Indian hurdling star and national record holder Jyothi Yarraji marked a sensational return to competition by clinching the women’s 100m hurdles title at the 65th Interstate Athletics Championships 2026, clocking an impressive 12.99 seconds.

The performance carried extra significance as it was Jyothi’s first competition of the season following a lengthy rehabilitation period after suffering an ACL injury — one of the most challenging setbacks an athlete can face. Months of recovery, rehabilitation, and uncertainty culminated in a triumphant comeback on the national stage.

Earlier in the day, Jyothi had already shown signs that she was back to her best by comfortably breaching the Asian Games 2026 qualification standard in the heats. She then raised her level even further in the final, breaking the 13-second barrier and reminding everyone why she remains India’s undisputed hurdle queen.

Her victory was a testament not only to her speed and technique but also to the resilience and determination that carried her through the difficult months away from competition. Returning from an ACL injury is never easy, especially for a sprint hurdler whose event demands explosive power, speed, and precise movement over barriers.

The final saw a strong field of competitors, with Nandhini K finishing second in 13.22 seconds and Pragyan Prasanti taking third place in 13.48 seconds.

Women’s 100m Hurdles Final
🥇 Jyothi Yarraji – 12.99s
🥈 Nandhini K – 13.22s
🥉 Pragyan Prasanti – 13.48s

With the Asian Games qualification mark already secured and a sub-13-second performance in her season opener, Jyothi’s comeback could not have been scripted any better. As the road to the Asian Games gathers pace, India’s hurdle queen has sent a clear message — she is back, stronger than ever.

Indian hurdling star Jyothi Yarraji announced her return to the track in emphatic fashion, clocking 13.14 seconds in Heat 1 of the women’s 100m hurdles at the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships to comfortably breach the Asian Games qualification standard of 13.34 seconds.

The performance was significant not just because it secured qualification for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, but because it marked the comeback of one of India’s brightest athletics stars after a lengthy injury layoff.

Competing in her first race of the 2026 season, Yarraji looked sharp and composed as she cruised to the top spot in her heat, sending a strong message to her rivals ahead of the final.

The road back has been anything but easy.

In July last year, the reigning Asian champion suffered a freak knee injury during training, bringing her season to an abrupt halt and ruling her out of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The injury eventually required surgery and sidelined her for the remainder of the 2025 season.

At the time, the setback was particularly cruel. Yarraji was coming off one of the best phases of her career, having successfully defended her Asian Championships title and established herself among the world’s leading hurdlers. The injury not only ended her hopes of competing at the World Championships but also interrupted the momentum she had built over several seasons.

After spending seven months away from competition, Yarraji returned to training only earlier this year, carefully rebuilding her strength and confidence under the guidance of her support team. Her coach James Hillier had repeatedly stressed that the Asian Games would be the primary target for her comeback season.

On Tuesday, she showed exactly why.

Running her first competitive race since the injury, the national record holder looked in complete control, clocking 13.14 seconds—well inside the Asian Games qualification mark and a highly encouraging start to a season that could culminate with another continental medal.

For Indian athletics, the result is a major boost. Yarraji remains the country’s premier hurdler, a two-time Asian champion and the national record holder in the event. More importantly, she is once again healthy, competing, and already meeting the standards required for India’s biggest targets of the year.

India’s premier long-distance runner Gulveer Singh may have missed the Asian Games qualification standard at the 65th Interstate Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar, but his hopes of representing the country in Aichi-Nagoya 2026 are far from over.

The national record holder won the men’s 5000m title in 13:52.92, comfortably securing gold but falling short of the Athletics Federation of India’s prescribed qualification mark of 13:39.18.

The result came as one of the biggest surprises of the championships, given Gulveer’s outstanding form earlier this season. In February, he rewrote the Indian record books by clocking a stunning 13:03.93, a performance that currently stands as the second-fastest time by an Asian athlete this year and ranks among the world’s top 20 performances in 2026.

With such credentials, questions immediately emerged over whether the 26-year-old could still make the Indian squad despite not achieving the qualification standard at the designated selection event.

According to AFI officials, the final Asian Games team will be determined by the federation’s selection committee, meaning the qualification mark is not necessarily the only factor that will be considered.

That leaves the door open for Gulveer, whose performances throughout the season have established him as India’s leading 5000m runner and one of Asia’s strongest contenders in the event.

Speaking after the race, Gulveer pointed to the challenging conditions in Bhubaneswar as a major factor behind his failure to achieve the standard.

