So it is that India has put two marquee events on the calendar: the 2027 Relays for Chandigarh and the 2028 Indoors for Bhubaneswar. The AAA made its decision in Hong Kong, and you can see it as part of a broader effort to have more of these continental and world-class meets on home soil in the years ahead.
A vote of confidence in Indian athletics
It was all but a formality when the AAA council in Hong Kong gave the go-ahead last week, before the U20s get under way from May 28-31. Adille Sumariwalla, the World Athletics Vice-President, put it best when he called it ‘a very proud moment for the country’.
The bids were put in by the AFI last year. What this says is that we are building on some good recent shows and making sure the facilities are up to snuff.
Chandigarh’s time to shine
This is a bit of a homecoming for Chandigarh, which has been out of the limelight for over a quarter of a century. We edged out Saudi Arabia for the right to put on the 2027 Asian Relay Athletics Championships at the Sector 7 Sports Complex.
Jaspinder Singh, with the Chandigarh Athletics Association, doesn’t mince words about the significance of it. He is looking to see 250 or so athletes from 24 countries come through. The National Relay and Race Walk we put on not long ago was a good run-up to this.
On the ground, we are ready, says UT Director of Sports Sorabh Kumar Arora. You will see new floodlights and an improved gallery for the fans. An AAA pair, including secretary general Shugurman and technical director SK Carlson, were here in March to have a look around.
How the Relays fit in
This will be the third time out for the Asian Relays. Bangkok had the first in 2024; you can find the second in Shaoxing, China, later this month on June 20-21.
Bhubaneswar’s plan for the indoors
Come 2028, probably in February, the Kalinga Stadium complex in Bhubaneswar will be the place to be for the Asian Indoor Championships. In fact, they will also be holding the 2028 World Indoors there in early March, which is a testament to what Odisha has become in the sport.
We’ve been working on this for a while. When we held the first of the national indoor championships in March at the same spot, it was a chance for our people to get some hands-on experience with the format.
There were a few other things decided in Hong Kong that will set the tone for the next round of competition. Here is the rundown:
– Asian Relays 2027: Chandigarh’s to do
– 2028 Asian Indoors: Bhubaneswar
– Council was in session before the U20s (May 28-31)
Why you should care
Having both of these on the books is well-timed. It gives our athletes and coaches a run at each other, and it means we’ll be seeing the top end of Asia’s talent on our tracks.
Those running the show in the cities say it will do wonders for the local scene. Harjinder Singh of the CAA is after one thing: for the internationals to have a ‘memorable’ time in the city.
What’s down the line
We have let it be known we want in on the 2028 World U20s and possibly the 2029 or 2031 senior Worlds. The idea is to put on a good show with these Asian affairs, build up our capacity and make a case for the big ones.
You don’t have to read between the lines. Whether it is in Sector 7 or at the Kalinga, India is set for some of the best in Asia.
