National Sports Festival starts today

Thushan Jayasuriya

The 38th National Sports Festival starts today and will be worked off at Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo till December 2. President Mahinda Rajapaksa will grace today's opening ceremony as the chief guest.

The first event to be worked off is the men’s 10000 metres final which starts at 7.00am and it will be followed by the women's 5000 metres, women's triple jump, men's javelin throw, women's pole vault and women's discuss throw.

Former athletes Pradeep Nishantha and Jayamini Illeperuma will light the Games Flame at the ceremonial start of the event. The participation from Northern and Eastern Provinces shown a significant growth and more than 900 sportsmen and sportswomen will take part in this year's athletic events representing nine provinces in 36 events.

Twenty events have finished by now and the festival will also be a selection trial for athletes for the next year's New Delhi South Asian Games. For the first time, Beach Volleyball was introduced to the Festival and some exhibition matches were played. From next year onwards beach volleyball will be included as a competitive event.