Spirit and speed

With spring in their step, two Zoroastrian schoolgirls won the title of Individual Champion at the Inter-School Athletics Meet 2006-07 in Bombay organized by the Mumbai School Sports Association. Part of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) athletics training program, Binaisha Bilimoria of The Alexandra Girls’ English Institution picked up a gold in long jump and silvers in 100 m and 200 m and the Individual Champion trophy in the girls under-14 age group. Piroza Master of J. B. Vatcha High School was the girls under-10 champion, with gold in 100 m and silver in 50 m, chief coach Dara Dooma­sia informs Parsiana. Over 2,000 schoolchildren participated in the various events at the University Stadium in December 2006.

Helping budding athletes settle into their stride, the BPP’s training program imparts systematic coaching all year round at Rustom Baug in Byculla, with special camps during the holidays in May and October. Doomasia is assisted by Govind Dange, Viraf Master, Nozer Sutaria and Jehangir Sholapurwala. The program lays special emphasis on identifying talent in the very young and molding athletes who have never trained before.

"The success of our Zoroastrian athletes is purely due to the personal interest of two BPP trustees — chairman Minoo Shroff and sports trustee Dinshaw Tamboly,” asserts Doomasia. "The coa­ching expenses are entirely borne by the BPP, thanks to the recommendations of these two trustees.” Good running shoes with spikes and tracksuits for the successful teams are among the rewards recommended. "A scholarship scheme has also been introduced and three of the outstanding athletes are being given monthly cash scholarships,” adds Doomasia.

Keeping pace with the best athletes at state level, Bilimoria and Firoz Mehta represented Maharashtra at the junior nationals in Haridwar at the beginning of this year. Five BPP athletes — Mehta, Bilimoria, Master, Zenrookh and Shazeen Davar — were also selected to participate in the state meet at Sholapur, states Doomasia.

At the All Parsees Annual Athletic Meet in February 2007, eight BPP athletes won the title of Individual Champion in their respective categories — Natasha General, siblings Piroza and Hormazd Master, Bilimoria, Nauzad Wadia, Aatush Kalyaniwalla, Jazeel Limzerwala (ranging in age from six to 16 years) and Hormuzd Daruwalla (men). Winning over 100 medals, the BPP sportsmen also picked up the men and women’s team championship, states Doomasia.

"I am very happy with the training program,” says 14-year old Binaisha’s mother Persis Bilimoria. "Though Binaisha has been training for around four years, I had been looking out for a group for her to join.” "Piroza was not born an athlete. She has been trained to work hard and achieve success,” avers Piroza and Hormazd’s mother Farzana Master. Their father Viraf is one of the coaches for the program. "As far as Firoz’s athletics is concerned, the BPP has done it all,” says his mother Dilnavaz Mehta who initially put both her children into the summer program three years ago "to keep them occupied.” Firoz, now 16, remarks: "The coaches are strict but in a fun way. The relays bring a lot of team spirit. I enjoy the training and the company.”