India’s star shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor has declared his intent to chase both the national and Asian records after comfortably clearing the Commonwealth Games 2026 qualification standard at the Indian Athletics Series–9.

Toor clinched the men’s shot put title with a best effort of 20.72m, surpassing the CWG qualification mark of 20.36m and underlining his return to competitive consistency after a challenging phase marked by injuries and form fluctuations.

“I am targeting the National and Asian records,” Toor said after his victory.

Strong comeback after injury struggles

The performance is another encouraging sign in Toor’s comeback journey. In recent seasons, the former Asian record holder had struggled to consistently breach the 21m barrier due to injury setbacks and loss of rhythm.

However, he showed early signs of resurgence earlier this season when he produced a strong throw of 21.03m at Indian Athletics Series–3, indicating a return to near peak condition.

His latest 20.72m effort, while below his personal best, reflects improving stability across competitions as he rebuilds towards top international form.

Toor now has his sights firmly set on the Asian record of 21.80m, currently held by Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Tolo. He also continues to hold India’s national record with a personal best of 21.77m, a mark that previously stood as the Asian record as well.

Given his trajectory, Toor’s focus appears to be shifting from qualification benchmarks to record-level performances once again.

With the Commonwealth Games 2026 qualification standard already secured, Toor’s immediate priority will be consistency at 20.5m–21m range as he builds towards major international competitions.

Two Indian javelin throwers crossed the Commonwealth Games 2026 qualification standard at the ongoing Indian Athletics Series–9, both producing lifetime best performances to finish 1–2 in the competition.

Rohit Yadav won the gold medal with a best throw of 83.76m, while Yashvir took silver with 82.93m. Both marks were new personal bests and comfortably cleared the CWG qualification benchmark.

Final results

Rohit Yadav – 83.76m (PB)

Yashvir – 82.93m (PB)

Double PB performance in qualifying range

The event marked a strong showing from India’s javelin group, with both athletes peaking at the right time in a high-stakes qualification phase. Their throws not only secured podium finishes but also ensured automatic eligibility under CWG 2026 standards.

NC factor adds possible third entry

If Neeraj Chopra successfully meets the CWG 2026 qualification standard in his upcoming competitions following recovery from injury, India could potentially field three javelin throwers at the Commonwealth Games 2026.

Chopra, who has been out of competition since the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo due to a back injury, is expected to return shortly and will also need to achieve the qualifying mark of 82.61m to confirm selection.

NCOE Patiala’s Tanu Chaudhary produced a standout performance at the Indian Athletics Series–10 being held at NCOE Trivandrum, winning the women’s 400m hurdles title with a lifetime best of 59.15 seconds and securing the qualification standard for the 2026 World U20 Championships.

The 17-year-old stopped the clock at 59.15s, achieving two major milestones in the process:

✅ Lifetime Best – 59.15s

✅ World U20 qualification standard achieved

The performance marked an impressive turnaround for Tanu, who endured disappointment in her previous competition. Despite setting a personal best, she narrowly missed the qualification mark for the Asian U20 Championships and was visibly emotional after the race.

At Trivandrum, however, she responded in the best possible manner. Running with confidence and control, Tanu improved her personal best once again and comfortably achieved the World U20 qualification standard.

Her victory was particularly noteworthy given the strength of the performance relative to the rest of the field. Tanu was the youngest athlete in the race, the only competitor to break the one-minute barrier, and recorded the fastest time across all three women’s 400m hurdles finals conducted at the meet.

The result continues a strong season for the young hurdler, who has steadily emerged as one of India’s most promising talents in the event.

For now, the 17-year-old leaves Trivandrum with a national-level title, a new personal best, and a place among India’s qualified athletes for the World U20 Championships.

India’s Olympic and world champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra is set to make his return to competitive action within the next 10 days, according to the Athletics Federation of India (AFI). The update was confirmed by AFI spokesperson Adille Sumariwalla, who also added that Chopra has recovered from his back injury and is now in the final phase of rehabilitation.

“Neeraj Chopra has recovered from his back injury. He will be returning to action probably in the next 10 days,” Sumariwalla said.

Chopra has been out of competition since the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where he competed while carrying a back issue. That appearance proved to be a difficult outing, and it ultimately marked the beginning of his extended injury break. Since then, he has not participated in any international event, focusing entirely on recovery and rehabilitation.

