By IANS
Guwahati : More than 200 international athletes from 20 countries have arrived here for a daylong second leg of the Asian Grand Prix Athletics Championship Saturday.
An Assam sports department spokesperson said 225 athletes would participate in 22 disciplines to be conducted from 3 p.m. Saturday at the newly constructed Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium at Sarusajai on the outskirts of Guwahati.
The Indian contingent with 80 athletes is the largest team with stars like Anju Bobby George raring to go. Sprint queen Susanthika Jayasinghe from Sri Lanka -the former 100 m world silver medallist – was among other stars already doing their workouts Friday at the stadium.
Khubbieva Guzel of Uzbekistan, adjudged the fastest woman at the Doha Asian Games, is also participating in the championship that has generated tremendous interest in Guwahati, the city that successfully hosted the 33rd National Games in February.
"We are all set to begin the championship with the facilities here of very good standard," N. Nicholas, secretary of the Asian Athletic Confederation, said.
The athletes were earlier accorded a traditional reception at the airport and in the hotels. "We are geared up to do our best and the mood is one of optimism," K. Alexander, the Kazakhstan coach, said.