CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Athletic Association under the aegis of the Athletic Federation of India will organise the 2nd Indian Grand Prix athletic meet at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Thursday. Top athletes from all over India and in particular those athletes from the Indian camp will be competing for honours in nine events- 200m, 400m, 400m Hurdles, 1500m, 5000m, pole vault, triple jump, shot put and javelin throw. This event is significant as athletes who perform well could get qualified for the upcoming Olympics in Paris.
Sharvari Parulekar from Maharashtra, Maria Jaison from Kerala and Abdullah Aboobacker from Kerala are prominent names in the action. From Tamil Nadu, the likes of Santhosh, Avinash, Vidhya Ramraj, Rosy Meena and Mohammed Salahuddin are some of the athletes from the hosts who will vie for top honours. If they perform well, the likes of Aboobacker and Santhosh have a chance to make it to Paris.
One of the talking points is that of the hot and humid weather in the city. Former India cricket team trainer Ramji Srinivasan insists that players have to stay hydrated at any cost. ''Hydration is very important. You have to keep your body hydrated because heat and humidity are a lethal combination that can sap the performance. Adequate hydration and proper nutrition must be taken well before considering the weather conditions,'' said Ramji.
Prathiksha Yamuna A from Tamil Nadu who will be participating in the triple jump is not too worried as the events will begin in the afternoon by 3 pm. ''Yes, the heat will be there a little bit. But I have taken the necessary measures to be hydrated and energized for the competition. The competition is pretty tough because many experienced jumpers will be participating. The best jumpers to vie for top honours will be Sharvari Parulekar and Aishwarya. But I will give my best shot as I have prepared well,'' insisted Yamuna.
Adille Sumariwalla, vice-president of World Athletics, and President of AFI will be the chief guest and flag off the event.