India has one of the best indoor athletics facilities in Asia, declared an excited Adille Sumariwalla after the country was awarded the rights to host the 2028 World Indoor Athletics Championships. Sumariwalla, a former president of the AFI and currently one of the vice-presidents of world athletics, said it would be a big boost to see top athletes competing in India.
In an interview from Poland, Sumariwalla praised the Odisha government for investing heavily in sports infrastructure. He added that both the state and the federation are working to bring a marquee to India and showcase the country’s rapid development in sports facilities.
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“We have some of the best infrastructure. We have good hotels, airport connectivity and one of the best indoor stadiums in South Asia. In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, we are trying to make India a sports powerhouse. That is why we are bidding for these events,” Sumariwalla said.
1. DOMESTIC NATIONALS TO TEST RUN
India is set to host its first Indoor Nationals on March 24 and 25, which will serve as a test event for organizers ahead of the 2028 championships. There are also plans to increase spectator capacity by adding temporary seating at the venue.
Kalinga Stadium remains the only sports complex in India with an indoor stadium, practice arena, main stadium and sports science center in the same premises, setting it apart from other venues in the country.
The Indoor Athletics Championships will offer fans in India a rare opportunity to watch some of the world’s best athletes. Among the main attractions could be the world record holder in the pole vault, Armand Duplantis.
“Having Mondo Duplantis here would be great. He is one of the legends of global sport,” Sumariwalla said.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time, Duplantis continues to redefine the limits of the pole vault. The Swedish star has broken the world record 15 times since 2020, highlighting an extraordinary period of dominance.
Duplantis cleared 6.31m at the Mondo Classic indoor meet in Uppsala, Sweden to set another world record and better his own mark by one centimetre.
Unlike most athletic events, the pole vault has a single world record that applies to both indoor and outdoor competitions. Duplantis first broke the record six years ago at an indoor meet in Poland and hasn’t looked back since.
He also won two Olympic gold medals during this period, including a record performance at the 2024 Summer Olympics, won the Laureus World Sports Award and put together a remarkable 38-match winning streak from 2023.
The 2028 edition of the championships is expected to be a watershed moment for athletics in India, demonstrating the country’s readiness to host elite global competitions. It could also set the tone for top international events in the future.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
March 20, 2026 3:53 PM IST
