Indian long jumpers view WA Silver meet as an effective training opportunity.

Ace long jumpers Murali Sreeshankar and Ancy Sojan are gearing up for the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meet, scheduled to take place at Kalinga Stadium on Saturday. Both athletes view this event as a crucial stepping stone in their preparation for the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, which are just 29 days away. During a press conference held on Thursday, Sreeshankar, who recently secured his second silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, emphasized the significance of the competition. He noted that it would provide a valuable opportunity to gauge their training and physical readiness against a strong international field.

"This is a good preparatory event leading up to the Asian Games," Sreeshankar stated. "The competition will help us assess where we stand in terms of our training and fitness levels. The field is also very strong, which adds to the challenge." His sentiments were echoed by Ancy Sojan, who made headlines earlier this year by breaking Anju Bobby George’s long-standing record at the same venue during the National inter-state meet in June. Ancy expressed that participating in this meet would allow them to identify areas for improvement as they finalize their preparations for the Asian Games.

Odisha's Sports Minister, Suryabanshi Suraj, also spoke at the press conference, noting that the experience gained from organizing this meet will be invaluable as the state prepares to host the World Indoor and Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in 2028. He announced that entry to the Silver meet would be free for spectators, encouraging local support for the athletes as they compete on this significant platform.