Bengaluru: Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is scheduled to open the fifth Mini Karnataka Games at Sree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium on Saturday, November 14. The organisers expect about 5,000 athletes in the 14-year age category to compete in 27 sports over eight days.
The Karnataka government, Karnataka Olympic Association and Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports are organising the Games. Competitions will run through November 21 at Kanteerava Stadium and other venues across Bengaluru. The first edition was held in 2020.
Sports Minister G. Parameshwara and ministers Ramalinga Reddy and K.J. George are scheduled to attend the opening. Rizwan Arshad will preside over the ceremony, which includes an athletes’ march-past and cultural performances. Students from Bengaluru schools and colleges will take part.
Saturday’s fixtures start with boys’ football group matches from 8 to 10 am. Boys’ and girls’ volleyball league matches are scheduled from 8 to 9 am and 1 to 3 pm. Handball league matches for both groups start at 8.30 am. The boys’ hockey league matches run from 8.30 to 10 am, followed by the girls’ matches from noon to 1.30 pm.
The sports department has arranged meals and hotel accommodation for participants and is organising transport. Karnataka Olympic Association president and MLC K. Govindaraj said accommodation and transport had been arranged for athletes from other districts. He said he hoped the Games would help young athletes go on to win medals for Karnataka and India at international competitions.
The 27 sports are athletics, archery, basketball, badminton, boxing, cycling, fencing, kayaking and canoeing, golf, football, gymnastics, handball, hockey, judo, kho-kho, kabaddi, lawn tennis, volleyball, netball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, equestrian, rifle shooting, wrestling, wushu and weightlifting.
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