KOCHI: The recently concluded Kerala State Schools' Sports Meet was held with much hype as the govt claimed it was modelled on the lines of the Olympics. Unfortunately, the performance on the ground from Kerala's next generation of athletes did not match the hype and left much to be desired.
While the performance of many athletes showed declining standards, what was more concerning was the distinct lack of competition witnessed in many events.
India's leading long jumper, Ancy Sojan, was bitterly disappointed with the standard of competition in her event, which included her sister, Anjali ES, as a participant. Akhila Mol K from GV Raja Sports School, Thiruvananthapuram, secured gold in the senior girls' long jump event by leaping to 5.54m, but the mark was significantly lower than Ancy's 2019 record of 6.24m.
"I'm not at all happy with what I witnessed. I think the current crop of athletes lacks dedication and effort. They might be looking at short-term goals, and their coaches are also failing to inspire them," she said.
And it wasn't just in long jump. The KC Throws Academy in Cheruvathoor, Kasaragod, dominated the throw events, bagging 10 medals, including six gold. "I consider myself as my rival when I come for the meet because there is no serious challenger," said KC Servan, who bettered his own state records in discus throw and shot put. "I know many of my fellow competitors, who showed good progress in the initial stages but dropped out from athletics due to disciplinary issues," he added.
The track events also showed similar concerns. Only M
Jyothika of HS Parli and Muhammed Ashfaq of GV Raja Sports Schools demonstrated promise in the senior 400m. "If Jyothika stays focused and works hard, she will do well in 400m. But she will have to look beyond Kerala if she is looking for better competition. She clocked 56.81 here, but she is much better than this," said Jyothika's coach, PG Manoj.
Ashfaq, on the other hand, set a meet record in 400m, clocking 47.65 seconds. Second-placed Jasim J Rassac of Mar Basil HSS, Kothamangalam, could only manage a time of 48.23. Ashfaq clocked 52.82 for gold in the 400m hurdles, with Vijay C of VMHS, Vadavannur, finishing a distant second with a time of 54.26.
AFI joint secretary, PI Babu, attributed the falling standards of upcoming athletes to the indifferent attitude of students and parents and did not want to pin the blame on coaches. "Most of them come here for grace marks. Sports is nowadays treated just like NCC, NSS, or student police wing. And worse, many of these athletes drop out from sports after their school days," said Babu. "The number of students who take up sports seriously in college is also coming down," Babu lamented, citing a worrisome trend.
"Above 90 percent of the schools do not have a proper playground. Then how do they indulge in sports activities? There are only a very few PE teachers in our schools, and those who are there, their primary job is to maintain the discipline of the schools. Then how can we expect the standard of sports to go up?" he asked.
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