Will await with interest for India's bid for 2029 Championships: World Athletics chief Coe

New Delhi: World Athletics President Sebastian Coe says his organisation will "await with interest" for India's expected bid for the 2029 World Championships but indicated that there will be tough competition from other countries to get the hosting right of the showpiece.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is set to formally express its interest to host the 2029 World Championships when the process is launched in the next few months, in line with the country's plan to stage a series of high-profile events to mount a serious bid for the 2036 Olympics.

"The 2029 World Championships, look, we will await with interest (India's expected bid). I have to tell you, we've got a lot of interest in those Championships already, and the process will open shortly," Coe replied to a PTI question during a virtual conference with the global media.

It was in December last year when the AFI first revealed its intention to bid for the 2029 World Championships.

The bidding process is expected to start in January-February 2025 along with the publication of a time-line. World Athletics is expected to announce the host city in 2026.

Distance running powerhouse Kenya has also declared its interest to host the 2029 World Championships while Britain, which staged the showpiece in 2017 when the legendary Usain Bolt ran his last international race in London, has also done the same, though not formally.

The bidding process for the 2027 World Championships to be held in Beijing, China, began in January 2023 and the announcement of the host city was made in March 2024. The 2025 World Championships will be held in Tokyo.

Earlier, the AFI officially submitted its expression of interest to host the World U20 Championships in 2028 when Coe made a two-day visit to India last month.

He met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, besides AFI officials.

"I had a very good discussion with Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and actually was comforted by the recognition that sport, particularly athletics, is probably the most or one of the most accessible sports," Coe said about his discussion with PM Modi.

"He (PM Modi) sees (it) as a very key element in the growth and development of healthy communities, particularly among young people, both mentally and physically. And that was in large part the discussion.

"I have to say that I spend a lot of time talking to senior politicians and political leaders. I've rarely found such a commitment to that concept. I was very pleased to hear that commitment." Coe, who is one of the frontrunners to become International Olympic Committee president in the March 2025 elections, said Indian athletics is moving ahead in the right direction, with javelin superstar Neeraj Chopra's achievements being the key to its growth.

"(AFI chief) Adille Sumariwalla is a very ambitious federation president. We will continue to have good dialogue with India, both at governmental level and certainly at federation level.

"And yes, Indian athletics is moving in the right direction. And it's not unhelpful that Neeraj (Chopra) is there on the scene, just reminding people that there is occasionally an alternative to cricket." A few days back, the AFI announced that India will host its maiden World Athletics Continental Tour event -- a bronze level meet -- on August 10 in Bhubaneswar, and Coe said he is delighted with the development.

Continental Tour is an annual series of track and field competitions held under the aegis of World Athletics and it forms the second tier of international one-day meetings after the prestigious Diamond League.

"While I was in Mumbai just recently, I received a letter of intent for the the Under 20 World Championships in 2028.

"I know Bhubaneswar well. It's a city that staged successful Asian Championships (in 2017). And it's a city that has a commitment to sport and legacy. So, that's a good thing," said Coe, who had attended the Asian Championships in 2017.

The host city for the 2028 World U20 Championships will be announced by September next year.