India to host maiden World Athletics Continental Tour event on August 10 next year

India will host its maiden World Athletics Continental Tour event—a bronze level global meet—in Bhubaneswar on August 10 next year, the national federation said on Sunday.

The announcement was made by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) while releasing the competition calendar for 2025.

The Continental Tour is an annual series of track and field competitions held under the aegis of World Athletics. It forms the second tier of international one-day meetings after the prestigious Diamond League.

The bronze level Tour meet is below the gold and silver levels. This will be the first global athletics meet to be hosted by India after the international permit meets, held in the country in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

India has also hosted World Half Marathon Championships in 2004 in New Delhi.

“This will be the first time and most prestigious global athletics event after the permit meets in the 80s and 90s, and the World Half Marathon in 2004. This is a big achievement and will help athletics grow in the country,” an AFI official said.

He added that India is also likely to host a “big” global level javelin meet next year.

“We are trying for a big global javelin event and hoping to get it,” he said.

Riding on Olympic gold and silver medallist Neeraj Chopra’s success, India is emerging as a global javelin powerhouse in the world. Currently, the country has more than half a dozen javelin throwers who can throw more than 80m.