Bhubaneswar: Odisha is all set to host the 35th East Zone Junior Athletics Championships from October 7 to 9, 2024, at the renowned Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar. Organized by the Odisha Athletics Association in collaboration with the Sports and Youth Services Department under the aegis of the Athletics Federation of India, the event will feature over 600 young athletes from 10 states, competing in a wide range of track and field events.
Participating states include Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Manipur. Bihar will send the largest contingent with 134 athletes, while Nagaland will field the smallest with just five participants. Odisha, the host state, will be represented by a strong team of 115 athletes, including students from the Odisha-Reliance Foundation Athletics High-Performance Centre and sports hostels operated by the Sports and Youth Services Department.
Prabodha Kumar Mohanty, Technical Chairman of the Odisha Athletics Association, emphasized the significance of the event in preparing young athletes for national-level competitions. “This meet will serve as a preparatory platform for athletes ahead of the junior national athletics championships later this month,” Mohanty remarked. The 39th National Junior Athletics Championships will also be held at Kalinga Stadium from October 25 to 29, 2024, providing a further stage for athletes to showcase their talents.
Expressing his enthusiasm, Odisha’s Minister of Sports and Youth Services, Suryabanshi Suraj, highlighted the state’s commitment to promoting athletics and its vision of becoming a major hub for national and international sporting events. “I am extremely delighted that we are hosting both the East Zone Junior Athletics Championships and the junior nationals this year. It aligns with our vision to make Odisha a major sports destination, and I wish all participants the very best for the competition,” said the Minister.
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