[imagesource:here]

When it comes to endeavours of the athletic variety, being compared to Usain Bolt is a massive compliment.

Take for example pole vault sensation, and new world record holder, 20-year-old Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis, who is being heralded as athletics’ next superstar.

He has broken the pole vault record twice in two weeks, so I would say those comparisons are on the money.

In the case of Srinivas Gowda, and the rather unusual sport of buffalo racing, his blistering speed is something to behold, although he does have assistance.

AFP reports:

Srinivas Gowda ran 142.5 metres in 13.62 seconds on January 31 behind two buffaloes, setting a record in the annual race known as Kambala in the southern state of Karnataka.

This equated to running 100 metres in 9.55 seconds, compared with the retired Bolt’s world record of 9.58 seconds, earning the construction worker fame and an invitation from the sports minister to take part in track trials.

Buffalo racing is pretty much exactly what you think it is.

First of all, some dramatic, shaky footage of Gowda and a rival in action:

Serious speed.

I wonder if they test the athletes for doping? I wonder if they test each buffalo for performance-enhancers?

Here’s more footage of Gowda doing his thing:

In amongst all of the media attention, he’s managed to keep his feet on the ground, and reckons the Bolt comparisons are a stretch:

Finally, Gowda was also knocked off his perch by Nishant Shetty and his buffalo, who are reported to have cracked 143 metres in 13,61 seconds, which equates to 9,51 seconds for 100 metres.

I’m a big fan of mixing things up a little, and if synchronised swimming can be an Olympics event, why can’t buffalo racing?

[source:afp]