05-05-2006, 10:51 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->India's five-year-old 'Forrest Gump' runs 65 km in seven hours Tuesday
May 2, 10:31 AM
NEW DELHI (AFP) - A five-year-old child stunned onlookers when he ran a distance of 65 kilometres (40.3 miles) in seven hours in eastern India.
Watched over by his coach, paramilitary forces and TV crews, and trailed by army doctors and an ambulance, Budhia Singh ran between the holy town of Puri in the eastern state of Orissa and its capital Bhubaneswar.
Budhia, almost a real life version of the fictitious Forrest Gump, began the race from a temple in Puri at 4.00 am local time but collapsed two kilometres short of the designated finish line -- the headquarters of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Bhubaneswar -- at 11.02 am, television reports said.
He was taken to hospital where his condition was described as stable.
Budhia has already taken part in the Delhi half-marathon and other distance races across India but Tuesday's outing was much longer than the official marathon distance of 42 kilometres (26 miles).
CRPF official S.S. Gill said his organisation will support Budhia's dream of running even longer distances in future.
"I hope he goes far, we will help him realise his dream," said Gill of the child, whose daily routine includes a seven-hour run.
The story of how Budhia's talent was discovered is even more astonishing.
When his father died two years ago, his mother, who washes dishes in Bhubaneswar, was unable to provide for her four children and sold Budhia to a man for 800 rupees (20 dollars).
His new father enrolled him in a judo class run by Biranchi Das, who noticed Budhia's penchant for running.
"Once, after he had done some mischief, I asked him to keep running till I came back," said Das. "When I came back after five hours, I was stunned to find him still running."
Das said he hoped India's athletics officials will take note of him.
"I think if they send him to Kenya to train for a few years Budhia could be a serious contender at the world level," he said. "He eats and runs, that's all."
Paediatrician Sunil Sehgal, who specialises in child injuries, urged caution.
"That boy needs to slow down," he told AFP. "His body has obviously got used to running because he is doing it everyday, so there may not be immediate problems.
"But he could develop serious cardiac muscular enlargement if he is allowed to run for miles together at a stretch regularly."
The Orissa state government says it is keeping a close watch on Budhia and his coach and will step in if anyone misuses the boy.
The state's sports minister, Debashis Nayak, has already ruled that Budhia cannot take part in long distance races without clearance from a team of doctors.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/02052006/323/indi...runs-65-km.html<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
This is child abuse, what the hell, the kid might end up a midget due to lack of growth, he has great talent but seems like the coaches are going to screw it all up in their quest for fame.
May 2, 10:31 AM
NEW DELHI (AFP) - A five-year-old child stunned onlookers when he ran a distance of 65 kilometres (40.3 miles) in seven hours in eastern India.
Watched over by his coach, paramilitary forces and TV crews, and trailed by army doctors and an ambulance, Budhia Singh ran between the holy town of Puri in the eastern state of Orissa and its capital Bhubaneswar.
Budhia, almost a real life version of the fictitious Forrest Gump, began the race from a temple in Puri at 4.00 am local time but collapsed two kilometres short of the designated finish line -- the headquarters of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Bhubaneswar -- at 11.02 am, television reports said.
He was taken to hospital where his condition was described as stable.
Budhia has already taken part in the Delhi half-marathon and other distance races across India but Tuesday's outing was much longer than the official marathon distance of 42 kilometres (26 miles).
CRPF official S.S. Gill said his organisation will support Budhia's dream of running even longer distances in future.
"I hope he goes far, we will help him realise his dream," said Gill of the child, whose daily routine includes a seven-hour run.
The story of how Budhia's talent was discovered is even more astonishing.
When his father died two years ago, his mother, who washes dishes in Bhubaneswar, was unable to provide for her four children and sold Budhia to a man for 800 rupees (20 dollars).
His new father enrolled him in a judo class run by Biranchi Das, who noticed Budhia's penchant for running.
"Once, after he had done some mischief, I asked him to keep running till I came back," said Das. "When I came back after five hours, I was stunned to find him still running."
Das said he hoped India's athletics officials will take note of him.
"I think if they send him to Kenya to train for a few years Budhia could be a serious contender at the world level," he said. "He eats and runs, that's all."
Paediatrician Sunil Sehgal, who specialises in child injuries, urged caution.
"That boy needs to slow down," he told AFP. "His body has obviously got used to running because he is doing it everyday, so there may not be immediate problems.
"But he could develop serious cardiac muscular enlargement if he is allowed to run for miles together at a stretch regularly."
The Orissa state government says it is keeping a close watch on Budhia and his coach and will step in if anyone misuses the boy.
The state's sports minister, Debashis Nayak, has already ruled that Budhia cannot take part in long distance races without clearance from a team of doctors.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/02052006/323/indi...runs-65-km.html<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
This is child abuse, what the hell, the kid might end up a midget due to lack of growth, he has great talent but seems like the coaches are going to screw it all up in their quest for fame.