The National Athletic Championship to be held at the Sugathadasa Stadium on August 16 will also serve as a trial to select the athletic teams for the upcoming South Asian Games and the World Championships that are to be held later this year, funded courtesy by the Asian Athletics Association.
The Nationals to be held for the 97th successive year,was announced by the officials of the Athletic Association of Sri Lanka (AASL) at a media briefing held at the Automobile Association Auditorium on Friday (9).
This year’s Nationals that is held over three days, is without a local sponsor and the Asian Athletic Association has come forward to assist the AASL.
This championship has attracted thousands of top athletes from across the country. They will have to prove their worth to be selected to the Sri Lanka squad.
This Nationals will also be used to select a ten member squad that will participate at the Indian National Championship on a request made by the Indian Athletic Association.
Sri Lanka plan to pick 36 men and 36 women athletes to represent Sri Lanka at the South Asian Games to be held in Nepal this year.