PANAJI
The 3rd National Women Masters Athletics Championship 2026 at Atal Stadium, Cujira, will see close to 600 Masters athletes compete for honours and prove to everyone that age is no obstacle to performance and good sporting spirit.
The two-day championship, organised by the Goa Masters Athletic Association, will commence on Saturday, May 30, at 6 am and conclude on Sunday, May 31. Athletic events will be held from 6 am to 4 pm.
Approximately 580 Masters athletes have registered for the championship and will compete in 13 different categories, from age 30 to above 90.
The above-90-years category has drawn special interest, with two athletes registering for the championship. The first is Goa’s own Maria Imelda D’Sousa, a 92-year-old athlete from Mapusa, who will participate in the 100m, shot put and javelin throw, while Rajasthan’s Pani Devi, aged 94, will take part in the 100m, shot put and discus throw, proving that age is no barrier to being out there on the field.
“Age is truly just a number, and our participants from across the country are living proof. People normally associate sports with youth, but we have several others who have balanced families and careers and continued to train with discipline,” said Savita Tawadkar, chairperson of the organising committee.
“What these athletes are doing is nothing short of extraordinary. I am certain that these athletes will inspire countless others to take to sports, not just for competition but for their own good health,” she added.
The inauguration ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 30, at 5 pm, with Speaker Ganesh Gaonkar as the chief guest. The guests of honour include Delilah Lobo, MLA, Siolim constituency, and Dr Ajay Gaude, Director, Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs (DSYA). The inauguration ceremony will be followed by a fashion show by the participating athletes, with the theme ‘India Today and Tomorrow’.
Tamil Nadu will arrive in the State with the biggest contingent of 84 participants, while Goa and Maharashtra are a close second with 75 participants each. Karnataka (45), Kerala (37), West Bengal (35) and Gujarat (34) are other States with a large number of participants.
Among the Goa athletes, there are several gold medal prospects. Devi Gaonkar, Betty D’Silva, Perpetua Fernandes, Vrunda Verenkar, Juliet Abraham and Fatima have all proved themselves at the national level, while Alzira, Avita, Clarissa, Vanessa, Angela, Rosalia, Jayshree, Imelda, Ritinha and Divya can also be counted among the top Masters athletes.
