New Delhi, March 13: The New Delhi World Para Athletics Grand Prix, which concluded on Thursday, will be an annual event till 2028 as per the contract signed between India and the sport’s international governing body. The New Delhi World Para Athletics Grand Prix is the first ever international para event being hosted by the country.
“They (India) have signed a multi-year agreement with us for the Paralympic cycle (till 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics). So we’ve got a new Delhi Grand Prix for four years,” World Para Athletics Competitions senior manager Martin Chorley said.
“It (the 2026 edition of the Grand Prix) will be there when we make announcements for the 2026 calendar at the end of this year,” he added.
The national capital’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is also staging the showpiece World Para Athletics Championships from September 26 to October 5, as part of the series of high-profile events the country will be staging or hoping to stage in its bid to host the Summer Olympics and the Paralympics in 2036.
“They (India) have been really ambitious with us to sign this multi-year agreement because they want that legacy. They don’t just want to host the World Championships.
“They’ve got multiple events that they want to sign and our Grand Prix continues in this Paralympic cycle to help that performance pathway for the Paralympic Games for LA 2028, but also their ambitions moving forward in terms of being a host for the Paralympic and Olympic Games in 2036.”
He said the local Indian organisers have done a fantastic job to make the Grand Prix successful, given the short span of time they got after the confirmation of the event.
Chorley, who was earlier in India in 2023 during the Khelo India Para Games, also confirmed that officers from the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) have been taking dope samples from the participating athletes in the Grand Prix.
Chorley also said that the tracks at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will be re-laid after hosting the Khelo India Para Games (March 20-27).
“They’re starting the reworks directly after the Khelo India Games. They will close the stadium and start refurbishment.
“For all our events, we have technical requirements that the LOCs have to follow, not just the track, the facilities and the rooms and the requirements for national technical officials etc.”
He said the new track will have to get World Athletics certification before the World Para Athletics Championships in September.
“Our requirements for the track have to be classified and certified by World Athletics regulations, so we utilise World Athletics regulations and as long as they are compliant and being assessed, then it’s a suitable track to be followed.
“So when the track gets re-laid, then they (India) will submit a proposal to World Athletics for certification and then World Para Athletics follows that certification.” (PTI)
