Focus strictly remains on Asian Games as Continental Tour returns to India

Bhubaneswar hosts a bigger and upgraded Continental Tour meet, but for India, the focus remains firmly on preparing for the Asian Games. Several of the country's top athletes will use the event as a final competitive test before heading into camps ahead of the continental competition.Several top Indian athletes will use the Continental Tour as their Asian Games prep. (Photo: PTI)Last year, the Continental Tour felt like a celebration of the world of athletics coming to India. This year, however, despite the competition being bigger and better, the mood is different, with the meet largely being viewed as another important preparation event ahead of the Asian Games.Bhubaneswar will once again host the prestigious World Athletics Continental Tour on Saturday, August 22. The meet has been upgraded to the Silver category this year, marking another step for the Athletics Federation of India as it looks to strengthen its standing on the global calendar and build towards several major meets India is set to host over the next few years.The competition will feature 187 elite track and field athletes from 27 nations, including 36 competitors ranked inside the top 50 in the World Athletics rankings. Leading the field is Nigeria’s World No. 10 shot put star Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, a Commonwealth Games champion and Paris Olympics finalist. Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga, the World No. 6 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games men’s 400m bronze medallist, was initially named in the lineup but does not feature in the updated start list. Bhubaneswar is gearing up the 2026 Continental Tour. (Photo: Kingshuk Kusari) The one-day meet will feature 18 disciplines, split equally between men and women. The men’s programme includes the 100m, 400m, 800m, 110m hurdles, high jump, long jump, shot put and javelin throw, while the women’s events are the 100m, 400m, 1500m, 100m hurdles, high jump, long jump, javelin throw and discus throw. Along with crucial World Athletics ranking points, the top performers will compete for cash prizes of 1,600 USD for first place, 1,200 USD for second and 900 USD for third.CRUCIAL BUILD-UP FOR ASIAN GAMESThis meet marks the start of a crucial final phase in India's build-up to the Asian Games. Several athletes selected for the event will compete here before joining a camp until September 8, followed by another camp in Japan to put the final touches on their preparation. Among the leading Indian names in action are Animesh Kujur, Gurindervir Singh, Vishal TK, Kartik Karkera, Murali Sreeshankar and Jyothi Yarraji.The competition will also be tough in the field events. Two Commonwealth javelin finalists, Yashvir Singh and Rohit Yadav, will feature alongside Maharashtra's Shivam Lokhare, who made a rapid rise last year.Animesh's coach Martin Owens, who also oversees the Reliance High Performance Centre in Odisha, said the focus would be on producing fast times on Saturday.Neither Animesh nor Gurindervir, two of India's fastest sprinters, managed to qualify for their respective finals at the Commonwealth Games this year. The Continental Tour gives both an opportunity to get their seasons back on track. Animesh Kujur and Gurindervir Singh will be in action at the Continental tour. (Photo: PTI) "Animesh ran the fastest final 90 meters in the CWG semis, but that bend in Lane 1 could not let him use his natural abilities, which is his big strides," Owens said.With no men's 200m event on the programme, Animesh's focus will be solely on the 100m. The field includes two sub-10-second sprinters from Japan and South Africa, providing the kind of competition Indian coaches have wanted to see at domestic meets.Owens has repeatedly stressed that Animesh and Gurindervir need to race against faster athletes to push their own timings forward. Saturday's event gives both another chance to test themselves against quality opposition before the final stretch towards the Asian Games.IS NEERAJ CHOPRA PARTICIPATING IN MEN'S JAVELIN?Well, no. The wait for Neeraj Chopra to compete in India continues. But the javelin field will have strong representation, with three of India's top 5 throwers in the midst. Rohit Yadav, CWG 2026 medallist Yashvir Singh, and Maharashtra's Shivam Lokhare are participating here.South Africa's Douw Smit who did well for himself in the windy conditions for Glasgow, will be in action on Saturday evening.NO MARATHON EVENT, BUT KARTIK KARKERA IS HEREOne of India's top marathon runners, Kartik Karkera, features in the Continental Tour meet line-up. It comes off as a little odd that the athlete, who was training in Kenya for the marathon, has been flown back to India to participate in the 5000m event. Kartik Karkera will be one of India's biggest hopes in the 5000m event. (Photo: PTI) The running pace in the 5000m and marathon are different, and it remains to be seen how his body adapts to that change in the hot and humid conditions in Bhubaneswar.CONTINENTAL TOUR: LIVESTREAM DETAILSThe Continental Tour will be live on the World Athletics YouTube channel. The event will start from 4:30 pm onwards.Continental Tour Event List:Men's events: 100m, 400m, 800m, 110m hurdles, high jump, long jump, shot put, and javelin throwWomen's events: 100m, 400m, 1500m, 100m hurdles, high jump, long jump, javelin throw, and discus throw.- EndsPublished By: Debodinna ChakrabortyPublished On: Aug 22, 2026 09:32 IST