India is focusing not just on strengthening infrastructure capabilities, but also intellectual preparedness as it eyes hosting rights for the 2036 Olympic Games, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha said on Wednesday. The former track and field star noted India’s engagement with the quadrennial international games goes beyond competitive sports to embrace its true spirit of promoting peace and cultural exchange. She was addressing the 1st International Olympic Research Conference at Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) near Dehgam in Gandhinagar district.

The four-day conference has been organised by the Bharat Centre for Olympic Research and Education (B-CORE) of the RRU, an institution of national importance under the Union home ministry.

In her address, Usha said thanks to the conference, representatives of various Olympic studies and research centres from across the world as well as experts from diverse fields have converged in India.

“India’s engagement with the Olympic movement is at a transformative moment, one that goes beyond competitive sports to embrace the true spirit of Olympisim — that is promoting peace, education and cultural exchange through sports,” she insisted.

“What makes this conference significant is its timing. As India intends to host the (2036) Olympics, we are not just strengthening our infrastructure capabilities, but our intellectual and research preparedness too,” said the former athlete, who dominated Asian track and field in the 1980s.

The IOA president maintained the conference will serve as a platform where global expertise meets Indian innovation through discussion on urban transformation, technological advancements, sustainability and inclusive governance.

One of the main purposes of the conference is to demonstrate India’s holistic approach to sports development and its role in societal progress, Usha emphasised.

“This gathering gave a powerful message to the international sporting community – that is India’s commitment to contributing meaningfully to the global Olympic movement through research, innovation and knowledge exchange,” she opined.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 38th National Games in Dehradun on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his government is putting all its might behind the ambitious bid to bag the hosting rights of 2036 Olympics, which will take Indian sports to new heights and create opportunities across different sectors.

In his address at the conference, which will conclude on January 30, IOA vice-president Ajay Patel said the conclave is a reflection of India’s evolving sporting vision.

Under the leadership of PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, India is transforming sports into a national mission of empowerment and innovation, he maintained.

“Research is our most powerful tool. During the conference, we should discuss critical questions, such as how sports infrastructure can drive urban regeneration, what economic models can make mega events financially sustainable and how do we ensure technological innovation benefits people,” Patel noted. PTI PJT PD RSY

File image of Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu© PTI

Neeraj Chopra got married to Himani in a private ceremony.© Instagram/@neeraj____chopra

File image of Hokato Sema.© ANI

The star-studded global javelin competition which India is hosting in May with Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra in the tournament’s organising team, has received endorsement from World Athletics president Sebastian Coe. Coe said the event will help showcase India’s ability to host gold-level athletics events. “World Athletics is delighted to support this new event that will allow fans in India to see their heroes on home soil and that will also showcase to the world India’s ability to stage gold standard events,” said Coe.

Chopra will be among the leading global stars who will compete in the World Athletics-sanctioned Continental Tour javelin-only competition.

While the venue for the marquee event is yet to be finalised, it will see some of the top male and female javelin throwers from the world compete on Indian soil for the first time.

Neeraj, who along with JSW Sports and Athletics Federation of India (AFI), has been instrumental in getting the competition to the country, said it was his longstanding dream to bringing a top-notch javelin event to India.

“It has been a longstanding dream of mine to organise and bring a world-class javelin competition to India. With the help of JSW Sports and the Athletics Federation of India, we are making this happen,” said the two-time Olympic medallist.

“I am sure that my fellow athletes and the fans in India will both create an experience that will be spoken about for a long time. I am excited to see how big we can make this,” he said in a statement.

The invitational tournament is not yet mentioned in the World Athletics Continental Tour calendar but Coe’s endorsement means it will be included in a few days.

Chopra and JSW Sports are keen to make the event an annual fixture in the World Athletics calendar “with an eye on adding more track and field disciplines to the meet”.

It would be interesting to see when exactly is the event held in May given that the Diamond League men’s javelin throw event is in Doha on May 16.

Outgoing AFI president Adille Sumariwalla had confirmed during the sports body’s AGM in Chandigarh recently that India would be hosting a top invitational javelin competition in which the top-10 throwers in the world would compete.

He had said that not only will Neeraj participate in the event, he will also play an active role in its organisation.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said the event will help showcase India’s ability to host gold-level athletics events.

“World Athletics is delighted to support this new event that will allow fans in India to see their heroes on home soil and that will also showcase to the world India’s ability to stage gold standard events,” said Coe.

Sumariwalla added that Neeraj was a huge role model for budding athletes and added that it would be an exciting year for athletics.

