Guntur: The 57th National Interstate Senior Athle-tics championship-2017 began at Acharya Nagarjuna University on Saturday.
The competitions were held on the newly constructed international standard blue synthetic athletic track in the floodlights. Ministers Ganta Srinivasa Rao, Kollu Ravindra and P. Pulla Rao inaugurated the international blue synthetic athletic track and floodlights. Speaking on the occasion, the ministers said that the government made all arrangements for the smooth performance of athletic championships. They added that AP state got the opportunity to conduct athletics championship on India’s first synthetic blue athletic track and it is pride moment for the ANU. They asked the students to participate in sports besides education and hoped athletics championship will inspire ANU students.
Mr Ravindra said that AP government proposed a sports city in 400 acres in Amaravati and the APCRDA is preparing detailed plans for it. He said that new capital Amaravati would emerge as the centre for sports in future. He added that government released Rs 27.60 lakh for athletics championships and appointed 12 committees for various arrangements. He said that all facilities were provided to the participants, including accommodation. He said thatsenior national competitions were being conducted for the first time in AP and added that the Indian team for World Athletics Championship, London, would be selected in this championship.
According to reports, Ponnur MLA D. Narendra expressed dissatisfaction over the starting of synthetic track and flood lights before his arrival as the ANU is in his constituency. Ministers Pulla Rao, Ravindra and Srinivas Rao pacified Mr Narendra who later joined the programme.
The athletes from Tamil Nadu, Assam, Delhi, Chattisgarh, Mahara-shtra, Bihar, Kerala, Manipur, Haryana, Pun-jab, Gujarat, Karnataka, UP, AP, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Odisha, Telangana and Jammu & Kashmir states participated in hammer throw, high jump, shot put, pole vault, hurdles, long jump and running competitions on the occasion.
