PHTOP STORY: An alleged substandard track oval of the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) is affecting the results of the track event of athletics competition in the 64th Palarong Pambansa after the national technical committee refused to recognize any new record set in the contest, unless the contractor is able to show proof of the exact measurements of the newly refurbished facility.
This was confirmed by Palaro national technical officials Narciso Dasigan and Jeanette Obiena in separate interviews at the start of athletics event yesterday.
Dasigan declined to make comments concerning the construction and condition of the oval, but said as far as the competition is concerned, no record will be recognized if the oval is proven short of the actual 400-meter measurement. A high-placed source said the track oval is allegedly 20-meter short of the standard.
Setting a record is important for an athlete because it could be a ticket to joining the national team to compete in international competitions.
Earlier, there was also a minor damage seen at the rubberized oval even before the battle started. Coaches were already informed of this development, Dasigan said.
“So sa ngayon, on-hold muna kung may mag-record man hanggang di namin nakikita yung hinihingi nila Ma’am Jeanette (Obiena, technical consultant in athletics) na record,” Dasigan added.
Communicating with the contractor of the oval had been very difficult accordingly not only at present but even in previous instances.
“Mula pa nung first conference binigay namin ang mga specifications pero wala,” added Dasigan.
Obiena did not give the exact initial measurement of the oval, but said “hindi talaga sya tukma, so we have to wait for the transit measurement”.
Obiena said she was given the initial reading but needs the second reading.
“Sabi nila ibibigay nila hanggang sa nakarating na lang ako dito up to now, wala pa ring ibinigay. Baka pagkatapos na ng Palaro,” said Obiena while saying that they need two to three readings to validate the measurement.
So far, no one had broken any record yet in track events except in the long jump event to which they said is recognized being a field event and is not affected with the measurement issue of the oval.
Central Luzon’s Jyane Kirt Centor breaks the elementary boys long jump record at 1.64 meter eclipsing Davao’s Jeremie Tamles’ 6.04-m in Naga in 2002. Even on the 100-meter run, the technical team still needs the required measurement.
Another technical expert who refused to be named told The Freeman that when the CCSC rubberized oval was first constructed, the oval was off-limits for six months to ensure the exact measurement of it.
John Pages, chairman of the Cebu City Sports Commission, however, is confident that the track oval measurements are in compliance with the standard.
"We are confident that the measurements are in compliance because this is the same track oval used in the 1994 Palarong Pambansa. And that Palaro was certified and honored by the officials," Pages told the Freeman.
The track oval had undergone repairs thrice already. It was refurbished in 2012 by a Malaysian contractor and this time by a local contractor identified earlier by the Cebu City Council as SBD Builders.
LANE BOX TOO
Aside from the concern on the oval’s measurement, even the lane box is also said to be sub-standard that some of them got broken when runners sit on it while waiting to be called at the starting line.
The materials used looks like an illustration board that is too thin that it cannot hold the weight of most young runners in the Palaro. — Caecent No-ot Magsumbol/FPL #TheFreeman #Cebu
This was confirmed by Palaro national technical officials Narciso Dasigan and Jeanette Obiena in separate interviews at the start of athletics event yesterday.
Dasigan declined to make comments concerning the construction and condition of the oval, but said as far as the competition is concerned, no record will be recognized if the oval is proven short of the actual 400-meter measurement. A high-placed source said the track oval is allegedly 20-meter short of the standard.
Setting a record is important for an athlete because it could be a ticket to joining the national team to compete in international competitions.
Earlier, there was also a minor damage seen at the rubberized oval even before the battle started. Coaches were already informed of this development, Dasigan said.
“So sa ngayon, on-hold muna kung may mag-record man hanggang di namin nakikita yung hinihingi nila Ma’am Jeanette (Obiena, technical consultant in athletics) na record,” Dasigan added.
Communicating with the contractor of the oval had been very difficult accordingly not only at present but even in previous instances.
“Mula pa nung first conference binigay namin ang mga specifications pero wala,” added Dasigan.
Obiena did not give the exact initial measurement of the oval, but said “hindi talaga sya tukma, so we have to wait for the transit measurement”.
Obiena said she was given the initial reading but needs the second reading.
“Sabi nila ibibigay nila hanggang sa nakarating na lang ako dito up to now, wala pa ring ibinigay. Baka pagkatapos na ng Palaro,” said Obiena while saying that they need two to three readings to validate the measurement.
So far, no one had broken any record yet in track events except in the long jump event to which they said is recognized being a field event and is not affected with the measurement issue of the oval.
Central Luzon’s Jyane Kirt Centor breaks the elementary boys long jump record at 1.64 meter eclipsing Davao’s Jeremie Tamles’ 6.04-m in Naga in 2002. Even on the 100-meter run, the technical team still needs the required measurement.
Another technical expert who refused to be named told The Freeman that when the CCSC rubberized oval was first constructed, the oval was off-limits for six months to ensure the exact measurement of it.
John Pages, chairman of the Cebu City Sports Commission, however, is confident that the track oval measurements are in compliance with the standard.
"We are confident that the measurements are in compliance because this is the same track oval used in the 1994 Palarong Pambansa. And that Palaro was certified and honored by the officials," Pages told the Freeman.
The track oval had undergone repairs thrice already. It was refurbished in 2012 by a Malaysian contractor and this time by a local contractor identified earlier by the Cebu City Council as SBD Builders.
LANE BOX TOO
Aside from the concern on the oval’s measurement, even the lane box is also said to be sub-standard that some of them got broken when runners sit on it while waiting to be called at the starting line.
The materials used looks like an illustration board that is too thin that it cannot hold the weight of most young runners in the Palaro. — Caecent No-ot Magsumbol/FPL #TheFreeman #Cebu