Annu Rani and Animesh Kujur Shine Bright in Bhubaneshwar’s Thrilling Athletics Showcase

The inaugural Indian Continental Tour lit up Bhubaneshwar’s Kalinga Stadium on August 10, where an electrifying atmosphere met elite athletic performances. The crowd, largely school and college students from over 10 institutions defied sweltering heat to cheer relentlessly. Their excitement was so intense that the men’s 100m sprint had to be restarted three times due to noise levels interfering with the start gun.

The event, held in the late afternoon, brought India’s rising stars into focus and set the stage for a promising future in track and field. From the opening race, it was clear the energy would be matched by the performances.

Annu Rani Finds Her Rhythm Again

India’s javelin queen Annu Rani made a powerful statement with a best throw of 62.01m, backing up her recent 62.59m performance in Poland. After a challenging year with dips in form, this consistency comes at a crucial time ahead of the World Championships in Tokyo. While Rani dazzled in the women’s event, the men’s javelin saw an upset as Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage hurled an incredible 86.50m to claim gold and a spot at the Worlds. Young Indian Shivam Lokhare, just 20, impressed with an 80.73m throw to take silver.

Animesh Kujur Delivers a Hometown High

In the highlight of the evening, Odisha’s own Animesh Kujur stormed to gold in the men’s 200m with a time of 20.77 seconds. His blistering run drew the loudest cheers of the night, capped off with a Usain Bolt-style celebration that won over the crowd. Skipping the 100m earlier in the day, likely to conserve energy amid the humidity, Kujur now turns his focus to the Inter State tournament before heading to the World Championships.

Murali Sreeshankar Marks a Promising Return

Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar continued his comeback from a 650-day injury layoff with a season-best leap of 8.13m, following his 8.05m jump in Pune. Though still short of his personal best (8.41m), Sreeshankar’s performance underlines his steady return to elite form.

Looking Ahead

The Indian Continental Tour’s successful debut proves India’s potential as a global athletics host, blending crowd enthusiasm with athlete excellence. The bar is set.

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