India’s first-ever World Athletics Continental Tour Silver-level meet in Bhubaneswar is shaping up to be a major international athletics spectacle, with several Commonwealth, Asian and World U20 medallists set to compete at Kalinga Stadium.
The meet will feature a strong mix of international stars and India’s leading athletes, providing a high-quality competition ahead of the upcoming Asian Games.
Diana Wanza to Lead Women’s 5000m Field
Kenya’s Diana Wanza, the 2026 Commonwealth Games silver medallist in the women’s 10,000m, will step down in distance to compete in the women’s 5000m in Bhubaneswar.
She will face a strong Indian field featuring:
- 🇮🇳 Harmilan Bains – Double Asian Games medallist
- 🇮🇳 Ravina Gaikwad – 2025 Inter-State champion
- 🇮🇳 Muskan – U20 Asian champion
Several other leading Indian distance runners are also expected to line up, setting the stage for a competitive women’s 5000m.
Three Sub-45 Runners Set for Men’s 400m
South Africa’s Leendert Koekemoer, the World U20 400m bronze medallist, will compete in Bhubaneswar.
Koekemoer produced a sub-45-second performance at the World U20 Championships, clocking 44.96s, to secure the bronze medal.
He will face India’s Vishal TK, the senior national record holder with 44.98s, and Mohammed Ashfaq, the U20 national record holder and World U20 finalist with 45.81s.
Botswana’s Justice Oratile, who has a best of 44.61s, will also compete.
With three athletes in the field having broken the 45-second barrier, the men’s 400m could be one of the most exciting events of the meet.
Asian Games Champion Yuki Koike to Race in Bhubaneswar
Japan’s Yuki Koike, the 2018 Asian Games 200m champion, will add further star power to the men’s sprint events.
Koike is a sub-10-second sprinter with a lifetime best of 9.98s and a season’s best of 10.06s.
He will face India’s leading sprinters, including:
- 🇮🇳 Gurindervir Singh – 10.09s
- 🇮🇳 Animesh Kujur – 10.14s
- 🇮🇳 Mohd. Azeem Fahimi – 10.09s this season
The presence of multiple 10-second performers promises a highly competitive men’s 100m.
Commonwealth Champion Samantha Hall Set for Women’s Discus
Jamaica’s Samantha Hall, the reigning Commonwealth Games women’s discus throw champion, will also compete in Bhubaneswar.
Hall boasts a lifetime best of 66.39m and won Commonwealth Games gold last month with a throw of 61.66m.
She will face India’s Seema, who recently won the bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026.
The clash will give Seema an opportunity to test herself against the reigning Commonwealth champion on home soil.
A Major International Meet for Indian Athletics
With athletes such as Diana Wanza, Leendert Koekemoer, Yuki Koike and Samantha Hall joining India’s leading performers, the Bhubaneswar meet is developing into one of the most significant events on India’s 2026 athletics calendar.
The competition will not only give Indian athletes a chance to compete against international opposition but will also provide a major platform for fans in the country to watch world-class athletics at Kalinga Stadium.