Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

July 25, 2008 11:21:08 AM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Indian Athletes Aim for Gold on Billionaire's Buck

Posted Mar 7, 08 8:51 AM CST in World,  Sports 

(Newser) – Young Indians are training for this summer’s Olympics with the backing of a London-based billionaire steel magnate, the Wall Street Journal reports. Lakshmi Mittal was dismayed by India’s poor showing at Athens in 2004—where the burgeoning superpower earned only a single silver, while archrival China won 32 golds—and founded the Mittal Champions Trust to identify and support promising athletes.

Mittal, who left India as a young man, has committed $10 million so far, and 10 athletes whose training he's supported will compete in Beijing. The Journal visits the program's camp near Bangalore, where one young archer who had no means to pursue Olympic dreams not only trains but sends money home to support his family. "I am so fired up that whatever's expected of me to win, whatever effort's expected, I will do it," he said.

Source Wall Street Journal

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon
ArcelorMittal Chief Executive Lakshmi Mittal arrives for a meeting with French President Nicoals Sarkozy, Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007 at the Elysee Palace in Paris. (AP Photo/Michael Sawyer)   (Associated Press)
Arcelor Mittal Chief Executive Officer Lakshmi Mittal arrives for a meeting in New Delhi, India, in this July 25, 2007 file photo. The billionaire has funded Olympic training for promising Indian athletes....   (Associated Press)
Officials checks the target board at the Olympic Green Archery Field in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007 at one of 26 test events for the 2008 Olympic Games. Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal...   (Associated Press)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (1 of 2)

Tags

2008 Beijing Olympics  • India  • Olympic Games  • Bangalore  • billionaires  • Lakshmi Mittal


Loading...

Loading...

Today's Most Popular


Other Sports Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »