The training and development committee of the Bangladesh Olympic Association will meet on Saturday to discuss the shabby performance of the five athletes at the Asian
Track and Field event in Pune, India, informed a BOA official.
Sprinters Mezbah Ahmed, Abu Raihan, Nazmunnahar Beauty, Shirin Akhter and Zakia Sultana returned home empty-handed on Wednesday night after participating in the Asian Track and Field meet where they failed to even register their own best timing.
The BOA was very disappointed with the displays of the athletes and was also not satisfied with the work of the concerned federation.
‘We investigated that the Bangladesh Athletics Federation failed to organise a proper training camp for the athletes before the Asian Track and Field meet in Pune. The BAF was also unable to organise a camp ahead of the upcoming Youth Asian Games in Nanjing,’ said Wing Commander Rafiul Islam, member secretary of the BOA’s training and development committee.
‘Moreover, the overall situation of athletics is not that promising,’ added Rafiul.
Mezbah, the nation’s fastest man, took part in the 100 metre sprint event in Pune but failed to record his best timing as he finished the race in 10.99 seconds.
Mezbah recorded a timing of 10.75 seconds in the eighth Bangladesh
Games to ensure a gold medal in the 100 metre event.
Abu Rayhan, who clinched a gold medal in the Bangladesh Games’ 200 metre event by
clocking 21.50 seconds, frustrated in Pune as he finished the race in 22.86 seconds.
‘I participated in the Pune meet without any preparations. After the Bangladesh Games, we were not given the chance to prepare for this meet,’ said former BKSP student Mezbah, who might join Bangladesh Navy on Monday.
The fastest woman in 100 metres of the Bangladesh Games, Nazmunnahar Beauty finished her race in Pune in 13.51 seconds although she won the nation’s fastest woman title in 12.51 seconds at the Games.
‘After the Bangladesh Games, we did not get the opportunity to prepare ourselves for the Pune meet,’ said a disappointed Beauty, adding that they did not undergo any warm-up session ahead of the India tour.
-With New Age input
