Sri Lankan squad arrives in Pakistan for South Asian Cross Country Athletics Championship

A 12-member Sri Lankan squad, featuring eight athletes, arrived here at Lahore on Thursday (today) to feature in the South Asian Cross Country Athletics Championship which will be held in Islamabad on February 23.

The team was received at the Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore by the organizers and is now being escorted to Islamabad.

The rest of the nations including Bangladesh, Nepal and Maldives will reach tomorrow.

Indian squad is awaiting visas.

“Indian squad visas are yet to confirm but we hope it will be done soon. India’s 18-member squad will come,” South Asian Athletics Federation’s chairman Major General (retd) Mohammad Akram Sahi told Nukta.

“They are also bringing some reserve athletes besides their federation’s officials and so its contingent is a bit huge,” said Sahi, also Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) former chairman.

“India’s top management is in contact with us and they are very excited. Their top officials have told me if we give them visas by February 21, still they will manage to come for the event on February 22. They are ready to sacrifice,” Sahi said.

The event will be contested in two categories including seniors and under-20.

The seniors will feature in the 10-kilometer race while Under-20 athletes will run for eight kilometer. They will run in loops in order to ensure the process is monitored well.

The race will begin from F9 sector Islamabad.

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has been invited to open the event.

“We have requested the premier to open the event but we have not received any response yet,” said Sahi, also vice-president of Asian Athletics Association (AAA).

Accommodation for the touring teams has been managed at the Pearl Continental Hotel Islamabad.

“All arrangements have been made to receive and escort the teams to their accommodation,” he said.

Sahi said that Pakistan has prepared well for the event.

“Our boys have prepared well,” he said. “You know previously they also underwent one and a half month training before the event was postponed and this time, too, they have trained well and we have also looked after them well,” Sahi said.

This is the first time that Pakistan is hosting this event.