ATHLETICS | WA Silver meet a good preparatory platform, say Indian long jumpers

ATHLETICS WA Silver meet a good preparatory platform, say Indian long jumpers Updated – August 20, 2026 08: 28 pm IST – BHUBANESWAR.

Key points

• Athletics Federation of India (AFI) Planning Commission chairman Lalit Bhanot remarked, Our aim is to provide exposure to maximum Indian athletes.
• At a build-up press conference for the $75, 000 Silver meet here on Thursday, Sreeshankar.
• Ancy, who broke Anju Bobby George's 22-year-old record at the same venue during the National inter-state meet in June, had similar thoughts.
• This is a good preparatory event leading up to the Asian Games.

Ancy Sojan speaks on Thursday at the press conference ahead of the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meet to be held at the Kalinga Stadium here on Saturday, August 22, 2026. Photo Credit: x@sports_odisha.

Ace long jumpers Murali Sreeshankar and Ancy Sojan think the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meet, to be held at the Kalinga Stadium here on Saturday, will serve as a preparatory platform for the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

At a build-up press conference for the $75, 000 Silver meet here on Thursday, Sreeshankar. This person lately landed his second silver medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, stated the competition, featuring athletes from throughout the globe, would test the Indians ahead of the continental extravaganza.

"This is a good preparatory event leading up to the Asian Games. The Asian Games is just 29 days away. This is a good pit stop to assess where our training and physical fitness stand. The field is additionally highly solid, " remarked Sreeshankar.

Ancy, who broke Anju Bobby George's 22-year-old record at the same venue during the National inter-state meet in June, had similar thoughts. "Going through this competition, we can know what we need to do (to improve ourselves) and cover it all. This is part of the preparations, " remarked Ancy.

Athletics Federation of India (AFI) Planning Commission chairman Lalit Bhanot remarked, "Our aim is to provide exposure to maximum Indian athletes. The National camp for the Asian Games is additionally going on here."

Odisha Sports Minister Suryabanshi Suraj remarked, "The experience of organising this event will help us as we will host the World Indoor and Asian Indoor athletics championships in 2028." He informed that entry for the Silver meet will be free for the spectators.

In short, ATHLETICS WA Silver meet a good preparatory platform, say Indian long is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.