βββββββBhubaneswar, June 24: The 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championship 2026 got underway today at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. The prestigious five-day event is being jointly organized by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and the Department of Sports and Youth Services, Government of Odisha.
The championship was officially inaugurated by Odisha's Minister for Sports and Youth Services,Suryabanshi Suraj, who attended the opening ceremony as the chief guest. Addressing the athletes, the Minister lauded Odisha's world-class sports infrastructure and extended a warm welcome to the country's leading track and field stars. He expressed confidence that the championship would further strengthen Odisha's reputation as a premier sporting destination.
Several distinguished guests were present at the inaugural ceremony, including Dr. Lalit Kumar Bhanot, President of the South Asian Athletics Federation; Bhupendra Singh Poonia, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Department of Sports and Youth Services; Dr. Yeddula Vijay, Director of Sports; andAbhijit Paul, President of the Odisha Olympic Association.
The championship serves as a key qualifying event for the Asian Games 2026, scheduled to be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4. Approximately 630 athletes—342 men and 288 women—from 27 states and Union Territories are competing in the tournament.
A total of 45 medal events will be contested across a wide range of track and field disciplines, including sprinting, 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 athletes.
The spotlight will be on several prominent Odisha athletes, including javelin throwerKishore Jenaand sprintersSravani Nanda, Animesh Kujur, Lalu Prasad Bhoi, Pragyan Prasanti Sahu,andSabita Toppo, who are expected to make strong performances during the championship.
Jointly hosted by the Athletics Federation of India and the Government of Odisha, the championship will continue untilJune 28, bringing together some of the nation’s finest athletic talent in a crucial build-up to the continental showpiece later this year.
