Odisha CM unveils mascot of upcoming Asian Athletics C’ship

12 June, Bhubaneswar

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Monday unveiled the mascot of the upcoming 22nd edition of Asian Athletics Championships (AAC) , scheduled to be held in Bhubaneshwar from July 6-9.

‘Olly’- the Olive Ridley sea turtle, the official mascot will tour all the 30 districts of the state to spread awareness and publicity for the event, an official statement said here today.

The rally was flagged off from the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar, the venue of the Asian Athletics Championships, which has also been completely renovated & upgraded to host the premier track and field event of the continent.

A brand new synthetic track, complete with floodlights and a brand new warm-up facility has been setup to host the Championships. The event also witnessed the inauguration of the uniform for AAC, which will be a part of the official merchandise for the event.

Speaking on the occasion, Patnaik said, “The 22nd Asian Athletics Championships will be the largest ever sporting event in Bhubaneshwar with participation of 45 countries. Bhubaneshwar has emerged as a sought-after destination for international sports competitions, as it will also host the Hockey World League Final in December 2017 and the prestigious Men’s Hockey World Cup in December 2018.”

“For this purpose, Kalinga Stadium has been transformed into a world class infrastructure facility for hosting international events as per the requirements of the IAAF,” added he.Commenting on the mascot, the CM said,”The Olive Ridley turtles are our state’s pride, and I hope that through our mascot, Olly, we can create more awareness about their protection and conservation throughout the country.”

Notably, this will be the third time the prestigious Championships will be held in India, after New Delhi (1989) and Pune (2013).BM