Ludhiana, May 30: The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has announced that the Ludhiana leg of the Indian Athletics Series, scheduled to be held on June 13 in Punjab, will serve as an additional qualification platform for athletes aiming to secure berths for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The announcement was made by AFI Selection Committee Chairman , who said the federation has decided to provide another opportunity to eligible athletes after several competitors narrowly missed the qualification standards during the recently concluded 29th National Senior Athletics Championships in Ranchi.
According to Sumariwalla, many athletes informed the federation that adverse weather conditions, particularly on the final day of the four-day championship in Ranchi, affected their performances and prevented them from achieving the required qualification marks.“Following detailed discussions, the AFI Selection Committee unanimously decided to provide athletes with another opportunity to attain the Commonwealth Games qualification standards,” he said.
The performances recorded at the Ludhiana competition will be considered for Commonwealth Games selection only for athletes who participated in the National Senior Athletics Championships in Ranchi. The additional qualification window is intended for athletes competing in events where they had come close to meeting the prescribed standards.
Sumariwalla clarified that athletes who have already secured the Commonwealth Games qualification marks during the Ranchi championships will continue to remain qualified. However, they will still be permitted to compete in the Ludhiana event if they choose to do so.He further stated that the selection guidelines for the Commonwealth Games, as previously announced by the Athletics Federation of India, will remain unchanged.
The June 13 competition is expected to provide a crucial opportunity for several athletes seeking to strengthen their chances of representing India at the Commonwealth Games, while ensuring that deserving competitors are not disadvantaged by circumstances beyond their control during the national championships.