On Friday, the 40th National Junior Athletics Championships will kick off at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, drawing young athletes from across India to compete in a week‑long showdown from October 10 to 14.
Chairman of the national selection committee, Adille Sumariwalla, praised the event’s planning. “The Odisha Athletics Association has done an excellent job. From technical set‑up to athlete accommodation, everything runs with great precision,” he said. Sumariwalla—an ex‑AFI president and current World Athletics vice‑president—told reporters that the championships will set a new benchmark in India’s sports calendar.
Athletes will benefit from state‑of‑the‑art facilities: the stadium houses world‑class timing and measurement systems, hydration stations, and nutrition support. Meanwhile, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) will run a talent‑identification program, spotting promising young runners and throwers for future training at centres of excellence.
Fair play takes centre stage. AFI has installed biometric verification and medical checks to stop impersonation and ensure that every competitor is who they claim. Doping control will run concurrently, with the National Anti‑Doping Agency monitoring every event. “We are not just hosting a championship; we’re setting standards for fair play, athlete welfare, and technical excellence,” Sumariwalla added.
The championships arrive as India gears up for a fresh national sports push. In January, former Asian Games shot‑put champion Bahadur Singh Sagoo was elected president of the federation, while the Union Cabinet—led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi—recently approved the National Sports Policy 2025. The new policy replaces the 2001 framework and aims to lift India to the world’s sporting elite, especially with 2036 Olympics in the horizon.
Sumariwalla lauded the policy’s five pillars—excellence, sports science, infrastructure, social upliftment, and industry growth—highlighting that it marks a major leap forward from earlier editions. “Since the first sports policy in 1985, and its 2021 update, a lot has changed. The 2025 plan promises a clearer, more visionary path,” he said.
With cutting‑edge facilities and a focus on talent, the Bhubaneswar championships promise to energise India’s next generation of track‑and‑field stars.
Source: ianslive
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