“We could not have a better role model than Neeraj Chopra to inspire the next generation of Indian athletes and we are pleased to partner with Neeraj and JSW Sports to present the best of our sport to the Indian public. 2025 will be an exciting year for Indian athletics with two Continental Tour meetings being held in our country,” he said.

JSW Sports founder Parth Jindal praised the AFI for its effort in bringing top events to the country.

“I would like to thank the Athletics Federation of India and their leadership for giving us this fantastic opportunity of bringing a world class event to India.

“The AFI has been doing some incredible work to raise the profile of track and field sports in the country, and the manner in which they have come forward to support this event is a testament to their endeavours.”

Gold eluded him and so did the 90m mark but Neeraj Chopra was the undisputed star of Indian athletics for yet another year even as the sport itself continued a long-standing battle with dope cheats while trying to assert itself internationally by bringing big-ticket events to the country. The 26-year-old javelin throw superstar failed to defend his Olympic gold but became the most successful Indian athlete across disciplines in individual sports with his silver medal in the Paris Games. He also finished second in the prestigious Diamond League Finale.

Creditably, he achieved both the accolades while carrying an injury. A nagging adductor niggle (a problem related to thigh muscles) troubled him in the run-up to Paris Olympics and a fracture in his left hand hit him ahead of DL Finale. Chopra later said that his injury is fine.

He was beaten for the Olympic gold by Pakistani Arshad Nadeem, who surprised the world with a Games record throw of 92.97m.

In the DL Finale, Anderson Peters of Grenada, who was struggling after back-to-back world crowns in 2019 and 2022, completed his comeback by winning the title.

Lessons for Chopra

Chopra and those who have followed his growth have been obsessed with the 90m mark. There is never an interaction where the Panipat-based lad is not asked when and how he would breach it.

He came reasonably close twice this year, one occasion being the Olympic finals, but it was not to be.

India’s golden boy, whose personal best is 89.94m, has gone for a new coach keeping in mind the World Championships next year.

Steering him the coming season would be none other than world record holder and three-time Olympic gold-medallist Jan Zelezny, without doubt the greatest javelin thrower in history.

This was after Chopra parted ways with 75-year-old German biomechanics expert Klaus Bartonietz with whom he was associated for five years, winning a gold and a silver each in the Olympics and the World Championships.

His season still some months away, Chopra is resting and recuperating for now but he is well aware that every move he makes after this break would be closely tracked.

Likes of Sable and men’s 4x400m quartet disappoint

India’s top 3000m steeplechaser Avinash Sable failed to go beyond winning medals at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. He finished 11th in the Paris Olympics final.

Another highlight for him was making it to the Diamond League Finale, after a few higher-ranked competitors pulled out. But he couldn’t really set the stage on fire and ended up in ninth place.

Another world class athlete, long jumper Murali Sreeshankar missed the Olympics due to a knee injury and subsequent surgery.

The men’s 4x400m relay team set an Asian record of 3:00.25 at the Tokyo Olympics and followed it up by challenging USA’s aura of invincibility at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest where another Asian record of 2:59.05 was set.

The Athletics Federation of India had high hopes of the relay team achieving something big at the Paris Olympics but team failed to even reach the finals.

Hall of Shame

The menace of doping did not leave Indian athletics and the country’s credibility of its continued to dwindle internationally.

The World Anti-Doping Agency named India as the second worst after Russia in a 10-year global study of positive doping cases by minors. Among the stars to let the country down was 2016 Rio Olympian quarter-miler Nirmala Sheoran, who copped an eight-year ban for a second dope offence.

Hammer thrower Rachna Kumari was banned for 12 years for failing multiple dope tests conducted by the international federation’s Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). Distance runner G Lakshmanan (for whereabouts failure) and sprinter Himani Chandel were handed handed two and four-year bans respectively.

Rising javelin thrower DP Manu failed a dope test ahead of Paris Olympics., while former national record holding race walker Bhawna Jat was handed a 16-month ban for ”whereabouts failure”.

‘Middle distance runner Parvej Khan, who made headlines with his exploits at the NCAA circuit in the USA, also failed a dope test along with Asian Games 4x400m relay gold-winning quarter-miler VK Vismaya.

National Record Breakers

There were some national records broken too. Sable continued to be his own competitor in men’s 3000m steeplechase, clocking 8:09.91sec during the Paris Diamond League for a new national mark.

Akshdeep Singh (men’s 20km race walk), Gulveer Singh (men’s 5,000m and 10000m), KM Deeksha (women’s 1500m), and Abha Khatua (women’s shot put) were also among those who bettered national records in their respective events.

