Indian Athletics Thread ...

[Saffron Lenin]

I am with Saffron. Breaking the national record, if it is not a pAlangya-pOshita record, it is a big deal!!!

What is meaning of this word?

[jayakris]

^^^ paalangya = spinach... pOshita = enriched-by/supported-by/enhanced-by ... In Sanskrit.

[paalak in Hindi comes from paalangya]

[arjun2761]

I am with Saffron. Breaking the national record, if it is not a pAlangya-pOshita record, it is a big deal!!!

Considering we religiously follow and celebrate winning a couple of rounds M15 events in places like Rwanda, I guess this is a similar level achievement.

[jayakris]

But we do not say that the M15 wins are a "big deal". A national record is indeed a big deal.

[Saffron Lenin]

A national record is indeed a big deal.

Yes, it is!!!

I hope more national records break this weak in 62nd National Open athletics championship 2023!!!

[prasen9]

Considering we religiously follow and celebrate winning a couple of rounds M15 events in places like Rwanda, I guess this is a similar level achievement.

It is hard to compare two sports. In essence, these are wins in different dimensions and cannot be compared. Having said that, one way this is dissimilar is that no other Indian man has ran faster ever in the history of Indians (and has been recorded). Whereas many Indians have won many rounds of M15 events. In that sense, this is remarkable.

Of course, if you are looking at the performance in comparison to other humans elsewhere on the earth, then it is similar to winning a few rounds in a futures event (or whatever it is called these days). So, in this sense, in 100m track, we are worse and have been historically worse off than we have been in tennis?

[arjun2761]

You can look at in any dimension. I look at it from how good is one at the world level.

India's best skier is probably worse than the best high school skiers in the Nordic countries. Our best soccer player, is probably only around the 5000th best soccer player in the world (because he wouldn't make the roster of any team in the top 15 leagues which have around 300 teams times 18-20 players per team).

This 100 meter timing is around 250th best in 100 meters this year and if you include the points ranking for track and field athletes, he is likely around the 5000th best in track and field as a whole. Certainly comparable to a futures winner at best.

[jayakris]

You cynical fellows!! Who is asking you to state facts and all that? We are Indians. We just celebrate anything, you know

[Saffron Lenin]

You cynical fellows!! Who is asking you to state facts and all that? We are Indians. We just celebrate anything, you know

Well said

[prasen9]

There is nothing wrong in celebrating someone who has done something at a level nobody from India has ever done before. Of course, for those who only care about global achievements, this is clearly not a global achievement. Should we celebrate progress in our own country even though it is not world-standard? Certainly. Nothing wrong in that. People celebrate their kids learning to walk, talk, etc. - reductio ad absurdum, of course.

[Mugundan]

Men's 100m NR is broken by Manikanta of services in national open with 10.23 sec. 7 year record iof 10.26 sec was broken

Okay, comments on vegetables, please? yes or no? Hope no.

The spinach effect is all over that mark. Impossible otherwise.
He started this season with 10.94s, improved it to 10.31 in Sept in the Services championships, and now this 10.23! How can anyone improve from 10.94 to 10.23 in such aa short span of around four months?

[Dinakaran]

Being a NR, I am sure afi will test before ratification. So we can wait for some more time to know it

[sameerph]

^^^ I suppose there are ways and means of not getting caught in tests. So, we cannot assume that if he returns negative in test, he is clean. We will have to wait and see if he can produce these kind of timings consistently and more importantly outside India in important meets.

I wonder what will be his motivation in consuming Spinach at this time though. One can understand before Asian games, to earn a spot in Asian games team. But, what does he gain except a name in record books ?

[Mugundan]

^^^ I suppose there are ways and means of not getting caught in tests. So, we cannot assume that if he returns negative in test, he is clean. We will have to wait and see if he can produce these kind of timings consistently and more importantly outside India in important meets.

I wonder what will be his motivation in consuming Spinach at this time though. One can understand before Asian games, to earn a spot in Asian games team. But, what does he gain except a name in record books ?

Well explained about testing negative at competitions. Very few fail in competitions. As you said, we will know in the next couple of years where he stands. If he succeeds also at international level over a period of time he surely must be rare talent. He finished 7th in semis in the inter-State (10.93s) and did not have a chance to figure in the Indian team for Hangzhou. One hadn't heard his name before this National in fact.

[prasen9]

^^^ I suppose there are ways and means of not getting caught in tests. So, we cannot assume that if he returns negative in test, he is clean. We will have to wait and see if he can produce these kind of timings consistently and more importantly outside India in important meets.

I wonder what will be his motivation in consuming Spinach at this time though. One can understand before Asian games, to earn a spot in Asian games team. But, what does he gain except a name in record books ?

Maybe some visibility, paid trips to meets abroad, etc.? I do not know if there are financial awards or jobs or promotions that are offered in support?