The 38th National junior athletics championship for boys and girls, organised by the Tamil Nadu Athletic Association, will get underway at the Nehru Stadium here on Tuesday.
The four-day event has attracted 2200 athletes from 29 States and they will compete in four categories — under-14, 16, 18 and 20 years.
The host has fielded 175 athletes of which 92 are boys. Prominent among them are Selva Prabhu (triple jump), the best Asian under-20 athlete of the year, K. Yuvaraj (triple jump), R. Yogeshwar (3000m) and Vedhapriyan (decathlon).
In the girls’ section, Abhinaya Rajarajan, 100m silver medallist in the Asian under-18 championship in Tashkent, Ruthika Saravanan (100m & 200m), M. Kanista Teena Maria (400m) and Pavithra (400m & 400m hurdles) are expected to strike it hot for Tamil Nadu.
But it may not be an easy affair as the best of the Indian juniors from other States, who have made their mark at the international level, have confirmed participation.
The newly-laid synthetic track, with superior grip and speed, is expected to elevate the performances of the athletes. So don’t get surprised if records take a tumble from day one.
