New Delhi: India is set to host the World Athletics Continental Tour event in Bhubaneswar on August 10, 2025. It was announced by the Athletics Federation of India on Sunday while releasing its competition calendar for the next year.
The continental tour event is organised by World Athletics and India have been picked to host a bronze level. The tour is the second tier of athletics events after the Diamond League.
“The Continental Tour will be a good opportunity for the Indian team to showcase their potential on home ground before the World Championships in September,” AFI president Adille Sumariwalla said on Sunday.
The event will be the first global track and field meet to be held in India since the World Half Marathon Championships in 2004 and will be an opportunity for Indian athletes to earn ranking points for the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo from September 13-21.
“This will be the first time and most prestigious global athletics event after the permit meets in the 80s and 90s and the World Half Marathon in 2004. This is a big achievement and will help athletics grow in the country. We are trying for a big global javelin event and hoping to get it,” an AFI official told PTI.
AFI’s unveils calendar for next year
The 2025 season will begin with the National Cross Country championships on January 12, followed by the national race walking competition on April 19 in Chandigarh.
From April 21-24, Panchkula, Haryana, will host the senior national Federation Cup, a qualifier for the Asian Athletic Championships (May 27 to May 31 in Korea).
Chennai will stage the national inter-state senior championships from August 20 to 24, while Pune or Bengaluru will host the national open championships from September 27 to 30.
With an eye on World Athletics Championships, top Indian race walkers will not compete at the Asian Race Walking competition in Nomi, Japan in March.
“The core group of Indian race walkers clocked a good time in March but aren’t able to repeat the performance later in the season,” Sumariwalla said, adding that the national inter-district athletics meet will be held in February.
“Since the main focus in 2025 is the global competition in September, we have decided not to send the elite team to Japan in March.”
The continental tour event will be the first global track and field meet to be held in India since the World Half Marathon Championships in 2004 Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
