Dubai (UAE) – 23 April 2024:One would not have believed a major sporting event would happen in this central economic hub of Middle-East Asia after viewing the visuals from Dubai, which showed water-logged streets and areas caused by an unprecedented downpour from the skies, which otherwise was uncommon here. However, the Emirates authorities were working overtime to fix it so that the grand show in this city, the 21st Asian U20 Athletics Championships, would be on time. Commencing on Wednesday morning, the Dubai Police Stadium will host the four-day (24 to 27 April) championships for the continent’s junior athletes aged under 20 years.
As many as ten reigning Asian U20 championships from last year’s edition in Yecheon entered here to defend their titles and to make qualification grades for the upcoming World U20 championships in Lima (Peru) and the Olympic Games in Paris. Important among them are the Qatari pole vaulter Seifeldin Mohamed Abdelsalam, who scaled 5.50m to set a new meet record in Yecheon, and Japan’s Kuroki Kaito–the fastest male sprinter in the last edition. Under the ideal conditions, Kaito can improve the Meeting Record of 10.26 secs held by Li Tao (China) since the inaugural edition of the championships in 1986 and Abdelsalam to the Asian Area Record of 5.65m by Japan’s Masaki Ejima in 2017.
Another Japanese athlete, Hironori Tachizako, who won the 800m in Yecheon, and female 400m hurdler Takino Miku, will also try to extend their winning streaks here. Woman shot putter Lin Jiaxin was the lone Yecheon gold medalist entered by China into its Dubai-bound team.
India fields the largest contingent:Team India is fielding as many as 60 athletes in Dubai. India hosted two editions of the Asian junior championships in its national capital, New Delhi, in 1992 and 1996. On both occasions, the host team finished second in the medal tally. However, they determined to put up a good display this time with two of its champion athletes from Yecheon included in the current squad — shot putter Siddharth Choudhary and middle-distance runner Laxita Sandilea, the winner of the junior women’s metric mile last year. Also included in the team are Priyanshu and Rahul Sarnaliya, the Asian Youth gold and silver medalists in junior men’s 1500m in Tashkent. Steeplechaser Sharuk Khan is all set to upgrade his silver position into gold in Dubai.
Iran entered two of its Asian Youth champions, Yousef Azariyan and Mahdi Haftcheshmeh. Azariyan won the 2,000-meter steeplechase in Tashkent. The latter won the gold medal in Tashkent and added a silver in the hammer throw in the last edition of the junior championships in Yecheon.
Kazakhstan entered its Asian Youth champions in combined events through Ivan Sening (decathlon) and Irina Konichsheva (heptathlon). How will they fare in the upper-age competitions will have to wait and watch here.
South Korea bets on high jumper Choi Jinwoo, the Yecheon silver medalist, and Tashkent gold medalist shot putter Park Sihoon. Apart from its champion pole vaulter, Qatar also entered two of their runner-ups from last year through Oumar Doudai Abakar (110m hurdles) and Djibrine Adoum Ahmat (Shot Put) to convert their efforts into gold in Dubai.
The best among the Thai team is its female sprinter, Athicha Phetkun, who won a silver in 200m and a bronze in 100m in Yecheon before taking her national sprint relay quartet to second place last year. Their best male sprinter Sarawut Nuansi, the silver medalist over 200m in the last edition, is also here to make amends this time.
Uzbekistan brought three of its defending champions. Their strong U20 women’s squad includes Dilshoda Usmonova (steeplechase), Barnokhon Sayfullaeva (high jump) and Khushnoza Shavkatova (triple jump). Sharifa Davoronova, the triple jump gold and long jump silver medalist in the Asian U18 championships in Tashkent, will also make the contest enjoyable. Their top male athlete would be the Tashkent gold medalist high jumper Devdavs Ismailov.
Sri Lankans, who upset the Asian junior record-holders India to win the mixed relay in Yecheon, mainly depend on their relay teams this time as well.
Ram. Murali Krishnan for Asian Athletics
