Bureau Report

India endured a disappointing campaign at the Asian Relays 2026, with both the men’s and women’s 4x400m relay teams failing to finish on the podium despite entering the competition with high expectations.

The women’s team finished fourth, missing out on a medal as Vietnam clinched gold in 3:31.16. China secured silver with 3:32.68, while Kazakhstan claimed bronze after clocking a personal best of 3:33.87.

The men’s team fared even worse, finishing fifth in a race won by Vietnam, whose quartet produced a personal best of 3:02.60. China took silver in 3:03.23, while Sri Lanka completed the podium with 3:03.33.

The results raise uncomfortable questions for Indian athletics, particularly given the level of support available to the country’s relay programmes.

India’s relay athletes benefit from year-round training at the National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Trivandrum, work under foreign coaches and receive extensive support through the Sports Authority of India’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). Yet despite access to infrastructure, coaching and funding that many Asian nations can only aspire to, India failed to secure a medal in either relay event.

Some observers may point out that the men’s team was not India’s strongest possible combination and could be viewed as a second-string squad.

That argument, however, becomes harder to make in the women’s event.

Under the Athletics Federation of India’s current campers-only selection policy, the relay squad was effectively the best available combination from the national camp system. If the athletes selected from the country’s premier training setup were unable to reach the podium at the continental level, it raises larger questions about the effectiveness of the current high-performance structure.

The performances also come at a time when several Asian nations are making significant strides in relay running. Vietnam’s gold medals in both men’s and women’s events underline the rapid progress being made by countries that have traditionally not been considered relay powerhouses.

For India, the Asian Relays were expected to be a stepping stone towards bigger targets such as the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. Instead, the competition has highlighted the gap that still exists between investment and results.

Bureau Report

Indian sprint sensation and national record holder Gurindervir Singh is set to miss the upcoming Interstate Athletics Championships 2026, a competition that also serves as a key qualification event for the 2026 Asian Games.

The 25-year-old’s name is notably absent from the Athletics Federation of India’s (AFI) bib list released ahead of the championships, ruling him out of the country’s most important domestic athletics meet of the season.

Gurindervir has been enjoying a breakthrough year. Earlier this season, he etched his name into the history books by clocking a stunning 10.09 seconds in the men’s 100m, becoming the first Indian athlete ever to break the 10.10-second barrier. The performance also saw him rewrite the national record and cement his status as India’s fastest man.

Despite missing the Interstate Championships, Gurindervir has already secured qualification for the Commonwealth Games 2026 and has been included in India’s squad for Glasgow. His absence from the Asian Games qualification meet, however, will come as a disappointment for Indian athletics fans who were hoping to see the national record holder in action.

While he may not feature in the individual 100m at the Interstates, there remains hope that Gurindervir will be part of India’s men’s 4x100m relay plans later in the season.

The Indian relay team will be targeting the Asian Games qualification standard of 38.81 seconds, a mark that appears well within reach based on recent performances. Last season, the Indian quartet clocked faster than the qualification standard in all three of their major outings, emerging as one of Asia’s most promising sprint relay teams.

Gurindervir, alongside fellow sprint star Animesh Kujur, played a crucial role in those performances, providing India with explosive starts and strong relay legs against quality international competition.

By Sushant Singh

India’s mixed 4×100m relay team secured a bronze medal at the Asian Relays Championships 2026, finishing with a time of 41.47 seconds.

Pranav provided a solid start, while Tamanna and Animesh kept India in contention, with the team leading heading into the final exchange. However, a delayed baton handover between Animesh and anchor runner Sneha cost valuable time, allowing Thailand and China to move ahead in the closing stages.

Thailand claimed the gold medal in 41.14 seconds, followed by China with 41.29 seconds, while India completed the podium with a bronze-winning effort of 41.47 seconds.

Bureau Report

Asian Relays Championships 2026 | June 20–21

After a Federation Cup that produced national records in sprints, pole vault, and high jump, the spotlight now shifts to the track’s most collective discipline — the relay. India’s relay teams are set for action across two days at the Asian Relays Championships 2026, with mixed, men’s, and women’s squads all competing for continental honours.

The Schedule (All Timings IST)

Saturday, June 20

• 4x100m Relay Mixed Final — 4:40 PM
• 4x400m Relay Mixed Final — 6:05 PM

Sunday, June 21

• 4x100m Women’s Relay Final — 4:50 PM
• 4x400m Women’s Relay Final — 6:00 PM
• 4x400m Men’s Relay Final — 6:17 PM

Five finals. Two days. A packed and high-stakes relay calendar for Team India.

The Squads

Men’s 4x400m & Mixed 4x400m

India’s men’s quarter-mile stocks run deep, with eight athletes named across the pool for these events: Theerthesh P Shetty, Avinash Kumar, Setu Mishra, Nihal William, S Santhosh, Rince Joseph, Suraj Alagar Raja, Mohit Kumar, and Barath Sridhar. With this much depth on the roster, India’s selectors have options to fine-tune their strongest possible combination for both the standalone men’s final and the mixed relay.

