India to host maiden World Athletics Continental Tour event next year

India will host a World Athletics Continental Tour event for the first time on August 10 next year, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) announced on Sunday.

The bronze-level Continental Tour athletics event is set to take place in Bhubaneswar, as revealed during the unveiling of the AFI's competition calendar for the 2025 season. The meet is pencilled in as the Indian Open.

The Continental Tour is an annual series of track and field competitions. It is the second tier of global meetings after the elite Diamond League.

Launched in 2020 as a successor to the World Challenge series, the Continental Tour features four levels - gold, silver, bronze and challenger.

“The Continental Tour will be a good opportunity for the Indian team to showcase its potential on home ground before the world championships in September,” AFI president Adille Sumariwalla said.

The World Athletics Championships 2025, to be held from September 13 to 21 in Tokyo next year, will be the top track and field competition next year.

The Asian Athletics Championships in 2017 was the last time India hosted an international athletics meet. It was held at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. India also hosted the 2013 Asian Championships at the Balewadi Sports Complex in Pune.

The Senior National Federation Cup, scheduled from April 21 to 24 in Haryana, will act as a qualification event for the Asian Athletic Championships to be held in the Republic of Korea in May.

India’s 2025 domestic season will start with the national cross-country championships on January 12 in Uttar Pradesh.

The National Inter-District Athletics Meet will take place in February and the Indian Open throws and jumps competitions will be held in March.

“The AFI has also introduced regional competition from next year to give more exposure to athletes on the fringes. The regional competitions will commence in April,” Sumariwalla added.