Global events come to India

India will host the World Athletics Continental Tour bronze level meet in Bhubaneswar on August 10, 2025.

The Continental Tour is an annual series of international track and field competitions, which forms the second tier of one-day meetings after the prestigious Diamond League.

This will be the first global athletics meet to be hosted by India after the international permit meets in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and the World Half Marathon Championships in 2004.

India has also submitted its bid for the 2028 World U20 Championships. The country last year expressed its interest to host the 2029 World Championships, and the bidding process is likely to start early 2025.

But with issues like doping still a massive problem with no firm solution in sight, it remains to be seen whether the Indian athletics story manages to find success beyond Chopra’s individual brilliance.

The 8th edition of the Adani Ahmedabad Marathon, a prestigious running event, will be flagged off by chess grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa on November 24. The marathon will start and end at the Sabarmati Riverfront Sports Park, managed and operated by Adani Sportsline. Praggnanandhaa will be joined by athlete-actor Saiyami Kher at the event. The participating categories include the full marathon (42.195 km), half marathon (21.097 km), 10 km run, and 5 km run.

The Adani Ahmedabad Marathon, accredited by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races, underwent a course change for the first time in 2023, and this will be the second edition on a picturesque track along iconic locations like Gandhi Ashram, Atal Bridge, and Ellis Bridge. Last year’s event saw over 22,000 participants.

As part of the “#Run4OurSoldiers” campaign, the marathon honours India’s armed forces, with a significant portion of the proceeds dedicated to their welfare. Last year, over 2,500 defense personnel took part in the event, highlighting a strong connection between the sporting community and the armed forces.

“Being the only marathon dedicated to soldiers through the #Run4OurSoldiers initiative has made the Ahmedabad Marathon truly special. Since its inception in 2017, it has quickly become one of India’s most awaited marathon races,” said Pranav Adani, Director, Adani Enterprises.

“I’m excited to be part of the Adani Ahmedabad Marathon. Like in chess, a marathon requires strategy, determination, and the will to push beyond your limits. This event not only promotes fitness but also supports our armed forces, making it even more meaningful,” said R Praggnanandhaa, ranked 12th in the world by the International Chess Federation.

“The Adani Ahmedabad Marathon has become one of the most talked-about events on the running calendar, and it’s a great honor to be associated with it,” said Saiyami Kher, the first Indian actor to finish the Ironman 70.3 triathlon in Germany in September 2024.

–IANS

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India’s Olympic 2020 gold medalist javelin star Neeraj Chopra will head to South Africa later this month for an off-season training stint to start early preparation for next year’s competitions. The 26-year-old double Olympic medallist, who last competed in Brussels in the Diamond League Final in September, will spend 31 days in the South African city. Chopra’s training stint will be funded by the Sports Ministry. “(He) will start his training early and will be in Potchefstroom for a period of 31 days,” the ministry said in a statement on Friday.

“Neeraj’s training session will be funded by Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) and the expenditure will cover his and his Physiotherapist’s lodging, boarding and training cost for the period of his stay in South Africa.” In the past, Chopra has trained in Potchefstroom many times, including ahead of Tokyo and Paris Olympics.

He also took part in a competition there in January 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic struck the world. He had finished on top with a throw of 87.86m at the ACNW League Meeting 1 at McArthur Stadium.

Chopra battled an adductor muscle niggle throughout the year and it also affected his performance at both the Paris Olympics and the Diamond League Final, where he competed with a fractured left hand.

He had earlier spoken about consulting doctors at the end of the season to decide whether to go for a surgery to fix the problem.

But talking to PTI on September 27, he had played down injury concerns and also stated that he will look to improve his technique.

“It was an injury-plagued year but injury is fine now, I will be 100 per cent fit for the new season,” he had said.

Chopra, who added a silver medal at the Paris Olympics to his gold won in Tokyo Games three years back, recently parted ways with his German coach Klaus Bartonietz, ending a hugely successful five-year partnership.

Indian athletics chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair had told PTI that a new coach for Chopra is likely be appointed before the end of the year.

Chopra’s main aim next year will be to defend the World Championships gold in Tokyo besides also working hard to hit the 90m mark.

He had won gold in the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary with a throw of 88.17m. He has a personal best of 89.94m, just 6cm short of the 90m mark.

In the Paris Olympics, his silver-winning throw was 89.45m and he was bested by Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who broke the Games record with a 92.97m effort.