The Tokyo World Championships now stand as Chopra’s most recent competitive appearance. At the time, he was already managing a back injury picked up in training, but still chose to compete for India on the global stage. Following the event, his condition required a longer recovery period than initially expected, forcing him to step away from the 2026 season build-up.

His absence has been significant for Indian athletics, as Chopra has been the country’s most consistent global medal contender in track and field over the past several years.

Qualification pressure ahead of Commonwealth Games 2026

While his return is imminent, Chopra still has a key benchmark to meet before securing his place at the Commonwealth Games 2026. According to AFI, he will need to achieve the qualification standard of 82.61m to confirm selection.

Sumariwalla emphasized that despite Chopra’s stature, selection protocols remain unchanged and performance standards must be met.

Given his dominance in recent years—including Olympic gold and multiple global podium finishes—his return is one of the most anticipated developments in international javelin. However, the extended break since the Tokyo Worlds has also raised questions about how quickly he can regain peak competitive rhythm.

If Chopra competes within the next 10 days as planned, it will mark his first appearance in nearly a year since the Tokyo World Championships. The performance will also serve as a key indicator of his readiness ahead of the Commonwealth Games 2026 qualification window, where he must meet the 82.61m mark to officially secure his spot.

For now, India’s athletics fraternity will be watching closely as its biggest star prepares for a long-awaited return to the runway.

Fresh from her gold-medal-winning performance at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships, Pooja added another significant milestone to her season by securing the women’s high jump title at the Indian Athletics Series–10 being held at NCOE Trivandrum.

The young high jumper cleared 1.81m to comfortably achieve the qualification standard for the 2026 World U20 Championships, continuing her impressive run of form on the domestic circuit.

The World U20 qualification mark was Pooja’s primary target heading into the competition, and she achieved it with authority. After successfully clearing 1.81m and securing both the title and the qualification standard, she elected not to attempt further heights.

The result comes just weeks after Pooja emerged as one of India’s standout performers at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships, where she captured the gold medal and established herself among the continent’s leading junior high jumpers.

Tamil Nadu’s Uwin Anand booked his place for the 2026 World U20 Championships after winning the men’s U20 800m title at the Indian Athletics Series–10, being held at NCOE Trivandrum, in impressive fashion.

The youngster clocked a lifetime best of 1:49.93, becoming one of the latest Indian athletes to achieve the qualification standard for the global junior championships.

Results

Uwin Anand – 1:49.93 (PB)

✅ World U20 qualification standard achieved

Uwin executed his race plan to perfection, staying composed through the opening lap before producing a strong finishing burst in the closing stages. Well positioned throughout the race, he conserved energy during the early exchanges and timed his move effectively to pull away from the field over the final 200 metres.

The sub-1:50 performance marks a significant breakthrough for the Tamil Nadu athlete, who has steadily improved over the past few seasons across both middle-distance and sprint events.

Interestingly, Uwin is not exclusively an 800m runner. He also competes regularly in the 400m and owns a personal best of 48.15 seconds in the one-lap event. That speed has become an important asset in his 800m racing, particularly during tactical races where a strong finish can prove decisive.

The combination of 400m speed and growing endurance has allowed him to emerge as one of India’s most promising U20 distances athletes.

Tejas Ashok Shirse produced the standout performance of the Indian Athletics Series–9, clocking a sensational 13.27 seconds in the men’s 110m hurdles to set a new Indian National Record and achieve the qualification standard for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The Maharashtra hurdler delivered a flawless race to improve his personal best and move into elite company in Asian athletics.

The performance earned him multiple milestones:

 New Indian National Record
 CWG 2026 Qualification Standard Achieved
 Lifetime Best – 13.27s
 Asia’s All-Time No. 14 Performer
 Asia’s Sixth-Fastest Time of the 2026 Season

Shirse’s 13.27s eclipsed the previous national record and further established him as India’s leading sprint hurdler. The timing also places him among the fastest athletes the continent has produced in the event.

The run continues a strong upward trajectory for the 23-year-old, who has steadily improved over the past few seasons through a series of national-level victories and international appearances. His latest performance represents a significant breakthrough, particularly in an event where Indian athletes have traditionally struggled to match the standards set by the world’s leading hurdle nations.

Beyond the national record, the timing comfortably cleared the qualification mark for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, strengthening his prospects for selection.

The result is also significant in the broader context of Indian athletics. Sprint hurdling has rarely produced continental-level performances from Indian athletes, making Shirse’s entry into the upper ranks of Asian all-time lists a notable achievement.

