Athletes suffer for want of synthetic track

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 21

On a Monday afternoon, Harman Khurana (name changed), a long-distance runner, is sweating it out on a dusty raw track at the multipurpose stadium in Bathinda. Harman is leaving no stone unturned for a major athletics championship to be held in summer this year.

Exuding a glint of confidence in his eyes, Khurana said he was sure of delivering an excellent performance. Despite putting in his best efforts, his apprehension of not winning a medal stems from a genuine concern that he gets no opportunity to practise on a synthetic track. Acclimatising and translating his performance on a synthetic track at the championship would be a herculean task for him, rued a visibly helpless Khurana.

There are many other athletes in Bathinda who have similar views to share. The dusty track at the stadium is uneven at places with tiny pebbles mixed with dust causing serious injuries to practising athletes. In the absence of a synthetic track, there are a few athletes who are coerced to travel to Sangrur (twice a week), which is 70 km from here, to practise on the synthetic track. There are some athletes who travel to Bhai Rupa village (Rampura Phul), which is 45 km from the city.

It has been observed that around 100 players from the city have been taking part in the inter-district athletics championship for the past couple of years. A total of 54 medals, 16 at the national level and 38 at the state level, were won by athletes from the district in 2014-2015. More recently, around 25 medals were fetched by athletes, 4 at the national level, 1 at the north zone and 20 at the state level in a sports event.

A former employee of the district Sports Department, requesting anonymity, said a number of athletes sustained severe injuries on numerous occasions while practising on the rough and dusty track at the multipurpose stadium, but the authorities concerned failed to learn lessons. “A serious injury can ruin an athlete’s career for a lifetime, but Sports Department officials, it seems, are waiting for it to happen,” he added.

A senior long-distance runner from the city said, “The shock absorption while running on a synthetic track is way better than that on a regular ground or grass. It ensures a stable and faster tread. Even a mild rain disrupts the practice sessions here as athletes fear getting caught in the mud. Athletes can practise on the synthetic track even though it gets wet. Moreover, it is way easier to maintain a synthetic track. It is high time a synthetic track was introduced in the city blessed with abundance of talent.”

KPS Brar, general secretary, Punjab Athletics Association, said, “We have urged the authorities on numerous occasions to introduce a synthetic track in the district but our demands have always fallen on deaf ears.”

District Sports Officer Karam Singh said, “In November last year, the state Sports Department had written to the Union Sports Ministry, demanding the introduction of a synthetic track and other sports infrastructure in the district. A joint project of the Central and state governments, the track will be developed under the Khelo India scheme. It may take one more year to fulfil the required modalities before the synthetic track could be introduced.”