By CALVIN CORDOVA

CEBU CITY—Organizers were left with no choice but to hold the athletics competition of the 64th Palarong Pambansa at the track oval of the Cebu City Sports Center even if it was found out to be substandard.

Education Assistant Sec. Francis Cesar Bringas, secretary-general of Palarong Pambansa, admitted that findings that the oval track was short by two meters from the standard 400 meters came before the tournament started.

Despite the oval being short by two meters, the lack of other viable venues prompted the organizers to still choose the supposed substandard oval as venue of the track events.

“Saan ka mag tra-track field if ever?” Bringas replied when asked why the athletics was still held at the CCSC oval despite not meeting the standard measurement.

A solidarity meeting among athletics coaches was held where it was announced that records that will be made in events that use the oval’s curves will not not be considered pending revalidation of the measurement.

“Those are the consequences if we push through with the event,” said Bringas.

Bringas said a new record was actually made in the 110-meter hurdles but it is still pending because of the issue.

Bringas said the Department of Education will be tapping a third party to revalidate the measurement of the oval. It will be the same move that the Philippine Sports Commission will be taking to revalidate the oval’s measurement.

Athletic coaches described the issues hounding the oval as unfortunate.

Anjo Damaso, an athletics coach of Region 1, said the oval being substandard deprived the athletes the opportunity to break national records.

“It’s very unfortunate because we have so many athletes who have chances to break the national record. The goal of the athletes is to break Palaro records,” said Damaso.

Aside from being short of measurement, Damaso also complained that the oval is too bouncy.

“It is too smooth. The spike buries deep that affects the speed and time of the athlete. Athletes are also prone to overshoot because they are used to running in standard oval,” added Damaso.

A coach from the National Capital Region had the same observation about the oval.

“It is a bit bouncy maybe because the rubber is too soft. That's why there are instances when some athletes stumble,” said Ramir Damaso.

Ramir said he and fellow coaches were surprised when it was announced during a solidarity meeting that the oval was short by two meters.

Ramir confirmed that delegations were told that new records that will be made on the tracks will not be considered pending revalidation of the track’s measurement.

“We were surprised. We were told that there will be a revalidation to make the records legitimate,” said Ramir.

Ramir said breaking records is definitely one of the goals of the athletes, something that  will be impossible in this year’s Palaro because of the alleged substandard oval.

“Records are meant to be broken but if we can’t do it this year, we will have it next time,” added Ramir.

Both coaches admitted that being short of two meters has significant effects on the result of the races.

“Two meters involve several seconds. It’s really significant,” Ramir said.