The JBL Jumps Fest in Kosice, Slovakia, provided an inspiring backdrop for Indian athletes. Held next to the historic Cathedral of St. Elizabeth, the event offered a unique setting for Shaili Singh’s first street competition. With peppy music and the option to choose their musical accompaniment, athletes were in high spirits. Shaili, the country’s No. 1 long jumper, selected a Punjabi song for her jumps, motivated by the promise from Italy’s Olympic high jump champion Gianmarco Tamberi to watch the Indian athletes’ performances.
In the competition, Shaili Singh, the Asian silver medalist, secured a silver medal with a jump of 6.43m in the fifth round, finishing behind Bulgaria’s Plamena Mitkova, the former under-20 World champion, who achieved 6.70m. Eldhose Paul, the Commonwealth Games champion, won bronze in the men’s triple jump with a mark of 16.45m. However, Praveen Chithravel, the Asian Games bronze medalist and national record holder, finished sixth and last with a disappointing 15.92m, his lowest result this season.
The Jumps Fest was a category ‘C’ event, crucial for the Indians to accumulate points towards securing berths in the Paris Olympics through the World rankings route. However, the athletes were met with a disheartening setback when World Athletics designated all the results from the event as ‘UNC’ (uncertified), without providing any explanation. This decision meant the world-ranking points from Slovakia would not be added to the athletes’ Road to Paris rankings.
The ‘UNC’ designation has sparked concerns and questions. Shaili Singh’s coach, Robert Bobby George, expressed his confusion, stating that the elevated runway shouldn’t have been a factor for disqualification, given the event’s status as a World Athletics Continental Tour competition. With the news, Shaili’s Olympic qualification prospects have become more challenging, as she is now required to perform at a higher level in subsequent competitions.
The situation has also led to frustration and uncertainty for the athletes. Adille Sumariwalla, president of the Athletics Federation of India and World Athletics vice-president, has formally contacted World Athletics to inquire about the ‘UNC’ designation, expressing his concern and seeking clarity on the matter. The unexpected turn of events has cast a shadow over the Indian athletes’ hopes and highlights the need for transparency and clarity from World Athletics regarding event certification and its impact on athletes’ qualifications.
