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Athletics India

Newsletter(08 Sep pic 1)
08-Sep-2026
Age Fraud in Indian Athletics: Questions Over Age Verification At Youth Nationals

In Indian sports, badminton, table tennis and cricket are among the major sports that have faced the problem. However, a significant number of complaints and allegations also emerge from athletics, making age fraud a serious concern in the sport, particularly at the junior and sub-junior levels.

 
  

Moments from India’s First World Athletics Continental Tour Silver Meet in Bhubaneswar

25-Aug-2026

 

 

India’s first-ever World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meet came to Bhubaneswar. And it delivered.

Around 200 athletes from 26 countries competed under the lights at the iconic Kalinga Stadium in Odisha in a one-day meet that produced big jumps, personal bests, an emotional comeback and one monster javelin throw.

Not everything went India’s way.

In the men’s 100m, Animesh finished sixth in 10.32s. In the men’s 400m, Manu TS clocked 45.94s to finish fifth.

But with the 2026 Asian Games approaching, several Indian performances offered plenty to get excited about.

 

1. Aadarsh Ram: Another Big Night

Aadarsh Ram took the men’s high jump title with a clearance of 2.22m.

The height was below his best, but this wasn’t an easy night for jumping. Rain had left behind high humidity and difficult conditions.

More importantly, Aadarsh’s trajectory this season has been impressive.

Until last season, his personal best stood at 2.21m. This year, he has already soared to 2.27m, the third-best clearance ever by an Indian athlete.

Expected to represent India at the Asian Games, Aadarsh leaves Bhubaneswar with another title and, perhaps more importantly, experience of winning when conditions are far from perfect.

Japan will be the bigger test.

 

2. Murali Sreeshankar: The 8-Metre Machine

Another competition. Another 8m-plus jump.

Murali Sreeshankar won the men’s long jump with 8.07m, continuing an impressive comeback season after a long injury layoff.

Yes, 8.07m is some distance below his season-best 8.38m, recorded at the Inter-State meet at this very stadium and in the same jump pit.

But here is the number that matters.

Only Sreeshankar and South Africa’s Divan Manuel crossed eight metres in a six-man field.

And Sreeshankar has now competed in eight competitions this season, including a Commonwealth Games qualifier.

His record?

Not one sub-8m performance.

For an athlete returning from a serious injury, that consistency could be just as important as one giant jump.

With the Asian Games next, Sreeshankar is building momentum at exactly the right time.

 

3. Rohit Yadav: 87.58m Changes the Conversation

Then came the throw of the night.

Rohit Yadav stepped up for his final attempt in the men’s javelin and launched it to a lifetime best 87.58m.

Title won.

But this was much bigger than a gold medal in Bhubaneswar.

Rohit’s 87.58m takes him past Kishore Jena and makes him India’s second-best javelin thrower of all time, behind only Neeraj Chopra.

It also ranks among the best throws ever by an Asian athlete, is the fourth-best throw in the world this season and the third-best in Asia this season.

That immediately raises expectations for the Asian Games.

India won both gold and silver in the men’s javelin at the previous edition through Neeraj Chopra and Kishore Jena.

Rohit will now head to Japan carrying not just form, but expectations.

 

4. Abinaya Rajrajan: 11.34 Seconds, Then Tears

Perhaps the most emotional moment of the night belonged to a 19-year-old.

Abinaya Rajrajan blasted through the women’s 100m in 11.34 seconds.

Then came the celebration.

A Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired “Siiiiiuuuuu” sent the crowd into a frenzy.

Minutes later, the mood changed completely.

Abinaya saw her time on the big screen and broke down in tears.

And there was a reason.

The Tamil Nadu sprinter was making her comeback after suffering a career-threatening injury in her season opener at the Asian Indoor Championships.

Now look at what 11.34 means:

Fastest Indian U20 time ever

Third-fastest time by an Indian woman ever

Fastest by an Indian woman in four years

In the last six years, only Dutee Chand’s national record has been faster among Indian women

From a career-threatening injury to one of the fastest 100m races ever run by an Indian woman.

Quite a comeback.

 

5. Vithya Ramraj: Finally Under 52

Vithya Ramraj had been knocking on the door.

In Bhubaneswar, she smashed through it.

Vithya won the women’s 400m in a lifetime best 51.96 seconds, breaking the 52-second barrier for the first time in her career.

It is also the fastest time by an Indian woman this season.

But there was another encouraging number hidden in the result sheet.

The top four finishers all ran under 53 seconds.

With the Asian Games approaching, that is particularly significant for India’s women’s 4x400m relay medal ambitions.

