Two veteran athletes from Alipurduar have bagged medals at the 41st National Masters Athletic Championship that was recently held in Imphal.

The event was hosted by the Masters Athletics Federation of India at Khuman Lampak stadium from February 9 to 14.

While Amulya Nath has bagged bronze in high jump and triple jump in the 75-year age group, Subhash Bose won a bronze in the 10,000m run in the 65-year category.

Over 6,000 athletes had participated in the championship from 23 states. Among them 130 athletes were from Bengal.

Nath and Bose reached Alipurduar on Sunday from Guwahati. They were welcomed by Sanchay Ghosh, general secretary of the Alipurduar District Sports and Games Association at the station along with some other sports lovers of the town.

“As they have won medals at the national masters’ meet, they will now be members of the national squad and will participate at the World Masters Athletic Championship. It will be held in Toronto in March next year,” said Ghosh.

Nath is a resident of Kadamtala and a former teacher of Alipurduar Railway High School. He was the manager of the football, cricket and athletic teams of the school, said sources.

In 2017, he had won three gold medals at the state masters meet. In 2018 he bagged three medals at the same meet — a gold, a silver and a bronze.

“This will help me to represent the national team in world meets. It was always my dream to represent the country,” Nath, who practices two hours every day at the Parade Ground here, said.

Bose, who has bagged bronze in the 10,000m race, is a resident of ward-I of the town. He was an inspector with the North Bengal State Transport Corporation.

In 1996, he had bagged gold at the same event. Also, in 2002 and 2004, he had participated in the Asian meets held in China and Thailand, respectively.

“As per the rule, the first six athletes of each event will represent the country at the world championship. I came third in the race and also fourth in the 2,000m steeple chase. It is a matter of pride for me to be a member of the national squad,” said Bose.