandrashekar and Chandan.
P Krishnaiah, Director (Incharge), Department of Physical Education, University of Mysore said, “Both swimming and diving are two different events. Hence to promote diving talents in Mysuru, I decided to encourage the diving camp. Earlier from the University of Mysore, a couple of divers have brought medals in the all-India inter-university diving competitions. In days to come more such camps will be conducted.”
