KARACHI, Feb 25: Pakistan Army, the track and field powerhouse are expected to maintain their ascendancy in the three-day National Athletics Championship when it begins at the tartan track of National Sports Training and Coaching Centre (NSTCC) on Sunday at 7:00pm under lights.

The soldiers have dominated athletics since country’s coming into being besides producing a number of world class athletes, including Khaliq, Raziq and Mubarik Shah.

The main opposition to the soldiers would come from none other than Wapda which has a good number of athletes in their rank and file.

The country’s premier athletics meet would go into the annals as it is being held in floodlights for the first time.

Around 500 to 600 men and women athletes representing 14 units of the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) would rub their shoulders to prove their mettle and earn a name for themselves.

The units include Army, Navy, Air Force, Wapda, Railways, Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, NWFP, Higher education Commission (HEC), Azad Kashmir, Islamabad, POF Wah and the hosts Pakistan Steel.

Almost all the teams have arrived in the city and the athletes were busy in their practice to acclimatise to local conditions.

However, the surprising aspect was that none of the officials of AFP or Pakistan Steel were present at the venue Saturday afternoon to brief newsmen about the mega event which is taking place in the metropolis after a long time.

According to programme, as many as 10 finals, five of men and as many of women, would be decided on the opening day.

They include: High jump, discus throw, javelin throw, 5000m and long jump (men), discus throw, 400m hurdles, long jump, 5000m and 800m (women).

With the exception of marathon and decathlon, all the other events would take place during the meet, referee of the meet and national coach, Nasrullah Rana, told Dawn.

Schedule of opening day’s event: (starting time 7.00pm)

(Men): 400m hurdles heats; high jump (final); 200m heats; 800m heats; discus throw (final); javelin throw (final); 5000m (final); long jump (final); 4x100m relay heats.

(Women): Discus throw (final); 400m hurdles (heats/final); long jump (final); 200m heats; 5000m (final); 800m (final); 4x100m relay heats.