PIB Delhi – Sports Authority of India has approved the extension of the National Camp till March 31 for 117 track and field athletes and 45 coaching and support staff in five locations across the country in preparation for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games to be held in Birmingham and Hangzhou later this year. The National Camps for 64 male and 53 female athletes are taking place at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (Patiala), Laxmibai National College of Physical Education (Thiruvananthapuram), SAI National Centre of Excellence (Bengaluru), Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (New Delhi) and Usha School of Athletics (Balusery).
At 17 years of age, World U20 Championships Long Jump silver medalist Shaili Singh is the youngest of the campers. Seema Punia, who won her World Junior Championships Discus Throw bronze medal in 2002 and has been on the podium in each of the last four Commonwealth Games, is the most experienced athlete among the campers. Tokyo Olympic Games Javelin Throw gold medalist Neeraj Chopra is training in Chula Vista, United States, with coach Dr. Klaus Bartonietz.
