Runners to train in Bhutan ahead of Asiads

New Delhi, May 20

Indian athletics is entering uncharted territory as the country’s middle and long distance runners will be in Bhutan for four weeks for high altitude training as part of the preparations for the upcoming Asian Games.

A 17-member Indian team, along with three coaches and a masseur, will train at the Thimphu Track and Field Centre from May 21 to June 20.

The Indian team comprises the likes of Sudha Singh, PU Chitra, L Suriya, Lakshmanan Govindan, Gopi Thonakal, Ajoy Kumar Saroj and Jinson Johnson. This is the second batch of Indian track and field athletes to leave the country for foreign training. A 14-member team of quartermilers (men and women) left for Spala in Poland on May 14.

Bhutan has no athletics credentials — not even in South Asia — but the altitude of the training centre (over 2500m above sea level), its good synthetic track and the low cost helped in the decision to train there. — PTI