The final phase of the Sheikh Kamal 2nd Youth Games will get underway from February 26 with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the biggest sports carnival of the country at the Bangladesh Army Stadium on March February 26.
A total 4000 athletes will take part in the final phase of the Sheikh Kamal Youth Games, the second edition of its kind.
Organized by Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA), the first edition of the Games was organized in 2018 after the name of Sheikh Kamal, the elder son of the Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a dynamic and versatile talented sports organizer, who was assassinated by miscreants along with his other family members in 1975.
However, after the grass roots, (Upazila), districts and divisional qualification competition the final phase is going to be staged at the different venues in the capital while only Under-17 athletes from eight divisions are taking part in the nationwide competition.
It can be mentioned that record 60,000 athletes have been participating from the first phase of the Games when 4000 athletes qualified to compete in 24 events for 193 gold, as many silver and 287 bronze medals at the national level.
The closing ceremony of the Games will take place at the Army Stadium on March 4 with the Chief of Army Staff and the President of the BOA will attend the occasion as chief guest.
BOA, Secretary General Syed Shahed Reza, chairman of the steering committee of the Games Ashikur Rahman Miku, chairman of the media and publicity sub-committee Sheikh Bashir Ahmed and the member secretary of the technical sub-committee A K Sarker informed all in a press conference on Wednesday at the BOA Dutch Bangla Bank Auditorium.
Shahed Reza in his address said it is a big platform for young and talented athletes to prove them for the national and international competition, as well as it is also an opportunity for the federations to talent hunt.
Shahed informed that from the first edition, a total of 35 selected young athletes were given opportunity to get admission at the BKSP for their grooming and some of them also participated at the national level and also in the international circuit.
“This time also we will maintain the talent hunt program and will arrange long term training under foreign coach,” Sahed replied to a query.
Meanwhile, the torch rally will start from the Tungipara, Gioplaganj from the premises of the Tomb of Bangabandhu today morning with BOA Sec, Gen Syed Shahed Reza will present there along with other officials.
The Games torch will be lit by Imrarunur Rahman, gold medalist of the Asian indoor Athletics Championship and Karateka Marzan Akhter Pryia, gold medal winner in the Nepal SA Games.
