Bhubaneswar, March 24 Young shot putter Omkar Prasad Nanda used a worn-out shoe, while runner C Priyanka relied on her experience of training on a curved track, as athletes and officials adjusted to an unfamiliar setting at the inaugural National Indoor Championships, which began here on Tuesday.
Nanda was among the few who had been training at the state-of-the-art indoor stadium hosting the championships, as he resides in the residential hostel attached to the facility.
He has been training here for the last 10-14 days, but is still careful about slipping on the wooden throwing circle.
"The throwing circle in outdoor events is made of concrete, so it has good grip, and you feel more confident. But in indoor events, the throwing circle is made of wood and is a little slippery. So, you have to be careful not to slip and get injured," said Nanda, who won gold in the U-20 section with a throw of 17.77m.
"It can be slippery when you start rotating. If everything goes well at the beginning of the rotation, I can achieve a good ascent and distance.
"Luckily, I didn't slip today, perhaps because I've been training here for the last 10 to 14 days," said the Odisha athlete who made his debut in an indoor competition.
"I also wore an old shoe that I've been using for about two and a half years, so the sole is a bit worn, which gives good grip. A new shoe might be more slippery," added Nanda, whose father works in the police department.
On the difference between indoor and outdoor events, he said, "The competition environment is the same. But as a thrower, we get wind support outdoors, which we don't get indoors."
Nanda has a personal best of 18.23m in outdoor events.
"The technique is the same, there's no difference in approach for indoor events while training, but the platform is different."
For Priyanka, the senior women's 3000m gold winner, her past training experience on 200m tracks, although outdoors, was helpful.
"The track here was a very good experience, and I didn't experience any tightness. Since we normally run on a 400m track, the 200m track was a little more curved. For that, we need to adjust," said the Karnataka athlete who won with a time of 9 minutes 42.05 seconds.
"I trained on a 200m track at the SAI Bengaluru, and there's another 200m track at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. When I was a junior, I used to train there, and it helped me.
"Middle and long-distance running is about patience, tactics, and acceleration of 120-150m. For middle and long distances, we don't use lanes 5 and 6, as these have slopes. We usually use lane number 1," said the athlete.
Also, the officials needed to adjust.
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The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has extensive experience in organizing national and international events, but is holding its first indoor competition.
"It's not a very challenging event for us, but it's also a learning experience, as it's the first indoor event in the country. The rules and regulations are the same, and the logistics are almost the same.
"The only difference is the 200m track, which is more sloped and curved than the outdoor 400m track," said AFI treasurer and technical committee member Stanley Jones.
"In indoor events, there is no wind, temperature, or weather variations, so the environment is more controlled and consistent. Moreover, there will be no rain in indoor events, which is a plus compared to outdoor events.
"On the other hand, indoor events are held one after the other, and there is not much time between the two sessions in a day. Since it's a smaller space, you can't hold too many events together. In outdoor events, you can hold jump or throw events together, but not in indoors. There is no space."
Interesting case of shot put measurement
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In outdoor events, there's a clear mark on the sand or soil where the iron ball lands, and measurements are made accordingly for the shot put competition.
But indoor competitions use landing mats made of sponge or foam for floor protection and safety. The shot will not make a clear mark on the mat, and sometimes, it may be difficult for officials to determine the exact point of contact.
After the competitor tosses the shot, one official who stands near the landing mat and netting system will keep a close eye on where the iron ball lands.
"There will be a depression on the mat when the shot lands, and it will last for a few seconds. Based on that, one measuring official will spot the point from which the measurement will have to be made," said Jones.
There will also be some moisture on the landing mats because of the controlled temperature inside the indoor arena, which will help keep the depression for a longer time.
"Sometimes, athletes use white powders before throwing (to get a good grip on the shot) and when the shot lands, there will be clear marks."
The National Indoor Championships is using shot put landing mats from the Malaysia-based company AFN Sports. This company provides portable throwing circles made of wood in six pieces and netting systems.