On the blocks for a new season

By K.P. Mohan

BHOPAL, FEB. 22. The beginning of a new season is always one of anticipation and high hopes. Since there is no indoor season in our country, the Indian athletes are starting with an international outdoor circuit, the first meet of which is to be held at the Tatia Tope Stadium here on Wednesday.

This is where it ended last year with the Open meet in October. That this venue is where the new season is getting off the blocks is rather by accident than design. Originally, the circuit was to have kicked off at Hissar. Now the Haryana town is the last stop, with Delhi sandwiched in between, with Patiala, one of the original venues, still grappling with the task of re- laying the synthetic track.

Being the Olympic year, there is much talk about attaining the qualifying marks to make it to Sydney. Many of the leading athletes, notably shot putter Shakti Singh, discus thrower Neelam J. Singh and distance runner Sunita Rani, to name just a few, had already attained those marks last year. (The qualification period stretches right from January, 1999 to September 2000.) Obviously, they will have to maintain their performance levels to eventually gain selection. Beyond this, one should reserve one's arguments, at least for the time being.

Both Shakti Singh and Neelam have touched top form right at the beginning of this season, which will see a `double periodisation', which in simpler terms will mean two `peaks'. Starting so early in the year, it is not going to be an easy task.

Shakti putted past the 20-metre mark 10 days ago at Patiala during the assessment trials while Neelam crossed the 61- metre barrier in discus. Both efforts were better than the listed National marks, though it is doubtful whether these will come up for ratification since they were achieved in trials.

Since there are not many 20-metre putters around, barring those engaged in the European indoor season, there was no way that Shakti could be provided with a decent challenge in this meet or the ones to follow. He will have to make do with the `home-grown' opposition in the main. More or less the same is the case with Neelam J. Singh.

It will be futile to even assess the strength of the foreign field being assembled for the circuit since it is too early in the season and in the recent past, barring some exceptions, there were disappointments. The athletes from Ukraine, Belarus and Nepal are already here, while those from Russia and Kenya are expected by Wednesday morning at the latest. There is no word yet about the Polish athletes.

Going purely by their past records, Kenyan Sammy Langat, a 1:43- plus two-lapper, who might have to be satisfied with running the metric mile here, and Russian Vladimir Malyavin, an eight-metre- plus long jumper, should be the men to watch out for. From among the others, Ukranian sprinter Vladislav Dologodin, who had a best of 10.02s for the 100m (9.9s hand- timed) and Belarus's hammer thrower Vitaliy Alisevich could be the ones to stretch the Indians.

As for the Indians, not all the top stars are in the field. Jyotirmoyee Sikdar, the double gold medallist at the Bangkok Asian Games, who missed the better part of the 1999 season, is not going to be there. She might join the circuit later or else wait for the Federation Cup at Lucknow in March.

Bahadur Prasad, India's best known middle and long distance runner, and Paramjeet Singh, the man who broke Milkha Singh's 400m record, will also be missing. Both are reportedly getting back into shape after having missed the last season due to injuries and other reasons. P.T. Usha is also said to be nursing an injury, though she has decided to pursue her career.

Though many of the the experienced stars are not joining the battle, there is great optimism about the manner in which K.M. Beenamol has struck form rightaway, as indicated by her 52.69s, equalling her personal best for the 400m, during the assessment trials in Delhi on February 10.

News from Bangalore was also encouraging since Anju Markose touched 6.70m (better than the national mark) during the trials. Her form alone has prompted the Amateur Athletic Federation of India (AAFI) to include women's long jump in the programme here as a last-minute addition though it will be a `mixed' competition. Discus will also be a `mixed' competition in order to squeeze in a 17-event card in this one-day meet. The sprint relays will be mainly for the purpose of assessment.

Of some interest will also be the manner in which distance runner Gulab Chand and discus thrower Anil Kumar come through this circuit and the rest of the first competitive phase ending mid- March. Both were bothered by injuries towards the last phase of 1999 and both have promises to keep for the new year, which will also see the Asian championships coming off at Jakarta in August. Come to think of it, much of the thrust should be towards the Asian meet rather than the Olympics, knowing full well where we stand at the global level.

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