Odisha expands its global sporting footprint securing this major tournament

Bhubaneswar continues its rise as a premier sporting hub. Officials from the Athletic Federation of India confirmed that Kalinga Stadium will stage the seven-nation BIMSTEC U23 Athletics Championships in 2026. Competitors representing India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Thailand will gather on the recently upgraded synthetic track. Hosting consecutive Bronze and Silver-level Continental Tour meets over the last two years established this venue as a trusted destination for top-tier international track events.

Scouting Future Olympic Track Talent

Young runners will face fierce regional competition during this upcoming meet. Fast sprinters travelling from Thailand bring particular excitement and promise to push finishing times higher. Indian representatives will finalise the host squad using fresh data from two major domestic tournaments. Selectors monitored the 41st National Junior Athletics Championships in Chennai, which concluded on October 27. Competitors there delivered outstanding results and broke numerous records across the Under-14 to Under-20 categories.

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Finalising Squad Selections And Schedules

Evaluators also gathered crucial performance metrics during the 6th Indian U23 Athletics Championships in Jaipur between October 16 and 18. Participants in that event successfully broke four meet records on the final day of competition. Final dates and daily schedules for the international multi-nation tournament remain pending while logistical planning continues in Odisha.