ranchi: A second string Indian team, made up of several junior players, will look to continue the country’s dominance in the South Asian Senior Athletics Championships which will make a return after 15 years here on Friday.
The fourth edition of the championships to be held at the Birsa Munda Stadium under the aegis of South Asian Athletics Federation (SAAF) will mark the revival of the regional event after Kochi in Kerala hosted the last one in 2008.
In fact, the championships is being held in India for the third time, with the country having hosted the inaugural edition in 1997. Sri Lanka hosted the second edition in 1998. This time, 206 athletes from six South Asian nations -- India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Maldives -- will compete across 37 medal events over three days.
Pakistan is not taking part in the championships despite invitation from the organisers.
“We sent invitations to all the member countries of the South Asian Athletics Federation. Pakistan is a member country, but they have not given any response to our invite,” an official in the organising committee told PTI.
In fact, the fourth edition has been postponed twice. It was to be held in 2024 but got postponed to May 2025 and then to October 24-26..
For India, the three-day event, being held when most of the top athletes have wound up their season, is an opportunity for giving exposure to junior and upcoming athletes. The 73-strong Indian team has no big name with the exception of M R Poovamma who has been named in the women’s 4x400m relay team.
Other Indian medal contenders include Seema, Pranav Gaurav and Samardeep Gill..
The Indians will face tough competition from Sri Lanka in some events, including the men’s javelin throw. The island nation has sent 63 athletes led by their top men’s javelin thrower Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, who
is the favourite to win gold in the event. The Sri Lankans will also offer strong competition to the Indians in men’s
sprint races. agencies