The World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest were expected to bring together many of the biggest names in global athletics.

Instead, the inaugural edition will be missing a remarkable number of stars.

At the top of that list is India’s Neeraj Chopra.

Neeraj Chopra Among Major Absentees

Chopra will not compete in Budapest after ending his 2026 season early because of an ankle ligament injury.

His absence removes one of the biggest attractions in world athletics.

It also means India’s biggest track and field star will miss a championship designed to showcase the best of the best.

And Chopra is far from alone.

The list of high-profile absentees is extensive.

Kenyan distance-running superstar Faith Kipyegon will not compete in Budapest.

American sprint star Noah Lyles is also out.

The women’s 5000m will be without another Kenyan powerhouse, Beatrice Chebet, who is on a maternity break.

American hurdling great Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is also away on maternity leave.

Jamaican sprint stars Shericka Jackson and Kishane Thompson will also miss the championships.

Nadia Battocletti of Italy will not compete for personal reasons.

Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji, Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith and Germany’s Malaika Mihambo are among the other notable absentees.

Field Events Also Lose Major Stars

The field events will also be missing some of their biggest names.

Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas, one of the most dominant athletes in triple jump history, will not compete.

Neither will Italy’s Mattia Furlani, America’s Jordan Anthony and Cooper Lutkenhaus, or Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala.

There is another major reason behind the unusually long absentee list.

Some events are simply not part of the Ultimate Championships programme.

As a result, the leading athletes in the men’s and women’s 3000m steeplechase, men’s discus throw, women’s hammer throw and men’s triple jump will not have an opportunity to compete.

That means athletes such as Kenya’s Faith Cherotich and Winfred Yavi, America’s Chase Jackson and Camryn Rogers, and Portugal’s Pedro Pichardo will also be absent from the Budapest line-up.

Why Are So Many Stars Missing?

The reasons are varied.

Injuries have ruled out several major names.

Maternity breaks have taken others away from competition.

Personal reasons have kept some athletes out.

Then there is the unusual format of the Ultimate Championships, with a programme that does not include several traditional championship events.

The result is an event that may still have an impressive field.

However, it will inevitably feel the absence of a remarkable collection of global stars.

Chopra’s Absence a Major Blow for Indian Fans

For Indian fans, Neeraj Chopra’s absence will be particularly significant.

The javelin thrower had been expected to be one of the marquee names in Budapest after another high-profile season.

Instead, his 2026 campaign is over.

The Ultimate Championships will go ahead without the Olympic and world champion.

His absence is a reminder of just how difficult it is to assemble a truly complete field in athletics.

Even when the world’s biggest stars are invited, the calendar, injuries, personal circumstances, maternity breaks and event selection can dramatically change the line-up.

Budapest will still have champions, contenders and plenty of world-class athletics.

But it will also have a very long list of empty spaces where some of the biggest names in the sport would otherwise have been.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has selected 77 athletes for the upcoming Asian Games 2026, making athletics the largest contingent among all sports in India’s Asian Games squad.

Several athletes who represented India at the previous edition in Hangzhou have been selected again. The group includes 15 medallists, who will look to add to their medal tally at the upcoming Games.

Here’s a look at the Hangzhou medallists selected again.

Tajinderpal Singh Toor

Tajinderpal Singh Toor won gold in the men’s shot put at the previous edition.

He produced a winning throw of 20.36m.

Toor will now aim to successfully defend his Asian Games title.

Avinash Sable

Avinash Sable won two medals in Hangzhou.

He claimed gold in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 8:19.50.

He also won silver in the 5000m with a time of 13:21.09.

Parul Chaudhary

Parul Chaudhary also returned from Hangzhou with two medals.

She won gold in the 5000m and silver in the 3000m steeplechase.

Parul returns to the Asian Games aiming for another strong performance.

Annu Rani

Annu Rani won gold in the women’s javelin throw in Hangzhou.

She produced a season-best throw of 62.92m.

Rani will now look to defend her Asian Games title.

Murali Sreeshankar

Murali Sreeshankar won silver in the men’s long jump with an 8.19m effort.

He returns to the Asian Games after making a comeback from a career-threatening injury.

Rajesh Ramesh

Rajesh Ramesh won two medals in Hangzhou.

He claimed gold in the men’s 4x400m relay and silver in the mixed 4x400m relay.

