Federation Cup Athletics - When, where, events and Olympic qualification?
A lot of Indian young talent has emerged in track and field events in recent years, inspiring hope for a medal at the Tokyo Games
Indian athletes will be hoping to book a berth for the Tokyo Olympics at the 24th edition of the Federation Cup athletics, to be held in Patiala, in March.
Even though post-independence India has never won a medal in athletics at the Olympics, there has been plenty of talent emerging in track and field events in the past few years.
For Tokyo Olympics -- KT Irfan, (Men's 20km race walking), Avinash Sable (Men's 3000m Steeplechase), Neeraj Chopra (Men's Javelin throw), Shivpal Singh (Men's Javelin throw), Bhawna Jat (Women's 20km race walking), and the 4x400 Mixed Relay team have booked their spot -- with many still in contention.
When will the 24th edition of the Federation Cup take place?
The Federation Cup was initially scheduled to get underway from April 10 to 13, 2020. But due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic, it has been postponed to March 15 to 19, 2021.
Where will the event take place?
The event will take place entirely at the National Institute of Sport (NIS) in Patiala.
How can athletes register themselves?
All athletes will have to register online with AFI. The last date for the registration is March 7.
Which athletes are eligible to participate?
Any athlete who has met the entry standard fixed for the 24th Federation Cup National Senior Athletics Championships, by the AFI, is eligible. The performance must be achieved either in National Championships or State/Board Championships 2019 where the electronic system had been used. An athlete can participate in a maximum of two events.
Which category of events can the athletes participate in?
According to the AFI's Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for conducting competitions during the pandemic, relay events have been dropped from for the Fed Cup, while the athletes will have to arrange boarding and transport facilities on their own.
In the men's category, athletes can participate in - 100m, 200m 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m, 10000m, 110mH, 400mH, 3000m SC, Long Jump, High Jump, Triple Jump, Pole Vault, Shot Put, Discus Throw, Hammer Throw, Javelin Throw, Decathlon.
In the women's category, athletes can participate in - 100m, 200m 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m, 10000m, 100mH, 400mH, 3000m SC, Long Jump, High Jump, Triple Jump, Pole Vault, Shot Put, Discus Throw, Hammer Throw, Javelin Throw, Heptathlon.