Shillong, Oct 29:Â The fourth phase of Meghalaya’s STAR Talent Identification Programme (TID-4) began on Tuesday.
Organised by the Meghalaya State Olympic Association (MSOA) in collaboration with the Directorate of Sports & Youth Affairs and Sportality Pvt Ltd, which is responsible for the technical delivery of the testing, TID-4 aims to assess 13,000 participants across all 12 districts, comprising 10,000 young school athletes and 3,000 association pathway athletes.
The launch, attended by 120 aspiring athletes, was attended by Sports & Youth Affairs Minister Wailadmiki Shylla, Director of S&YA Alertson Nongbri, Deputy Director of S&YA Paia B War Nongbri, MSOA Working President John F Kharshiing and others.
“There is a phrase, ‘catch them young’. It’s right here that we have to catch young talents, nurture them and make you athletes who will bring laurels to the state,” Shylla said, adding that athletes selected for the Super Elite Programme receive full scholarships covering accommodation, education, training and food.
He also spoke about other state government initiative, such as the recently-inaugurated Sports Science Centre in Shillong, only the second in the North East, will support better screening and faster recovery and that special treatment packages for injured sportspersons are being worked out with the Health Department, alongside insurance provisions, as Meghalaya builds new facilities ahead of hosting the 39th National Games, scheduled for next year.
Kharshiing said the programme, which began in 2022, has built valuable data on sporting talent across the state, reviewed quarterly and used to identify priority sports. He noted that Meghalaya has broken several of its own records, discovered talent in new disciplines, and that a sport introduced only months ago.
TID-4 assessments include height and weight measurements, a 20 metres sprint, ‘compass drill’, vertical jump, seated medicine ball chest throw and an endurance test, with results considered alongside each participant’s age, development and training background.
Promising athletes move into the Elite Pathway Programme (EPP), which provides structured coaching, training and repeated assessment, and then the Super Elite Pathway Programme (SEPP), focused on sport-specific development and competition preparation. Testing will be held in phases across Meghalaya, with dates and venues to be coordinated with MSOA, schools and sports associations.
(Photo contributed)
