With the coveted berths for the Asian Games 2026 at stake, the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championship got underway at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, drawing the country’s finest track and field athletes for a crucial qualification event.
The five-day championship, jointly organised by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and the Odisha Government’s Department of Sports and Youth Services, was inaugurated by Odisha Sports and Youth Services Minister Suryabanshi Suraj. The championship will continue till June 28.
Describing the event as a landmark occasion for Indian athletics, Suraj welcomed the athletes and highlighted Odisha’s emergence as a premier sporting destination. He expressed confidence that the championship would add another glorious chapter to the state’s rich sporting legacy.
The championship serves as a key qualification round for the Asian Games 2026, scheduled to be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4, making the competition crucial for athletes seeking selection to the Indian contingent.
A total of 630 athletes, including 342 men and 288 women from 27 states and Union Territories, are competing in 45 medal events spanning track and field disciplines such as sprints, middle and long-distance races, hurdles, high jump, long jump and javelin throw.
Haryana has fielded the largest contingent with 70 athletes, while host Odisha is represented by 28 competitors, including 12 women.
The spotlight will be on several prominent Odisha athletes, including javelin thrower Kishore Jena and sprinters Sravani Nanda, Animesh Kujur, Lalu Prasad Bhoi, Pragyan Prasanti Sahu and Sabita Toppo, who will look to capitalise on home advantage.
Among the dignitaries who grace the inaugaural ceremony were Dr. Lalit Kumar Bhanot, President of the South Asian Athletics Federation; Bhupendra Singh Poonia, Secretary of the Department of Sports and Youth Services; Sports Director Dr. Yeddula Vijay; and Odisha Olympic Association President Abhijit Paul.