Pramoda Mohanty, CEO of the OAA, said, "We were checking on the internet for possible places to send Amiya and we stumbled upon Glen Mills' management's website. We applied there, sending them all the details, and we got a positive response a month later,".
"But, the prime challenge in sending the athlete abroad was getting sponsors for Rs 8-lakh that was needed for the programme.
"We had to work hard to get sponsors to agree to the prospect," Mohanty said.
"Eventually we convinced them by telling them that the boy's talent will work well to win an Olympic medal if he is given some foreign aid." He added.
The OAA, Tata Steel, Mahanadi Coal Trust, Odisha Mining Corporation and Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology all contributed to fund Mallick's training, travel and accommodation.
"I will learn how they train and how to get ready before any big competition. There is no aim set, but yes, if I want to do well at the Asian Games next year then I want to break the 20.7 national record in 200 metres which is very tough at the moment," Amiya Mallick said.
