WATCH | Asian Athletics Championships: Here’s how Bhubaneswar stepped up as host in just 90 days

A late pull-out by Ranchi, notwithstanding, India have managed to put in place top-class facility in short time and is set to roll out the 22nd edition of Asian Athletics Championships Bhubaneswar on Thursday, with the hosts aiming for a top three finish in the medal standings. More than 800 athletes from 44 countries will descend at this Odisha capital to compete in 42 events in the championships, which is coming to India for the third time after New Delhi and Pune hosted it in 1989 and 2013.

As has been the case with every edition, some of the continent’s top stars will skip the championships, robbing some sheen out of the biennial continental flagship event. With the World Championships also happening in the same year, many top athletes have decided to skip the event.

China, which is fielding more than 50 athletes, has come without their top triple jumper Dong Bin, an Olympic bronze medallist and hammer thrower Zhang Wenxiu, who also won a silver in Rio Games, besides some other stars. Another Asian athletics powerhouse Qatar, which has finished second in the last edition, has not sent long jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim, who recently won a gold in the Doha …read more