Kathmandu, July 2

A seven-member Nepali athletics team, including two men and three women players, is on Tuesday leaving for India to take part in the 22nd Asian Athletics Championship slated for July 6-9 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha.

The new synthetic track at the Kalinga Stadium was inaugurated for the championship on Saturday. The championship will also serve as the selection event for the IAAF World Championship slated for August 4-13 in London.

Gopi Chandra Parki will compete in men’s 5,000m and 10,000m races, while Som Bahadur Kumal will take part in men’s 400m and 800m sprints. Likewise, Olympian Saraswoti Bhattarai will hit the track in the women’s 800m and 1,500m races. Keshari Chaudhary will compete in long jump and triple jump events, while Chandra Kala Lamgade will take part in the javelin throw and shotput.

Team manager RK Bista, secretary of Nepal Athletics Association, and coach Bimala Rana Magar will also accompany the players to Odisha. A total of 800 athletes from 45 countries will take part in the event.

Meanwhile, National Sports Council Member Secretary Keshab Kumar Bista bade farewell to the players.