AFI mulling to open Indian Grand Prix for international athletes in 2020

Some of the star Indian athletes gave the Indian Grand Prix series a miss which has now prompted the organisers from AFI to think about opening up the event for players from other countries to take part in this to improve the standard of competition. Athletes like javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and discuss thrower Seema Punia were earlier allowed to skip the competition while Hima Das withdrew her name because of her examinations. Meanwhile, AFI secretary CK Valson has come out openly saying that they are thinking to invite foreign athletes to participate from the upcoming editions of the event. 

“We have held these four Grand Prix because we want athletes to come up and participate. Some of them have chosen to miss it. We’re thinking about inviting athletes from outside the country so that the standard of competition goes up. If there is sufficient competition, we hope that our top athletes will come and participate,” Valson told Scroll. 

In the second leg of the event in Delhi, sprinter Dutee Chand, hurdler Dharun Ayyasamy Dharun, discus thrower Navjeet Dhillon and the other members of the 4X400m women’s relay gold medallists at the Asian Games came out to participate in the national capital. Chand also qualified for the Asian Athletics Championships to be held this year in Doha by winning the 200m with a time of 23.30 seconds. Ayyasamy clinched gold in the second leg in Delhi. Ajay Kumar Saroj and PU Chitra also managed to win their respective events at the Grand Prix in the national capital.