Nigeria’s sprint sensation Samuel Ogazi delivered one of the greatest performances in collegiate athletics history, storming to victory in the men’s 400m final at the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a breathtaking 43.38 seconds.

Representing the University of Alabama, the 19-year-old produced a run for the ages, achieving an extraordinary clean sweep of milestones:

 World Lead
 NCAA Record
 Nigerian Record
 Fourth Fastest Man in History

Competing at the iconic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, Ogazi took control of the race from the opening stages and never looked back.

The Nigerian displayed exceptional composure through the backstretch before unleashing a devastating finish to stop the clock at 43.38 seconds, breaking the previous NCAA record and establishing the fastest time in the world this year.

In doing so, he eclipsed his own Nigerian national record and became one of the youngest athletes ever to run under 43.50 seconds.

The mark also places him among some of the greatest quarter-milers the sport has ever produced, with only world record holder Wayde van Niekerk and a select few others having run faster.

Ogazi’s rise has been rapid.

The Nigerian first announced himself on the international stage by winning medals at age-group championships before becoming one of the standout performers at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he reached the men’s 400m final as a teenager.

His transition to the NCAA system has accelerated his development even further. Competing against some of the world’s strongest collegiate athletes week after week has helped transform him from a promising junior into a genuine global contender.

At just 19 years old, he is still younger than many of his professional rivals, making his latest achievement all the more remarkable.

A Landmark Moment for Nigerian Athletics

Nigeria has produced world-class sprinters across generations, but elite men’s 400m performers have been comparatively rare.

Ogazi’s 43.38 not only establishes a new national record but also signals the arrival of a potential championship contender capable of challenging for medals at the highest level.

The performance comes at a crucial time for Nigerian athletics as the country seeks to build on its growing presence in global sprinting and relay events.

How Fast Was 43.38?

Running 43.38 seconds over 400m requires maintaining an average speed of more than 33 km/h for an entire lap of the track while managing the immense physiological demands of the event.

Often described as one of the most difficult races in athletics, the 400m combines the speed of a sprinter with the endurance of a middle-distance runner. Very few athletes in history have mastered that balance as effectively as Ogazi did in Eugene.

Already an Olympian, a national record holder, an NCAA champion, and now the fourth-fastest man in history, Samuel Ogazi has accomplished more before turning 20 than most athletes achieve in an entire career.

Karnataka’s rising sprint star Unnathi Bollanda continued her impressive 2026 season by clinching the women’s 200m title at the Indian Athletics Series-9 in Ludhiana, clocking a lifetime best of 23.66 seconds.

The performance further underlined the 21-year-old’s growing stature in Indian sprinting as she continues her pursuit of the qualification standard for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, set at 23.06 seconds.

While she fell short of that mark on this occasion, her latest victory adds to a season that has already seen her emerge as one of the country’s most promising quarter-lap specialists.

Building on Record-Breaking Form

Unnathi entered the competition in excellent form after a standout performance at the Karnataka State Athletics Championships, where she clocked an unofficial 23.10 seconds.

That run not only broke the Karnataka state record but also shattered the 35-year-old meet record of 23.40 seconds, set by Indian sprinting legend Ashwini Nachappa in 1990.

The timing was particularly significant as it represented one of the fastest performances by an Indian woman in recent years and brought her agonisingly close to the Commonwealth Games qualification standard.

For context, the 23.10s run was the fastest time recorded by an Indian woman at the domestic level since G. Giridharini Ravi Kumar clocked 22.06 seconds in 2022.

Jilna Also Produces Lifetime Best

The women’s 200m final also saw an encouraging performance from Kerala’s MV Jilna, who finished second with a lifetime best of 23.76 seconds.

The strong showing from both athletes reflects the improving depth in Indian women’s sprinting, an area that has witnessed significant progress over the past few seasons.

With several young sprinters consistently running under 24 seconds, competition for national team spots is becoming increasingly intense.

Athletics Runs in the Family

Unnathi’s success comes as little surprise to those familiar with her background.

She is the daughter of G. Pramila, an Olympian and Asian Games medallist who represented India with distinction on the international stage. Growing up in an athletics-oriented environment has played a key role in shaping her development, and she is now beginning to carve out her own identity in Indian sprinting.

The youngster first gained national attention after winning bronze at the 2024 Asian U20 Athletics Championships.

Eyes on Commonwealth Games Qualification

With the Commonwealth Games qualification standard still within reach, Unnathi remains firmly in contention to secure a place at one of the biggest competitions of her young career.