Updated February 18th, 2020 at 19:32 IST

New Kambala 'buffalo racer' shocks the world, betters Srinivas Gowda's record

Just days after Srinivasa Gowda was compared to Bolt for his lightning-fast sprint in the buffalo race, another competitor Nishant Shetty has broken the record

Reported by: Koushik Narayanan
| Image:self
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Just days after Kambala buffalo racer Srinivasa Gowda was compared to Usain Bolt for his lightning-fast sprint in the buffalo race, another competitor Nishant Shetty is said to have broken the former's record. Srinivasa Gowda, hailing from Moodabidri in Dakshina Kannada district covered 142.5 meters in just 13.62 seconds in the traditional buffalo race of Karnataka. Nishant Shetty from Bajagoli Jogibettu bettered Srinivasa Gowda's record by completing 100m in 9.51 seconds, according to the event organizers as per reports. Srinivasa Gowda had grabbed the eyeballs of many and was even called upon by the Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju to Delhi in order to get a fair trial from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and under the top national coaches of the country. 

READ | Kambala 'buffalo' Racer Thrills BJP Karnataka; 'potential Fastest Athlete In The World'

Jockey breaks Srinivasa Gowda's record   

Four participants - Iruvathur Anand, Akkeri Suresh Shetty, Srinivasa Gowda, and Nishant Shetty covered 100m in the buffalo race under ten seconds.  Running through the wet paddy field, Nishant Shetty completed the 143m race in 13.61 seconds, and the organizers reportedly said that Shetty had completed 100m in 9.51 seconds. It will be interesting to see if Nishant Shetty would also receive a trial from SAI as Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju had earlier assured that no talent would be untested in the country and that the people in India had a lack of awareness about the standards of athletics in Olympic track events. 

READ | 'Govt Committed In Promoting Such Athletes': Karnataka CM Honours Kambala Jockey Gowda

Gowda sprints 100m in 9.55 seconds

Gowda's sprint has been compared with Usain Bolt's world record. Gowda ran 142.50 meters in 13.62 seconds, people simply calculated what his speed would have been for 100 metres which turns out to be just 9.55 seconds that is .03 seconds faster than Bolt’s world record. However, the records cannot be compared directly as Bolt ran on a flat track while Gowda sprinted in a slushy field, which can be a speed deterrent. Also, the 28-year-old ran alongside a pair of buffaloes and his speed was amplified by the speed generated by the animals.

READ | Kambala 'Buffalo' Racer Elicits Hilarious Anand Mahindra Ultimatum For Kiren Rijiju

Speaking to media after achieving the remarkable feat, Gowda said that he loves Kambala and attributed the credit of his success to his buffaloes. They ran very well while I chased or drove them, he added. Gowda's super sprint left netizens awestruck as some even suggested that he should train for Olympics. 

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Published February 18th, 2020 at 19:32 IST