<p>Om Prakash Singh’s ‘national record-breaking’ effort of 20.69M in shot put on Saturday has come at an event where he was the only participant in his category.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The Indian had claimed to have broken Shakti Singh’s national record of 20.42 metres at Szombathely in Hungary in an IAAF approved international meet.<br /><br />According to information received here, the event was a throws competition with contests for different age groups as well as the senior category. And Om Prakash was the only international athlete taking part in the entire exercise.<br /><br />“Having crossed the psychological barrier of the national record, I can now go for the Olympic record,” Om Prakash had said in a message after the event.<br /><br />The Indian had qualified for the Olympics with a 20.07M effort at the same venue last year and is undergoing training in the Hungarian city under former national discus throw champion Anil Kumar. <br /><br />Om Prakash’s effort on Saturday was better than the Olympic ‘A’ standard of 20.50 metres but given the field, or lack of it, it remains to be seen whether his mark will be accepted.<br /><br />Also of interest will be the question whether the mark will be ratified as a national record. The ratification procedure for world records, laid down by the the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in its rules, states that at least three competitors should have participated in an event for a mark to be accepted as a record. <br /><br />It remains to be seen whether the Athletics Federation of India follows the same rules when it comes to national records.<br /><br />Om Prakash had said he had a series of 20.09, 20.60, Foul, 20.40, 20.63 and 20.69 on Saturday. However, the result from the event shows his series as foul, 20.14, 20.69, 19.70, foul and 20.63.</p>
<p>Om Prakash Singh’s ‘national record-breaking’ effort of 20.69M in shot put on Saturday has come at an event where he was the only participant in his category.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The Indian had claimed to have broken Shakti Singh’s national record of 20.42 metres at Szombathely in Hungary in an IAAF approved international meet.<br /><br />According to information received here, the event was a throws competition with contests for different age groups as well as the senior category. And Om Prakash was the only international athlete taking part in the entire exercise.<br /><br />“Having crossed the psychological barrier of the national record, I can now go for the Olympic record,” Om Prakash had said in a message after the event.<br /><br />The Indian had qualified for the Olympics with a 20.07M effort at the same venue last year and is undergoing training in the Hungarian city under former national discus throw champion Anil Kumar. <br /><br />Om Prakash’s effort on Saturday was better than the Olympic ‘A’ standard of 20.50 metres but given the field, or lack of it, it remains to be seen whether his mark will be accepted.<br /><br />Also of interest will be the question whether the mark will be ratified as a national record. The ratification procedure for world records, laid down by the the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in its rules, states that at least three competitors should have participated in an event for a mark to be accepted as a record. <br /><br />It remains to be seen whether the Athletics Federation of India follows the same rules when it comes to national records.<br /><br />Om Prakash had said he had a series of 20.09, 20.60, Foul, 20.40, 20.63 and 20.69 on Saturday. However, the result from the event shows his series as foul, 20.14, 20.69, 19.70, foul and 20.63.</p>
