The Asian Athletics Championships 2017
The 22nd edition of the tournament and the third to be held in India
This prestigious event starts on the 6th of July
and will be held at the Kalinga Stadium
located in Kurneshwar, the capital of the state of Orisha
This four-day meet will see nearly 800 athletes from 45 countries enter the fray
And the host nation India will be leading the way
with a 95-member contingent set to compete
All gold medalists automatically qualify for the World Athletics Championships
to be held in London in August
so there's an added incentive for all participants
And India can hope for a good medal hall
with athletes like Manpreet Kaur
Naina James
Tajinderpal Tour
Tutichand
Emar Puvamma
Neeraj Chopra
and Srobani Nanda in action
The Indian athletes have been training hard for this event for months now
and are hoping all their efforts pay dividends
It's always the same time because in summer only the season always happens
so it's really, it's tough but it's hard, it's rough
but we have to do it, that is what athletic feels
Srobani's good friend Tutichand is also an on-field rival in a 100-meter event
But as long as the gold medal goes to an Indian, neither one will complain
When the competition takes place in our team
everyone thinks that someone will take the medal
but no one can be sure who will take it
whether they will get it or not
because running is such a human body
so we don't always feel good
when a big injury or something happens
the timing changes
but running is really good
In the men's events, the focus will be on 19-year-old Neeraj Chopra
Last year, young Neeraj became the first Indian athlete
to become world champion at any level
and also created an under-20 world record
Naturally, expectations for both Neeshwar and Ahai
And while Neeraj focuses on throwing his javelin
long-jump star Naina James is ready to take that one giant leap
I'm the champion, I'm the best one
It's a strong Indian field
with real medal hopes in many different events
and the event's official mascot is Oli
an endangered olive ridley sea turtle
With India's athletes giving the event their everything
and with Oli getting its share of tension
both should have bright prospects
