The final phase of the Khelta Punjab Games was on Thursday opened with a big fanfare here at the Punjab Stadium Lahore.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz inaugurated the event carrying 2200 male and female athletes, who are vying for the titles in their respective disciplines.

Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem, Commonwealth Games champion weightlifter Nooh Dastgir Butt and hockey Olympians were also present during the opening ceremony which was witnessed by a huge crowd.

Former tennis star and president of Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) Aisam-ul-Haq also attended the ceremony. Aisam also administered oath to the participating athletes despite the fact that the iconic athlete Arshad Nadeem was present on the occasion, who had every right to administer oath to the young talent.

Maryam, who also announced the Games formally opened, said that slightly enabling the athletes have sent a ray of hope and excitement on their faces.

“It’s a revolutionary day for Punjab sports as the biggest event of its history is being held,” Maryam said.

Flanked by Punjab Sports Minister Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar, the chief minister told her sports minister that the provincial government will provide even Rs5 billion if needed but this talented youth should be smartly looked after at all cost.

Maryam also announced electric bikes for all 2200 athletes who are featuring in the third and final phase of the Khelta Punjab Games.

It’s a three-tier event with the first two already held at Tehsil and district level. As many as 120,000 athletes, both male and female, from 15,000 clubs from across Punjab took part in the event. And of them the top 2200 athletes from nine divisions of Punjab are set to press for golds in the final phase which will be held until February 3 at Nishtar Park Sports Complex.

On the final day on February 3 a whopping amount of Rs100 million will be distributed among the top position holders.

Male players are competing in 12 disciplines in the final phase which include athletics, tape ball cricket, basketball, football, kabaddi, wrestling, taekwondo, table tennis, badminton, hockey, volleyball and archery.

Female athletes are taking part in seven disciplines including athletics, basketball, table tennis, taekwondo, badminton, hockey and archery.

Last year Punjab government also announced a sports endowment fund in which Rs2 billion has been kept. The top players of Khelta Punjab Games will be placed in three categories including premium, gold and silver and they will be provided with the monthly stipends regularly in order to sustain their growth.

The players in the premium category will be given Rs70,000 monthly salary while the gold and silver category athletes will get Rs50,000 and Rs30,000 monthly packages.

As many as 20 athletes from Punjab, who have done well in the Quaid-e-Azam Games recently held in Islamabad will also benefit from the sports endowment fund.

The maximum age limit for these Games is Under-22 and this needs to be brought down further. In the next season these Games needed to be held inside 13 to 16 age-group as an athlete needs a huge time for his or her development.

If an athlete is hunted at a younger age and then is properly groomed and backed then it ensures his or her bright future.

In the world in 20 years of age athletes become world champions but in Pakistan at this age category players are hunted which is a big negative.

It is pertinent to mention here that Punjab Olympic Association is providing every kind of technical support to the Sports Board Punjab (SBP) in organizing these Games.