More than 900 athletes, including top stars like Lalita Babar, Inderjeet Singh and Tintu Luka, will vie for honours in the 55th National Open Championship to be held at the SAI Eastern Centre complex from September 16-19.
The National Open, the last major athletics event at the senior level this calendar year, will have 44 events and is expected to see tough competition among the participants before the season comes to an end.
"About 950 athletes from across 28 sports and eight Boards, including 55 from the national camp, will vie for top honours in the meet," the West Bengal Athletics Association president Prasun Mukherjee said here today.
Fresh from finishing a creditable eighth in the World Championship in Beijing, Mahrashtra girl Lalita will be challenged by Asian Games gold medallist Sudha Singh in the 3000m steeplechase.
P T Usha's protege Tintu Luka will look to get back into rhythm after missing out on a 800m semifinal berth in the Worlds.
All eyes will also be on Odisha sprinter Dutee Chand who was cleared by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to compete in international competitions after challenging world body of the sport IAAF's policy on hyperandrogenism.
