Bhubaneswar: The Paralympic Committee of India, in collaboration with the Sports & Youth Services Department, Government of Odisha, and the Para Sports Association of Odisha, is all set to host the 24th National Para Athletics Championship 2026 schedule to be held at Kalinga Stadium, here from 18th to 21st March 2026. The opening ceremony will be held on Wednesday.
Satyanarayana, Chairman, Para Athletics, PCI, stated that the championship will witness participation from approximately 1,460 para-athletes representing 28 states in a total of 145 medal events, along with teams from the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Services Sports Control Board (SSCB).
A strong contingent of 40 athletes from the host state of Odisha will be participating in the Championship, which is led by Suchitra Parida, National record holder in the F55 Javelin throw event. While Haryana is the largest contingent in this championship. They are the defending champions of the 23rd National Para Athletics Championship held in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
The event will feature several distinguished Paralympic medallists, Arjuna Awardees, Asian Games medallists, and World Championship medallists, including Mariyappan Thangavelu (Gold – Rio 2016, Silver – Tokyo 2020, Bronze – Paris 2024), Sumit Antil (F64)(Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024), Navdeep Singh (F41)(Gold Medallist – Paris 2024 Paralympic Games), Praveen Kumar (T64)(Silver – Tokyo 2020, Gold –Paris 2024), Preethi Pal, Praveen Kumar, Shailesh Kumar, Rakeshbhai Bhatt, Rohit Kumar, Devendra Singh Gurjar, Poonam, Lakshmi, Jayanti Behera(Asian Para Games Medallist), Yogesh Kathuniya, Dharambir(Gold Medallist), and Pranav Soorma and others.
The Government of Odisha has extended maximum logistical and financial support in organising the championship. The championship will serve as a platform for elite performers, emerging talents, and promising young athletes, celebrating determination, perseverance, and sporting excellence. It will also play a crucial role in selecting probables for the upcoming Asian Para Games (Aichi–Nagoya, Japan, 18–24 October 2026 and various international Competitions.
