DUSHANBE, May 15, Asia-Plus -- A republican sports and athletics meeting among schoolchildren was launched at the Central Stadium in Dushanbe on May 13.  

Mirzosafar Shamsiddinov, a spokesman for the Tajik Sports and Physical Training Committee, has told Asia-Plus that such a sports event has been held in the republic for the first time over the past fifteen years.   According to him, 1,200 schoolchildren from Dushanbe, Gorno Badakhshan, Khatlon and Sughd province, as well as districts subordinate to the center have gathered to take part at this sports meeting.  

“185 referees will umpire the competitions,” Shamsiddinov said, noting that schoolchildren will compete in 11 different sports: volleyball; basketball; taekwon-do (WTF); sambo (unarmed combat), Greek-Roman wrestling, table tennis, boxing, field and track athletics, mini-football, etc.  

The competitions will last till May 17.