“The weather was quite warm and the track is still new,” he said, explaining that both factors made it difficult to chase a fast time.

While the missed mark is undoubtedly a setback, Gulveer’s season-best remains significantly faster than the qualification standard and strengthens his case ahead of the final selection meeting.

For now, the ball is firmly in the selectors’ court. Gulveer has not secured automatic qualification, but based on his performances this season, he remains one of the strongest candidates to wear Indian colours in the men’s 5000m at the Asian Games 2026.

By Sundeep Misra

Whenever Gulveer Singh runs and if you are fortunate enough to see him, you know the feeling – he seems to hang somewhere between being good and great. He possesses that effortless smoothness unique to long-distance runners; a penchant for lapping until the final bell triggers an instinctive, competitive gear.

​At 5:30 AM at The Kalinga, Gulveer is still fighting his own circadian rhythms, having returned from the US just a week ago. His winning time of 13:52.92 was slow by his standards – especially for an athlete holding an outdoor National Record of 13:03.93 and a blistering short-track indoor time of 12:59.77.

​Yet, functionally, the job is done. After swapping leads with Abhishek Pal, Harmanjot Singh, and Shivaji Parashu Madap, Gulveer effortlessly shifted gears on the final lap, cantering away to gold and sealing his case for the Asian Games.

​While the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) won’t officially announce the squad for the Aichi-Nagoya Games until after June 28th, Gulveer’s ticket is a formality. He comfortably shattered the AFI qualification benchmark of 13:39.18 earlier this season at the LA Track Festival, laying down a massive marker.

​Next, he will test his closing speed in the 1500m, a tactical tune-up for Japan.

​“It’s a new track; the grip doesn’t quite form yet,” Gulveer said after his win, explaining the unique surface at The Kalinga. “With continued workouts, the weight impact changes. Right now, it’s like rubber – it absorbs like a sponge, so there’s more bounce.”

​As he prepares for Glasgow and Japan, the athletics world will be watching closely. It’s exactly that divide – between the good and the truly great – that Gulveer is running to bridge.

The first major surprise of the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships came in the men’s 5000m, as India’s national record holder Gulveer Singh failed to secure the qualification standard for the 2026 Asian Games.

Gulveer, one of India’s most consistent distance runners in recent years, clocked 13:52.92 to win the event but fell well short of the Asian Games qualification mark of 13:39.18.

The result comes as a setback for the national record holder, who was widely expected to comfortably achieve the standard at the championships.

Speaking after the race, Gulveer pointed to the challenging conditions, saying that the weather was unusually warm and made it difficult to produce a faster time.

The silver medal was claimed by Abhishek Pal, who finished second in 13:54.18, while the rest of the field trailed behind in what turned out to be a tactical rather than a fast-paced race.

With the qualification window still open, Gulveer will have further opportunities to chase the Asian Games standard. However, his failure to achieve the mark at the Inter-State Championships marks the first significant upset of the meet and highlights the impact that weather and race conditions can have on distance running performances.

For now, one of India’s biggest medal hopes in long-distance running leaves the championships with the title, but without the Asian Games qualification he was targeting.

India is gearing up for an exciting athletics week as the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships are scheduled to take place at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar (Odisha), from June 24-28, 2026.

Here are the event-wise top women athletes to watch:

100m

The field is packed with talent. Athletes to watch include Sneha S S, the veteran sprinter who has consistently challenged younger competitors over the years; Harita Bhadra, India’s Indoor Champion, who clocked India’s second-fastest time of the season (11.55s) in her last competition; and Giridharani Ravikumar, who leads the national season rankings with 11.45s.

Sudheshna Shivankar has also impressed this season, registering a lifetime best of 11.56s, the third-fastest time in India this year. Other names to watch include Nithya Gandhe, Jilna M V, Abinaya Rajarajan, and several emerging sprinters.

400m

Although this event is yet to produce something extraordinary this season, the field remains packed with elite athletes.

Kiran Pahal, India’s all-time second-fastest quarter-miler, recently clocked 52.89s, the second-fastest time by an Indian this season. She will face strong competition from Ansa Babu, who has been remarkably consistent and registered a lifetime best of 52.94s, India’s third-fastest time this year.

Rashdeep Kaur, who has also posted a personal best this season and impressed in relay races, will be another athlete to watch. Additionally, U20 national record holder Neeru Pathak could spring a surprise.

100m Hurdles – Jyothi Yarraji

India’s hurdle queen Jyothi Yarraji is set to make her comeback after a lengthy injury layoff. The Interstate Championships will mark her season opener and serve as an Asian Games qualifier.

