Indian athletes get opportunity to refine their training in preparation for the upcoming Asian Games.

The Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar is set to host an exhilarating $75,000 World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meet on Saturday, featuring a lineup of elite international athletes. However, the absence of several prominent Indian competitors may slightly diminish the event's appeal. Among the star-studded field are Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, the Commonwealth Games shot put champion, and Jamaica’s Samantha Hall, who clinched gold in the discus at the same event.

Despite the missing Indian heavyweights, the competition will still showcase notable local talent. Athletes such as Murali Sreeshankar, who earned a silver medal in long jump at the Commonwealth Games, and javelin thrower Yashvir Singh, a bronze medallist, are expected to draw significant attention. Other Indian participants include shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor, hurdler Jyothi Yarraji, javelin thrower Annu Rani, discus thrower Seema Kaliraman, long jumper Ancy Sojan, and quartermiler Vithya Ramraj. In total, 88 Indian athletes will compete among a diverse field of 187 participants from 26 countries.

Several high-profile Indian athletes will not be competing due to various reasons, including Olympic and World Championship medallist Neeraj Chopra, double Commonwealth Games medallist Gulveer Singh, and other prominent figures like Sarvesh Kushare, Parul Chaudhary, Avinash Sable, Ankita Dhyani, and national record holder Vishal T.K. Despite these absences, the one-day meet, which has been upgraded from Bronze Level, promises to be a valuable opportunity for athletes preparing for the upcoming Asian Games.

The men’s javelin event will feature seven throwers who have surpassed the 80-meter mark in their season's best performances. In the long jump, six competitors have achieved jumps exceeding eight meters, while seven shot putters have recorded throws over 20 meters. The women’s events are also expected to be thrilling, with five long jumpers boasting marks over 6.40 meters and seven discus throwers achieving throws beyond 55 meters. Following this Silver meet, Indian athletes will participate in the Indian Athletics Series Final in Delhi on September 10, ahead of the Asian Games in Japan.