Indian Athletes Gear Up for World Athletics Continental Tour in Bhubaneswar

Exciting Lineup for the Continental Tour

Bhubaneswar: The World Athletics Continental Tour silver-level meet is set to feature prominent Indian athletes, including long jumpers Murali Sreeshankar and Ancy Sojan, along with sprinters Animesh Kujur and Gurindervir Singh, all competing for top honors this Saturday.

This one-day event serves as a crucial preparation for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, allowing Indian athletes to compete alongside international stars, such as Zambia's Muzala Samukonga, a bronze medalist in the 2024 Paris Olympics quarter-mile.

Samukonga has recorded a season best of 44.02 seconds and a personal best of 43.74 seconds. He will be joined by Nigeria's Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, ranked World No. 10 in shot put, who is a Commonwealth Games champion and a finalist for the Paris Olympics.

The competition will feature 18 events, evenly divided between male and female athletes. Men will compete in 100m, 400m, 800m, 110m hurdles, high jump, long jump, shot put, and javelin throw, while women will participate in 100m, 400m, 1500m, 100m hurdles, high jump, long jump, javelin throw, and discus throw.

Top performers will earn valuable world ranking points and cash prizes, with winners receiving USD 1,600, second-place finishers earning USD 1,200, and third-place finishers taking home USD 900.

India has entered its leading athletes in nearly all events, with around 200 participants expected, including 88 from India.

Athletes from 26 nations, including approximately 140 from 12 Asian countries, will participate in this event.

This marks India's inaugural hosting of a World Athletics Continental Tour silver event, following the successful bronze-level competition held last year, which attracted 195 athletes from 17 countries. Due to its success, World Athletics elevated the Bhubaneswar event to silver status this year.

In the men's long jump, top Indian competitors like Sreeshankar, Shahnavaz Khan, Lokesh Sathyanathan, and P David, all boasting season bests over 8 meters, are expected to dominate the podium.

Gurindervir, the national record holder, will compete alongside Animesh in the 100m dash, which promises fierce competition. South Africa's Retshidistwe Mlenga and Japan's Yuki Koike are also strong contenders, with season bests of 10.03 seconds and 10.06 seconds, respectively, both having previously run under 10 seconds.

In shot put, national record holder Tajinderpal Singh Toor will face off against Nigeria's Enekwechi, who won gold at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games with a throw of 21.07m. Toor finished fifth with a throw of 20.27m, while South Africa's Aiden Smith, who placed fourth in Glasgow, and Indian Samardeep Singh Gill will also compete.

With two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra absent, Yashvir Singh, who secured bronze at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, and Rohit Yadav, the leading Indian this season, will lead the host nation's efforts. Asian Games silver medalist Kishore Jena, who has faced challenges recently, will also participate.

Indians are anticipated to excel in the men's javelin event as well.

Chopra is scheduled to compete in the Lausanne Diamond League on Friday.

In the women's 100m hurdles, national record holder Jyothi Yarraji will face stiff competition from Charisma Taylor of the Bahamas, a semifinalist at the 2024 Olympics with a personal best of 12.57 seconds.

Yarraji's season best stands at 12.85 seconds, with a personal best of 12.78 seconds. Brazil's Vitoria Alves, who has a season best of 12.57 seconds, will also be in contention.

Other Indian athletes to watch include Vishal TK (men's 400m), Kiran Pahal and M R Poovamma (women's 400m), Pooja Singh (women's high jump), Shaili Singh (women's long jump), Seema Kaliramana (women's discus throw), Annu Rani (women's javelin throw), Harita Bhadra (women's 100m), Mohammed Ashfaq (men's 400m), Mohammed Afsal (men's 800m), Aadarsh Ram (men's high jump), and Anand Singh (men's javelin throw).

Many of these athletes are preparing for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, starting September 19, and are affiliated with the Reliance Foundation.

"Bhubaneswar is the heart of Indian athletics, and I am confident this event will be remarkable. Many athletes heading to the Asian Games next month will compete here, making it an ideal preparation opportunity," stated James Hillier, Athletics Director at Reliance Foundation.