Karnataka - Mangalore   

Patchwork recommended for cinder track

Taking stock: International Technical Official of Athletics Federation of India Rajuvelu (extreme right) makes a point during inspection of the cinder track of the Mangala stadium on Friday.

MANGALORE: An expert on sports facilities has advised the District Stadium Committee here against reinforcing the track at the Mangala stadium with cinder or sand-mixed soil.

International technical officer of the Athletics Federation of India Rajuvelu visited the stadium on Friday to inspect the track and suggest measures to improve it at the request of the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The committee, headed by Deputy Commissioner V. Ponnuraj, had decided in a recent meeting to reinforce the track with cinder or soil.

Mr. Rajuvelu, also a qualified coach, said temporary patchwork and levelling of the track was enough as the Government was planning to provide the stadium with modern synthetic track.

He told The Hindu on Friday morning that the stadium committee might think of reinforcing the track with cinder or soil only if the execution of the Government’s plans was delayed. Otherwise it would be a wasteful expenditure, he said.

If the committee found it fit to reinforce the track, it might provide a layer of sand-mixed soil but not with cinder. Cinder was not easily available. Much of the cinder had been eroded by the rains and blown away by the winds during the monsoon.

Cinder tracks were no longer recommended by sports technicians. A layer of sand-mixed soil would be advisable only if the laying of synthetic track was expected to take time. The stadium officials could grow grass to enhance the comfort level for athletes, he said.

Mr. Rajuvelu pointed out that a majority of top-ranking athletes in the State were from Mangalore and surrounding areas and hence it was important to provide good facilities to them.

Assistant Director of the department M.C. Ramesh, Sunil Shetty, vice-president of Karnataka Athletics Association Anantharam, senior athletic coach of the Sports Authority of Karnataka and former athlete and stadium committee member Krishna Shenoy accompanied Mr. Rajuvelu to the stadium.

District athletic coach Vasanthkumar said that hard surface could lead to discomfort for athletes and they might complain of pain in their legs.

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