One fast quarter-miler is good.

Four of them suddenly makes the relay conversation much more interesting.

 

6. Ancy Sojan: Backing Up the Record

Breaking a national record is one thing.

Coming back and producing another big performance is another.

Ancy Sojan won the women’s long jump with 6.71m, just one competition after smashing the Indian national record with 6.88m at the same Kalinga Stadium.

And this wasn’t a one-jump wonder.

Her series read:

 

6.51m, 6.58m, 6.71m, X, 6.65m, 6.56m

That is serious consistency.

Shaili Singh finished second with 6.56m, while Mubassina took third with 6.31m.

For Ancy, another title and another strong series suggest that the 6.88m national record was not an isolated peak.

India’s first Continental Tour Silver meet was about more than hosting a bigger international athletics event.

It produced an 87.58m javelin, an 11.34s teenage sprint, a sub-52-second 400m, another 8m-plus night for Sreeshankar, and further evidence that Aadarsh Ram and Ancy Sojan are operating at a new level.

There were misses too, particularly in the men’s sprints.

But with the Asian Games getting closer, Bhubaneswar offered something Indian athletics needed.

Form. Depth. And a few performances capable of seriously raising expectations for Japan.

Indian Athletics Series Final: Top 8 Athletes and Reserves Revealed

Bhubaneswar is done. Now comes the final audition.

After India’s first-ever World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meet, attention shifts to New Delhi, where the Indian Athletics Series Final will be held on September 10, 2026, at the iconic JLN Stadium.

And this isn’t just another domestic meet.

The competition is mandatory for athletes bound for the Asian Games and will be their final chance to compete before the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) finalises the Indian team for the 2026 Asian Games.

In other words, one last competition before the Asian Games team is locked.

So, Who Gets In?

The Indian Athletics Series Final will be an invitational meet.

Athletes qualify through the national rankings, based on performances during the 2026 season up to the Inter-State Championships.

There will be no heats or qualifying rounds either.

Every event is a direct final.

That should make for a fast, high-pressure evening of athletics.

And There’s Money on the Line

The top six finishers in every event will earn prize money:

1st: ₹1,00,000

2nd: ₹50,000

3rd: ₹25,000

4th: ₹20,000

5th: ₹15,000

6th: ₹10,000

The Indian Athletics Series itself is new this year, replacing the old Indian Grand Prix format.

The big change is its regional structure, designed to give athletes more opportunities to compete without repeatedly travelling across the country.

30 Events. 372 Athletes and Reserves.

The AFI has yet to officially announce details of the Series Final, but NNIS Sports has learned from multiple sources that the programme will feature 30 events: 15 men’s and 15 women’s.

They are:

100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m Steeplechase, 110m Hurdles, 400m Hurdles, High Jump, Pole Vault, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Shot Put, Hammer Throw and Javelin Throw.

Eight athletes have qualified for each event, while the 1500m and 3000m Steeplechase will have 12 athletes each.

Four reserves have also been named for every event except the 1500m, which has two.

Add it all up, and the list contains 372 athletes, including reserves.

One important caveat before getting into the names:

Performances from the Continental Tour Silver meet have not yet been included. The AFI compiled this list before that competition.

MEN

100m

The men’s 100m is headed by Gurindervir Singh’s 10.09s, followed by Animesh Kujur at 10.15s.

Gurindervir Singh: 10.09s

Animesh Kujur: 10.15s

Tamilarasu S: 10.23s

Pranav Gurav: 10.29s

Harjit Singh: 10.32s

Rushiprasad Desai: 10.35s

Vibhaskar Kumar: 10.36s

Lalu Prasad Bhoi: 10.38s

Reserves:

R1. Abhay Singh: 10.41s

R2. Nuzrat: 10.41s

R3. Manav Rajanarayanan: 10.41s

R4. Laukik Anant Melge: 10.43s

200m

Animesh Kujur tops the 200m list with 20.47s.

Animesh Kujur: 20.47s

Jishnu Prasad P K: 20.76s

Vishal T K: 20.80s

Abhay Singh: 20.82s

Dharmveer Choudhary: 20.82s

Tamilarasu S: 20.83s

Dondapati Mruty Jayram: 20.97s

Jay Kumar: 20.98s

Reserves:

R1. Ragul Kumar G: 21.03s

R2. Adesh Garsa: 21.06s

R3. Gokul Pandiyan J: 21.14s

R4. Mohit Kumar: 21.16s

400m

A loaded field, headed by Vishal T K’s 44.98s, with Rajesh Ramesh, Jay Kumar, Manu TS and Amoj Jacob also making the eight.

