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Bhubaneswar: Two days ahead of the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver-level meet in Bhubaneswar, India’s Commonwealth Games silver medallist in men’s long jump Murali Sreeshankar exuded confidence of producing a personal best at Kalinga Stadium on Saturday. Kalinga Stadium has always been a happy hunting ground for Sreeshankar. In 2023, he leapt to his personal best of 8.41m at the venue. Then, last year, on his comeback trail from injury, he produced a jump of 8.13m to win the title at the World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze-level meet. Since then, he has been on a roll, culminating in a second successive silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last month. But his focus is now firmly on the Asian Games, to be held later next month, and what better way to prepare for the continental showpiece than by competing at a world-level meet on home soil! “This is a good preparatory event leading up to the Asian Games, which is just around the corner. It’s a very good pit stop for us to compete and see where our training, physical fitness and everything else stands. It’s a good place to assess ourselves,” said Sreeshankar, who has come back from a career-threatening injury. “The field is also very strong, and the competition is happening in India for the first time. So, I’d like to see it as a very major competition.” Besides Sreeshankar, the field boasts a number of impressive jumpers who will challenge him for the title. Lokesh Sathyanathan, with an 8.21m season best in 2026, appears to be the biggest threat, while South Africa’s Divan Manuel (8.13m), India’s Jithin Arjunan R C (8.12m) and the Philippines’ Janry Ubas (8.08m) could also push him. Shahnavaz Khan, despite being one of the youngest in the field, cannot be discounted after winning a bronze medal at the World U20 Championships recently. Apart from Sreeshankar, national record-holder in women’s long jump Ancy Sohan, two-time Asian Games champion in men’s shot put Tajinderpal Singh Toor and javelin thrower Rohit Yadav will be among the other prominent Indian athletes who have confirmed their entries. Ancy, who was also present at the press conference, said: “The Asian Games are coming up very soon, so this competition will be an important part of our preparation — a kind of training for what lies ahead.” Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, a two-time African champion in men’s shot put, and Brazil’s Vitoria Alves, who will compete in the women’s 100m hurdles, were the other international athletes present at the press conference. Meanwhile, more than 10 athletes have confirmed their entries in both the men’s and women’s 100m. “There will be 100m A and B races in both the men’s and women’s categories,” revealed Dr Lalit K Bhanot. “The men’s 400m also has 19 entries.” More than 180 athletes from as many as 25 nations will be seen in action at the one-day competition on Saturday. Hosts India will field a big contingent of 90 athletes.