Indian Athletes at SAI Bengaluru Use Smart Track to Prepare for Asian Games 2026 India's Asian Games-bound athletes are using sports tech at SAI Bengaluru's one-of-a-kind smart track, which captures real-time speed, split timing and stride data during training. by Ripunjay Gaba | Sep 02, 2026 | 2 mins read The athletics track at SAI Bengaluru · Credits: via https://saibengaluru.org/gallery/ Tech Sports tech is playing a growing role in India's Asian Games buildup, with middle- and long-distance runners using smart track technology at the Sports Authority of India's National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Bengaluru ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya Games. A national coaching camp, sanctioned by the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), is underway at the center until September 8. The camp will feature 800m runner Krishan Kumar, steeplechase star Avinash Sable, high jumpers Aadarsh Ram and Supriya B, decathlete Thowfeeq N, middle- and long-distance runner Parul Chaudhary, and race walkers Manju Rani and Priyanka. All eight are part of India's 73-member athletics contingent (35 men, 38 women) heading to the Asian Games, which run September 19 to October 4. How the Sports Tech Works Beyond conventional training infrastructure, the Bengaluru camp's standout advantage is a specialized smart track that gives coaches real-time performance data during sessions. "This is one of a kind in India," said Suresh Kumar, Coach (Athletics) at SAI NCOE Bengaluru, describing the technology embedded into the track. "So what happens is when the athlete runs, we get the real-time speed data. We get the split timings wherever the gates are placed, then the total timing we get, as well as the stride length and the stride frequency. All this data is captured in real time." 🏠 Preparing for the Asian Games environment! 🇮🇳 The Asian Games contingent explored the model accommodation setup at SAI Bengaluru to replicate the expected Games environment and support athletes’ acclimatisation ahead of #AsianGames2026 . #SAIBengaluru pic.twitter.com/GFiPXl73F9 — SAI Bengaluru (@SAI_Bengaluru) August 31, 2026 The system works by embedding magnetic gates beneath the surface of an existing synthetic track, meaning it doesn't require building an entirely new track - installation can be completed within a day. For athletes, the setup also offers the added benefit of replicating electronic timing conditions during training itself, giving coaches data that's otherwise difficult to capture manually during a sprint. A Proven Tool Ahead of Aichi-Nagoya The smart track isn't untested: it was used extensively by Commonwealth Games 2026 para-athletics medallists Dilip Mahadu Gavit and Mohammed Basil ahead of their gold and silver-medal finishes in the men's 100m T47 category at Glasgow. The Bengaluru camp is also staffed by specialized coaches including race-walking coach Ronald Gerd Weigel and jumps coach Sahana Kumari Nagaraj Gobbargumpi, reflecting a broader combination of high-level coaching, sports science and technology as India's athletics contingent finalizes preparations for one of the year's biggest continental competitions. Written by Ripunjay Gaba 15 Articles
Curated by Taleb Kabbara · Source: www.sportscapemagazine.com