Several coaches are up in arms over the series of “blunders” that happened in the athletics event in the Malaysia Games (Sukma) this morning.
Federal Territories athletics coach V. Subramaniam claimed the men’s 10,000m race was short of one lap, while the women’s 5,000m walk had an additional lap at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur.
“I don’t understand how such a blunder could happen. The timings of the athletes are all off, due to this blunder,” said Subramaniam, a former national walker.
“My athlete, Kok Hui Ying, won the 5,000m walk but her timing is some two minutes more than her usual timing.”
Kok clocked 28:45.84s to win Federal Territories’ first gold medal. Kelantan’s Nurul Alyahaziqah Kamaruzaman played bridesmaid after finishing the event at 29:30.73s, while another walker from Federal Territories, Nurul Ashikin Hussin, won the bronze medal after clocking 29:51.27s.
Muhammad Ikbolasen Md Kamal Hussain, meanwhile, won Pahang’s first gold medal after winning the men’s 10,000m event. The Sukma debutant clocked 31:11.62s to win the race, beating A. Munusamy’s record of 31:47.95s set in 1996.
The National Sports Council, the organiser of this year’s Sukma, had earlier said not all track and field records would be recognised as this year’s edition is an Under-23 affair, instead of Under-21.
Selangor’s S. Dinesh Varma won the silver medal (33:33.69s), while B. Ruveshwaran, from Penang, won the bronze medal (34:13.07s).
Selangor coach Narinder Singh echoed similar sentiments.
The former race walker, who competed in the World Championships in 1997 and the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, said many other coaches were unhappy with what transpired on the tracks.
“The girls were supposed to cover 12-and-a-half laps, yet they did 13-and-a-half laps this morning,” Narinder told Twentytwo13.
“All the coaches, the long distance coaches, are upset. It’s very disappointing that this happened in Sukma. If the officials use this as a benchmark for the athletes to participate in upcoming events, it’s not right as the timings are all wrong.”
Narinder said he informed the officials on the track about the matter, but it fell on deaf ears.
The event’s technical delegate, V. Govindasamy, however, said there have not been any protests lodged regarding the matter.
“I have not received any protest note from anyone. Nothing came to me. No one has said anything,” said Govindasamy.
“They (the coaches) are talking about it amongst themselves. If the coaches are unhappy, they should lodge an official protest,” he added.
