MGU likely to remove qualification standards in track events for the National meet

K. Swetha said athletes had a tough time on the worn-out Maharaja’s Stadium synthetic track.
| Photo Credit: Stan Rayan

As K. Swetha neared the worn-out spots on the Maharaja’s Stadium synthetic track, she turned a bit cautious. With the top layer off in many areas, athletes competing in the Mahatma Gandhi University athletics championships here had a tough time at the stadium.

“It was very difficult and during the race, we can’t see what we are running on,” said State champion Swetha from Mar Athanasius College who won the 3000m steeplechase gold on Tuesday to add to the 5000m title she had won a day earlier.

The poor condition of the track meant that the timings in almost all the events were way below the qualification standards for the coming National varsities championships fixed by the MG University.

“If you want better timings, we should have better facilities, not such a track,” said seasoned coach George Emmanuel.

The MG University is now likely to remove its qualification standards for the track events as a special case.

“This time, the quality of the track is not good and obviously in most of the events, the athletes may not have attained the qualification standards. In that case, we will be taking first and second-placed athletes in every event,” Binu George Varghese, the MGU’s Director of Physical Education, told The Hindu on Tuesday.

“But there will be a single yardstick, we will remove the qualification standard only if the athletes have not achieved the standard in a majority of events.”

Since the championship will move to a different venue, the Mar Athanasius College at Kothamangalam for the jumps, throws and combined events from Wednesday, the relaxation is likely to given to athletes only for the track events.