Tura, Oct 8: More than 300 aspiring athletes from across the five districts of Garo Hills took part in Phase 4 of Meghalaya’s Talent Identification Programme at the Pa Togan Nengminja Sangma Athletics Stadium in Tura on Thursday, as the Meghalaya State Olympic Association (MSOA) continued its efforts to identify and develop promising sporting talent in the state.
The trials were organised by the MSOA in collaboration with the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Meghalaya, with Sportality serving as the technical partner. The latest phase also places particular emphasis on identifying potential players for Meghalaya’s official hockey squad.
Athletes aged 17 and above underwent a series of physical fitness assessments, with technical teams evaluating speed, endurance, agility, vertical jump and explosive power. Digitised testing technology and global benchmarks were used to generate baseline performance data for each participant.
The assessment is designed to be sport-agnostic, focusing on an athlete’s underlying physical abilities rather than discipline-specific skills. This approach allows evaluators to identify sporting disciplines that may best suit an individual’s physical attributes, including weightlifting, wrestling, football and hockey.
MSOA official Dipshon Rympathiang said the trials also represented an important step towards developing hockey in Meghalaya. With the sport still in a developing stage in the state, the initiative is intended to identify players who can be trained to form a competitive Meghalaya hockey team and eventually compete at the national level.
While athletes in the 18-24 age group are being assessed as potential senior probables for upcoming national competitions, the broader talent identification programme follows a seven-to-10-year Long-Term Athlete Development roadmap. The long-term programme is aimed at developing younger athletes for future major events, including the 2030 Commonwealth Games and the 2032 Olympic Games.
The performance data collected during the trials will be analysed by the MSOA and high-performance directors before athletes are shortlisted for further training. Those selected will undergo structured preparation as part of Meghalaya’s preparations for upcoming National Games competitions.
To strengthen hockey development and coaching standards, the association has also established operational tie-ups with prominent hockey training institutions in Bhubaneswar.
The Talent Identification Programme was initiated in 2022 and has progressed through successive annual phases. Exceptional performers from earlier phases have subsequently moved into the Elite Pathway Programme and Super Elite Pathway Programme, receiving specialised conditioning, psychological support and targeted mentoring as they progress towards high-performance sport.
