Jharkhand Athletics Association (JAA) is all set to host the 53rd National Open Athletics Championships from September 7 to 10 at Mega Sports Complex, Hotwar. Teams from across the nation would be reaching the State capital on September 6.
For this year, it would be the second sports programme of Athletics Federation of India (AFI) to be hosted by Jharkhand. The first meet was 25th East Zone Athletics Championships held here from August 17 to 19. As many as 1,087 athletes from 41 teams consisting of 28 State teams and 13 Government institutions like railways, police and sports control board would be participating here accompanied by 175 technical officials.
The four-day Rs 20 lakh national meet will be conducting 44 events of athletics. “Special accommodation arrangements have been made for the 100 elite athletes among the overall teams in the best city hotels. Remaining athletes would be accommodated in the girls and boys hostel of Khelgaon with facilities of fooding and lodging,” said JAA President cum AFI Joint Secretary Madhukant Pathak.
On July 16, AFI took the final decision of hosting this specific game at Ranchi considering the world class sports infrastructure which was first used during the 34th National Games in 2011. The state may also get the fortune of hosting a premiere athletics meet but an international one for the first time from September 28 to 29 with Second Junior South Asian Federation (SAF) Athletics Championships to be managed within a budget of Rs 2 crores. Chief Minister Hemant Soren gave the final nod to host this SAF game on August 29, while celebrating the birth anniversary of Arjuna Awardee Hockey Player Major Dhyan Chand marked as the National Sports Day.