India's Athletics Landscape Gets a Major Upgrade
In a significant boost for Indian athletics, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has confirmed that the country will host its first-ever Silver-Level Continental Tour event next year. The prestigious competition is scheduled for August 22, 2025, at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.
This upgrade comes after Bhubaneswar successfully organized a Bronze-Level event earlier. Ravinder Chaudhary, Director of Competitions at AFI, stated, "We have secured an upgrade following our successful hosting of the Bronze-Level Tour competition last year. We have decided to proceed with the same venue this time." The Silver-Level event is recognized as a World Athletics Category B competition, marking a higher tier of international athletic meet coming to Indian soil.
Sweeping Reforms: New Competition Structure
Alongside this international event, the AFI has announced a complete overhaul of its domestic competition calendar. The existing Indian Grand Prix series will be replaced by the Indian Athletics Series. This new series will feature 16 Category F events spread across as many cities, culminating in a final event in New Delhi that will include international participants.
Chaudhary explained the rationale behind this expansion: "We have increased the number of competitions this year from 32 to 40. The objective is to enhance exposure for Indian athletes and ensure financial viability. With 16 different events across various parts of the country, athletes can participate in competitions closer to their training bases." He further added that the qualification standards have been relaxed to accommodate budding athletes in events like the Indian Athletics Series.
New Championships and a Packed Calendar
In another first for the nation, the AFI will conduct the inaugural edition of the National Indoor Athletics Championships at the Kalinga indoor stadium in Bhubaneswar.
The upcoming year presents a packed athletics calendar with major international events like the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow (July 23 to August 2) and the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya (September 19 to October 4). Chief national coach P Radhakrishnan Nair indicated that the Inter-State National Championships would likely serve as the selection meet for these major games, as having separate trials for events so close together is not feasible.
To ensure competitive readiness, the AFI has mandated that athletes must participate in a minimum of two competitions to be eligible for the Federation Cup Athletics championships and three competitions, along with their state meet, to qualify for the Inter-State National Championships.
