In a first, the one-day Indian Open Athletics Meet extended by a day due to heavy participation

The Indian Open Athletics Meet, scheduled to be held at Sangrur, Punjab, on July 27, will be extended by one more day due to heavy participation, a development happening for the first time in the domestic circuit.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) said that around 900 competitors have made their entries, and that has necessitated the event to be a two-day affair.

“The Indian Open Athletics Meet, which was scheduled to be held at Sangrur on 27th July 2025, will now be held on 27th and 28th July 2025. The meet has been extended for one day because of more number of entries crossing almost 900 athletes,” the AFI said in a circular.

“The programme will shortly be put on the AFI website. The athletes are advised to book their travel and accommodation accordingly,” it added.

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The AFI had introduced eight Indian Open Meetings in the domestic calendar this season in different parts of the country to give more competitions to the athletes as well as to allow them to participate near their homes.

This will be the second time Sangrur will host the Indian Open Athletics Meet this season, having done so earlier on April 1, when around 130 athletes participated.

Such meetings have also been held at Nadiad in Gujarat on April 5, Ranchi on April 10, Chennai on April 15, Bengaluru on June 28 and Pune on July 12.

Patna will host the seventh such meet of the year on July 19, before Sangrur hosts the last one on July 27-28.

For the National Inter-State Senior Championships to be held in Chennai from August 20 to 24, the AFI has made it mandatory for the athletes to meet the entry standards set by it and achieved in events directly organised by the federation between May 1 and August 10.

The athletes are also required to participate in respective state meets organised by recognised units and another event organised by the AFI – Indian Open Athletics Meeting or Grand Prix.

In case the state meet is not organised during the period, then the athletes must participate and achieve the qualifying standard in two events organised by the AFI – Indian Open Athletics Meet or Grand Prix meets.