Police Commissioner Y B Khurania and KIIT Chairman Dr Achyuta Samanta felicitate Geet Sethi in the presence of P T Usha in Bhubaneswar on Sept 18, 2016.

Cuesport icon Geet Sethi and athletics legend P T Usha provided a parting gift to the 39th SJFI National Convention, urging sports-lovers of the country not to treat the Rio Olympics performance as a `flop show’ and suggesting ways for greater success in the 2020 Tokyo Games, on the concluding day here at Hotel Mayfair Lagoon today.

Sethi, an eight-time world billiards champion, said India went to Rio Olympics with the expectation of winning more than the six medals they won in the previous Games at London. “This expectation was never there earlier. It just goes to show how much Indian sports has improved,” stated Sethi.

”Though India won only two medals at Rio, the country scripted glorious success stories through PV Sindhu, Sakshi Malik, Dipa Karmakar and Abhinav Bindra,” he added.

Also an Asian Games gold medallist, Sethi was of the opinion that India should start preparing for the 2020 and 2024 Games right away and the athletes should be provided world class facilities. “Stakeholders of Indian sports, such as players, coaches, sports bodies and the government should do their duties with sincerity,’’ he said.

Sethi suggested spotting of 400 young talents and grooming them with top class facilities so that the country could have 40-50 medal prospects for the 2024 Games. He also stressed upon safeguarding the dignity of sportspersons, who come from middle-class background.

Usha, on the other hand, lamented that foreign coaches are given more importance in India than local ones. “When we ask for physiotherapist and other facilities they take weeks to come. But if a foreign coach asks for something it happens the next day,” she pointed out.

Nick named `Payyoli Express’, Usha emphasized on long-term planning for producing Olympic medal winners. “Olympic medals don’t happen in one day. It takes years to come. So the planning should be proper and world class,” she said.

Winner of four gold medals in 1986 Seoul Asian Games, Usha showered praise on Odisha sprinters Dutee Chand and Srabani Nanda. But she was not impressed the duo’s performance in Rio Olympics. “Qualifying for Olympics is not enough. They need to aim for winning medals,’’ signed off Usha.

The two icons handed over prizes to successful teams of SJFI tournaments in cricket, table tennis, football and basketball. South Zone lifted the J K Bose Trophy by emerging champions in cricket while East Zone finished runners up. The table tennis team title also went to South Zone. Gyana Ranjan Mishra bagged the award as the best volunteer of the National Convention.

City Police Commissioner Y B Khurania and KIIT Chairman Dr Achyuta Samant graced the closing ceremony as guests. SJFI president Subodh Malla Barua, secretary A Vinod, OSJA president K Ravi and secretary Suresh Swain were present on the occasion. Indore will host the 40th convention of SJFI in June 2017.