TIRUCHY: Athletes training at the synthetic track inside the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT)-run Anna Stadium in Tiruchy have demanded immediate replacement of the decade-old turf, citing safety concerns and uneven surfaces affecting practice sessions of the players.
Around 300 athletes, including SDAT trainees, district-level players, and school students, use the 400-metre track daily for sprint, middle-distance, and endurance events. Several government and private schools in Tiruchy also send their teams regularly for training and competition preparation.
The demands come as the 10-year-old track awaits budget clearance for re-laying, after officials expected the project to be announced in this year's state budget, but it did not materialise.
Athletes said the ageing surface has developed bubbles and worn patches, affecting grip and speed while running. "It no longer meets competitive standards. You hesitate on curves because the surface is unpredictable," said an SDAT student specialising in track events.
"Many of us are preparing for district and state meets. A proper surface directly impacts timings and results." S S Sundar, a former national gold medallist in the 1,500 metres (2001) from Tiruchy, said poor maintenance has turned a major sporting asset into a risk zone.
"The rubber is no longer ideal for regular practice. Performance suffers and injury risk increases," he said. M Kanagaraj of Tiruchy District Athletic Association said the stadium forms the backbone of athletics in the region. "This is the central ground used by everyone inside the city, from schoolchildren to medal prospects.
In its current condition, it is unsafe for speed work and technical training. Even immediate patchwork repairs by local authorities would help while awaiting state approvals," he said.
District sports officials agreed that the track requires re-laying, though they maintained that the surface was not "bouncy". They added that a proposal estimated at Rs 10-12 crore had been submitted for inclusion in the next budget, as Olympic Academy infrastructure works are also going on in the district.