India to bid for 2029 World Athletics Championships

After earlier raising intention to host the 2027 edition of the World Athletics Championships, India is now keen to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships. The news around the same was confirmed by a senior member of the Athletics Federation of India on Sunday, 3 December.

Anju Bobby George, the former star athlete and senior Vice President of the AFI, confirmed on this development in her interaction with PTI on the sidelines of the AFI Annual General Body meeting. “Yes, we are interested in bidding for the 2029 World Athletics Championships,” Athletics Federation of India senior Vice President, Anju Bobby George said.

She also added that India has expressed interest to hot the 2016 Olympics and the 2030 Youth Olympics. However, the interest of hosting the Olympics was made with Thomas Bach, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President in India, the whereabouts of the hosting rights for the 2029 World Athletics Championships are not known.

While the 2025 World Athletics Championships will be held in Tokyo, Japan, the last edition which took place earlier this year in Budapest, Hungary.  In the 2023 edition of the World Athletics Championships, India finished at joint 18^th place with only one medal. ‘Golden Boy’ Neeraj Chopra won the only medal, gold at the Budapest event. His medal was third for India at the event after his silver in Oregon 2022 and Anju Bobby George’s bronze at Paris 2003.