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State Games from today

MANDYA: The Karnataka State Games 2007-08 are set to get underway in the two districts of Mandya and Mysore from Monday.

The formal inauguration of the much-awaited and oft-postponed games will however be held at the M. Vishweswaraiah Stadium here on Tuesday with cine star and Mandya M.P., M.H. Ambarish, doing the honours.

While Mandya will host about 10 disciplines, Mysore, with a far better infrastructure, will host 12 events and the closing ceremony on February 10.

The Bangalore-centric games will however have a good sprinkling of district representation.

Football, which gets underway here on the morrow in particular, has a district-wise representation, while events like volleyball and kabaddi too have a good sprinkle of teams from the districts.

But whether the cream of the talent will be present here will be known only as the Games gets underway.

Keen contests

Football should see some keen contests more so since the State association has adhered to the need to give exposure to the youth. The BDFA XI, however, does boast of a good number from Bangalore Super division’s top side HASC.

Likewise KSP, the Super division and State champions, will field a team in the volleyball and should have it easy as the others in the fray are an untried lot even though CIL Spots Club and ITI Sports Club, with an impressive showing in the last State event, will need some beating.

Even in the distaff side the KSP team looks formidable.

Kabaddi and kho-kho too, which will be held here, are expected to be a big draw.

The National-level kabaddi event held here a few years ago saw sizeable crowds braving the weather and security cordon each evening and in these games too, it should be no different.

The focus from Mandya however will shift after the opening ceremony as athletics and hockey, along with handball and basketball, will all get underway at Mysore from Wednesday.

Athletics, though off-season for most of the State’s big names, should provide the platform for the youngsters who are on the verge of breaking into the big league.

However, examinations and a crowded calendar too could keep most of the stars away.

The decision by the Department of Youth Services and Sports and the Karnataka Olympic Association to conduct the event within this financial year did raise a lot of flak in the North Karnataka districts of Raichur, which was deprived of hosting the games in the last moment.

But nevertheless, it is an opportunity to showcase fresh talent over the next week.

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