Doha: Asia’s finest youth athletes will under the spotlight at the four-day first-ever continental Youth Championships which kicks off from today at Qatar Sports Club.
The competition will witness the continent’s hottest prospects who could lead Asian athletics to a new blooming era, competing in different categories.
For around 400 athletes from 40 countries Doha will be their first chapter towards a promising international career. The new continental youth championships is organised by the Asian Athletics Association (AAA) and its president Dahlan Al Hamad is determined to take the development of athletics through grassroots programs throughout Asia.
Al Hamad is convinced that the championships will be a benchmark event for the development of athletics in Asia.
“We are proud to host yet another significant sporting event in Qatar. We have done whatever it takes to ensure that the first Asian Youth Athletics Championships will be successful and will pave the way for the development of sport, especially for the young generation,” Al Hamad, who is also the presddient of Qatar Athletics Assocaiton had said.
“Our strategic approach is to boost athletics and explore ways to encourage the youth in participating in sporting activities all across Asia. Our focus is on the long-term planning and the development of sport.
“We have worked hard, hand in hand with our trusted partners at IAAF and the National Athletics Federations in order to deliver an exciting first edition of the Asian Youth Athletics Championships,” Al Hamad added.
Global Youth competitions in athletics have started only recently, although at regional level the Americans are considered the pioneers with the first ever South America Youth Championships held in 1973. Central America joined in 1975 with a joint-event along with juniors. Oceania followed in 1993, Africa came next only recently in 2013, while Europe will start the series next year in Tbilisi, Georgia.
IAAF introduced the World Youth Championships in 1999 and thus far the pinnacle global competition for Youths has only been staged in Europe, Africa and America.
China will send the largest contingent to Doha for the championships, with 48 athletes.
India has sent a 22-member team, comprising nine girls and 13 boys. The team members include upcoming talents like Beant Singh (800 metres), Jisna Mathew (200m, 400m) - a trainee of the legendary PT Usha, high jumper Tejaswin Shankar, and hammer throwers Abhishek Drall and Ashish Jakhar, who shot into the limelight at the national level in 2014. Oman has sent an 18-member team accompanied by five coaches with an eye on the future. The host nation will have 19 athletes competing in different events. The championships will commence today at 8 am with the Boy’s Decathlon 100m, but will officially kick-off later at 5:30pm with the opening ceremony. All disciplines, including the walking events, will be staged at the Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium, the home venue of Qatar Sports Club.
Only athletes born in 1998 and 1999 are eligible to compete.
The Peninsula
