Kiren Rijiju invites Srinivasa Gowda to SAI centre for trials after the 28-year-old construction worker broke Usain Bolt?s 9.58 seconds record in a buffalo race

Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju invited Srinivasa Gowda, a 28-year-old buffalo racer from Moodabidri in Karnataka, to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in New Delhi for trials by the Sports Ministry after he broke the record of Usain Bolt as the fastest runner, at a Kambala, buffalo race, at Aikala village about 30 kilometres from Mangaluru.

Quoting a tweet posted by BJP general secretary Muralidhar Rao, the Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted, “Officials from SAI have contacted him. His rail ticket is done and he will reach SAI centre on Monday. I will ensure top national coaches to conduct his trials properly,” adding that he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will do everything to identity such sporting talents.

Srinivasa Reddy took just 9.55 seconds to run a distance of 100 metres in the Kambala. He took just 13.62 seconds to cover a total distance of 145 metres. He was reportedly faster than eight-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt who currently holds the world record in the 100-metre race at 9.58 seconds in 2009.

“People are comparing me to Usain Bolt. He is a world champion, I am only running in a slushy paddy field,” said Gowda while talking to ANI.

Kambala is an annual race held in Karnataka where participants run 142m through paddy fields with buffalo. Traditionally, it is sponsored by local Tuluva landlords and households in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.