By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: Stage is all set for the Second Asian All-Star Athletic Competition-2008 being held here at Bhopal tomorrow (Thursday), wherein about 150 leading athletes from 20 Asian countries will flex their muscles to vie for top honors at Tatya Tope Stadium.
The leading athletes are from 20 countries including China, Japan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bahrain, Qatar, Korea, Kazakhstan, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Kyrgyzstan, Syria, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka will participate in the competition.
The 10 events in the men’s category include 100 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters and 5000 meters races, 400 meters hurdles, high jump, triple jump, shot put, discus throw and javelin throw. In all ten events will be organized.
In the women’s section eight events will be held including 100 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters and 1500 meters races, 100 meters hurdles, high jump, long jump and discus throw. First, second and third prizes will be given in all the events in cash.
More than 60,000 US dollars of cash awards will be given to the top three positions in each event. First prize winner will walk away with US $3,000, second prize winner will get US $2000 and US $1000 will be given to third prize winner.
The Asian All-Star Competition is being organized under the aegis of the Sports and Youth Welfare Directorate of Madhya Pradesh Government along with Madhya Pradesh Athletics Association.
Asian Games 400 meters champion Olga Tereshkova of Kazakhstan will be pitted against Asian Championship silver medallist Sati Geetha of India and Asian Games medallist Asami Tanno of Japan.
Asian Champion Song Amin of China will be key attraction of the meet. She will face tough challenge in the women’s discuss throw from her arch rivals Krishna Poonia and Seema Antil of India.
In the men’s triple jump event Renjith Maheshwari (best performance 17.19 meter), India’s star triple jumper and current Asian Champion has lot to prove here in Bhopal. Chinese Li Yanxi is in great form with a jump of 17.30 meter this season. Another 17 meter plus jumper from Kazakhstan Ektov Yevgeniy will add more glamour to the contest.
Women’s high jump will emerge with sensational results when two high jumpers, Yekaterina Yevseyeva and Natalaya Ivoninskaya from Kazakhstan who are co-owner of the current Asian Record of 1.98 meter fight for top slot.
Meanwhile, Pakistani squad arrived here this evening via Mumbai. Athletes include Muhammad Asif Javed, Asad Iqbal, Rana Saghir Ahmed, Ali Muhammad, Muhammad Irfan Hussain and Imran Yasin.
Sports Director Sanjay Chaudhry in a bid to ensure enough security arrangements at the stadium has sought a huge deployment of police personnel. Superintendent of Police Jaideep Prasad said 100 cops would remain deployed at the Stadium during the events while the place will remain cordoned off 24X7 till the meet is over. ([email protected])