All in readiness: The Khelo India Youth Video games will probably be inaugurated on the Nehru Stadium on Friday.
| Photograph Credit score: B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM

A refurbished athletic observe on the Nehru Stadium will welcome the athletes when the Khelo India Youth (u-17 girls and boys) Video games (KIYG) will get inaugurated on the Nehru Stadium right here on Friday. The Video games conclude on January 31. A renovated velodrome for biking on the Tamil Nadu Bodily Training and Sports activities College (Melakottaiyur) will probably be an added attraction.

With greater than 5000 sportspersons throughout 26 disciplines collaborating in KIYG, the Video games will witness hectic competitors in all of the occasions taking place in 4 cities – Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, and Tiruchi. A lot of the disciplines (20) will probably be held in Chennai.

Maharashtra, the defending champion, has been a powerhouse in KIYG having received the general championship 3 times and ending runner-up twice within the earlier 5 editions.

Vijay Bapurao Santan, chef-de-mission of Maharashtra, is assured of repeating its dominance this time round. “We’re ready. There was robust competitors from Haryana and Madhya Pradesh within the final two editions. We’ve got chosen the most effective athletes with the assist of the Maharashtra Authorities and our respective State Associations,” he instructed The Hindu.

Santan mentioned Maharashtra, with a contingent of 415, will probably be desirous to do effectively in areas it has achieved beforehand and do higher in disciplines it has not achieved so effectively. “We’ve got achieved actually in archery, boxing, swimming, taking pictures, and athletics. We should do much better in biking and kabaddi.”

Host Tamil Nadu, in a launch, mentioned it has set a goal of ending within the high three within the medals tally. Consisting of a 522-member contingent, TN’s chef-de-mission J. Mercy Regina, mentioned the State is hoping to shut in on a century of medals.

“The State authorities has been investing closely in figuring out and nurturing expertise on the grassroots degree and the contingent reveals how a lot progress we have now made. With the World Beaters Expertise Recognizing Scheme, 27 sports activities hostels have been established,” mentioned Regina.

Explaining the rationale for her optimism, she added: “Within the earlier version, we had a restriction on the variety of gamers we might area primarily based on the nationwide rating. However being the host this time, we are able to area a bigger contingent.”