Urumqi: The inaugural Central Asian Indoor Athletics Invitational commenced on Monday in Urumqi, located in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The event aims to foster sports exchanges between China and Central Asian countries, drawing participation from 243 athletes representing Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and China. These athletes are competing across four divisions and 26 events over a span of two days. According to Namibia Press Agency, Denis Mosseyev, the coach of the Kazakhstan athletics team, remarked that events like these promote friendship and offer significant opportunities for development. "The level of organization here is excellent, and I believe it's an opportunity for both athletes and officials to improve," he stated. Among the participants is 16-year-old Uzbekistan long jumper Angelina Grechkina, who is competing in China for the first time. She expressed her excitement over her experience, saying, "I've made many new friends. I was lucky to win the cha mpionship today, and I hope to jump further in the future." Additionally, Chinese athlete Alixr Omar, who recently won the men's 400m title at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships, is also participating in the event. He noted, "The athletes here are all excellent, and I'm learning a lot through the competition."