Mixed 4x100m

A compact trio anchors India’s mixed sprint relay effort: Animesh Kujur, Harsh Santosh Raut, and Pranav Gaurav. Kujur arrives with serious pedigree — having recently broken the national 100m record at Federation Cup with a blistering 10.15s. His sprint speed could prove decisive in what is traditionally one of the most unpredictable relay formats on the circuit.

Women’s 4x400m & Mixed 4x400m

India’s women’s quarter-mile group is stacked with experience and emerging talent: Rashdeep Kaur, MR Poovamma, Ansa Babu, Vijaykumari GK, Saloni Nagar, Neeru Pathak, Subha Venkatesan, and Gowrinandana. The inclusion of MR Poovamma — one of Indian athletics’ most decorated relay campaigners — brings invaluable big-stage experience to a squad otherwise blending fresh faces into the mix.

Women’s 4x100m & Mixed 4x100m

India’s sprint relay hopes rest with Nithya Gandhe, Tamanna, Sneha SS, Sudeshna Shivankar, and Srabani Nanda. Srabani Nanda’s experience at the international level adds composure to a sprint unit that will need slick exchanges to compete with the continent’s fastest nations.

Why the Relays Matter

Relay events carry a unique weight in athletics — they are tests of speed, yes, but also of precision, trust, and team chemistry. A single fumbled baton exchange can undo months of individual training in a fraction of a second. For India, a nation that has produced increasingly competitive individual sprinters and quarter-milers in 2026, the relay events are where that talent must come together as one unit against Asia’s best.

With strong individual performances already on the board this season — national records in the 100m, depth in the 400m, and rising sprint talent across the board — India’s relay squads arrive in good spirits and even better form.

Time to Cheer

Two days. Five finals. Squads built on a blend of seasoned campaigners and hungry newcomers. India’s baton-carriers are ready to take on the continent’s finest.

Get behind Team India as the Asian Relays Championships 2026 gets underway.

By Sushant Singh

One of India’s elite javelin throwers has been terminated, while several other athletes have been suspended in what has been officially described as a “Performance-Enhancing Drug Incident” at the Odisha Reliance Foundation Athletics HPC (Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar).
Multiple sources revealed to NNIS Sports that the javelin thrower has been terminated from the centre, while a 400m hurdler and a decathlete have been charged and suspended.

The same centre is set to host the Inter-State Athletics Championships in a couple of days, which will serve as a qualifying event for the upcoming Asian Games 2026. The HPC is one of India’s premier athletics training centres and has trained several top athletes, including India’s current 200m national record holder and one of the country’s fastest men, Animesh Kujur.

During its investigation, NNIS Sports learned that the incident occurred around a month ago, following which the athletes involved were immediately suspended. However, days later, the javelin thrower was allegedly involved in another act of misconduct, which ultimately led to his termination from the centre.

Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage continued his breakthrough season in style by winning the men’s javelin throw at the Ostrava Golden Spike meeting with a best effort of 86.57m. The Sri Lankan star produced the standout performance of the competition to finish ahead of a strong international field and further cement his place among Asia’s leading javelin throwers.

Pathirage’s victory comes just weeks after he stunned the athletics world with a massive 92.62m throw, a mark that not only established a new Sri Lankan national record but also elevated him to second on Asia’s all-time list. That sensational effort made him the world leader for 2026 and placed him among the top ten performers in javelin history.

In Ostrava, the Sri Lankan did not need to approach those extraordinary distances to secure victory. His throw of 86.57m was enough to comfortably hold off two-time world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada, who finished second with a best mark of 84.27m. Peters, one of the most accomplished javelin throwers of the modern era, remains a major contender on the global circuit, making Pathirage’s win all the more impressive.

South Africa’s Douw Smit completed the podium with a throw of 83.90m. Smit has enjoyed steady progress in recent seasons and once again demonstrated his consistency by surpassing the 83-metre mark against elite opposition.

For Pathirage, the victory represents another important milestone in what has rapidly become a career-defining year. The 22-year-old has transformed from a promising regional athlete into one of the world’s most talked-about javelin throwers. His combination of explosive power and improving technical consistency has made him a genuine medal contender at major championships.

Sri Lanka has rarely featured prominently in global throwing events, making Pathirage’s rise particularly significant. His performances have generated excitement not only within his home nation but across Asian athletics, where he has emerged as one of the continent’s brightest field-event talents.

With the season’s major championships approaching, Pathirage’s triumph in Ostrava provides further evidence that his record-breaking 92.62m throw was no one-off performance. If he can maintain this level of form, the Sri Lankan star could play a major role on the world stage and continue rewriting the record books for both his country and Asia.

