2-day Masters Athletic Championship gets underway

Hyderabad: Minister for Health C Damodar Raja Narasimha on Saturday inaugurated the 11th Telangana State National Masters Athletic Championship at GMC Balayogi Stadium in Gachibowli.

According to NMAA (National Masters Athletic Association), the organiser of the sports meet, a total of 954 athletes including 304 women from 19 districts of the State are participating in the 2-day sports event. They are between the age groups of 30 and 95 years and totalling 14 batches.

These athletes are participating in 19 different events, including runs ranging from 100 mts to 10,000 mts.

The 2nd day’s events include 5,000 mts run, javelin throw, 1,500 mts run, high jump, 200 mts run, hammer throw and 4 X 400 relay. “The number of athletes may cross 1,000 because of the spot entries on Sunday. Those who are declared winner and runner up will be qualified to participate in the national event being organised in Thrissur in Kerala between January 31 and February 3. Some 22 to 23 states would be participating in the national event,” informed one of the organisers.

Addressing the gathering the Chief Guest of the event Damodar Raja Narasimha emphasised that the parents while recognising the talents and tastes of their children should equally give importance to sports as a healthy body will have a healthy mind. Being Health Minister, he blamed lack of physical activity for some 30 lakh population falling prey to lifestyle diseases like BP and diabetes. He expressed happiness that the sports event was especially encouraging aged people, who he felt would inspire others to take part in future events.