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Despite spending lavishly, host Odisha failed to win a top-three prize in any event of the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver Level Competition, which was jointly organized by Sports & Youth Services Department, Government of Odisha, Athletics Federation of India and World Athletics at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar today.
Pragyan Prasanti Sahu was most successful among six Odisha athletes fielded for the one-day international meet, bagging the fourth prize in womens 100m hurdles with time of 13.43 seconds. Chhattisgarh sprinter Animesh Kujur, who is promoted by Odisha Government, finished a disappointing sixth in mens 100m run, clocking 10.32 seconds.
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Odisha woman Olympian Srabani Nanda also settled for the sixth prize in 100m run with a time of 11.85 seconds. The 35-year-old Srabani, current world ranking 825, was way below her personal best of 11.36, which she achieved in June 2021.
Odisha high jumper Swadhin Kumar Majhi finished seventh with an effort of 2.05 metres. Odisha suffered two setbacks as Olympic javelin thrower Kishore Kumar Jena did not turn up, while Bapi Hansda failed to finishi his race in mens 800m run. Though Hansdah specializes in 400m and 400m hurdles, he was surprisingly fielded in 800m.
On the other hand several promising athletes, such as Astik Pradhan (400m run), Dondapati Mrutyam Jayaram (100m and 200m), Sarun Payasingh (100m and long jump), Lalu Prasad Bhoi (100m), Omkar Prasad Nanda (shot put) and Divya Shandilya (hammer) were not given a chance to compete.
Basically an invitational competition, the Continental Tour Silver, however, was projected as a show-piece event with dance, music, fireworks, promotion of politicians and bureaucrats, and media hype getting priority over promotion of athletics in Odisha.
Though the State Government did not disclose the budget, inside sources estimate it as more than Rs 10 crore. According to former athletes, coaches and sports observers, a huge amont of tax-payers money was misutilized. It could have made Odisha athletics richer had the money been spent in creating or developing infrastructure, training and coaching facilities at the grassroots level.
The one-day international event carried a total prize pool of 75,000 USD (Rs 71.77 lakh) with winners taking home 1,600 USD (Rs 1.53 lakh) per event. The prize money for second place was $1200, third $900, fourth $600, fifth $400 and sixth $300.
The event was supposed to feature 18 events and a total of 187 athletes from 27 countries, including 88 Indians and six from Odisha. But during competition, as many as three to five athletes were found missing in each event.
However, the Continental Tour Silver, served as a good dress rehearsal for World Athletics Indoor Championships and Asian Indoor Athletics Championships, which are scheduled to be held at Kalinga Stadium in 2028. It also acted as a preparatory event for the Asian Games to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan next month.
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TOP: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi poses with former India long-jump star Anju Bobby George at the closing ceremony of the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver event in Bhubaneswar on 22 August 2026.
RIGHT: Odisha athlete Pragyan Prasanti Sahu (3rd from right) poses with other five prize winners in womens 110m hurdles at the Continental Tour Silver event in Bhubaneswar on 22 August 2026.
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