Maharashtra’s Sudeshna Hanma clinched gold in the women’s 100m final at the Federation Cup 2026, clocking 11.56s in Ranchi on a night where the race perhaps promised more than it ultimately delivered.
Tamil Nadu’s Giridharani Ravi finished close behind in second place with 11.58s, while Haryana’s Tamanna secured bronze in 11.62s in a tightly packed final.
The rest of the field saw Odisha’s experienced sprinter Srabani Nanda finish fourth in 11.67s, Karnataka’s Sneha S.S place fifth in 11.71s, and another Karnataka athlete, Daneshwari A.T, take sixth in 11.76s.
NCOE Trivandrum camper Nithya Gandhe finished seventh in 11.86s, while Himachal Pradesh’s Kusum Thakur ended eighth in 11.96s.
Despite the close finish, the race felt slightly underwhelming given the expectations surrounding some of India’s established sprint names. Both Srabani Nanda and Nithya Gandhe, in particular, were below their best on the evening and never quite looked capable of challenging for the title.
The winning timing of 11.56s was solid without being exceptional, especially on a Federation Cup that has already witnessed national records and landmark performances in the men’s sprint events.
With Indian athletics currently experiencing a surge in sprinting standards on the men’s side, the women’s 100m final lacked the same explosive quality and depth many would have hoped for at the country’s premier domestic meet.
Still, for Sudeshna Hanma, the night belonged entirely to her. In a competitive field where margins were razor-thin, the Maharashtra sprinter held her composure best to emerge national champion.