The reigning Asian champion stunned everyone at the Asian Athletics Championships by winning gold in 12.96s. She will be targeting the Asian Games qualification mark of 13.34s.

India’s only sub-13-second women’s hurdler and silver medallist from the previous Asian Games recently told NNIS Sports: “I will be looking to post another PB. I am back and better.”

400m Hurdles – Vithya Ramraj

India’s 400m hurdles national record holder, jointly with P.T. Usha, will be one of the biggest attractions at the championships.

Vithya has clocked 56.61s this season and will be aiming to go below the 56-second mark again. Her personal best stands at 55.42s, set in 2023. It has been almost two years since she last ran sub-56 seconds, something she will be eager to change at this meet.

Her form has been encouraging, having also clocked 52.22s in the flat 400m, currently India’s fastest time this season.

High Jump – Pooja

Pooja, India’s U20 High Jump national record holder and newly crowned senior national record holder, will be in action at the Interstate Championships.

She broke the U20 national record multiple times before producing a historic clearance of 1.93m — the highest jump ever by an Indian woman and a new senior national record.

Pooja has already achieved the qualification standard for the World U20 Championships and has also been named in India’s squad for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Long Jump – Ancy Sojan

2026 Federation Cup champion Ancy Sojan produced one of the standout performances of the season while chasing the Commonwealth Games qualification standard.

She leapt a lifetime best of 6.75m, making her India’s third-best long jumper of all time. The Asian Games 2023 silver medallist will certainly be one of the athletes to watch in Bhubaneswar.

Other contenders in the event include Pavana Nagaraj, Mubassina, and Shaili Singh, ensuring an exciting battle in the sand pit.

An exciting week for Indian athletics as the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships begin tomorrow at the iconic Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar (Odisha), from June 24-28, 2026.

The five-day Category ‘B’ competition is a qualification event for the 2026 Asian Games. Athletes from across the country have travelled to Bhubaneswar in a bid to punch their tickets to Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

Around 700 athletes will be in action over five days at Kalinga Stadium. Here, NNIS Sports presents the event-wise athletes and rivalries to look out for.

100m

After Gurindervir Singh’s iconic 10.09s run, which shattered the Indian national record, the men’s 100m has become a fan favourite. Although India’s fastest man will be missing this competition, there are still plenty of names capable of delivering a thrilling contest.

Animesh Kujur: India’s all-time second-fastest man and one of Gurindervir’s biggest rivals, Animesh Kujur will compete in both the 100m and 200m at his home ground, Kalinga Stadium. At the Federation Cup, Gurindervir first broke the national record in the semifinals before Animesh snatched the title minutes later, clocking a lifetime best 10.15s to become India’s second-fastest man ever. Although Gurindervir reclaimed the title of India’s fastest man later, Animesh will now be looking to reclaim the spotlight in front of his home crowd.

Manikanta H: India’s most consistent 100m sprinter and a former national record holder, Manikanta is making his comeback after an injury early in the season. His lifetime best of 10.19s makes him India’s third-fastest man ever. He will be targeting the Asian Games qualification mark of 10.16s.

Other names to watch include last year’s Federation Cup champion Pranav Gurav (10.27s), reigning Interstate champion Tamil Arasu S (10.22s PB), along with Nuzrat, Harjit, Lalu Bhoi and Ragul Kumar.

400m

The field is packed with elite quarter-milers aiming for Asian Games qualification and a place in India’s 4x400m relay squad.

Vishal T K: India’s first and only sub-45-second runner, Vishal stunned the athletics fraternity at the Federation Cup by clocking 44.98s and becoming the first Indian to break the 45-second barrier. While the Asian Games qualification mark of 45.97s looks achievable, the quality of the field could push him towards another national record or at least another sub-45 performance.

Rajesh Ramesh: One of India’s most consistent quarter-milers, Rajesh remains best remembered for his heroic anchor leg at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. At the Federation Cup, while Vishal grabbed the headlines, Rajesh’s frustration was visible after the race. This season, he has already clocked a personal best of 45.26s and will be looking to improve further. Can he become the next Indian to go sub-45? The rivalry between Vishal and Rajesh could elevate Indian 400m standards even further.

Other athletes to watch include Dharamveer Choudhary, who has posted multiple personal bests this season, Vikrant Panchal, Manu T S, Barath S, and Theerthesh Shetty.

