The central-level competitions of the Rural Girls Athletics Meet organised by the Anantapur Sports Academy (ASA), the sports for development initiative by the Rural Development Trust (RDT), commenced at the Anantapur Sports Village (ASV) here on Wednesday.
The event was inaugurated by K. Mahamad Rafiq, director of DID Institutions and Field Programmes of RDT and Layla Zulekha, director of Centre for Life Skills Education of RDT. The competitions began with a torch run and march past.
“This is not just a competition but an opportunity for each of you to grow, excel and thrive. Everyone should remember that the sky is the limit,” said Ms. Layla Zulekha on the occasion. The central-level athletics will be a platform for more than 400 girls, with and without disabilities from 38 RDT working areas to showcase their athletic talents in five track and field events, which include 60m, 100m, 200m, long jump and shot put.
The winners of the Day One heats will qualify and compete in the semifinals and finals. As part of the inaugural ceremony, K. Suresh Kumar, an Indian para-athletics coach, was felicitated for his contribution to the para-athletics field.
The girls will stay at the ASV campus for the three-day competition, where they will also partake in various awareness activities. The Rural Girls Athletics Meet was started in 2007 with an aim to promote participation of girls in sports in rural areas of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Published - October 02, 2024 08:04 pm IST
