City, Panchkula to host three major athletics event next yr

For the second consecutive year, Chandigarh and Panchkula will be hosting major athletics events next year. This was stated by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI). As per the schedule, the AFI will host the 12th Indian Open Race Walking...

Deepankar Sharda

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, Updated At : 03:28 AM Dec 17, 2024 IST

The three events to be held in the two cities are the Indian Open Race Walking Competition, National Relay Carnival and the National Federation Cup Senior Athletics Championships. file

For the second consecutive year, Chandigarh and Panchkula will be hosting major athletics events next year. This was stated by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).

As per the schedule, the AFI will host the 12th Indian Open Race Walking Competition on April 19, 2025, followed by National Relay Carnival on April 30 in Chandigarh. In the period between these two national events, the AFI will be also hosting the National Federation Cup Senior Athletics Championships from April 21 to 24 in Panchkula.

“The national race walking competition will be organised in April. The Senior National Federation Cup is also scheduled for April and will act as a qualifying event for the bi-annual Asian Athletic Championships, which will be held from May 27 to 31 in Korea. The national team will also compete in international events to prepare for the World Athletics World Championships from September 13 to 21,” revealed AFI president Adille Sumariwalla.

Earlier this year, the 11th National Open Race Walking Competitions was conducted at Sukhna Lake (in January), and the first National Open Relay Carnival at the Sector 7 Sports Complex (in March). Punjab’s Akshdeep Singh, who had already secured Paris Olympics berth, had shattered his own national record to win the men’s 20 km title, while Manju Rani won the gold medal in the women’s 10 km and 20 km race walk.

In June, the four-day National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships (2024) was conducted at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium, Sector 3, Panchkula. The meet served as the final selection trials to pick the Indian athletics contingent for Paris 2024. Asian Games 2023 silver medallist Jyothi Yarraji, who missed the qualifying mark for the Paris Olympics by 0.01s on two occasions, had also taken part in the event.

Events like hammer throw, 5,000m, 20 km race walk, discus throw, pole vault, 100 m, shot put, 400 m , triple jump, 1,500 m, javelin throw, 4X100 m relay, 4X400 m relay, decathlon 1500m, high jump, long jump, steeplechase and others will be organised in Panchkula.