Kochi: Around 3000 athletes from across the country are expected to participate in the five-day 69th Inter-University Athletic Championship for Men and Women here from December 20 to 24.

Tintu Luka (400m, 800m; Calicut University), Sini Jose (400m; MGU), Poovamma (400m; Mangalore), Mayookha Johny (long jump, Triple Jump; Kannur) and S R Bindu (800m, 1500m; MGU) are some of the prominent athletes who will be seen in action.

There will be 21 events in both men and women's sections. Athletic events will be conducted at the eight-lane synthetic track at the Maharaja College ground.

Half marathon will be conducted on the road at Wellingdon Island.

The last time Kerala had hosted the meet was in 1993 at Kottayam, Jose James, Organising Secretary, told reporters today.

Since the first year of the inception of the Mahatma Gandhi University at Kottayam in 1983,the university has been able to retain the inter-university Athletic women championship for 20 years, he said.

The university has been able to produce Olympians like Shiny Wilson, Padmini Thomas, K J Manoj Lal, Chitra K Soman, Preeja Sreedharan, Sini Jose and Asian stars like Jetty Joseph, K M Greeshma, O P Jaisha and Sajeesh Joseph, he said.

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