THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 61st Kerala State Senior Athletics Championship will be held at the Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium in the city on June 27 and 28. As many as 350 athletes from across the state will participate in the state championship, informed the Kerala State Athletics Association.
Ernakulam are the defending champions of the meet having emerged champions in the 60th edition last year. The district were champions in the men’s division while Kottayam had emerged winners of the women’s division.
The Kerala team for the 57th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championship to be held from July 15 to 18 at Guntur in Andhra Pradesh is to be picked from the state championship. Kerala are the defending champions in the men, women and overall sections of the tournament having produced a clean sweep at the 56th National Inter-State Athletics Championship held in Hyderabad last year.
The national championship will also provide an opportunity for Indian athletes to qualify for the IAAF World Championship to be held in London from August 4 to 13.
Kerala Police Deputy Commandant and joint central sports officer Subhash George is expected to be the chief guest during the opening ceremony of the championship while Thiruvananthapuram District Athletics Association patron Xavi Mano Mathew will be present during the valedictory function.