Bengaluru, May 24: The 8th edition of the Indian Open Para Athletics International Championship, organized by the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), will be held in Bengaluru from May 26 to 28. Athletes from a total of 5 countries, including India, will participate in the championship, which will be held for 3 days at the city’s Kanteerava Stadium.
Indian Paralympic Committee President Devendra Jhajharia gave information about the championship at a press conference held at a private hotel in the city on Sunday. He said that this championship will be the selection trials for the 5th edition of the Asian Para Games to be held in Japan from October 18 to 24.
341 athletes from India will participate in the championship. Paralympics, World Para Athletics Championships, Asian Para Games medalists will participate in the event. Two-time Paralympics and three-time World Athletics Championships gold medalist javelin thrower Sumit Antil will be the main attraction of the championship. Along with this, competitors from Kyrgyzstan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand will also participate. Some competitors from Afghanistan are also expected to participate in the event.
He informed that competitions will be held in a total of 155 categories for men and women in the championship, including 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters, 1500 meters, high jump, long jump, discus throw, shot put, javelin throw, and club throw.
Speaking later, Sumit Antil expressed confidence that the athletes participating in the Asian Para Games will win more medals this year than ever before. India had won 108 medals in the last Asian Para Games. He expressed hope that this time, Indian athletes will achieve more medals.
Prominent figures including Haier India President N.S. Satish and Indian Paralympic Committee Chief Dr. Satyanarayana were present at the press conference.
15 athletes from Karnataka will participate in the championship. Manjula, Bharathi Bharatesh, Gangavva Neelappa, Harshita, Shaila Shilpa, Medha Jayant, Radha Venkatesh, Rakshita Raju, Soumya, Basavaraj Kuruba, Sachchidananda Devadiga, Gururaju, Shankarappa Sharath, Rakshit Hosanagar Somashekhara, Siddharth Manjunath will compete.
