Date:18/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/18/stories/2008111856841800.htm

Sport - Athletics

AFI eyes rich haul at C’wealth Games

Special Correspondent

MYSORE: Buoyed by the success of the Indian athletes at the Commonwealth Youth Games at Pune last month, the Athletic Federation of India (AFI) has set its sights on grabbing a clutch of medals in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010.

Speaking to the media persons on the last day of the 24th Junior National Athletic Championship at the Chamundi Vihar stadium here on Sunday, Dr. Lalit K. Bhanot said: “We are eying about eight to 10 medals at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. It was an encouraging performance by our future stars at Pune and also here despite it being held on a non-synthetic turf.”

“About 200 athletes will be intensively trained. A good mixture of experience and youth will be sent for exposure to places like Cyprus, South Africa and some other European countries,” he added.

Eight events wherein the Indian athletes are expected to win medals are the Men’s 4x400m relay, shot put, discuss, javelin and triple jump, and the women’s 4x400m relay, discus and heptathlon.

“As regards the over-age issue and the doping menace, the AFI is taking stringent action against the offenders and adequate measures will be taken to eradicate it in due time,” Mr. Bhanot added.

The AFI also released the calendar of events for 2009.

The calendar: May 1: World Athletics Day (Bangalore); May 3: Indian GP 1 (Kochi); May 8: Indian GP-II (Madurai); May 14: Indian GP III (Chennai); May 29-31: National Youth Championships (Madurai); June 7: Indian GP IV (Jamshedpur); June 13: Indian GP V (Ranchi); June 14-15: 3rd North East Zone junior championship (Guwahati); June 24-27: Fed. Cup for seniors (Chennai); July 24-26: Federation Cup for juniors (Lucknow).

August 1-3: NZ juniors (Dehra Dun); August 6-8: WZ juniors (Hopal); August 12-14: SZ Juniors (Kochi); August 16-18: EZ juniors (Bhubaneshwar); Sept 1-3: National Inter-Zone (Chandigarh).

Sept. 10-11: National throws meet (Delhi); Sept. 12-13: National Sprint meet (Mumbai); Sept. 15-16: National Endurance meet (Jamshedpur).

October 6-9: Open Nationals (Bhopal); October 21-24: Inter state for seniors (Ranchi); October 29-31: National Inter-district (Haridwar); November 20-24: 25th Junior Nationals (Warangal); January 31, 2010: National Cross Country (Delhi).