Jyothi Yarraji

Jyothi Yarraji initially won bronze in the women’s 100m hurdles.

Her medal was later upgraded to silver following a protest.

Yarraji also returns after making a comeback from a career-threatening injury.

Ancy Sojan

Ancy Sojan won silver in the women’s long jump with a 6.63m effort.

She now heads to the Games as India’s national record holder.

Her season-best stands at 6.88m.

Vithya Ramraj

Vithya Ramraj won three medals in Hangzhou.

She claimed two silver medals in the women’s and mixed 4x400m relays.

She also won bronze in the 400m hurdles.

Ramraj equalled the national record in the hurdles with a time of 55.42s.

Mohammed Afsal

Mohammed Afsal won silver in the men’s 800m in Hangzhou.

He clocked 1:48.43.

Afsal now heads to the Games as India’s national record holder in the 800m.

He set the current mark with a time of 1:44.93 last season.

Tejaswin Shankar

Tejaswin Shankar won silver in the men’s decathlon.

He finished with 7,666 points.

Gulveer Singh

Gulveer Singh won bronze in the men’s 10,000m in Hangzhou.

He heads into this edition with improved personal bests and a double medal from the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Gulveer will compete in the 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m.

He currently holds the Indian national records in all three events.

Praveen Chithravel

Praveen Chithravel won bronze in the men’s triple jump.

He produced an effort of 16.68m in Hangzhou.

Manju Rani

Manju Rani won bronze in the team race walk alongside Ram Baboo.

This time, she will represent India in the marathon race walk.

Rani holds the national record in the event.

Prachi Choudhary

Prachi Choudhary won silver as part of India’s women’s 4x400m relay team in Hangzhou.

This time, she has qualified for the individual 400m.

She has also been selected for the relay.

The 1500m final delivered a masterclass in tactical middle-distance running, with Australia’s Cameron Myers producing a brilliant performance.

The race featured tight battles, unexpected twists and a frantic finish.

Myers ran a sensational 3:30.14 to claim the Diamond League final crown.

The young Australian found himself temporarily boxed in behind a strong pack that included Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Phanuel Koech.

He remained composed under pressure.

Myers then squeezed through a tight gap on the home straight and unleashed his renowned finishing speed.

He edged Koech by just 0.04 seconds to take victory.

Ethan Strand finished strongly to secure third place.

Ingebrigtsen, who had led into the final lap, ultimately missed out on the top honours.

Myers, however, mastered the chaotic race to secure the biggest victory of his European summer campaign.

Myers Caps Stellar European Summer

The victory capped a stellar European summer for Myers.

Earlier in the season, the 20-year-old Australian lowered his personal best and national record to 3:28.00.

He achieved the mark while winning at the Paris Diamond League.

That performance established Myers as the world number one and a major threat in a fast-finishing field.

His ability to consistently match strides with global stars such as Olympic champions Cole Hocker and Jakob Ingebrigtsen highlights his maturity beyond his 20 years.

Road to Budapest

Myers will now turn his attention to Budapest and the upcoming World Athletics Ultimate Championships.

His current form, tactical awareness and finishing speed give him strong chances of challenging for a medal.

The start list features many of the world’s elite athletes.

However, Myers has already shown that he can handle heavy traffic and absorb the chaos of a championship race.

He also knows how to deliver when the pressure is at its highest.

If he can reproduce the fearless execution from his Diamond League triumph, Myers will enter Budapest as one of the athletes to watch.

The opening night of the Wanda Diamond League Final in Brussels delivered historic performances, fierce rivalries and dramatic finishes.

Collen Kebinatshipi, Chase Jackson and Emmanouil Karalis produced some of the biggest moments at the King Baudouin Stadium.

Kebinatshipi Breaks Diamond League Record Again

Botswana’s Collen Kebinatshipi ended the night in style.

The 22-year-old dominated the men’s 400m in 43.40 seconds.

The performance broke the Diamond League record for the third time this season.

Kebinatshipi also moved to joint fifth on the world all-time list.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards finished second with a national record of 43.68.

Chase Jackson Extends Area Record

American shot putter Chase Jackson also produced a record-breaking performance.

She extended her North American area record to 21.14m.

Jackson had joined the exclusive 21-metre club just days earlier in Berlin.

She dominated the competition in Brussels.

