The just concluded Bangladesh Games proved to be the perfect springboard for BKSP, the lone sports training institution of the country as they won 25 gold medals to finish 5th in the medal table. Considering the tender age of most of the BKSP students and the number of disciplines they participated in, their achievements are nothing short of remarkable.
BKSP students surprised all in the swimming pool, shooting range, football field and even on the athletics track.
Romana Akter and Papiya Akter set new national marks in the 200 metre butterfly , 400 metre medley and 50 metre butterfly respectively. Rabbi Hasan stormed to the 10 metre air rifle gold, Rohit Sarker led the football team to an unprecedented the gold medal, Mesbahuddin and Zakia Sultana ran riot by taking home the 100 metre and 200 metre crown and Zahiruddin Rubel punched his way through the heavyweight boxing gold.
Apart from the successful athletes there were others who offered a glimpse their talents but came up short due to their tender age and inexperience. Sharmin Akter, the class ten student rocked the shooting arena when she led after the first ten shots of the star studded women’s 10 metre air rifle line up.
Experienced names like the eventual gold winner Syeda Sadia Sultana and the silver conqueror Sharmin Akter Ratna were lagging behind as the teenager consistently shot around 10. But due to inexperience lost her tempo when it mattered most-in the last ten shots and had to be satisfied with bronze.
It is worthwhile remembering that BKSP athletes participated in only 12 of the 31 available disciplines and all of their students are teenagers. This year has proved to be its most successful at the Bangladesh Games since its inception on April 14, 1986 at Zirani Savar. Their training programme, based on sports science which includes technique, psychology and game sense had finally paid rich dividends.
Brigadier General Emdadul Haque, the director general of the BKSP was visibly pleased with the institutions achievements. “I would like to congratulate the athletes for their wonderful performances, they have made BKSP proud. I would also like to remind everyone that our students are not professionals rather they are trainees of the future. Our job is to produce the future stars but when they reach the top it encourages the institute to take up further systematic training and they while also motivating them” said the director general.
The DG picked out Zakia Sultana as the next queen of athletics. “She won the 200 metre sprint and was close in the 100 metres, she is very talented and I hope she will rule the women’s athletics in the future” said Emdad.
With innumerable former students in the national cricket and hockey team the institute certainly has a pedigree but with its success at the Bangladesh Games it may be primed to take over a host of other sports in the future. Watch this space.
