Chandigarh, Bhubaneswar set to host major Asian Athletics events in 2027 and 2028
New Delhi, May 28
Two major continental competitions, the Asian Relay Championships and Asian Indoor Championships, will be held on Indian soil for the first time.
Chandigarh will be the venue for the 2027 Asian Relay Championships. The 2028 Asian Indoor Championships will be held in Bhubaneswar, as per the AFI website.
A Council Meeting of the Asian Athletics Association was held on Wednesday in Hong Kong, and India was allotted prestigious continental competitions, says Bahadur Singh Sagoo, president of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).
"It will be a big boost to athletics in particular and sports in general. International events will enable the athletics fraternity to witness top athletes in action," says the AFI president.
Odisha's Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi says hosting the Asian Indoor Championships in 2028 will further give a fillip to the sports culture in the state and the country.
"The Asian Indoor Championships will be good preparation for the 2028 World Athletics Indoor Championships," says Odisha's Chief Minister.
The 2028 Asian Indoor Championships will be held in Bhubaneswar's Indoor Stadium. "The Asian Indoor Championships will be held in January," says the AFI president.
Chandigarh will be the venue for the 2027 Asian Relay Championships. The competition will be held in May 2027, says Sagoo.
"The Chandigarh Administration has come forward to support the continental competition," says the AFI president. "The Asian Relay Championships will be held at Sector 7 Sports Complex."
Mandeep Singh Brar, Chandigarh's home secretary, says organising Asian Relay Championships will be a big boost to sports culture in the region.
"Chandigarh will host the prestigious continental competition for the first time. We are all excited to welcome top athletes from other Asian countries," says Brar.
The Asian Relay Championships will be held in six events: Men's 4x100m and 4x400m relay. Women's 4x100m and 4x400m relay. The mixed relay will be organised in 4x100m and 4x400m.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great initiative but I hope the government ensures proper maintenance of the tracks after the events. Many stadiums in India are built with much fanfare but then fall into disrepair. Let's use this as an opportunity to develop long-term athletics culture, not just a one-time show.
Impressive to see India getting these major athletics events. The Asian relay championships will be a great test for our 4x100m teams. Hopefully we can replicate some of that success we saw at the Asian Games. Kudos to AFI for making this happen!
As someone from Chandigarh, I'm thrilled! The Sector 7 complex is quite old though. Hope they upgrade it properly before 2027. This will also boost tourism and local economy. Time for our city to shine on the continental stage! 🏃♂️
Great to see India getting Asian-level events. But I have some concerns - will there be enough focus on athlete preparation? We need to start training our relay teams systematically from now, not just wait for the event year. Hope AFI has a long-term plan in place.
This is a step in the right direction! Hosting these championships will motivate our young athletes to aim higher. Also, indoor athletics is relatively new for India so hosting the Asian Indoor Championships will help develop that aspect of the sport. Bhubaneswar has excellent sports infrastructure already!
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