Shilaroo (H.P.), Sept 17 : The Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Singh Thakur on Sunday inaugurated the newly-built 6-lane 200 Metre Synthetic Athletic Track at the Sports Authority of India High Altitude Training Centre in Shilaroo, Himachal Pradesh on Sunday. This is the very first track of the country built at an altitude of 8,000 feet. The SAI centre in Shilaroo also houses the high-altitude Hockey Synthetic Track. 'This state-of-the-art track is a significant addition to the facility, poised to boost the region's and the nation's sporting landscape. It will enable athletes to acclimatise to high-altitude conditions and enhance their endurance, stamina, and quick recovery after intense training sessions. Our government is committed to making sports accessible and fostering an environment for athletes to thrive in a more competitive setting,' mentioned Shri Thakur at the event. The SAI High Altitude Training Centre in Shilaroo already has hostels which can accommodate 100 male athletes and 50 female athletes. It has 2 multipurpose halls, an astroturf hockey field, 13 Staff Quarters and a guest house. The launch of the Synthetic Athletics tracks is also complete. High altitude training helps an athlete's body to build more red blood cells and improve endurance capacity, giving an upper edge during competitions. Also present at the event on Sunday was the Minister of Youth Services & Sports and Public Works, Govt. of HP, Vikramaditya Singh, Member of Parliament, Suresh Kumar Kashyap and Senior Executive Director, NSNIS Patiala, Col. Raj Singh Bishnoi. /IANS