Bhubaneswar: Three gymnasts from Odisha AM/NS India High Performance Center (GHPC), Bhubaneswar will be competing in the Federation Internationale De Gymnastique (FIG) World Challenge Cup 2023 being held at Szombathely, Hungary from 8th to 10th September 2023.
In the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Category (Senior) Rakesh Kumar Patra and Saif Sadik Tamboli and in Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Category (Senior) Pranati Nayak will be competing in the events, said an official press release.
The selection trials were conducted by the Gymnastics Federation of India. The athletes are accompanied by the Chief Coach of the Center Ashok Mishra and physiotherapist Amrita Tripathi.
On the occasion, a highly determined Pranati Nayak said, “I am super excited for my performance at the FIG World Challenge Cup 2023. I have been training at the Odisha AM/NS Gymnastics High Performance Centre for the tournament and aim to give my best to secure medals for the country.”
ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) – a joint venture between ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel has partnered with the Government of Odisha to promote and grow the sport of gymnastics in India and transform Odisha into a premier gymnastics’ excellence hub.
The ‘Odisha AM/NS India Gymnastics High Performance Center’, a facility housed in the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar is meant for senior athletes participating in the ‘Elite Senior Gymnastics Programme’.
Additionally, it includes three ‘Odisha AM/NS India Gymnastics Academies’ located in Puri, Jeypore, and Rourkela for grassroots level athletes.
AM/NS India operates these activities under its CSR initiative ‘Udaan’ and aims to train 360 sportspeople every year with world-class coaching by international and national gymnastics coaches.
The athletes will receive international and national exposure in addition to academic support. The Gymnastics High Performance Center was recently inaugurated by Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik on July 18, 2023.