Vehicle with photographs of sports personalities begins tour of Kerala

A vehicle showcasing photographs on the life of prominent sportspersons of Kerala, as part of the first-ever Kerala OlympiKerala Olympic Association Kerala Olympic Association said. Speaking on the occasion, Riyas said the State government was putting in efforts for upliftment of sports and such events will be continued in the coming years. The release said the 'Photo Vandi' (photo vehicle) features images of sports personalities ranging from G V Raja to P T Usha and the others.

"Along with the images of the eminent sports personalities, pictures of prominent sports journalists are also featured. 'Photo Vandi' was a collaborative initiative by the Kerala Media Academy, The Kerala Union of Working Journalists, and the Kerala Olympics Association," the release said. The Kerala Olympic Games, slated for mid-February this year, was rescheduled to May due to the pandemic. The Games will be held from May 1 to 10. As part of the Games, a 21.1-km long half-marathon will be held on May 1 and have Rs 11 lakh as prize money for winners in various categories.

The KOA expects over 1,000 participants from across the country. As per the revised schedule, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the Kerala Olympic Games on April 30. KOA office-bearers said the mega Olympic Expo, which includes a display by major sports goods and equipment-manufacturers from all over India, is to be held on April 29. During the inaugural ceremony, Tokyo Olympic medalists will be honoured.

Last December, State Education Minister V Sivankutty unveiled the mascot of the games -- a rabbit named Neeraj - in honour of Neeraj Chopra, the first Indian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. The meet will be conducted in 24 disciplines, which include athletics, aquatics, archery, basketball, boxing, badminton, cycling, football, wrestling, hockey, judo, karate, kambadi (kabadi), KHO-KHO, netball, rugby, rifles (shooting), wushu, tennis, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball and weight-lifting.

Ahead of the Games, district games were held in the 14 districts and athletes and teams selected from the district-level will participate in the Kerala Olympics in which over 8,000 sportspersons are expected to participate