GET HELP FROM EXPERTS FIRST, KRITHANA TOLD

By Tony Mariadass

 Eye for a gold?

Karim Ibrahim, Perak Amateur Athletics Association (PAAA) president, has called for thorough assistance to national triple jumper, R. Krithana, before even considering her to be enlisted as a para athlete.

Karim, the former Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF) president, was puzzled why there is a rush to get the 23-year-old athlete who hails from Bagan Serai to become a para athlete before every avenue has been exhausted to assist her to correct her failing eye sight.

Krithana has been having eye sight problems since 2017 but her vision has been deteriorating and finished a seventh in last year’s Sea Games in Philippines in her third Games.

It was later revealed that her poor performance at the New Clark City Athletics City was because she could not see the jumping board and had a few foul jumps.

“I urge the National Sport Council (NSC) and National Sports Institute (NSI) to do everything possible to assist her by sending her to specialists for tests and assist her if her condition can be corrected or at least improved. She is a national athlete and NSC, NSI and even MAF should look into saving her condition from deteriorating further,” said Karim.

“If tests have been done, I would like to know her real condition and if there is anyway Perak AAA can assist further for further tests or rectify her condition, we will.

“We also will provide her any welfare assistance, as we understand she lost her father two months ago and the family has difficulties, as only her older brother is employed.”

Krithana, a mass communication undergraduate with University Putra Malaysia, when contacted, confirmed that she is considering becoming a para athlete but said that she has no knowledge of her actual condition and whether her condition will qualify her as a para athlete.

“I had gone for a test after returning from Philippines, but had returned back home in January as my father was ill (has since passed away two months ago) and do not know the result of the test.

“Of course I want to get back my normal eye sight if possible or correct it to be better, but as a last resort I may have to consider being a para athlete if my condition worsens,” said Krithana who is contract navy personnel, as she runs for them.

Asked how she manages with her studies with her eyesight, she said: “I manage with contact lenses.”

Krithana’s coach, Ahmad Firdaus Salim, has claimed that the doctor who examined her, had told that Krithana has uncorrected refractive errors – a condition where the eye is misshapen (not having the normal or natural shape or form), preventing successful refraction and suggests her competes as para athlete.

Paralympic athletics head coach R. Jeganathan, also confirmed that he has been approached to see if Krithana can compete as a para athlete.

“As a Paralympic coach I will assist anyone who has a handicap and but the athlete first has to be certified by the Paralympic Council, that the he or she, has a handicap,” said Jeganathan.

“However, I hope that relevant bodies first test Krithana to ensure that her handicap is serious and cannot be corrected. I am here to assist her if that is her last resort.

“I was told that Krithana has gone for a test at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital and was said to be suffering from eye nerve problem,” he added.

However, Jeganathan also said that like several Paralympic athletes, Kirthana if certified as a Paralympic, can still compete under the able bodied athletics meet.

National paralympians Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli (shot putt) and Abdul Latiff Romly (long jump) are two athletes who compete under the able bodied athletics meet.

Dr S. Radha Krishnan, president of Malaysian Blind Sports Association (MBSA) and also deputy president Paralympic Council of Malaysia (PCM), said he sympathises with Krithana’s condition but she must first get herself tested by certified doctors by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

“Firstly, Krithana should get assistance to see if her condition can be reversed or made better. We are taking about deteriorating eyesight and it is serious, because it effects a person’s life,” said Dr Radha.

“But if her condition is bad and has already been tested to give her assistance, then I can assist to get one of the three certified doctors by IPC from Malaysia to test her.”

According to Dr Radha, the three doctors in Malaysia who are certified are Dr Vijaya Menon and Geetha Ramakrishnan (both Tun Hussein Onn Eye Hospital) and Datuk Dr Rokiah Omar (UKM).

To be eligible to compete at the Paralympic Games, athletes must have at least one of the following diagnoses:

·        Impairment of the eye structure

·        Impairment of the optic nerve or pathways

·        Impairment of the visual cortex of the brain.