Canada’s Sarah Mitton finished second, half a metre behind Jackson.

Karalis Shines as Duplantis Withdraws

The pole vault produced another major highlight.

Mondo Duplantis withdrew as a precaution due to leg tightness.

That gave Emmanouil Karalis an opportunity to take centre stage.

Karalis cleared a meeting record of 6.12m on his third attempt.

He defeated Sondre Guttormsen and Kurtis Marschall to claim the title.

Julien Alfred Claims Third Consecutive Diamond League Title

The Brussels meeting also served as a crucial qualifier for the upcoming World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest.

Julien Alfred continued her stellar form in the women’s 200m.

She won the race in 21.79 seconds.

The victory secured her third consecutive Diamond League title and her spot in the shorter distance at the upcoming championship.

Myers Wins 1500m Photo Finish

Australia’s Cameron Myers timed his finishing kick perfectly in a tightly contested 1500m.

He won in a photo-finish ahead of Phanuel Koech.

Distance star Jakob Ingebrigtsen faded to fifth after leading into the home straight.

In the 800m, Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi claimed his fourth consecutive Diamond League title.

He clocked 1:41.80 to finish nearly a second ahead of Djamel Sedjati.

Wanyonyi continues to edge closer to David Rudisha’s world record.

Tharp Wins After Tinch Falls

The 110m hurdles delivered one of the night’s most dramatic moments.

World champion Cordell Tinch clattered the final hurdle and fell while leading.

World record-holder Ja’Kobe Tharp took advantage to win in 13.03 seconds.

Jamal Britt finished second, while Trey Cunningham took third.

In the 100m, Oblique Seville claimed the title in 9.90 seconds.

He edged Emmanuel Eseme, while pre-race favourite Christian Coleman faded to sixth after a fast start.

Cherotich Sets Steeplechase Meeting Record

The women’s distance and hurdles events also produced strong performances.

Anna Cockrell held off a fierce challenge from Emma Zapletalová to win the 400m hurdles in 53.01 seconds.

In the 3000m steeplechase, Faith Cherotich pulled clear to set a meeting record of 8:51.61.

Freweyni Hailu led an Ethiopian one-two-three sweep in the 5000m.

She won the race in 14:35.20.

Gayle Beats Tentoglou in Long Jump

The field events produced several memorable matchups.

Tajay Gayle turned the tables on Miltiadis Tentoglou in the men’s long jump.

Gayle produced a winning 8.46m leap in the final round.

Mateusz Kołodziejski won the high jump after a competition decided on countback at 2.28m.

Saly Sarr claimed the triple jump with a 14.96m effort.

Ceh Defeats Alekna in Discus Battle

The discus competitions also delivered major performances.

Feng Bin threw 67.46m to edge Valarie Allman.

In the men’s competition, Kristjan Ceh set a meeting record of 71.29m.

He defeated world record-holder Mykolas Alekna in a world-class contest.

The 21st National Youth Athletics Championships 2026 in Ludhiana produced another set of impressive performances.

Prem Raj, Meet Singh Gill, Kinjalben Bhema and Anjali claimed gold in the long jump and shot put events.

Prem Raj Shatters Long Jump Meet Record

Bihar’s Prem Raj delivered the standout performance in the men’s long jump.

He won gold with a lifetime best of 7.58m.

His series read 7.21m, 7.38m, 7.31m, 7.44m, 7.58m and X.

His fifth-round effort broke the meet record previously held by Murali Sreeshankar.

The performance also marked a major improvement from his previous personal best of 7.11m.

West Bengal’s Sanoyaj Mondal finished second with 7.23m.

Uttar Pradesh’s Sukhvir Singh claimed bronze with 7.10m.

The Athletics Federation of India confirmed Prem’s 7.58m as a meet record.

Meet Singh Gill Wins Shot Put Thriller

The men’s shot put final went down to the final attempt.

Meet Singh Gill produced a lifetime best of 19.80m with his sixth throw.

The effort secured gold after Haryana’s Nitesh Kumar had led until the final round.

Nitesh finished with silver at 19.71m.

His Haryana teammate Ravi took bronze with 18.58m.

Kinjalben Bhema Takes Long Jump Gold

In the women’s long jump, Gujarat’s Kinjalben Bhema secured gold.

She produced a personal best of 5.82m.

