Odisha Channel Bureau
BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday announced to set up the Kalinga International Sports City to make the State eligible to bid for most international competitions including Commonwealth and Asian games.
“We will also have satellite stadiums with world class infrastructure in the other four Corporations of our State – Cuttack, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Rourkela,” announced Patnaik while speaking at the closing ceremony of the 22nd Asian Athletics Championships at the Kalinga Stadium on Sunday night.
“Even as we say goodbye today – Odisha is gearing up for the Men’s Hockey League in December and the Men’s Hockey World Cup in 2018,” said Patnaik.
Observing that the 22nd edition of the Asian Athletics Championships has been a stupendous in more than one way, Patnaik said what touched him the most was that every person in Odisha wanted to be in the Kalinga stadium to witness the history in the making.
“We have managed to create a landmark event. We have managed to extend the event into a permanent facility that will nurture Indian athletics and Odisha athletics in particular.
“We have the infrastructure, the talent, the enthusiasm of our people and the determination – Odisha is indeed India’s emerging Sports Capital,” he added.
Odisha was the first State to sign an Expression of Interest with the International Association of Athletics Federation and Athletics Federation of India for a high performance Centre in athletics at Kalinga Stadium, he said.
Stating that the completion of world class infrastructure for the Championships in 90 days was a record in itself, Patnaik thanked the Athletics Federation of India and the Union Ministry of Sports for having faith and confidence in his government.
