Bhubaneswar, August 22: Odisha is set to host a landmark international athletics event as the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver Meet gets underway at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
The one-day competition marks a significant step forward for Odisha’s growing reputation as a global sporting destination.
Organised jointly by the Odisha Sports and Youth Services Department, Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and World Athletics, the meet has been upgraded to the Silver level after the successful Bronze-level event held at the same venue last year. It is also the first World Athletics Continental Tour Silver-level meet to be hosted in India.
The event will feature 187 athletes from 27 countries, including 88 Indian athletes and 99 international competitors. The field includes several high-ranked athletes, with 36 competitors featuring among the world’s top 50 in their respective events.
Among the international stars expected to compete is Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga, the world No. 6 in the men’s 400 metres and a bronze medallist at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Nigeria’s Commonwealth Games champion and Paris Olympics finalist Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, ranked among the world’s top shot-putters, is another major attraction.
Six Odisha Athletes in Action
Six athletes from Odisha will represent the state at the prestigious meet. They are Animesh Kujur in the men’s 100m, Swadhin Kumar Majhi in high jump, Kishore Jena in javelin throw, Bapi Hansda in the men’s 400m, Srabani Nanda in the women’s 100m and Pragyan Prasanti Sahu in the women’s 100m hurdles.
The competition will feature events across both men’s and women’s categories, including sprints, middle- and long-distance races, hurdles, high jump, long jump, shot put, discus throw and javelin throw.
Free Entry for Spectators
Athletics fans will be allowed free entry to Kalinga Stadium to watch the international competition. The initiative is aimed at encouraging young athletes and giving sports enthusiasts an opportunity to witness world-class athletics in their own city.
The Silver meet is also being viewed as an important stepping stone towards Odisha’s hosting of the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships and World Athletics Indoor Championships at Kalinga Stadium in 2028.
With top Indian and international athletes competing under one roof, Bhubaneswar is set for an evening of high-quality athletics and another major moment in Odisha’s growing sporting journey.