With high octane competitions scheduled for the next four days, the opening ceremony today witnessed glamour and colour spread out through an impressive cultural fest displayed by the entertaining performers from all over the country that followed the usual March Past of the participating athletics teams.
Big time athletics is returning to this venue after 28 years. Earlier in 1987, Mangala Stadium hosted the Open Nationals that witnessed the emergence of Ashwini Nachappa as the new sprint queen of the country after the legendary PT Usha.
It is another Mangalorean, Abhaychandra Jain, the present Sports Minister of the State who brought the Federation Cup this time.
The Federation Cup, dubbed as a selection trials for the Indian aspirants looking to take part in the Asian Athletics Championships at Wuhan (China), will see them trying to earn their berths from tomorrow onwards.
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As much as 1,040 athletes representing 36 teams are taking part in the four-day meet.
The list of entries shows there are nineteen reigning FedCup champions looking to defend their title at Mangaluru.
This apart, national high jump record-holder Sahana Kumari, the flag-bearer of host-state Karnataka will be another star attraction of the meet as she is not only looking the defend her title here but also going for her seventh gold medal in her favourite event in Federation Cup.
The third place performance of the previous Asian championships held at Pune, in 2013, shall be considered for the purpose of selecting the team for Wuhan.
Earlier the inaugural ceremony was graced by a large number of dignitaries that include Deshpandey (Hon'ble Minister for Education), Ramnath Rai (Minister for Forests), Abhaychandra Jain (Sports Minister) in presence of AFI President Adille Sumariwala, Secreatry C K Valson and Karnataka Athletics Association president G Parameshwara.