Indian athletes to use Bhubaneswar Silver meet as Asian Games tune-up

Several Indian athletes and international competitors will line up at the $75,000 World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meet at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Saturday, offering a chance to fine-tune preparations ahead of the Asian Games.

The entry list features 187 athletes from 26 countries, including 88 Indians, and names such as Nigeria’s Commonwealth Games shot put champion Chukwuebuka Enekwechi and Jamaica’s Commonwealth Games discus gold medallist Samantha Hall.

The meet will be missing a number of high-profile Indians, a factor the coverage said will take some gloss off the event; among those entered and expected to attract attention are Commonwealth Games silver medallist long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, javelin bronze medallist Yashvir Singh, shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor and hurdler Jyothi Yarraji.

Several other established Indian athletes will also compete, including javelin thrower Annu Rani, discus thrower Seema Kaliraman, national record-holder long jumper Ancy Sojan and quartermiler Vithya Ramraj.

A host of prominent Indians will be absent for different reasons: Worlds and Olympics medallist Neeraj Chopra, double Commonwealth Games medallist Gulveer Singh, Sarvesh Kushare, Parul Chaudhary, Avinash Sable, Ankita Dhyani and national record-holder Vishal T.K. are all not on the start list.

The one-day meeting, upgraded from Bronze Level to Silver, will reward the top six finishers in events and carries total prize money of $75,000, with winners in 18 events set to receive $1600 each.

Event entry lists show depth in several competitions: men’s javelin includes seven throwers with 80m-plus season's bests, six long jumpers have recorded eight-metre-plus marks and seven shot putters have season bests exceeding 20m, which should add interest for the home fans.

On the women’s side, five long jumpers have cleared more than 6.40m this season and seven discus throwers possess 55m-plus marks, figures the report said should make those contests gripping.

After the Silver meet, Indian athletes will take part in the Indian Athletics Series Final in Delhi on September 10. That event is scheduled prior to the Asian Games in Japan.