MUMBAI: Athletics Kids Cup is a new grassroots sports initiative for children and adolescents. Launched by Dspowerparts, a team of athletics enthusiasts from Switzerland, in collaboration with UBS, the initiative aims to promote physical activity among children and help tackle the growing concerns around childhood obesity among urban Indian children. The Athletics Kids Cup starts in the Mumbai region and aims to get tens of thousands of children moving. Schools are now invited to register for the Athletics Kids Cup.

Simple concept – huge impact

Athletics Kids Cup centers around three fundamental movements – running, jumping, throwing – that are required in almost every sport and are specifically practiced and perfected in athletics. The initiative features a triathlon-style competition comprising a 60m sprint, the long jump, and the ball throw and is open to children and young people between the ages of 7 and 15 from all walks of life.

Built with the conviction that sports, particularly athletics, can play a vital role in personal development, health promotion, and fostering mutual social understanding, the Athletics Kids Cup is an ideal platform for young participants to build character, values, integrity, mutual respect, and discipline. The initiative aims to inspire children to get the best out of themselves and to have the confidence to pursue their own ambitious goals.

India is on the brink of a health crisis with obesity rates rising sharply, particularly among children. Athletics Kids Cup aims to help counteract this problem by encouraging an active lifestyle as a means to improve overall health.

Schools in the spotlight

In the first season (2024/2025), the Athletics Kids Cup will focus on the Mumbai region. Schools will be key enablers in organizing school-level competitions with the help of a ready-to-use toolkit containing the material required to organize the competition independently, such as competition materials, bib numbers, certificates of participation, or a complete handbook. Dspowerparts and its partner Striders will provide all schools with the necessary help and advice to actively engage students in the initiative.

A platform for aspiring athletes

While it is of central importance to us to get all children moving, regardless of their background or talent, the Athletics Kids Cup also has the potential to grow as the perfect platform for aspiring athletes. The initiative features a three-stage competition structure. After participating in the school-organized event, the most talented girls and boys can qualify for one of the five regional finals in Mumbai, which will take place in January 2025. The top 30 athletes in each age category will get the chance to prove their mettle and be part of the Grand Finale on 15 February. These competitions will be organized in a professional setup, ensuring an unforgettable experience for the qualified young athletes.

Expansion planned for the 2025/2026 season

The initiators are already preparing for expansion. In the coming months, pilots will be carried out in Pune and Hyderabad, to expand the Athletics Kids Cup to these two cities in the 2025/2026 season. The expansion will be another step forward in spreading the grassroots initiative to other parts of India and making a significant impact in promoting healthy habits and physical activity among Indian children.

UBS enabling change that matters

The launch of the Athletics Kids Cup is made possible through the generous support of UBS, the Switzerland-based bank, which has had strong local ties with India for three decades. UBS is committed to empowering communities through catalytic programs that improve learning outcomes and the overall well-being of students, enabling them to achieve their full potential. The Athletics Kids Cup is a key initiative among UBS’s ongoing efforts to contribute to the development and success of India’s young generation.

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BHUWANESHWAR: In a major boost to Indian athletics and swimming, Chief Minister Sh Naveen Patnaik, today inaugurated India’s first Indoor Athletics Centre and Indoor Aquatic Centre at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. He also laid the foundation stone for the Indoor Diving Centre.

The Indoor Athletics Centre stands as India’s first capable of hosting indoor continental and regional championships. This world-class facility will be a training ground for the Odisha Reliance Foundation Athletics High Performance Centre, which was established in association with Reliance Foundation, and has been producing young athletics champions.

The centre boasts a 10,000-square-meter track, installed by the renowned Italian firm, Mondo SpA, used in Olympics, marking a pioneering feat within the country. The centre includes a 200-meter synthetic track, an 80m+20m running track, and designated areas for long jump, triple jump, pole vault, and shot-put, each meticulously designed to meet specific athletic requirements.

Accommodating the needs of high-performance athletes, the facility features 60 twin-sharing rooms for those undergoing full-time coaching. Its iconic stature was solidified with the esteemed Category 1 certification from World Athletics in December 2023.

The Indoor Aquatic Centre features temperature controlled 50m Olympic size swimming pool and 25 m warm up pool with a seating capacity for 1000 spectators and can host international championships. fitness centre, sports recovery facility and accommodation facility with 26 twin sharing rooms. The Odisha Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) HPC, a joint venture with JSW group, will be operational from this aquatic center.

The Central PSU – NALCO has contributed towards the construction of the Indoor Aquatics Center as a CSR funding.

The Chief Minister also laid foundation stone for Indoor Diving Centre that will be built at the Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar. The Diving Centre will feature temperature controlled diving pool of 25 m, with an additional 5m for Synchronized Swimming and seating capacity for 500 spectators.

Speaking on this occasion, Chief Minister Sh Naveen Patnaik, said “The new indoor facilities will provide our athletes to train and compete, round the year, without any external weather disturbances. We are confident that both Indoor Athletics Centre and the Aquatic Centre will certainly help set new standards for sporting excellence on both international and national stages. It also marks an important step further strengthening Odisha’s robust sports ecosystem and our partnership with Reliance Foundation, JSW & Inspire Institute of Sports.“

Chairman 5T & Nabin Odisha, Kartik  Pandian was present during the event and interacted with the athletes and swimmers.

The President Athletic Federation of India, Sh Adille Sumariwala, Secretary Swimming Federation of India Sh Monal Choksi, Veteran Sports Administrator Sh Ashirbad Behera, representatives from the State associations and sports persons were present on this occasion.

Sports & Youth Services Minister, Sh Tusharkanti Behera, Secretary, Sports & Youth Services Department, Sh Vineel Krishna, Sridhar Patra, CMD Nalco, Aasish Contractor, Director Reliance Foundation, Mustafa Ghouse, CEO JSW Sports and other dignitaries were part of the ceremony.

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