By  Sushant Singh

The Indian Athletics Series–9, which was announced as another opportunity for athletes to qualify for the Commonwealth Games 2026 and, in some events, the U20 World Athletics Championships 2026, concluded at the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana, Punjab.

It was already known to be a hectic, single-day event and was expected to attract heavy participation because of the qualification significance it carried. Athletes arrived prepared to deliver world-class performances, as that is what is expected of them to qualify for some of the world’s premier competitions. But the organisers appeared to fail to understand that significance or perhaps someone failed to convey the importance of the meet to them.

As per the schedule, the competition was expected to begin at 5:30 a.m. with the 10,000m race walk and end with the discus.

The mismanagement, however, had begun a day earlier.

Usually, athletes collect their bibs (chest numbers) a day before competition to avoid unnecessary hassle on the day of the event. This time, they were instructed to collect them on the morning of the competition itself. Even then, the process could have been smooth had it been properly managed. Instead, it became a nightmare, according to athletes who spoke to us.

A support staff member who travelled with some of the athletes said in a subdued voice, clearly disappointed:

“It was a mess. National record holders and elite athletes were made to wait for long hours just to collect their bibs. Rather than finding a solution as time passed, the bib distributors — some inexperienced volunteers — threw all the bibs onto the ground, and athletes had to search for their own in a mountain of bibs.”

He further added:

“It was a scene hard to watch. Once the numbers got mixed up, it became very difficult for athletes to find their own.”

He spoke with disappointment, thanking God he had not brought some more elite athletes who were initially supposed to compete.

An elite coach spoke candidly:

“For viewers, organisers or volunteers, it’s just a bib — a piece of paper with a number written on it, used to identify athletes. But for an athlete, it is a feeling of competition. It is his identity. A bib always holds a special place in an athlete’s heart.”

The bib does hold a special place. In recent years, it has become common to see athletes posing with their bibs after victories, often writing messages on them after winning medals or breaking national records. It may seem insignificant to outsiders, but for athletes, it represents belief before competition and memories after it.

The chaos was evident even on the track. Our cameras captured an 800m athlete wearing two different bibs with similar numbers on the front and back.

The men’s 800m final began, and 2018 Asian U20 champion Anu R started strongly before collapsing in the final 100 metres. What came as a shock was that no immediate medical support arrived, as the medical team and ambulance were allegedly late. Athletes themselves rushed to help him after he collapsed on the track, reportedly suffering severe pain caused by a kidney stone. Later, fellow athletes carried him to the hospital.

A coach, who was watching the livestream from elsewhere, also called and said:

“Athletes travel to different states, paying hefty entry fees just to complete the federation’s mandatory competitions. If something had happened to him, who would be responsible? Everyone carries these worries in their hearts, but who do they talk to?”

Several athletes later came up and said, “These things should be reported. Whose fault is this? Athletes pay entry fees, but in return, they get nothing. Basic facilities like drinking water and clean toilets are sometimes missing from these national meets.”

AFI has already posted a circular on its website stating that if anything happens to athletes during competition, the federation is not responsible.

But the question remains: WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

The 100m events, which featured more than ten finals and the highest participation numbers of the meet, were delayed due to technical faults not by a few minutes, but by nearly an hour.

Athletes who had already completed their warm-ups were left sitting beside the start line, continuing their exercises simply to keep their bodies warm ahead of the races they had travelled from across the country to compete in.

One athlete joked:

“Agar hum ek minute late ho jayein toh entry nahi milti. Yahan itna late ho raha hai inki wajah se, uska kuch nahi kar sakte.”

In the U20 men’s 3000m steeplechase, a qualifying event for the U20 World Championships, one athlete’s rhythm was broken when a women’s javelin thrower reportedly came into his path during the race.

One former athlete, whose younger brother was competing, messaged us:

“Sir, aap athlete ki awaaz ho. Sir, AFI athletes ke saath bahut galat kar rahi hai. Bas AFI ko paise se matlab hai, sir.”

Even the limited media personnel present at the stadium since morning had no charging ports available to them.

Then came one of the performances of the day.

Tejas Shirse broke the national record, clocking an outstanding 13.27 seconds to breach the Commonwealth Games qualification mark. After the race, he called fellow athletes over. Joined by India’s leading hurdlers, including Krishik M and Madhvendra, they collectively raised concerns with technical officials about the conditions and urged for better organisation at national-level competitions.

They pointed out that no hurdles had been made available for warm-ups. When they moved to the main field to warm up, they were disturbed by trespassers, with no officials present to stop them.

Tejas said, “Sir, this is a Commonwealth Games 2026 qualifier. We have come to Punjab. It is a request to provide these facilities.”

The chaos did not end there.

