Mysuru, March 2 Top Indian para athletes including Paralympic medallist Thangavelu Mariyappan, world record holder Sandeep Chaudhary and double world champion Sundar Singh Gurjar will be in action when the 19th National Para Athletics Championships take place at the Chamundi Vihar Stadium here from March 26 to 28.
The three-day event, approved by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), holds importance in terms of being the last event to secure qualification slots for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
The Tokyo 2020 qualification deadline for Para Athletics is April 1, 2020. Thus, as many as 1,600 athletes from across the country are expected to feature in the event in various disciplines. It is also for the first time the city is hosting this event.
Moreover, the National Championships will be the first major competition to be organised by the newly elected Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) body after being derecognised by the sports ministry in September. Decorated para-athlete Deepa Malik, silver medallist in the Rio 2016 Paralympics, was elected the president of the newly-elected body.
Malik, who is keen to work towards the growth of the Paralympic Movement in the country, has already expressed her plans to host a Junior Championships in October.
While the athletes have expressed their happiness on the return of the National Championships after almost two years, the PCI hoped that the event will provide a good platform for several youngsters to play alongside the Tokyo Paralympic-bound athletes besides a warm up for the latter.
India booked as many as 13 Tokyo 2020 spots at the Dubai 2019 World Para Athletics Championships last November. Mariyappan, Chaudhary and Gurjar are among those who brought home the laurels.
( With inputs from IANS )