CHENNAI: Khelo India University Games (KIUG) is turning out to be a mockery, especially in athletics. In the two of the four days of athletics so far, there were at least a couple of events in which just one player participated. Given this low turnout, there is something serious about a programme the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the sports ministry started as their flagship programme for encouraging participation of youth.
Timing of the competitions have been shocking at times. The latest edition of KIUG, which is being conducted across seven cities in Rajasthan, is on when most of the sports go into off-season. Athletics is one such sport that is already in off-season mode. The healthy presence of National Anti-Doping Agency officials has compounded matters. Athletics is one of the most tainted sports followed by weightlifting. Going by the result sheets published online, athletes participating in both disciplines have gone incognito after entering names.
Not just Khelo India University Games, but even the timing of the Khelo India Youth Games had come under scrutiny. Most of the time, it's held in January or January-February, just before the public exams of both 10th and 12th. At the same time, it is too early for athletes to compete as they begin their training around that time. Participating in events like this give athletes the chance to attain valuable certificates, which could help them in the future.
Sporting bib number 478, Ruchit Mori sprinted across the track with plenty of purpose at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Tuesday. He was the only athlete competing in the men's 400m hurdles finals. Though the start list had eight names, only one turned out. Mori was not alone. In the women's 400m final, Manisha was the lone runner. There were four DNS (did not start). Similarly, in the men's 400m, there were just two participants in the final. SM Akash Raj of Madurai Kamraj University (TN) stopped the clock at 47.48s to capture gold ahead of Abimanyu P (Annamalai University, TN), who won silver with a timing of 48.94s. As many as six athletes had DNS.
It was the same story in both the men's and women's 5000m final with just two finalists each in the line-up. Hammer throw event had three finalists in the line-up. In the women's hammer throw, there were three participants and three DNS. In the women's 100m, it was the same figure. In pole vault, it is more interesting. Only two managed to finish at 4.50m while there were three no marks and two were disqualified.
Udupi-born Keerthana was the one of the athletes who grabbed eyeballs after clocking 11.94 seconds in the women's 100m final. The second-year Master of Commerce student of Jain University, Karnataka finished ahead of Teena Pareek, who clocked 12.18s. Samriti Jamwal bagged bronze with an effort of 12.21s. Only three were part of this event too with three others listed as DNS. Laukik Melge was the top finisher in a men's 100m final line-up that featured three athletes.
Weightlifting is another sport that has seen slim participation and a host of DNSs. In the 65kg men's final, there was only one entry and medallist. Same was the case in 75kg men's. In the majority of men's finals, there were only three competitors. Wrestling is another event that has not attracted many wrestlers and went under-represented.
Contrast this with shooting. Some of the top shooters like Sift Kaur Samra competed at the event and participation was healthier than most events. Even swimming has had a good draw.