The Hindu : Sport / Athletics : National cross-country meet on Feb. 6

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 21, 2005

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Sport - Athletics

National cross-country meet on Feb. 6

BANGALORE, JAN 20. The 39th National cross-country championship will be held at Kolar in Karnataka on Feb. 6. Services and Railways are once again expected to dominate the event, as Karnataka has lost some prominent runners to the institution teams.

The last time Karnataka conducted the meet was in 1979. About 950 runners are expected to participate. The previous edition was held at Shimla (HP) on Feb. 1, 2004.

Kolar has produced a host of long distance runners like K.R. Usha, K.G. Parvathi, M. Shashikala and K.D. Gayathri among women and K. Narayanswamy, Nagendra, C. Venkateshappa, Christy Govindappa, and Nagesh among men to name a few. Its history of talented runners who did India proud has prompted the Karnataka Athletic Association (KAA) to allot the event to the Kolar District Association.

Speaking to newspersons here on Thursday evening, Dr. G. Parmeshwara, MLA and president of the KAA said that "for the first time dope testing will be made mandatory during the cross-country. A panel from the Athletic Federation of India (AFI) will monitor and take samples at random and the testing will be done at the lab in Delhi."

Six events: men's 12km (long race), 4km (short race) and 8km (under-20) and women's 8km (long race), 4km (short race) and 6km (under-20), will be conducted during the championship.

Satyanarayana, Hon. Secretary, KAA appreciated the effort and interest taken by the chief patron K.H. Muniyappa, Minister of State for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Govt. of India and K. Srinivas Gowda, Minister for Agriculture, Karnataka Govt., and the chairman of the organising committee.

The Indian team for the World cross-country to be held in France on March 19 and 20, 2005 will be selected during the Kolar National championship.

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