Bhubaneswar: Minister Sports and Youth Services Shri Suryabanshi Suraj, alongside senior department officials, carried out a final match-day inspection at the iconic Kalinga Stadium to ensure seamless venue arrangements for the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver Meet 2026.
Secretary Sports and Youth Services, Shri Bhupendra Singh Poonia, Director Sports Dr. Yeddula Vijay and other officers were present.
The comprehensive walkthrough reviewed spectator facilities, athlete readiness zones, track infrastructure, and security protocols as Bhubaneswar prepares to host India’s first-ever Silver-level Continental Tour event.
Organized jointly by the Sports and Youth Services Department of Odisha, the Athletics Federation of India, and World Athletics, the single-day flagship event represents an upgrade from the Bronze-level competition hosted at the same venue last year.
The landmark championship brings together 187 elite athletes representing 27 nations. A contingent of 88 Indian track and field competitors will compete on home ground alongside 99 international athletes. The field boasts 36 athletes ranked among the world top 50 in their respective disciplines, headlined by Paris 2024 Olympic 400-meter bronze medalist Muzala Samukonga of Zambia and Nigerian shot put star Chukwuebuka Enekwechi. Local crowd favorites including javelin thrower Kishore Jena and sprinter Animesh Kujur are among six Odisha athletes set to feature on the global stage.
Action across 18 track and field events—evenly divided between men’s and women’s categories—will offer crucial ranking points alongside monetary prizes. Organizers have made spectator entry free to encourage wide public participation, setting the stage for a major athletic milestone ahead of Odisha hosting the World Athletics Indoor Championships and Asian Indoor Championships in 2028.