Tirupati: District Collector Dr S Venkateswar has called upon young athletes to prove their mettle at national and international sporting arenas after excelling at the state-level competitions.

He was speaking at the valedictory of the Andhra Pradesh State-level Amaravati Championship Cup organised by Sports Authority of AP (SAAP) here on Tuesday.

The three-day tournament, conducted from August 24 to 26 in Tirupati, featured events in archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, hockey, kabaddi, kho-kho, volleyball and weightlifting.

“Despite the short notice, these games were conducted successfully. The winners must now prepare themselves for the Olympics, Commonwealth and National Games, and bring laurels to the state and the country,” the Collector said.

He advised athletes to train rigorously with proper planning and take full advantage of the encouragement offered through the state’s sports policy.

Dr Venkateswar noted that all participants, drawn from different zones across Andhra Pradesh, competed with great enthusiasm. Accommodation was provided at SV and Women’s Universities, while transportation, food and other facilities were arranged by district officials.

“This championship has shown that Tirupati has the potential to host sporting events on an even larger scale,” he remarked, before distributing certificates to winners. Tirupati Municipal Commissioner N Mourya also congratulated the athletes and expressed hope that they would make their mark in national competitions. SAAP Director Rajini also spoke. The winners of various events will get incentives and medals from Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in Visakhapatnam on August 29.