Neeraj Chopra on Wednesday bid an emotional farewell to his German coach Klaus Bartonietz who ended his five-year partnership with the star Indian javelin thrower, citing family commitments. The 75-year-old coach, who guided Chopra to a historic gold at the Tokyo Olympics, a silver at the Paris Games this year, and several other medals, had earlier expressed his inability to continue, as reported by PTI in October. “I write this without knowing where to begin. Coach, you are more than just a mentor to me. Everything you taught has helped me grow both as an athlete and person. You have gone out of your way to make sure I was mentally and physically prepared for every competition,” Chopra wrote in X in an emotional tribute.

“You stood by me through injury. You were there through the highs, and you were there even more through the lows.” Chopra also highlighted the coach’s quiet yet impactful presence, noting that while the laughter and pranks will be missed.

“You were one of the quietest in the stands, but your words to me rang the loudest in my ears when I threw.

“I will miss the pranks and the laughs we shared, but more than anything, I will miss US as a team.

“Thank you for being a part of my journey. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of yours,” he added.

I write this without knowing where to begin.

Coach, you are more than just a mentor to me. Everything you taught has helped me grow both as an athlete and person. You have gone out of your way to make sure I was mentally and physically prepared for every competition. You stood… pic.twitter.com/kJxaPqmHmm

— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) November 6, 2024

Indian athletics chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair said the German’s contract expired after the Paris Olympics and a new coach is likely be appointed before the end of the year.

“Yes, Dr Klaus will no longer be Neeraj’s coach. The AFI and Neeraj will together look for a coach for him,” Indian athletics chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair told PTI.

“Probably, we may have a coach for him before the end of this year. He (Dr Klaus) wants to be with his family. His contract with Neeraj has ended after the Paris Olympics.” The German first came on board as a biomechanics expert but he later became Chopra’s coach after Uwe Hohn fell out with the Athletics Federation of India and the Sports Authority of India.

Under Bartonietz, Chopra won Tokyo Olympics gold, Paris Games silver, became world champion and Diamond League champion, besides becoming Asian Games gold medallist.

Special Olympics Bharat (SOB), the National Sports Federation promoting sports for athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), will organise a unique RUN FOR INCLUSION on November 09, 2024, to set the tone in the lead-up to the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Bocce and Bowling Competition, scheduled to take place in New Delhi at the Thyagaraj Sports Complex from November 18-23, 2024. The largest of its kind run in India will aim at creating a movement that celebrates the power of inclusion through sports and will begin from Central Civil Service Ground, Nehru Park in Chanakyapuri.

A total of 10,000 participants from all across Delhi NCR are expected to participate in this 3 km run to extend their support to the special athletes. The Special Olympics Bharat is also set to welcome over 1000 special athletes (persons with intellectual disability) from around 100 schools and colleges who will participate in unison in the run.

The core motto of the run, Each One, Reach One, will emphasise the importance of inclusivity and will encourage each participant to not only participate in the run but also reach out to the special athletes.

Shri Harsh Malhotra, Hon’ble Minister of State for the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and Ministry of Road, Transport & Highways, will grace the occasion as the Chief Guest and will provide full support to the initiative. Additionally, Smt. Kamaljeet Sherawat (Member of Lok Sabha from West Delhi), Smt. Bansuri Swaraj (Member of Lok Sabha from New Delhi), and Shri Manoj Tiwari (Member of Lok Sabha from North East Delhi) will also grace the occasion with their august presence.

Sharing her thoughts, Mallika Nadda, President, SO Bharat, said, “Through the RUN FOR INCLUSION, we celebrate not just the spirit of sports but the unwavering power of inclusion. This initiative stands as a testament to our commitment to creating a world where every individual, regardless of ability, can participate, excel and inspire. We invite everyone to join us in breaking down barriers and creating an environment where every athlete feels valued and empowered. Together, let’s harness the transformative power of sports to inspire change and champion inclusivity across our communities.”

The Special Olympics Asia Pacific Bocce and Bowling Competition is the first of its kind on a global scale to be held in India. It will focus on older athletes with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) aged 22 and above.

More than 100 athletes from 12 countries are set to participate in the competition, hailing from three different regions, namely, East Asia, Europe Eurasia and Asia Pacific. It also marks a historic first for Special Olympics Bharat (SOB) as it introduces bowling as a competitive sport for special athletes in association with the Tenpin Federation of India.

ABOUT SPECIAL OLYMPICS BHARAT

Special Olympics Bharat is a National Sports Federation accredited by Special Olympics Inc. USA, to conduct sports and development programs all over India. Special Olympics is a global inclusion movement using sports, health, education, and leadership programs every day around the world to end discrimination against and empower people with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics Bharat is recognized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India as a National Sports Federation for the development of Sports for Persons with Intellectual and Development Disabilities (IDD).