Athletes are classified according to their level of corrected vision and must have an impairment in both eyes that meets the minimal disability criteria of visual acuity that is less than or equal to LogMAR = 1.00 (6/60) and/or a visual field that is less than a radius of 40 degrees.

Karim said that he hopes that the interest of Krithana to improve her eye sight is given utmost importance and not look at her as an opportunity to win medals in the Paralympic competitions including seeing her qualify for the Olympics, where will have a chance to win medal and get rewards.

Krithana has a personal best of 13.48 has finished fifth in the Asian championship in Doha last year with a distance of 13.33m.

Ends.

Get help from experts first, Krithana told

FILE PIX: Perak Amateur Athletics Association president Datuk Karim Ibrahim.

By Tony Mariadass - April 16, 2020 @ 8:15am

THERE is a move to get national triple jump champion, R. Krithana to become a para-athlete due to her failing eyesight.

However, Perak Amateur Athletics Association (PAAA) president Karim Ibrahim has called for the authorities to provide extensive medical assistance for her before anything else.

Karim is puzzled over the hurry to get the 23-year-old from Bagan Serai to switch to para-athletics before every avenue to help her vision, has been exhausted.

He said the priority should be on improving Krithana’s eyesight and not for others to think about her in a situation to win medals in Paralympic competitions and get rewards.

Krithana’s eyesight has been deteriorating since 2017. And it led to her finishing seventh (she could not see the jumping board and had a few foul jumps) in December’s Sea Games in Philippines. She came in fifth in last year’s Asian championship in Doha with a distance of 13.33m.

“I urge the National Sport Council (NSC) and National Sports Institute (NSI) to do everything possible to help Krithana,” said Karim.

“Help her by sending her to specialists and see if her condition can be corrected or at least improved.

“She is a national athlete and NSC, NSI and even MAF (Malaysian Athletics Federation) should look into giving her the best possible medical help.

“If tests have been done, I would like to know what is her ‘real’ condition, and if there is anyway Perak AAA can help in further treatment.

“We will provide her with welfare assistance, as we understand that she lost her father two months ago. Her family has difficulties, as only her elder brother is employed.”

Krithana, when contacted by Timesport, confirmed that she is considering becoming a para athlete.

However, Krithana said she has no knowledge of her actual condition and whether she will qualify as a para athlete.

“I had gone for a test after returning from the Philippines Sea Games, but went home in January as my father was ill (he later died) and I do not know the result of the test.

“I hope to get back my normal eye sight if possible or that it can be corrected.

“But as a last resort, I may have to consider being a para athlete if my condition worsens,” said Krithana, who is a contract navy personnel, as she runs for them.

Asked how she is coping with her studies amid vision problem, Krithana said: “I manage with contact lenses.”

Krithana’s coach, Ahmad Firdaus Salim revealed that the doctor who examined her, had said the athlete has uncorrected refractive errors – a condition where the eye is misshapen (not having natural form). Ahmad feels that she should compete as a para athlete.

Paralympic athletics head coach R. Jeganathan said he had been asked whether Krithana can compete as a para athlete.

“As a Paralympic coach, I will assist anyone who has a handicap but the athlete first has to be certified by the Paralympic Council, that he or she has a handicap,” he said.

“I hope the relevant bodies first test Krithana to ensure that her handicap is serious and cannot be corrected. I am here to assist her if that is her last resort.

“I was told that Krithana had gone for a test at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital and she was said to be suffering from eye nerve problem.”

Jeganathan pointed out that several Paralympic athletes can till compete in able bodied athletics events. For example, national paralympians Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli (shot putt) and Abdul Latiff Romly (long jump).

Dr S. Radha Krishnan, president of the Malaysian Blind Sports Association (MBSA) and deputy president of Paralympic Council of Malaysia (PCM), sympathises with Krithana but said she must first get herself tested by doctors of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

“Firstly, Krithana should get help to see if her condition can be reversed or made better.

“We are talking about deteriorating eyesight which affects a person’s life,” said Dr Radha.

“I can get one of the three certified doctors by IPC from Malaysia to test her.”