Run Adam Federation Cup 2018 to kick start tomorrow

Patiala, (Punjab) [India] Mar 04 (ANI): The upcoming 22nd Federation Cup Senior National Athletic Championships organized by Athletics Federation of India is all set to kick-start from tomorrow.

The National Institute of Sport in Patiala will serve as the final competition trials for the Indian team for the upcoming Commonwealth Games to be held at Gold Coast, Australia.

India has been permitted to send a 37-member squad for the quadrennial event, of which for the moment only the names of four Indian race walkers have been announced.

The Federation Cup will serve as the final chance to qualify for a majority of athletes in the country for the upcoming 21st Commonwealth games in Australia starting from April 04.

The performance of athletes, who have already met the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) qualifying guidelines will be taken into consideration before the final squad is announced.

Neeraj Chopra, has cemented his claim as the country's premier javelin thrower after winning a gold medal at the Indian Grand Prix with an impressive 82.88m throw. This is the season's second competition where Chopra has crossed 80m. Recently, he claimed silver with a throw of 82.80m at an international event in Offenburg, Germany.

Tejaswin Shankar who scaled new heights in the men's high jump by clearing 2.28m at the Big -12 Indoor Championships in Iowa, USA. Shankar, who is currently on a scholarship to Kansas State University, has already shattered the indoor national record with a jump of 2.19m earlier this year.

Nayana James, a silver medalist at the Asian Indoor Championships in January, is also in great form after having managed a jump of 6.47m at the Indian Grand Prix.

In the Women's discus throw, Seema Punia, who is competing in her first discus competition of the season, didn't have a great start in 2017 as she clocked 54.14m. With the Commonwealth Games in mind she would aim to get close to her personal best of 64.84m.

In the men's shot put event, Tajinder Pal Toor, would be looking to improve on his effort at the Indian Grand Prix. Toor, had heaved the iron sphere a distance of 19.95m, some 25cm shy of the qualification standard of 20.20m. However, with a personal best of 20.40m set in Patiala, Toor, who won silver at the Asian Indoor Championships, will be confident of making a strong bid for the qualification mark.

The championships will kick-off with Women's long jump qualifying event in the morning while ending with the Men's Pole Vault competition.(ANI)