KUALA LUMPUR: State coaches are furious with Malaysia Games (Sukma) officials for their "schoolboy" blunder during the women's 5,000m walk event at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil today.
Athletes have to complete 12 and a half laps in the 5,000m walk event.
However, nine walkers in today's race did an additional lap.
Although furious, the state coaches decided not to file a protest as it will not change the outcome of the race.
Selangor chief coach and former national walker Narinder Singh slammed the officials for making a mockery of the walk event.
"The officials made the blunder but did not want to admit it.
"Usually, a walker will take about two minutes to do a lap (400m) and will clock around 26 minutes to complete the race.
"But the athletes clocked two additional minutes in the race today. We then knew that the athletes walked an extra 400m.
"We approached the officials about the extra lap, but they did not want to admit their mistake.
"We wanted to file an official protest. But to do that, each state had to fork out RM300.
"The states then decided not pursue (the matter) as the protest would not change anything.
"The blunder will affect the walkers' chances of getting into the national junior team.
"How are we going to explain to our athletes that they did an additional lap thanks to the blunder?
"A few of the women walkers will also compete in the MSSM (Under-18) next week, and they will be affected because of their slow times at the Games.
"If the results stand, MSSM walkers will clock faster times than athletes at the Games.
"Tomorrow is the men's 10,000m walk, and we hope they will not make a mockery again," said Narinder.
The women's 5000m walk event was won by Kok Hui Ying of the Federal Territories, who clocked 28:45.81s.
Nurul Alyahaziqah Kamarazaman of Kelantan (29:30.730) and Nurul Ashikin Hussin of FT (29:51.270) came in second and third.