World Athletics Continental Tour Silver Meet: Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar to Host Marquee Event; Top Stars in Action

The World Athletics Continental Tour Silver Meet 2026 is scheduled to take place at the iconic Kalinga Stadium on August 22.

Organised by the Sports and Youth Services Department, Government of Odisha, in collaboration with the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and under the aegis of World Athletics, the one-day event marks a significant upgrade for Odisha after last year’s successful Bronze-level meet.

The 2026 edition is expected to provide a major platform for elite athletes from across the world while also serving as an important preparatory event ahead of the World Athletics Indoor Championships and Asian Indoor Athletics Championships, which are scheduled to be hosted at Kalinga Stadium in 2028.

The Silver level athletics meet is an upgrade from the Bronze event, as it yields greater number of ranking points for athletes, along with a bigger prize money.

187 Athletes from 27 Countries to Compete

The Continental Tour Silver Meet will feature 187 athletes from 27 countries, including 143 athletes representing 12 Asian nations. The competition will also provide Indian athletes with an opportunity to compete against international opposition on home soil, with 88 Indian athletes set to participate alongside 99 overseas competitors.

Among the largest international contingents are Sri Lanka with 24 athletes, South Africa with 17 and Brazil with 11.

The quality of the field is further underlined by the presence of 36 athletes ranked inside the top 50 of the World Athletics rankings.

Olympic Medallist Muzala Samukonga Among Star Attractions

One of the biggest names expected to compete is Muzala Samukonga of Zambia, the world No. 6 in the men’s 400m and a bronze medallist at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Samukonga enters the competition with an impressive season-best time of 44.02 seconds.

Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, ranked world No. 10 in the men’s shot put, will also be among the leading international competitors. The Commonwealth Games champion and Paris Olympic finalist adds further strength to an already impressive field.

Top India Athletes to Watch

The presence of several top-ranked athletes is expected to raise the competitive intensity of the meet while giving Indian athletes valuable exposure against some of the world’s best performers.

Among the Indian athletes, the likes of Rohit Yadav and Animesh Kujur are set to feature in it. Commonwealth Games medalist Murali Sreeshankar, shot put star Tajinderpal Singh Toor are also expected to take part as India set to be represented by 88 athletes.

18 Events to Be Contested

The one-day competition will feature 18 track and field events, with nine disciplines each for men and women.

The men’s programme includes:

100m
400m
800m
110m hurdles
High jump
Long jump
Shot put
Javelin throw

The women’s programme comprises:

100m
400m
1500m
100m hurdles
High jump
Long jump
Javelin throw
Discus throw

Athletics Continental Tour Silver Meet 2026 Prize Money

Apart from prize money, athletes will also compete for valuable World Athletics ranking points, adding further significance to the event. The top three finishers in each event will receive USD 1,600 for first place, USD 1,200 for second and USD 900 for third.