KOCHI: Breaking the national record was his immediate dream. But for 16-year-old Vishnu Unni from St George HSS, Kothamangalam, whose pole broke while attempting the feat at the senior pole vault event in the State School Athletics Championship here, the pain, both physical and mental, knew no bounds.
“We had a lot of expectations from him since he had already set a record during the district-level meet. There was every possibility that he would break the national record. Unfortunately, the speed at which he had taken the jump proved to be unfortunate,” said his coach Akhil K S. The pole broke when Vishnu was attempting to clear the 4.3 metres, the same his competitor Ebin Sunny was aiming at too.
“I was aiming to break the national record of 4.41 metres. But, sadly I was not able to make it,” a dejected Vishnu, who injured his ankle during the incident, said. The pole, according to his coach, had brought Vishnu victories in the past. “It didn’t seem to have any problems. The pole was not old and it looked good enough to bring Vishnu a record,” he said.
According to experts, such pole accidents are quite rare in events like this. But, whenever it happens, it was because of the lack of quality of the manufactured poles or the mistake in the technique the athlete uses.
“Most of the poles that are being used in Kerala are not of good quality. Bamboo and wooden poles are mostly used in the rural areas, from where most of the pole vaulters usually come. Also, such kind of problems arise because proper care is not taken of the poles,” said Solomon Antony, the referee of the event in the school athletics meet.
Kerala State Athletics Association vice-president Tony Daniel said,“ the event involves a lot of risk. Proper maintenance is what is required most. Also, since the pole is flexible, a lot of bending would affect the pole, so it has to be changed on a timely basis. Some of the poles could be very old and not replaced’’.
Vishnu had broken the junior record at the last school meet. He had also bagged a gold at the South Zone competition held in Hyderabad and also a gold at the school nationals this year.
According to St George School coach Raju Paul, it was the technique that could have proved to be at fault than the quality of the poles that are manufactured in the US. “We are thankful that nothing has happened to the boy. If things go well, he will be back in the field soon.”