By Edward Weerasinghe - Kalaniya Group Corr.

National Youth Athletic Championship organised by the youth Department of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) will be held at Uyanwatta Stadium in Matara from 5th 7th October, 2006.

Over 1000 Red Cross Youth Members representing all the districts in the Island will participate in this annual event. The sport meet is open to youth between ages of 16 and 23 years.

The events in the meet include 80 and 100 metres hurdles, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1500 metre events long and high jump, 4x100 and 4x400 metres relays and Shot Putt.

S. B. Madugalle, Secretary, Sports Festival Organising Committee and the Deputy Director General SLRCS said at the press conference that the objective of conducting this youth athletic championship is to give an opportunity to youth who have rallied round the Red Cross Society and are engaged in various activities to enhance their skill in sports and show to the country and introduce resourceful youth to the nation.

This will also create an environment where the youth from all over the island can meet each other and build friendship among themselves and work with mutual understanding.

Bharata Jonikku Hewa, Chairman Organizing Committee and the senior Vice- President SLRCS said that is the second youth sport meet organised by the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society. The first one was conducted in Colombo in December 2005 and it was dedicated to the children of families affected by the tsunami.
Over one thousand children participated in the meet.