110m Hurdles

Tejas Shirse recently proved once again why he is India’s hurdle king, lowering the national record to 13.27s. However, there are challengers ready to push him.

Krishik M: The 22-year-old has often pushed Tejas in recent competitions and has improved to a massive lifetime best of 13.44s this season, making him India’s second-fastest hurdler ever. He will be looking to challenge the national record holder once again at India’s premier domestic athletics competition.

Other athletes to watch include Madhvendra Shekhawat, Manav R and Muhammed Lazan. The Asian Games qualification standard stands at 13.63s.

400m Hurdles

This is one event not to be missed, with India’s top three hurdlers — Santhosh T, Yashas Palaksha and Jabir M — set to clash.

At Indian Series-6, all three athletes went sub-50 seconds in the same competition for the first time. At the Federation Cup, Yashas stunned Santhosh by clocking 49.00s to win the title and register India’s second-fastest time ever. Santhosh followed closely with 49.06s, now India’s third-fastest time ever.

Can either athlete finally dip below 49 seconds? With the national record of 48.80s held by Dharun Ayyasamy, the mark could be under serious threat.

High Jump

Sarvesh Kushare and Aadarsh Ram will once again renew their rivalry.

Sarvesh cleared 2.28m last season, India’s second-highest clearance ever, and finished sixth at the 2025 World Championships. This season, Aadarsh responded with a 2.27m jump, making him India’s third-best performer of all time.

Can either athlete challenge the national record of 2.29m? Based on current form, it certainly looks possible.

Pole Vault

A year ago, few would have believed India could have Asian Games contenders in men’s pole vault. This season, that has changed.

Dev Meena and Kuldeep Kumar have taken Indian pole vaulting to a new level.

Dev matched his lifetime best of 5.40m early in the season before Kuldeep cleared 5.41m at the Indoor Nationals to set a new national record. Dev responded by clearing 5.45m at the Federation Cup, only for Kuldeep to match the same height later. Both now jointly hold the national record at 5.45m — a height that also meets the Asian Games qualification standard.

Notably, no Indian male pole vaulter has ever qualified for the Asian Games through such standards before. Can they do it again at the Interstate Championships and perhaps raise the national record further?

Another athlete to watch is Reegan Ganesh, who has cleared 5.35m this season, India’s third-best performance ever.

Long Jump

Five Indian athletes have already breached the 8m mark this season, including two first-time achievers, making this arguably the most competitive long jump field in Interstate history.

All five — Murali Sreeshankar (8.15m SB), Shahnavaz Khan (8.23m), David P (8.22m), Lokesh Sathyanathan (8.21m), and Jithin R C (8.12m) — will be in action.

Adding further excitement is national record holder Jeswin Aldrin (8.41m), along with other contenders such as Mohd Sazid, Sunny and Purushotham.

Javelin Throw

One of India’s most anticipated events is set to deliver another exciting battle.

The field includes Rohit Yadav, who recently registered a lifetime best of 83.76m, Yashvir Singh (82.93m PB), Shivam Lohakare (81.71m PB) and Arshdeep Singh (80.15m PB) this season.

With several athletes in career-best form and Asian Games qualification on the line, the men’s javelin competition promises to be one of the highlights of the championships.

India’s women’s 4x100m relay team produced a superb performance to clinch the gold medal at the Asian Relays 2026, continuing the country’s strong tradition in sprint relays on the continental stage.

The quartet of Srabani Nanda, Sneha S S, Sudheshna Shivankar and Tamanna combined brilliantly to clock a season-best 43.85 seconds, finishing ahead of a strong field to secure the top spot on the podium.

The victory was made even more impressive by the fact that the Indian team ran faster than it did while winning silver at the previous edition of the Asian Relays. Last year, the Indian quartet had finished second with a time of 43.86 seconds, making this year’s gold-medal-winning performance marginally quicker.

China finished second to claim the silver medal in 44.09 seconds, while Thailand took bronze after clocking 44.11 seconds in a closely contested race.

The result is a significant boost for Indian women’s sprinting and highlights the growing depth in the country’s relay programme. The team’s ability to deliver a season-best performance on a major international stage reflects both strong individual form and effective baton exchanges, often the decisive factor in relay racing.

For Srabani Nanda, Sneha S S, Sudheshna Shivankar and Tamanna, the gold medal represents a major achievement and provides valuable momentum ahead of the busy international season, which includes key qualification events and major championships.

By finishing ahead of both China and Thailand, India not only secured the gold medal but also sent out a strong statement about its ambitions in women’s sprint relays on the continental stage.