CCSC oval controversy: 11 Palaro athletics records ‘nullified’

11 record-breaking events nullified at Palaro due to track oval discrepancy

Due to inaccuracies in the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) track oval line marking, 11 record-breaking events were nullified in Palarong Pambansa 2024. | CDN Digital Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – A total of 11 record-breaking performances in the athletics event of Palarong Pambansa 2024 were deemed as ‘invalid’ as a result of the inaccuracies in the measurement of the track oval of the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).

Winners were given the medals that they worked hard for but the new records that they set will not be recognized.

Many of the affected student-athletes could not help but express their disappointment against the event organizers, the Cebu City government.

READ: CCSC track oval is 0.88 meters short – sports officials

Questions were also raised on the ‘fairness’ of competitions held at the CCSC and the lack of oversight to ensure accurate track measurements for a sports event of this magnitude.

‘It’s very disappointing’

Sep Blessee Placido, a 2000-meter walkathon athlete from the National Capital Region (NCR), said that she will be leaving Cebu disappointed.

READ: Palarong Pambansa 2024: LIVE UPDATES

In this year’s Palaro, Placido managed to surpass the 10:44.44 record that was set in 2018 by a student-athlete from Calabarzon.

She set a new record of 10:42.84. But this will not be recognized by Palaro organizers.

READ: DepEd to turn over Palarong Pambansa equipment to Cebu City

“It is super devastating po talaga, since the time we knew that track records beyond 100m wouldn’t be recognized or honored. It’s very disappointing,” Placido said in an interview with CDN Digital.

Placido said that the Cebu City government should have been prepared for the competition and made sure that the standard measurement of the CCSC track oval was met.

READ: DepEd official reveals Palaro officials knew of ‘short’ CCSC track oval before event

“We love Cebu and had our hearts in it, but as athletes who train and work really hard to prepare for this competition, we will leave Cebu disappointed. It seems to be [that the organizers were] unprepared for the competition because some athletes broke their track event records, and it’s their last year competing in the Palaro, so they’re really disappointed,” Placido said.

Asked if she plans to lodge an official complaint against the local organizers, Placido said it was unlikely for their region to do so.

READ: CCSC Chairman denies track oval measurement discrepancy

However, she mentioned that their Assistant Regional Director was aware of the issues and “improper judgments” that were made during the walk events in the Palarong Pambansa 2024.

0.88 meters short

On July 16, Cebu City Sports Commission Chairman John Pages confirmed the discrepancy in the measurement of the CCSC track oval. He cited a 0.88-meter deviation from the standard 400-meter measurement due to inaccuracies in the lane painting.

The discrepancy, identified through a re-measurement conducted by Mendel Surveying and independently agreed upon by the Department of Education (DepEd) and Cebu City officials, led to the disqualification of new records set for events that were above 100 meters.

Pages explained that the average discrepancy across the eight lanes of the track oval was caused by an error in the lane lining. Although the discrepancy seems minor, the rules enforced by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) are strict.

Even a shortfall of 0.23 centimeters renders the track non-standard, thus disqualifying any new records set on it.  The new records set will not also be acknowledged as part of the Palarong Pambansa records.

“As a result of the discrepancy in the lining of the lanes, we cannot set or certify records as broken in running events 200 meters and above,” Department of Education (DepEd) Assistant Secretary Francis Cesar Bringas said in a press briefing on Tuesday, July 16.

Still, winners will be awarded their medals.

Contract review

Meanwhile, Acting Cebu City Vice Mayor Donaldo Hontiveros said that someone should be made to answer for what happened.

Hontiveros urged the Cebu City Legal Office (CLO) to review the terms of reference of the CCSC rehabilitation project and make sure that the contractor, SBD Builders, complied with its specifications.

In addition, SBD Builders has also been directed to explain the discrepancies on the rubberized track oval.

Below is a list of events and new records that were affected by the discrepancy in the measurement of the CCSC track oval:

3000m Steeple Chase (Secondary Boys)

Previous Record: 9:35.2 (Central Luzon, 2019)
2024 Record: 9:34.49 (Jerico Cadag, Calabarzon)

2000m Walk (Secondary Boys)

Previous Record: 9:33.01 (Ilocos Region, 2018)
2024 Records:
8:53.89 (Gabriel Cervantes, National Capital Region)
9:04.98 (Ivan Cabanda, Northern Mindanao)
9:13.30 (Vincent Claude Durana, National Capital Region)
9:21.80 (Jay-R Regencia, Zamboanga Peninsula)

2000m Walk (Secondary Girls)

Previous Record: 10:44.44 (Calabarzon, 2018)
2024 Records:
10:39.59 (Kate Mantawel, Northern Mindanao)
10:42.84 (Sep Blessee Placido, National Capital Region)

4x400m Relay (Secondary Boys)

Previous Record: 3:21.66 (Calabarzon, 2019)
2024 Record: 3:20.81 (Carlos Miguel Nacaro, Virgilio Ramos Jr., John Clinton Mitchel Abetong, Adrian Magsino, Calabarzon)

4x400m Relay (Elementary Girls)

Previous Record: 4:13.22 (Calabarzon, 2016)
2024 Record: 4:12.33 (Ayena Dhawn Cabalfin, Chrishia Mabasa, Karen Bala-an, Princess Mae Lachica, Western Visayas)

400m Hurdles (Elementary Girls)

Previous Record: 1:08.03 (Ilocos Region, 2017)
2024 Record: 1:07.52 (Princess Mae Lachica, Western Visayas)

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