Ministry of Education continues to fail track and field sports   

by Reemus Fernando   

In England last year, a 12-year-old girl ran a five kilometer road race in a time of 16 minutes and 40 seconds to establish the world record of her age category. In Australia athletes as young as 13 years of age run 1,500 metres events at Athletics Australia All Schools Championships. But in Sri Lanka young children gifted with endurance abilities never see their talent being identified thanks to a stagnated competition structure persevered by the Ministry of Education. Though the knowledgeable individuals have proposed to include such events at Under 14, 16 and 18 categories to encourage endurance events on more than one occasion, they have fallen on deaf ears. The enthusiasts were hoping for positive changes to the track and field competition structure this year when the Ministry of Education commence competitions after a long hiatus due to the Covid 19 pandemic, but the latest circular streamlining schools sports has pathetically failed to introduce positive reforms to its track and field competitions.

The directors of sports of Zonal and Provincial level were introduced the new circular recently. But several Provincial and Zonal Directors of Sports have cited flaws and have requested immediate changes to the new regulations that are set to discourage endurance events and have negative effects on outstation athletes.

According to the new circular 80metres and 100 metres are the only track events for Under 14 age category and all events in the Under 12 and Under 14 age categories will be conducted as competitive events.

“If you take the results of these events at Zonal, Provincial and All Island level you often see the same athlete winning both events as this short distance will test only one quality, which is speed. You need to have a longer distance probably the 600 metres or the 800 metres to test endurance ability, said Sanjeewa Weerakkody, the coach of South Asian Games medallist Amasha de Silva when The Island contacted on this regard.

“Conducting them as competitive events for this age category is not the best idea as coaches tend to concentrate on specific training for the event leading to early burnout. You do not see many athletes who excel at this level making it to senior national level. That is one of the reasons for Sri Lanka failing at Asian level in athletics in recent times,” said Weerakkody who is also an Assistant Director of Education (Sports) of the Zonal Education Office, Kandy.

Anura Bandara, the coach of Olympian and Asian Games gold medallist Sugath Thilakaratne expressed similar sentiments questioning the absence of even a 200 metres for the Under 14 age category.

The Under 16 age category has the 800 metres but the 4×800 metres relay which was there from the inception at the Relay Carnival until three years ago has not been included though there were calls to do so. The long distance medley relay which was reintroduced to the Under 18 age category in 2019 has been scrapped again delivering a blow to the outstation schools who dominate the event.

“The athletes of Central, Uva and Sabaragamu provinces generally dominate long distance events. The absence of these events will deny opportunities for outstation athletes. Currently Sri Lanka is getting stronger in the 800 metres in Asia. Those school children who get encouraged by this new trend should be given more opportunities. Long distance relays are a must to promote it,” opined Susantha Fernando, the coach of several national and junior national record holders of long and middle distance events.

Fernando is credited for making Ratnayake Central, Walala the athletics stronghold of the country and has helped many a school children reach national and international level. However such veterans have not been consulted in formulating the new circular, though the coaches of other sports have been consulted in formulating new regulations regarding schools sports.

The 3000 metres event is competed worldwide in the Under 18 age category. The World Athletics Youth events and Asian Youth events include the distance event. Sri Lanka Athletics too conduct the distance track event for the Under 18 age category at its Junior National Championships. The Sri Lanka Schools Athletics Association has the discipline for the Under 18 age category at its Senior John Tarbat Athletics Championships. Despite requests to include it the Education Ministry has not given though to include the event to the Schools games athletics championship.

An official of the newly elected Sri Lanka Schools Athletics Association too expressed concern over the lack of interest shown by the Education Ministry officials to promote long distance events despite Sri Lanka winning its only Youth Olympic medal in history in such a discipline.

Paarami Wasanthi won a Youth Olympic bronze in the 2000 metres steeplechase in 2018 and a gold in the 3000 metres steeplechase at the Asian Junior Championships the same year when she was still 18 years old.

With the country celebrating its centenary year in athletics this year it would be only appropriate that the Ministry of Education give track and field sports the recognition it richly deserves and the knowledgeable people are consulted when taking vital decisions.