Four months ago, when Jharkhand expressed its inability to host the Asian Athletics Championship, the Odisha government was quick to open its doors and roll out the red carpet. For a state looking for an image makeover by way of organising glitch-free international sporting events —Bhubaneswar had already committed to hosting big-ticket global hockey events such as the World Cup and the World League final — the opportunity to host over 1,000 athletes and delegates from all over Asia was too good to let go.
After successfully meeting the 90-day deadline for the continental track and field event, beginning Thursday, there is talk that the high-profile World Junior Athletics championships too might come to India’s newest sporting destination.