The shot put and discus events, which were scheduled to begin around 7 p.m., continued without adequate floodlights. Discus throwers could not properly see where their implements were landing after release. Volunteers responsible for measurements raised concerns, saying they were unable to spot the discus in the darkness.

The situation escalated further when officials struggled to conduct measurements accurately. The discus competition was halted after three rounds, with the top eight finalists instructed to return the following day to complete the event.

Another group of discus throwers, who had already begun warming up for their competition, were later informed that their event too had been postponed until the next day.

The athletes from this second group approached us while leaving the premises, frustration evident, but hope still in their eyes. They questioned how they were expected to recover, sleep and return to perform at their best after already consuming caffeine and completing their carefully planned pre-competition warm-up routines.

As per AFI’s website, the federation has an Athletes’ Commission comprising nine members, including Avinash Sable, Neeraj Chopra, Anju Bobby George and Sunita Rani. But who is listening to and finding solutions for athletes who continue to suffer at national competitions?

Ludhiana was supposed to be a stage where athletes chased Commonwealth Games dreams and U20 World Championship berths.

Indian athletics often asks its athletes to perform like professionals on the international stage. The least they can expect in return is an environment that treats them like professionals at home.

If national qualification meets cannot guarantee basic dignity, safety and organisation, the question is no longer whether athletes are resilient enough to overcome adversity.

The question is: why are they still being asked to?

Indian Athletics Series 9 & 10, which served as the qualification competitions for the upcoming U20 World Athletics Championships 2026, were held ahead of the event scheduled from 5–9 August 2026 at Hayward Field, University of Oregon, in Eugene, Oregon, United States.

The national federation, AFI, had specifically mentioned the events that would serve as qualifiers through both competitions. Indian Series 9 was designated as the qualifying event for the 1500m, 3000m, 5000m, 3000m Steeplechase, Shot Put, Discus Throw, Hammer Throw, and Javelin Throw.

Meanwhile, Indian Series 10 served as the qualifier for the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 110mH/100mH, 400mH, High Jump, Pole Vault, Long Jump, and Triple Jump.

Including both competitions, a total of 20 athletes managed to achieve or better the qualification standards set by World Athletics and published on its official website.

World U20 Qualification Standards Achieved at Indian Series 9 & 10

Men

1. Uwin Anand – 800m – 1:49.93 (PB)
2. Mogali Venkatram Reddy – 800m – 1:48.77
3. Basant – High Jump – 2.19m
4. Ambriesh K. – High Jump – 2.12m (PB)
5. Shahnavaz Khan – Long Jump – 8.17m
6. Jithin Arjunan R.C. – Long Jump – 8.12m (PB)
7. Sandeep Vinodkumar – 110m Hurdles – 13.63 (PB)
8. Fasalul Haque – 110m Hurdles – 13.76
9. Dharanidharan T. – Javelin Throw – 73.42m (PB)
10. Ashish Yadav – Javelin Throw – 72.27m
11. Nishchay – Discus Throw – 59.12m
12. Amit – 400m Hurdles – 51.58s
13. Sahil Raj – 400m Hurdles – 52.72s
14. Ranjith Kumar S. – 400m – 47.26s

Women

1. Pooja – High Jump – 1.81m
2. Nipam – 100m – 11.75s
3. Tanu Chaudhary – 400m Hurdles – 59.15s (PB)
4. Poonam – Javelin Throw – 52.16m (PB)
5. Thiya A.K. – 400m – 55.02s
6. Anshu – Shot Put – 15.92m

It should be noted that this is not the final team, as the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has revised the qualification standards published on its website.

Also, this list includes only the top two performers in each event. For example, in the men’s 110m hurdles and men’s javelin throw, multiple athletes achieved the qualification standards, but only the top two performers have been included here.

The final decision regarding team selection rests with the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).

India’s sprint scene witnessed another breakout performance as Harita Bhadra produced a sensational run to win the women’s 200m title at Indian Series–10, clocking a lifetime best of 23.58 seconds. The performance stands as the fastest time by an Indian woman in the 200m this season and currently ranks among the top 12 marks in Asia in 2026.

The 23-year-old sprinter delivered a composed yet explosive race to cap off what has already been a breakthrough year on the national circuit.

Harita’s latest performance is the continuation of a rapidly ascending trajectory across multiple sprint events this year. Earlier in the season, she captured the national indoor 60m title, where she also registered the second-fastest indoor 60m time ever by an Indian woman, underlining her growing reputation as one of India’s most promising short-distance sprinters.

She has also been part of a landmark moment for Indian relay sprinting, featuring in the mixed 4x100m relay team that broke the national record, a performance that also saw the squad outperform the senior national team—an indicator of the depth emerging in Indian sprinting.

Harita’s form has not been limited to the 200m. In her previous outing, she clocked a personal best of 11.55 seconds in the 100m, further highlighting her consistency across sprint distances and her improving speed endurance.