Tamil Nadu’s Mirunisha Kumar finished second with 5.69m.

Telangana’s Madakam Srividya claimed bronze at 5.57m.

Anjali Leads Women’s Shot Put

Haryana’s Anjali won the women’s shot put with a throw of 16.02m.

Punjab’s Jasmine Kaur took silver with 15.62m.

Rajasthan’s Drona Choudhary finished third with 15.40m.

The official results also confirm the same podium.

The performances underline the depth of talent emerging at the Youth Nationals.

Several young athletes combined medal-winning performances with personal and meet records in Ludhiana.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has announced a 77-member athletics squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The contingent features 34 men and 43 women, combining experienced international athletes with emerging talent.

Parul Chaudhary Leads Women’s Contingent

The women’s team will be led by Asian Games champion Parul Chaudhary, who is set to compete in the 1500m, 5000m and 3000m steeplechase.

Jyothi Yarraji will compete in the 100m hurdles, while veteran javelin thrower Annu Rani will also target a strong performance.

India also has significant depth in the field events.

Shaili Singh and Ancy Sojan Edappilly will compete in the long jump. The squad also includes a strong group of athletes for the 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

Avinash Sable and Gulveer Singh Lead Men’s Team

The men’s squad combines sprinting talent with strong endurance options.

Avinash Sable will compete in the 3000m steeplechase, while Gulveer Singh faces a demanding schedule across the 1500m, 5000m and 10000m.

In the field events, Tajinderpal Singh Toor will lead India’s shot put challenge. Praveen Chithravel will compete in the triple jump.

The team also features Tejaswin Shankar, who will compete in the decathlon.

Strong Support Behind India’s Asian Games Campaign

The contingent is supported by major partnerships with Reliance Foundation, HSBC, Puma and Indian Oil Corporation.

Following a historic medal haul at the previous edition, India will enter Aichi-Nagoya with high expectations.

The 77-member squad will aim to strengthen India’s position as a leading force in Asian athletics.

India Athletics Squad for Asian Games 2026

Men

Women

The 21st National Youth Athletics Championships 2026 in Ludhiana produced another action-packed day.

Record-breaking performances once again took centre stage.

Maharashtra’s Bhoomika Nehate and Yash Mulik, Karnataka’s Nupura Hola and Madhya Pradesh’s Krishan Chandra made headlines.

Bhoomika Nehate Breaks 200m Meet Record

Maharashtra’s Bhoomika Nehate continued her impressive season in the women’s 200m.

She clocked 23.92 seconds to shatter the Youth Nationals meet record.

The performance marked another step forward for the youngster.

Nehate also went under 24 seconds for the first time in her career.

She has already established herself as one of India’s promising young sprinters.

Nehate was part of India’s women’s 4x400m relay team at the recently concluded World Athletics U20 Championships.

She has also been on the radar for major junior competitions.

Yash Mulik Sets U-18 National Record

Maharashtra’s Yash Mulik produced one of the biggest performances of the championships.

He competed in the boys’ 110m hurdles.

The 17-year-old clocked a stunning 13.40 seconds.

The performance set a new U-18 National Record.

Mulik lowered the previous mark of 13.47s, held by Kiran K.

He also bettered Kiran K.’s meet record of 13.52s.

The result completed a remarkable progression for Mulik.

He had already produced a lifetime best of 13.75s in the semifinals.

Nupura Hola Stuns Shourya

Karnataka’s Nupura Hola delivered a dramatic victory in the women’s 100m hurdles.

She won the title with a lifetime best of 13.78 seconds.

Hola also broke the meet record.

She went under 14 seconds for the first time in her career.

The victory came after Shourya Ambure broke the 14-year-old meet record in the heats.

However, Shourya’s title challenge ended in the final.

She fell at the second-last hurdle.

Krishan Chandra Breaks Javelin Meet Record

Madhya Pradesh’s Krishan Chandra added another record to the championships.

He competed in the boys’ javelin throw.

Chandra registered a lifetime best of 79.92m.

The throw also broke the Youth Nationals meet record.

Multiple national and meet records have now fallen in Ludhiana.

The championships continue to highlight the depth of India’s next generation of athletics talent.

The 2026 Wanda Diamond League season reaches its finale at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme in Brussels.

The event brings together world champions, record-breakers and rising stars for a high-stakes finale.

