ABOUT MANJREKAR
>> Became the first ever Goan selected to represent Team India at Mr Asia to be held in Pune early next month
>> During the selection trials held at Raipur, capital of Chhatisgarh, he upstaged 14 other athletes in his category
>> The 24-year-old hails from Margao and is gearing up for the championship from October 2-8 at Balewadi, Pune
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GOODBYE TO HIS JOB
FOR BODYBUILDING
>> After staking a national berth to participate in an international event for the first time, Manjrekar called it quits at the firm he worked in Pune for the last two years
>> He says, he is searching for sponsors for the forthcoming championship, and that he is confident of winning a medal with financial assistance rendered
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REACHING OUT
>> The Goa Body Building and Fitness Association (GBBFA) is doing its best to collect funds for Manjrekar's preparation
>> In a letter dated September 3, 2018, GBBFA appealed to the Sports Authority of Goa for financial assistance of Rs three lakh
>> The SAG reverted promptly with a PDF file on the ‘Scheme for excellence’ listing the criterion which Manjrekar had to fulfill
>> GBBFA quickly responds as Manjrekar nurses hopes that his passion for the fitness sport will bear fruits with Govt aid at the earliest
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The expenses are higher than the returns. For the forthcoming championship, I am searching for sponsors to perform to my fullest ability---------------------------------
- Rohitesh Manjrekar
PANAJI: Hopes of sporting glory for Goa could get dashed again if officials in the Sports Ministry and the Sports Authority of Goa fail to learn their lessons from the Asian Games Windsurfing fiasco of the Coelho siblings and quickly disburse assistance to Body Builder Rohitesh Manjrekar.
Not too long ago, the Government's apathy towards our medal aspirants at the Asian Games knocked the wind out of their sails even before their event had begun towards end August in Indonesia. The Sports Authority of Goa’s lackadaisical attitude towards their promising athletes in Windsurfing, the Coelho siblings -- Dayne and Katya -- lulled their potential to be tapped at its fullest.
In a front page story ahead of the windsurfing competition at the Asian Games, an aggrieved Katya Coelho had told this writer that she was training for the international event with old equipment and a fin box on the verge of breaking.
“It is a sport where the athlete and equipment becomes one. Good equipment makes a huge
difference and is sometimes the reason for wins and losses,” she reasoned. And the disaster which was waiting to happen eventually took place in the high seas as the competition proper began.
Much of the same could repeat with Rohitesh Manjrekar, whose chances of performing at his optimum at a forthcoming international competition are being hindered by the delay in release of Government funds required to bring a realistic dream to reality.
Manjrekar recently became the first ever Goan selected to represent Team India at Mr Asia to be held in Pune early next month. During the selection trials held at Raipur, Chattisgarh on September 1 under the aegis of Indian Body Builders Federation, Manjrekar upstaged 14 other athletes in his category.
The 24-year-old Margao-based Manjrekar got selected in the Men’s Athletic Physique Category of 175 cm height with 90 kg weight group in the Indian team to participate in the upcoming 52nd Asian Body Building and Physique Sport Championship which will take place from October 2-8 at Balewadi, Pune.
After staking a national berth to participate in an international event for the first time, Manjrekar called it quits at the firm he worked in Pune for the last two years, to return home to focus entirely on the sterner competition ahead.
“The expenses are higher than the returns. For the forthcoming championship, I am searching for sponsors to perform to my fullest ability and I am confident I can win a medal with the financial assistance rendered,” he revealed.
“The Goa Body Building and Fitness Association (GBBFA) on their part, with Sanjay Patil as President and Viraj Arabekar as General Secretary are doing the best they can to collect funds towards my preparation for the mega event,” Manjrekar added while producing relevant documents attesting his claim.
It has to be noted that in a letter dated September 3, 2018, GBBFA had appealed to the Executive
Director, Sports Authority of Goa for financial assistance of Rs three lakh in the ‘exclusive sports person’ quota which would greatly help Manjrekar to get the perfect form with proper diet, exercise,
coaching, etc.
In the letter, the State Association President, Sanjay Patil reposed confidence that Manjrekar would get a medal and do the State proud at the Asian level. The SAG reverted promptly with a PDF file on the ‘Scheme for excellence’ listing the criterion which Manjrekar had to fulfill.
Taking full cognizance of the official gazette copy dated May 24, 2018, GBBFA quickly shot a letter on September 10 to the Executive Director and requested for the financial grants at the earliest while
attaching the following letters: 1) Selection Letter from Indian Body Builders Federation dated
September 4, 2018, 2) Letter from Ministry of Youth affairs & Sports dated March 20, 2018, 3) Letter from Ministry of Home Affairs dated August 29, 2018.
With little over two weeks to go for the mega competition, Manjrekar has begun prepping up in right earnest to the event stretching every sinew while putting in three hours gym and two hours cardio training on a daily basis. But preparation does not come that easy with only individual efforts put in. The expensive sport of bodybuilding needs the right nutrition and food supplements intake along with the right coaching as well to ensure Manjrekar will be able to flex his frame over and above his competition.
Manjrekar nurses hopes that his passion for the fitness sport will bear fruits with the necessary
support fuelled in by the Government machinery at the earliest.
