Bhubaneswar: The state government is gearing up to host the 58th National Open Athletics Championships at Kalinga Stadium from September 25 to 28. This will be second major athletics championship to be hosted at the after the 22nd Asian Athletics Championships in July last year.

Around 600 athletes from across the country will take part in the event organised by the Athletics Federation of India. While top athletes such as javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who bagged gold in the recent Asian Games in Jakarta, will be in action, Odisha sprinter Dutee Chand is also likely to take part. Dutee would join 16 Odia athletes if she takes part. A three-member women's sprint team from Japan is also likely to take part.

A sports department official said hat around 300 hotel rooms would be booked in Bhubaneswar for the athletes. "The events will be held in the morning and under the floodlights in the evenings. There will be no entry fee for spectators," said the official.

Sports and youth services minister Chandrasarathi Behera said the government would extend all support. "Bhubaneswar has emerged as a favourite destination for sports and we are hopeful that the stadium would host other events as well," he said.

The 60-acre sports complex is a multipurpose stadium with facilities for hockey, football, swimming, tennis, basketball and athletics. The 11,000-seater mutli-purpose stadium was built in 1998. The state government installed floodlights and re-laid the synthetic track before the Asian Athletics Championships.

In July last year, the government signed an expression of intent with the International Association of Athletic Federations and the Athletics Federation of India to establish an academy here.