New Delhi, Jan 4 (PTI) Extreme cold weather and the disruption in train services have led the Athletics Federation of India and the Sports Development Authority of Bihar to defer the 18th National Inter-District Junior Athletics Meet in Patna.
The tournament will now be held from February 10 to 12.
“The cold wave, leading to schools being closed, and the disruptions in train services have forced the rescheduling of NIDJAM from the earlier dates of January 12 to 14,” Athletics Federation of India (AFI) President Adille J Sumariwalla said.
“With approximately 6000 boys and girls from nearly 600 districts due to compete in the flagship meet, we had to factor their safety in making the decision.” Each edition of the tournament touches the lives of more than 100,000 boys and girls in the under-14 and under-16 age groups across the country and is among the world’s largest talent hunt programmes in a single sport.
It is the meet that gives athletes from 600 districts the first taste of a national competition.
Some of India’s brightest athletics stars such as javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra (2012), sprinter Dutee Chand (2011), 400m runner V Subha (2014) and Shaili Singh (2019) cut their teeth in the earlier editions of the tournament.
Source: PTI News
