India’s Anamika K.A. and Pooja made a solid start to their Asian Games 2026 heptathlon campaign in Aichi-Nagoya, remaining within striking distance of the leaders after the opening two events.

After the 100m hurdles and high jump, Anamika leads the Indian duo in 5th place with 1,771 points, while Pooja is close behind in 6th with 1,761 points.

Pooja Faster in 100m Hurdles

The heptathlon began with the 100m hurdles, where Pooja produced the faster performance of the two Indian athletes.

Pooja clocked 14.61 seconds to collect her opening points, while Anamika finished in 14.80 seconds.

The results left Pooja ahead of her teammate after the first event.

Anamika Responds in High Jump

The competition then moved to the high jump, where Anamika made up ground on the leaderboard.

She cleared 1.74 metres, while Pooja managed 1.71 metres.

Anamika’s stronger high-jump performance moved her ahead of Pooja, with the Indian pair separated by only 10 points after two events.

Heptathlon Standings After Two Events

Iran’s Fatemeh Mohitizadeh has established the early lead with 1,971 points, while Japan’s Natsumi Kajiki sits second on 1,858 points.

Anamika and Pooja occupy third and fourth among the athletes listed above, with both Indians still within reach of the leading group.

Five Events Remain

The heptathlon is far from decided, with five events still to come: the shot put, 200m, long jump, javelin throw and 800m.

The remaining events will provide plenty of opportunities for the standings to change.

For India, Anamika and Pooja will look to build on their opening performances and remain in contention as the competition moves through the demanding final five events.

While the spotlight in Glasgow’s Scotstoun Stadium fixated on the high-octane battle between Lindon Victor and Damian Warner, the most compelling storyline of the Commonwealth Games decathlon belonged to India’s Tejaswin Shankar.

One of the most dramatic moments of the Commonwealth Games 2026 unfolded during the men’s decathlon discus throw, where an officiating error involving Grenada’s Lindon Victor overshadowed an event that also saw India’s Tejaswin Shankar produce the best discus performance of his career.

Victor, one of the favourites for the decathlon title, appeared to seize control of the competition after launching what looked to be a massive lifetime best of over 56 metres. However, celebrations were cut short when officials ruled the throw invalid after discovering an incorrect measurement.

In an unusual turn of events, Victor was granted an additional attempt to compensate for the officiating mistake, effectively receiving a fourth throw while every other competitor had only the standard three attempts.

The Grenadian, however, was unable to take advantage of the opportunity, fouling the extra attempt.

His second-best throw of 53.52m therefore remained his official mark, earning him 944 points.

Tejaswin Produces Career-Best Discus Throw

While the spotlight briefly shifted to the officiating controversy, Tejaswin Shankar quietly produced one of the performances of his career.

The Indian all-rounder registered back-to-back personal bests before uncorking a lifetime best 40.44m on his final attempt.

It marked the first time Tejaswin had crossed the 40-metre mark in the discus throw, a significant milestone in his development as a decathlete.

The throw earned him 674 points, taking his cumulative tally to 5,935 points after seven events.

Title Race Wide Open

With seven of the ten disciplines completed, the decathlon has developed into a fascinating battle.

Standings after seven events:

1.  Damian Warner – 5,938 points
2.  Tejaswin Shankar – 5,935 points

Just three points separate the Canadian Olympic champion and the Indian, setting up a thrilling contest heading into the pole vault, one of the most decisive events of the decathlon.

With Tejaswin producing personal bests and Warner continuing his trademark consistency, the race for the Commonwealth Games decathlon title is poised for a dramatic finish.

India’s Tejaswin Shankar made an impressive start to the men’s decathlon at the Commonwealth Games 2026, finishing Day 1 in second place after five events with a total of 4,339 points. The Indian national record holder trails Damian Warner by just 14 points, setting up an exciting battle heading into the final five events.

Tejaswin delivered a series of consistent performances throughout the opening day, showcasing his versatility across the sprint, jumps, throws, and middle-distance disciplines.

He opened his campaign in the 100m, clocking 10.96s to earn 870 points before producing the standout performance of his day in the long jump. The Indian all-rounder soared to a personal best of 7.82m, collecting an impressive 1,015 points—his highest-scoring event of the day and a major boost to his overall tally.

In the shot put, Tejaswin recorded 13.09m, adding 673 points, before excelling once again in the high jump. Clearing 2.15m, he earned 944 points, underlining one of his strongest disciplines and keeping himself firmly in medal contention.

He concluded the opening day with a solid run in the 400m, clocking 49.51s to secure 837 points and finish the day with 4,339 points overall.

Tejaswin’s Day 1 Results:

• 100m: 10.96s – 870 points
• Long Jump: 7.82m (PB) – 1,015 points
• Shot Put: 13.09m – 673 points
• High Jump: 2.15m – 944 points
• 400m: 49.51s – 837 points

With just 14 points separating him from leader Damian Warner, the decathlon remains finely poised heading into Day 2. The remaining five events will decide the medals, and Tejaswin will be aiming to maintain his consistency as he bids for a podium finish in one of athletics’ most demanding disciplines at the Commonwealth Games.

Haryana’s Pooja delivered the performance of her career at the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships 2026, winning the women’s heptathlon title with 5,619 points and surpassing the Asian Games qualification standard of 5,605 points.

