Ranchi, May 26 -- National records were shattered, qualification marks achieved and some of India's finest athletes delivered performances of international significance at the 29th National Federation Senior Athletics Championships in Ranchi. Yet, as history unfolded on the track, large sections of the 35,000-capacity Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium remained empty.
The contrast was hard to miss. Over the past few days, Indian athletics witnessed several landmark performances, including Gurindervir Singh's national record in the men's 100 metres and Tejaswin Shankar becoming the first Indian decathlete to cross the 8,000-point mark. However, the quality of competition did not translate into large spectator attendance, raising questions about ...