National athletics times stagnant for 30 years: Naseer

Some of the athletes who won events at the recent National Athletics Championships, which concluded last Saturday, recorded times comparable to those achieved 30 years ago, according to athletics coach Naseer Ismail.

Naseer, who still holds the Maldives men's 800m national record, pointed out that the middle-distance and some sprint events were completed slower than in the 1990s.

He referenced Shamha Ahmed’s performance in 1999, noting that her sprint times were faster than those of some current national champions.

Naseer, a former top scorer of the event himself, added that the overall speed of male athletes in middle-distance races has declined, raising concerns about the stagnation of athletic development in the country.

He said the government is making significant investments in sports, including providing monthly allowances to athletes selected for the national team.

“This is not the 1990s. The association is giving full priority and funding to runners. But my question is—why is there still no progress?” said Naseer Ismail, head coach of Naseer Sports Academy.

“Every athlete on the national team receives a monthly allowance of MVR 5,000. Yet, their performances remain weak. Many young athletes are not improving.”

Naseer said that if the Athletics Association fails to address these concerns, the sport’s development could regress.

“This is a serious issue. The Athletics Association and the entire athletics community need to come together to tackle it,” he said.

“Organizing just three or four tournaments and a few time trials a year isn’t enough. Everyone needs to work collaboratively and consistently to drive real improvement.”