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Bhubaneswar: Come Friday, the iconic Kalinga Stadium here will be the stage for India’s budding young athletes to showcase their best skills as the 40th National Junior Athletics Championships get underway.

Organised jointly by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), Odisha Athletics Association and the Sports & Youth Services Department of Odisha government, the five-day championship will bring together around 2,000 athletes from across the country.

Haryana has sent the biggest contingent, comprising 147 athletes.

Odisha will be represented by 75 athletes — 38 male and 37 female participants.

Among the Odisha athletes who will be expected to shine and win medals are four talented 18-year-olds — Pratik Maharana (sprints), Omkar Nanda (throws), Bapi Hansda (sprints and relay) and Ankita Mohapatra (throws).

Maharana has international experience, having clinched silver medals in 200m and 4x100m relay at the 2024 SAAF Junior meet.

Hansda won a historic silver medal in 400m hurdles at the Asian Under-18 championships in Tashkent in 2023. It was his first international meet, and Hansda was running the 400m for only the fifth time. He is likely to concentrate in 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay at Kalinga Stadium.

In fact, Bapi Hansda’s timing of 51.38s – his personal best – in Tashkent was better than the previous meet record of 51.96s and would’ve been enough to win him a gold in any of the earlier editions.

Shot-putter Nanda tasted success at two major national events this year. He struck gold with a personal best effort of 20.89 metres at the 7th Khelo India Youth Games in Pataliputra in May and bagged silver in the 23rd National Junior (U-20) Federation Cup in Prayagraj in June. The teenager will be looking to turn silver into gold at the Nationals.

Ankita, too, will be looking to change the colour of her medal after claiming bronze at the National Junior (U-20) Federation Cup three months ago.

Speaking at a press conference on the eve of the Junior Nationals, Athletics Federation of India president Adille Sumariwalla expressed optimism about a successful championship.

“Odisha has emerged as a leading hub for sports in India. We are confident that the 40th National Junior Athletics Championship will also be conducted successfully and set new benchmarks of excellence,” said Sumariwalla.

Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Sports and Youth Services Department, said it was a matter of pride for Odisha to be organising the 40th National Junior Athletics Championships alongside the 28th Asian Table Tennis Teams Championship, which begins on Saturday.

“Organising both national and international sporting event simultaneously is indeed a matter of pride and honour for all of us. I am confident that the participating athletes will deliver outstanding performances and bring glory through their achievements,” said Jadhav.