Vishal T K: 44.98s

Rajesh Ramesh: 45.26s

Jay Kumar: 45.47s

Manu T S: 45.57s

Dharmveer Choudhary: 45.68s

Vikrant Panchal: 45.88s

Amoj Jacob P A: 45.99s

Mohammed Ashfaq: 46.05s

Reserves:

R1. Mijo Chacko Kurian: 46.15s

R2. Astik Pradhan: 46.21s

R3. Setu Mishra: 46.29s

R4. Muhammed Anas Yahya: 46.31s

800m

Mohammed Afsal P: 1:47.00

Pradeep Senthilkumar: 1:47.09

Krishan Kumar: 1:47.23

Mogali Venkatram Reddy: 1:47.46

Prakash Gadade: 1:47.57

Vinod Kumar Banoth: 1:47.66

Satyajeet Pujari: 1:47.68

Aman Kumar: 1:47.75

Reserves:

R1. Prathamesh Amarish Deore: 1:47.79

R2. Anu Kumar: 1:48.21

R3. Salman Farookh: 1:48.23

R4. Shyam Milan Bind: 1:48.27

1500m

Yoonus Shah: 3:37.55

Gulveer Singh: 3:37.87

Rahul Baloda: 3:40.06

Sakir: 3:40.83

Ajay Kumar Saroj: 3:40.92

Ritik Deol: 3:41.53

Shailabh: 3:41.76

Sunil Dawar: 3:42.53

Sonu: 3:43.38

Gambhir Singh: 3:44.00

Arjun Waskale: 3:44.74

Nabeel Sahi M P: 3:44.92

Reserves:

R1. Nirmit Dahiya: 3:44.93

R2. Shivam Sharma: 3:45.02

3000m Steeplechase

Avinash Sable: Performance not provided

Sharuk Khan: 8:47.81

Balkishan: 8:49.33

Shubham Bhandare: 8:49.39

Shubham Depake: 8:53.84

Ranvir Kumar Singh: 8:56.20

Vinayak Pratap Singh: 8:56.32

Sunil Joliya Jinabhai: 8:58.38

Samit Ravindra Tong: 8:59.92

Vikash DALAL: 9:00.76

Dhuladev BABAN: 9:02.92

Ankit RAJESH: 9:03.63

Reserves:

R1. Prince RAJ Mishra: 9:04.26

R2. Gurlal SINGH: 9:04.43

R3. Dharmender: 9:05.46

R4. Jujhar SINGH: 9:05.87

110m Hurdles

Tejas Ashok Shirse: 13.27s

Krishik Manjunath: 13.44s

Manav Rajanarayanan: 13.66s

Madhvendra Singh: 13.82s

Muhammed Lazan VK: 13.83s

Siddhanth Thingalaya: 13.95s

Rathish Pandidurai: 13.96s

Graceson Jeeva A: 13.96s

Reserves:

R1. Tejaswin Shankar: 14.07s

R2. Shahul S: 14.07s

R3. Aravinth Arumugam: 14.20s

R4. Harmanjeet Singh: 14.26s

400m Hurdles

Yashas Palaksha: 49.00s

Santhosh Kumar T: 49.06s

Jabir M: 49.93s

Subhas Das: 50.36s

Murad Sirman: 50.48s

Karna Bag: 50.80s

Vignesh B: 50.86s

Aryan Prajwal Kashyapa: 50.95s

Reserves:

R1. Shakti Singh: 50.98s

R2. Arjun Pradeep: 51.04s

R3. Dhaval Utekar: 51.19s

R4. Amit Kumar: 51.19s

High Jump

This could be one of the events to watch: Sarvesh Kushare 2.31m, Aadarsh Ram 2.27m and Tejaswin Shankar 2.26m.

Sarvesh Anil Kushare: 2.31m

Aadarsh Ram J: 2.27m

Tejaswin Shankar: 2.26m

Basant: 2.21m

Jesse Sandesh: 2.19m

Swadhin Kumar Majhi: 2.18m

Dhairyshil Gayakwad: 2.15m

Sudeep: 2.15m

Reserves:

R1. Aaditya Raghuvanshi: 2.13m

R2. Afroz Ahmed: 2.13m

R3. Gurjeet Singh: 2.12m

R4. Ambriesh K: 2.12m

Pole Vault

Dev Kumar Meena: 5.46m

Kuldeep Kumar: 5.45m

Reegan G: 5.35m

Ramratan: 5.20m

Gowtham M: 5.15m

Kavinraja S: 5.12m

Kamal Loganathan: 5.10m

Siva S: 5.05m

Reserves:

