Room for improvement

Published : Sep 13, 2008 00:00 IST

The winners of the half marathon, Santhosh Kumar and Preeja Sreedharan.-R. RAGU
The winners of the half marathon, Santhosh Kumar and Preeja Sreedharan.-R. RAGU
lightbox-info

The winners of the half marathon, Santhosh Kumar and Preeja Sreedharan.-R. RAGU

The widely publicised Chennai Marathon is over. K. Keerthivasan looks at it from different angles.

There couldn’t have been a better build-up for the Marg-Give Life Chennai Marathon. Thanks to the wide publicity in every form of the media weeks before the event, the turnout was huge, some estimates putting the number at six figures. Conducted with a noble intention — the proceeds were to be used for the education of underprivileged children —the marathon witnessed a tragedy when an Anna University student, M. Santosh, collapsed due to cardiac arrest at the finish line and was declared ‘brought dead’ at the hospital.

The incident brought to light the precautionary measures the organisers and athletes, first timers and amateurs, need to take before a long distance race. There were quite a few shortcomings in the Chennai Marathon and these took away the sheen of the marquee event, the half marathon. Quite a few complained of the lack of water stations enroute and the shortage of water packets and bottles at the end of the race. This writer saw at least half a dozen runners gasping for breath and asking for water from by-standers.

Vikas Grover, a veteran of 13 marathons in India and Asia and a participant in the Chennai Marathon, said that after 11 kilometres in the half marathon (21.097 km), he found it difficult to find water stations and in those few that he located, the athletes were fighting to pick the packets/bottles. “In Chennai with the weather being hot and humid, they should have offered glucose and rehydration fluids,” the Bangalore-based professional said.

“What was most disappointing was towards the end of the race (Grover finished in two hours and 14 minutes), I couldn’t see the finishing line and no official was present.

Dr. J. P. Sukumar, Director of Physical Education, Anna University and Advisor, Marg-Chennai Marathon said, “the water stations were kept at regular stops after consulting the Tamil Nadu Athletic Association officials.” The PD of Anna University says ideally it’s up to the athlete concerned to take a decision whether he is fit enough to take part in a marathon. “He/she has to make a self-assessment.”

The regular announcement as to what an athlete should do during the race was made. On the number of ambulances, Sukumar said that they had 16 and that was enough for all the routes. Sukumar suggested that a medical examination should be done of all the athletes taking part in the half marathon, though it’s quite a difficult task with the number of participants crossing 4000. “Given the outcome, it would be safe for the organisers to do it.”

Deaths of athletes have been reported from even marathons abroad. What lessons the officials learn and what precautions they take to minimise such a happening will have a direct bearing on the conduct of a successful and safe marathon.

More stories from this issue

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment