New Delhi, Jul 28 (IANS): All eyes will be national discuss record holder Vikas Gowda when the Asian All-Star Athletics Meet starts here Thursday at the refurbished Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
The US-based Gowda has been hogging the limelight with his season's best of 63.22m, will India's hope for a gold medal.
In women's shot-put, India's hopes will be on national record holder Seema Antil, who has been struggling.
In women's long jump, India's hopes will be on M.A. Prajusha, Mayookha Johny and Reshmi Bose, who will be facing a tough fight from Uzbekistan's multi-event specialist Tatyana Konichsheva.
Sri Lanka's Asian champion Manjula Kumara Wijesekara will be the star to watch out for in the men's high jump. He will get some tough competition from Kazakhstan's Vitaliy Tsykunov and Asian Indoor Games winner and Doha Asian Games champion Jean-Claude Rabbath of Lebanon.
Indian middle distance star Tintu Luka, a student of the legendary P.T. Usha is a strong bet in the women's 800m. India's Sini Jose will also be among the top draws in the women's 400m.
Indian distance runners Kavita Raut and Preeja Sreedharan look formidable in the women's 5000m.