Kerala on the fast track to sporting excellence: 22 synthetic stadiums across the state

Thiruvananthapuram: As the state school sports meet, modelled on the Olympics, kicks off in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala’s sporting sector is gaining remarkable momentum. The days when school athletes saw synthetic tracks only during competitions are long gone.

Over the past nine years, the Sports Department has built 20 new synthetic tracks for training and competitions, raising the state’s total to 22. From these tracks, a new generation of athletes is emerging, faster, stronger, and more confident.

Today, 14 districts boast synthetic tracks. Earlier, such facilities existed only at the Pala Municipal Stadium and Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam. In the past nine years, new tracks have been set up at Preethikulangara School; Mepayur in Kozhikode; Kodumon EMS Stadium in Pathanamthitta; Nileshwaram EMS Stadium; Edappal GHSS in Malappuram; Wayanad District Stadium; Thirumittacode Stadium in Thrithala; Nedumkandam in Idukki; VR Krishnayya Stadium in Thalassery; Tanur in Malappuram; GV Raja Sports School; Sripadam Stadium in Attingal; GBHSS in Kunnamkulam, Thrissur; Pariyaram Medical College; Kottayi School in Palakkad; Manavedan GHSS in Nilambur; Nattika Fisheries School; PCN GHSS in Mookkuthala; and the Olympian Suresh Babu District Stadium in Kollam.

These stadiums have been prioritised for schools with a proven record in sports. The initiative benefits not only those schools but also neighbouring institutions. Earlier, athletes who trained on clay tracks often found it difficult to adjust to synthetic surfaces during major competitions. That challenge is now over. Training and competing on identical tracks has strengthened athletes’ confidence and performance.

By investing in quality infrastructure, the government is nurturing a new sporting culture, one where Kerala’s youth chase records in distance, height, and speed with assurance and pride.