Bhubaneswar, June 12 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik flagged off the Asian Athletics Championships' mascot rally at the Kalinga Stadium here on Monday and said Bhubaneswar has emerged as a sought-after destination for international sporting events.
Olly, the Olive Ridley sea turtle, is the official mascot of the 22nd edition of the athletics meet being held here from July 6-9.
Olly will tour all 30 districts of the state to spread awareness and publicity for the event.
"The 22nd Asian Athletics Championships will be the largest ever sporting event in Bhubaneswar with participation of 45 countries. Bhubaneswar has emerged as a sought-after destination for international sports competitions," said Patnaik.
"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," he added.
Sports Secretary Vishal Kumar Dev said the championships is a testimony to Odisha's keenness to go the extra mile and bring international sporting events to the state.
"Through this, we hope to provide our athletes and sportspersons exposure to the best sporting talent in the world and raise the profile of the state in the field of sports. We are proud to be hosting Asia's biggest athletics event," said Dev.
He added the beautifully designed mascot will generate awareness amongst the masses and create a sense of belongingness to the championships.
Olly represents the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles that travel thousands of miles in the ocean and arrive in millions every year on Odisha's Rushikulya and Gahirmatha beaches for their annual nesting.
Through this meet, the state government will be contributing towards raising awareness for protection of the endangered species and preserving their natural habitat.
This is for the third time that the Asian Athletics Championships will be held in India, after New Delhi (1989) and Pune (2013).
The 22nd edition of Asia's flagship Athletics meet is also going to be its biggest ever, with nearly 1,000 athletes participating in the competition which will be a qualifying event for the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in London.