India’s race walk coach Ronald Weigel said the extreme humidity in Bhubaneswar significantly impacted athletes’ performances and urged selectors to factor in the conditions while finalising the Asian Games squad. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

India’s race walk coach Ronald Weigel has urged national selectors to factor in the extremely humid conditions during the half marathon race walk at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships while finalising the squad for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan.

The German coach also suggested that future selection trials for major multi-sport events should either be held as standalone competitions or at venues with more favourable weather.

“The tough weather conditions affect the athletes a lot. Look, I’m sweating, I have to change my shirt. We have 94 per cent humidity,” Weigel said after his trainee Munita Prajapati won the women’s 21.098km race walk in 1:45:05.

Recalling the 2019 World Championships in Doha, he said even the world’s best race walkers were around 10 minutes slower than usual because of the heat.

“So, the officials have to understand that in these conditions, endurance athletes cannot compete fast. With these conditions, the first and second placed athletes can be selected for the Asian Games. That would be a good and fair solution,” said Weigel, who has been India’s national race walking coach since March last year and is based at the SAI Centre in Bengaluru.

India’s Asian Games athletics squad is expected to be announced on Sunday, the final day of the championships.

Prajapati’s winning time was well outside the Athletics Federation of India’s qualifying standard of 1:37:20, which is even faster than the national record of 1:39:15 set by Ravina at the National Race Walking Championships in Chandigarh in February.

Weigel also called for future endurance selection events to be shifted to Bengaluru, citing its cooler temperatures and lower humidity.

“If we have a chance to compete in better conditions, India will show they are not so bad. They can compare with the best in the world. We have this potential.”

The top five finishers in Friday’s race are all coached by Weigel.

The race began at 5.30 am in Bhubaneswar in about 28°C temperatures and over 90 per cent humidity. Ironically, Japan, which hosts the Asian Games from September 19, is also expected to be hot and humid. The AFI’s stringent qualifying standard may also reflect India’s limited medal prospects in the event.

Twenty-five Asian athletes have clocked better than 1:37:20, the AFI’s qualifying time, so far this season, though 20 of them are from China, three from Japan and two from Kazakhstan.

A country, however, can send a maximum of two athletes in a track and field event at the Asian Games.

Published on Jun 26, 2026