India hopes to dominate SAAF meet

India is set to continue its supremacy in South Asian athletics as the South Asian Senior Athletics Championships make a comeback after a 15-year hiatus. The fourth edition of the regional meet will be held at Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Stadium from October 24 to 26, promising a platform for young Indian talent to shine.

The championships, organized under the South Asian Athletics Federation (SAAF), last took place in India in 2008 in Kochi. This marks the third time the country will host the event, having inaugurated the tournament in 1997, while Sri Lanka hosted the second edition in 1998.

A total of 206 athletes from six South Asian nations India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives will compete across 37 medal events over three days. Pakistan, despite receiving an invitation from the organizers, will not participate this time. An official confirmed that Pakistan has not responded to the invitation.

Originally scheduled for 2024, the championship was postponed twice, first to May 2025 and now to October 24-26. For India, the event comes at a time when most of its top athletes have completed their season, providing an ideal opportunity to give junior and emerging athletes international exposure.

The Indian squad comprises 73 athletes, mostly young performers, with the exception of veteran M R Poovamma, who will feature in the women’s 4x400m relay team. Other promising names include Seema, Pranav Gaurav, and Samardeep Gill. Several juniors earned selection this season due to their consistent performances in national competitions.

India will face strong challenges from Sri Lanka, particularly in the men’s javelin throw. Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, Sri Lanka’s top javelin thrower, is the favorite for gold after setting the national record of 86.50m at the World Athletics Continental Tour bronze-level meet in Bhubaneswar in August. He also finished seventh at the World Championships in Tokyo earlier this year. India’s hopes rest on National Open Championships gold and silver medalists Rishab Nehra and Uttam Patil, with Nehra recently joining the elite 80m club with a throw of 80.12m.

Sri Lanka is also expected to challenge India in men’s sprint events, adding further excitement to the competition. Bangladesh will be represented by 20 athletes, Nepal by 27, Maldives by 15, and Bhutan by eight.

In the last edition in 2008, India dominated the medal tally with 57 medals, including 24 golds, while Sri Lanka managed seven golds. Although the overall level of competition may not be exceptionally high, organizers and the Jharkhand government, which is funding the event, view this championship as an important stepping stone for regional athletes to prepare for larger international meets in the future.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren is expected to inaugurate the championships, marking a celebratory return of the event to India and offering a glimpse of the nation’s next generation of athletics stars.