New Delhi:- Marathon runner Kavita Raut today sought to steer clear of the O P Jaisha controversy, asserting that there was enough water for her during the gruelling marathon event in the Rio Olympics.
Jaisha, the second Indian participant in the marathon race, stoked a controversy by alleging that Athletics Federation of India officials did not arrange for water and energy drinks during the race under scorching heat, a claim denied by the AFI.
Kavita, who finished 120th in the race with a timing of 2 hrs 59 minutes and 29 seconds, said she has no complaints against the Indian officials.
“I don’t want to be involved in the Jaisha issue. I don’t want to speak about what she said or complained. I will speak for myself and as far as I am concerned I have no issues. It was a normal race for me though I felt thirsty along the way as the race was run under scorching heat,” Kavita told PTI from her home in Maharashtra.
“I don’t know at what intervals were the water stations kept. But there were water stations and I felt water, kept along the course of the race, was enough and that was why I completed the race without any problem,” she added.
Jaisha, who fainted at the finish line after completing the race in 89th position, had alleged that there was no water, recovery drinks and refreshment available for her and only once in 8km did she got water. She also said that all the countries had their water and refreshment stations at every 2km but the Indian ones were empty.
Kavita made it clear that she was asked by AFI officials if she would need personalised drinks during the race.
“Yes, I was asked at the team assembly. AFI Secretary (C K Valson), chief coach (Bahadur Singh) and deputy chief coach (Radhakrishnan Nair) came to me a day before the race and asked if I will need these personalised drinks. But I said I am not using the personalised drinks,” said Kavita who qualified for Rio Olympics during the South Asian Games in Guwahati earlier this year.
“I am not not in the habit of using these personalised drinks. It does not suit me. I used to run marathon, say in Mumbai Marathon and during the South Asian Games in Guwahati, by using only the normal water provided by the organisers,” said the 31-year-old runner.
“When I train also I don’t use personalised drinks and so it is about habit and I use only normal water.
PTI
