Sunita Rani

Guwahati, Feb. 28: Asian Games medallist Sunita Rani has said practice on synthetic track is not necessary for a sprinter to excel in national or international meets.

Rani, who was here for the 10th National Federation Cup Cross Country Championship recently, told newspersons that it was better to practise on grass surface because it improves timing on synthetic surface.

?I myself practise on grass because then I feel more comfortable on synthetic tracks during competitions,? Rani said, adding that hard work and determination were the keys to success. She, however, added that a little conditioning on synthetic track before competitions was vital.

There has been a lot of debate over the lack of a synthetic track in Assam ever since the state was awarded the 33rd National Games.

The Sports Authority of India, Guwahati centre, which was supposed to lay a track half a decade ago but failed to complete the project, was under fire from the Assam Athletics Association and the Assam Olympic Association.

The National Games Secretariat has arranged for the training of select state athletes at the SAI Salt Lake complex in Calcutta later this year to prepare for the Games. The renovation of the Assam sports hostel in Calcutta will be undertaken at the initiative of sports adviser to the chief minister, Robin Bordoloi, and sports commissioner Pradip Hazarika next month to accommodate the trainees.

Tenders for the synthetic surface at the upcoming infrastructure at Sarusajai has been floated and the purchase committee of the National Games Secretariat will sit on March 2 to finalise the deals. The infrastructure will not be ready for prior training or conditioning of the state athletes, officials said.

On the preparation for the Games, Rani said proper talent hunt and coaching were the need of the time. She said there was adequate time to groom a strong contingent.

She also suggested setting up an academy for junior (under-14) athletes under the initiative of the Assam Athletics Association.