India Open under-23 athletics: Proficient athletes desperate to show their price

File picture of Olympian Ankita Dhyani (748).
| Photograph Credit score: The Hindu

A number of gifted athletes are desperate to show their price within the Indian Open under-23 athletics occasion, beginning on the Patliputra Sports activities Advanced in Patna on Saturday (September 28, 2024).

Olympian Ankita Dhyani, who competed in 5000m in Paris however will attempt her hand in 3000m steeplechase in Patna, 100m Nationwide file holder Manikanta Hobildhar (10.23), 200m Federation Cup and Inter-state champion Animesh Kujur, who got here near equalling the Nationwide file this yr, South Asian under-20 champion triple jumper Rishika Awasthi and promising race walker Mansi Negi are amongst those that could hog the limelight.

Notably, the lads’s 100m has attracted 89 entries.

The fourth version assumes significance because it comes earlier than the inaugural Asian under-23 occasion subsequent yr. “The under-23 occasion will bridge the hole between the under-20 and elite ranges. It was authorized within the final council assembly of the Asian Athletics and the bidding course of is on,” mentioned Asian Athletics Affiliation technical director C.Okay. Valson.

“As per a research, most of the under-20 athletes don’t make it huge on the elite stage due to the hole. In my occasion, racewalk, athletes mature late. So this sort of competitors helps them,” mentioned 2012 Olympian race walker Basant Rana, who now serves as a coach within the Military.

Apart from, the athletes will look to carry out nicely forward of the Asian and World championships subsequent yr.