R1. Avneesh Kumar: 5.00m

R2. Anshu Patel: 5.00m

R3. Rambeer Singh Saini: 4.90m

R4. Tanuj Kumar: 4.90m

Long Jump

Sreeshankar M: 8.38m

Shahnavaz Khan: 8.30m

David P: 8.22m

Lokesh Sathyanathan: 8.21m

Jithin Arjunan R C: 8.12m

Sunny Kumar: 7.90m

Mohd Atta Sazid: 7.90m

Purushotham: 7.87m

Reserves:

R1. Amitra Ghosh: 7.85m

R2. Mohammed Muhassin: 7.85m

R3. Arya S: 7.85m

R4. Sarun Payasingh: 7.80m

Triple Jump

Praveen Chithravel: 17.08m

Selva Prabhu T: 17.05m

Abdulla Aboobacker: 16.83m

Karthik Unnikrishnan: 16.80m

Mohanraj J: 16.53m

Gailey Venister D: 16.48m

Mohammed Muhassin: 16.26m

Vishal Bahadur: 16.10m

Reserves:

R1. Jay Shah Pradeep: 15.94m

R2. Pradeep Kumar: 15.83m

R3. Royshan P: 15.75m

R4. Yuvaraj K: 15.71m

Shot Put

Tajinderpal Singh Toor: 21.03m

Karanveer Singh: 20.49m

Samardeep Singh Gill: 20.46m

Sanyam Sanjay: 19.09m

Dhanveer Singh: 18.60m

Aniket: 18.13m

Anurag Singh Kaler: 18.03m

Ravi Kumar: 17.83m

Reserves:

R1. Sahib Singh: 17.79m

R2. Ommkar Prasad Nand: 17.77m

R3. Sri Kumaran S: 17.66m

R4. Atul: 17.65m

Hammer Throw

Damneet Singh: 70.64m

Praveen Kumar: 69.58m

Ashish Jakhar: 68.52m

Mohammad Shahban: 68.28m

Ajay Kumar: 64.93m

Devang: 63.38m

Mukul: 63.37m

Harshit Kumar: 61.90m

Reserves:

R1. Vikrant Ramesh Rainak: 61.81m

R2. Sachin Yadav: 61.79m

R3. Amit Pundir: 61.72m

R4. Naveen Yadav: 61.62m

Javelin Throw

Here’s another blockbuster field.

Neeraj Chopra: 88.05m

Rohit Yadav: 87.58m

Yashvir Singh: 83.72m

Sachin Yadav: 82.32m

Shivam Lohakare: 81.71m

Arshdeep Singh: 80.15m

Kishore Kumar Jena: 77.79m

Anand Singh: 77.68m

Reserves:

R1. Bibin Antony: 77.53m

R2. Vipul Yadav: 76.31m

R3. Parmod: 76.16m

R4. Sahil Silwal: 76.11m

WOMEN

100m

Giridharani R: 11.45s

Harita Bhadra: 11.55s

Sudeshna Shivankar: 11.56s

Sneha S S: 11.57s

Nithya Gandhe: 11.59s

Tamanna: 11.59s

Prakruthi Roopa Rao: 11.65s

Unnathi Aiyappa: 11.66s

Reserves:

R1. Srabani Nanda: 11.67s

R2. Daneshwari A T: 11.68s

R3. Suba Dharsini S: 11.70s

R4. Kusum Thakur: 11.71s

200m

Harita Bhadra: 23.14s

Unnathi Aiyappa: 23.40s

Prakruthi Roopa Rao: 23.58s

Sudeshna Shivankar: 23.90s

Kiran Pahal: 23.90s

Priyanka Sikarwar: 23.91s

Kusum Thakur: 23.94s

Fatema Begum: 23.97s

Reserves:

R1. Nancy: 23.99s

R2. Jyothi Yarraji: 24.00s

R3. Tamanna: 24.06s

R4. Rashdeep Kaur: 24.09s

400m

Vithya Ramraj: 51.96s

Kiran Pahal: 52.89s

Ansa Babu: 52.94s

Rashdeep Kaur: 53.10s

Prachi: 53.23s

Neeru Pathak: 53.23s

Devyaniba Zala: 53.26s

Aishwarya Mishra: 53.30s

Reserves:

R1. Poovamma M R: 53.31s

R2. KM Saloni Nagar: 53.47s

R3. Vijayakumari G K: 53.50s

R4. Priya H Mohan: 53.60s

800m

Pooja: 2:02.42

Gowthami Jayaraman: 2:04.17

Lili Das: 2:04.59

Priscilla Daniel: 2:05.35