The all-rounder produced a remarkable display of consistency across all seven disciplines, registering five personal bests during the competition. Her outstanding performances culminated in a memorable victory at India’s premier domestic athletics championship, securing both the national title and a place at the upcoming Asian Games.

Pooja began her campaign strongly with 14.48s in the 100m hurdles, earning 912 points, before clearing 1.73m in the high jump to add 891 points. She then produced a personal best of 11.61m in the shot put, collecting 635 points.

Her momentum continued with another lifetime best of 26.15s in the 200m, which earned 784 points. In the long jump, she recorded a personal best of 5.78m for 783 points, followed by another breakthrough performance in the javelin throw, where she achieved 44.88m, adding 761 points to her tally.

Heading into the final event, the 800m, Pooja required a strong performance to reach the Asian Games qualification standard. Rising to the occasion, she produced yet another personal best, clocking 2:17.85s to take her overall score to 5,619 points, comfortably surpassing the required benchmark.

Her ability to deliver five personal bests in seven events highlights the exceptional quality of her performance and reflects the progress she has made as a combined-events athlete. Saving one of her finest competitions for the biggest domestic meet of the season demonstrated both her consistency and competitive temperament.

With the Interstate title secured and Asian Games qualification achieved, Pooja has firmly established herself among India’s leading heptathletes. Her outstanding all-round display stands as one of the most impressive performances of the championships and provides a significant boost for Indian combined events ahead of the continental competition.

Haryana’s Pooja is on the verge of a memorable performance at the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships 2026, leading the women’s heptathlon standings with 4,766 points after the completion of six events.

The all-rounder has enjoyed an outstanding competition so far, delivering consistent performances across multiple disciplines while registering four personal bests during the first six events. Her impressive display has placed her at the top of the leaderboard heading into the decisive 800m, the final event of the heptathlon.

Pooja began her campaign with a 14.48s run in the 100m hurdles, earning 912 points, before clearing 1.73m in the high jump to add 891 points. She continued her strong run with a personal best of 11.61m in the shot put, collecting 635 points.

Her momentum carried into the track events, where she clocked a personal best of 26.15s in the 200m for 784 points. In the long jump, another lifetime best of 5.78m earned her 783 points, while she concluded the sixth event with yet another personal best in the javelin throw, recording 44.88m to collect 761 points.

With four personal bests already achieved during the competition, Pooja has demonstrated remarkable consistency and composure under pressure. Her performances across the six disciplines have positioned her within reach of a major milestone.

The focus now shifts to the concluding 800m, where she will need a performance close to her personal best of 2:18.58 to reach the Asian Games qualification standard of 5,605 points. The final race will determine whether her exceptional all-round effort translates into a place at the continental event.

Having already produced one of the finest competitions of her career, Pooja now stands just one race away from potentially securing Asian Games qualification. All eyes will be on the 800m as she looks to complete an outstanding heptathlon campaign with one final big performance.

India produced a dominant performance in the men’s decathlon at the U20 Asian Athletics Championships 2026, clinching both gold and silver in one of the most demanding events in athletics.

The star of the competition was Rahul Jakhar, who delivered a sensational all-round performance to win gold with a massive tally of 7185 points. In the process, the young Indian shattered the U20 national record and moved to the top of the U20 world rankings for the season.

Adding to India’s celebrations, compatriot Upkar secured silver with 6854 points, ensuring a remarkable one-two finish for the country.

Final standings:
 Rahul Jakhar (India) — 7185 points
 Upkar (India) — 6854 points
 Askar Omirzak (Kazakhstan) — 6774 points

What made Rahul’s performance even more impressive was the sheer consistency across two exhausting days of competition.

The young decathlete registered personal bests in seven out of the ten events — a remarkable indicator not just of talent, but of composure under pressure. The decathlon tests every aspect of an athlete: speed, endurance, strength, technique and mental resilience. To peak across multiple disciplines in a championship setting is rare even at elite level.

Rahul’s score now places him among the most exciting junior combined-event athletes emerging globally this season.

India has traditionally struggled to produce elite-level decathletes despite occasional flashes of promise. Events like the decathlon require access to high-quality coaching, technical infrastructure and long-term athlete development systems across multiple disciplines simultaneously — something difficult to sustain in many athletics programmes.

That is why performances like Rahul’s carry significance beyond just medals.

The rise of athletes like Tejaswin Shankar at senior level had already sparked fresh interest in combined events in India. Now, Rahul Jakhar’s breakthrough suggests another generation may be emerging behind him.

The silver medal by Upkar further highlighted India’s growing depth in the event. Scoring 6854 points at the U20 level is itself a highly competitive performance and underlined how strongly India competed throughout the two days.

Perhaps the most encouraging aspect for Indian athletics is that both athletes are still extremely young.

Combined-event athletes often mature later than specialists because mastering ten disciplines takes years of technical development. Strong junior performances therefore become important indicators of long-term potential rather than immediate finished products.

For Rahul, the next challenge will be transitioning these scores onto bigger stages and eventually pushing toward senior international standards.

But for now, Indian athletics can celebrate a rare and emphatic statement in one of track and field’s toughest events.

A gold medal, a silver medal, a national record and the world-leading U20 score of the season — it was a memorable two days for India’s future decathlon stars.