UBS Athletics Kids Cup Season 3 Launched in Ahmedabad, Aiming to Shape India’s Future Champions

Ahmedabad Hosts Launch of UBS Athletics Kids Cup Season 3 with Vision for CWG 2030

Swiss-Backed UBS Athletics Kids Cup Expands Grassroots Sports Movement in India

UBS Athletics Kids Cup Season 3 Targets One Million Young Athletes Across India

Ahmedabad Emerges as Key Hub for UBS Athletics Kids Cup Growth Vision

• Bilkul Online
• Ahmedabad | 14 May 2026

UBS Athletics Kids Cup Season 3 Launched in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad witnessed the launch of UBS Athletics Kids Cup (AKC) Season 3, a nationwide grassroots athletics initiative aimed at encouraging sports participation among children aged 7–15. Led by Swiss sports development company Dspowerparts, the programme brings Switzerland’s successful athletics development model to India, with Ahmedabad positioned as a key centre for future growth.

The initiative has already reached over 2.5 lakh children across 2,500 schools in five Indian cities and now aims to engage one million children nationwide. Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra continues as the official ambassador of the programme. Organisers also highlighted plans to strengthen Ahmedabad’s sports ecosystem through coach training, school participation and future elite athletics pathways linked to CWG 2030 ambitions.

Ahmedabad, May 13, 2026: Ahmedabad took another significant step toward becoming a major athletics hub with the launch of UBS Athletics Kids Cup (AKC) Season 3, a nationwide grassroots initiative focused on nurturing young sporting talent and encouraging active lifestyles among children.

The programme is spearheaded by Dspowerparts, the Swiss sports development company bringing Switzerland’s proven athletics development model to India. Switzerland has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing athletics nations over the past decade through a strong grassroots structure, school-level integration and advanced coach education systems.

The launch event in Ahmedabad was attended by Olympian Anand Menezes, UBS Athletic Kids Cup CEO Daniel Schenker, Communication Head Andreas Cueni, and Project Director Zahir Khan.

Originally inspired by Switzerland’s highly successful UBS Kids Cup model, the Indian edition is being scaled nationally with Gujarat and Ahmedabad positioned as important centres for future growth. The initiative targets children between the ages of 7 and 15, introducing them to athletics through fun and accessible formats based on running, jumping and throwing disciplines.

“Ahmedabad has tremendous potential to emerge as a strong athletics destination, and initiatives like UBS Athletics Kids Cup are crucial in identifying talent at the grassroots level,” said Hemant Sodha, Regional Manager, UBC. “By encouraging children to actively participate in sports from an early age, the programme is helping build a healthier and more competitive sporting culture for the future.”

Strong Growth Across India

After a successful second season, the UBS Athletics Kids Cup has already emerged as one of India’s largest grassroots athletics programmes, recording:

• Presence across Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune
• Participation from over 2,500 schools
• Engagement of more than 2.5 lakh children nationwide

Season 3 now carries the ambitious vision of reaching one million children across the country.

India’s Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra continues as the official ambassador of the initiative, symbolising the pathway from grassroots participation to elite sporting success.

Building Ahmedabad’s Sports Ecosystem

A major highlight of the new season is the Train The Trainer (T3) Programme, aimed at equipping PE teachers and coaches with the skills required to identify and nurture young athletic talent.

The initiative will collaborate with schools, local stakeholders and sports authorities to maximise the use of Ahmedabad’s growing sports infrastructure while promoting a sustainable athletics culture beyond major sporting events.

The long-term objectives include:

• Expanding athletics participation across Ahmedabad and Gujarat
• Promoting healthier and more active lifestyles among children
• Identifying and developing future medal contenders
• Strengthening India’s sporting ecosystem ahead of the Commonwealth Games 2030 and beyond

Creating a Pathway from Grassroots to Global Stage

The organisers envision Ahmedabad playing a key role in India’s future athletics ecosystem by connecting grassroots programmes with elite-level competition pathways.

As part of this vision, Dspowerparts also aims to bring the proposed Bharat Gold Cup — envisioned as a world-class athletics event for India — to Ahmedabad, creating an aspirational platform for the country’s next generation of athletes.

The initiative further seeks to ensure year-round utilisation of Ahmedabad’s stadiums and athletics venues through youth competitions, community engagement and talent development activities.

Call for Participation

The UBS Athletics Kids Cup has invited schools, parents, coaches, PE teachers and corporates across Ahmedabad to actively participate in the movement.

Schools will receive free registration and implementation support, while parents are encouraged to enrol children regardless of prior athletics experience. Coaches and PE teachers can also participate in the T3 certification programme.

Backed by Swiss expertise, institutional partnerships and Ahmedabad’s rapidly developing sports infrastructure, the UBS Athletics Kids Cup aims to help build one of Asia’s strongest youth athletics ecosystems from Gujarat.

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