India Hosts First World Athletics Bronze-Level Continental Tour in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, Odisha, hosted India's first-ever World Athletics Bronze-Level Continental Tour in 2025 at the Kalinga Stadium, marking a historic milestone for Indian athletics. The event featured around 225 athletes from 17 countries, with 93 Indian competitors including prominent athletes like Annu Rani, Murali Sreeshankar, Animesh Kujur, and Shaili Singh competing in 18-19 track and field events. This Bronze-level meet, part of an annual global series ranked just below the Diamond League, provided Indian athletes a vital opportunity to earn ranking points and qualify for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The Odisha government and Athletics Federation of India collaborated efficiently to ensure world-class facilities, robust security, and a vibrant atmosphere with a highly enthusiastic local crowd, primarily students, enhancing the athletes' performances. Despite some key absentees like Neeraj Chopra and Avinash Sable, the event was successful in setting a new benchmark for hosting international athletics in India and is seen as a stepping stone toward hosting higher-tier gold-level events and potentially the 2036 Olympic Games. This inaugural Indian Continental Tour underlines India's growing stature in global athletics and its ambition to become a regular host of major international sporting events.