Odisha Olympic Association (OOA) and Odisha Athletics Association (OAA) today jointly felicitated star sprinter Animesh Kujur with cash award for becoming the first-ever male sprinter of the country  to qualify for World Athletics Championships, scheduled to be held in Tokyo, Japan from 13 to 21 September 2025.

In a function held on the occasion of National Sports Day at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack, Chhattisgarh athlete Kujur, who trains at Bhubaneswar-based Odisha Reliance Foundation High Performance Centre and represents Odisha in National championships, was presented with cash award of Rs 50,000 each by OOA and OAA.

Athletics Olympian Anuradha Biswal, former women football internationals Gitanjali Khuntia and Gayatree Mallick, former Indian women football team coach Md Shahid Jabbar and veteran international marathon runner Dr Bibekananda Tripathy were also felicitated in the function.

OOA president Sameer Mohanty, secretary Avijit Paul, OAA chairman Asirbad Behera were prominent among guests present on the occasion.
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PHOTO: Eminent sportspersons, coaches and office-bearers of OOA and OAA pose at a felicitation function in Cuttack on 29 August 2025.