Among the headline acts are middle-distance stars Audrey Werro and Femke Broeders-Bol.

Imperious 400m hurdler Alison dos Santos also arrives after a breathtaking world-record performance.

Werro and Bol Set for 800m Showdown

The women’s 800m has delivered some of the most exciting races of the season.

The Brussels showdown promises more drama as world leader Audrey Werro renews her rivalry with Femke Broeders-Bol.

The pair will battle over two tactical laps of the track.

Werro has dominated the form guide this season.

She leads the charge among elite contenders chasing Jarmila Kratochvílová’s 43-year-old world record.

The Swiss star has come agonisingly close to the mark.

She finished within 0.42 seconds of the historic record.

Diamond League winners also have automatic qualification for the US$10 million Ultimate Championship.

That adds another layer of intrigue to the tactical battle between Werro and Bol.

Dos Santos Arrives After World Record

Alison dos Santos returns to the spotlight after a jaw-dropping outing in Zurich.

Just days ago, the Brazilian star shattered the 400m hurdles world record with a sensational 45.80.

Dos Santos now looks virtually untouchable.

He also reflected on his previous dip below the barrier standard, which famously yielded an Olympic bronze in Tokyo.

The Brazilian cut a remarkably serene figure as a class apart in Switzerland.

His closest challenger on season times is Matheus Lima.

Lima sits nearly one-and-a-half seconds adrift.

Dos Santos is therefore heavily favoured to cap his stellar campaign with another statement victory.

Tebogo and Richardson Headline Sprints

The sprint and middle-distance programmes offer equally compelling subplots.

Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo anchors a blistering 200m field.

He will test his speed against US star Kenny Bednarek, the world-ranking leader.

In the women’s 100m, Sha’Carri Richardson brings her season-fastest 10.77 to a stacked line-up.

The field also features European champion Amy Hunt, along with Jamaica’s Tina Clayton and Jonielle Smith.

Over 3000m, Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali targets Lamecha Girma’s steeplechase world record.

The race features eight of the world’s top ten athletes.

High Jump and Javelin Add More Drama

The women’s high jump also promises a major showdown.

World champion Nicola Olyslagers will face Australian compatriot Eleanor Patterson and Olympic gold medallist Yaroslava Mahuchikh.

All three have recently cleared the formidable two-metre barrier.

In the men’s javelin, Commonwealth champion Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage looks to extend his remarkable run of form.

His recent performances include a massive 92.62m throw in Rome.

However, Anderson Peters and world champion Keshorn Walcott will provide stiff resistance.

As another pulsating Diamond League chapter reaches its conclusion at the King Baudouin Stadium, athletes will leave everything on the track.

They will chase history, glory and the ultimate postseason reward.

The 21st National Youth Athletics Championships 2026 continued to produce strong performances from India’s emerging athletes.

Maharashtra’s Manav Shinde, Shourya Ambure and Yash Mulik made their mark in the sprint and hurdles events.

Manav Shinde Produces Consecutive 200m PBs

Maharashtra’s Manav Shinde continued his impressive run at the Youth Nationals.

He clocked another personal best of 21.82 seconds in the men’s 200m semifinals.

Shinde had already set a PB of 21.92s in the heats on the previous day.

His latest performance made him the fastest athlete across all three semifinals.

He was also the only runner to break the 22-second barrier.

It has been a remarkable two days for the youngster.

Shinde has now recorded three personal bests.

One came in the 400m, while two came consecutively in the 200m.

He has also won silver in the 400m.

Shinde will now line up in the 200m final.

The final is scheduled for 5:25 PM IST.

He will have another chance to lower his best.

Shourya Ambure Breaks 14-Year-Old Meet Record

Maharashtra’s Shourya Ambure also grabbed attention in the women’s U-18 100m hurdles.

The 17-year-old clocked 14.01 seconds in the heats.

She became the fastest athlete across all three heats.

Ambure also broke a 14-year-old meet record in the process.

She enters the final with a lifetime best of 13.86s.

The U-18 National Record of 13.70s will now be in her sights.

The final is scheduled for 4:45 PM IST.

Yash Mulik Sets Lifetime Best

In the boys’ 110m hurdles, Maharashtra’s Yash Mulik produced a lifetime best of 13.75s.

He clocked the time in the semifinals.

His mark was the fastest across both semifinals.

The result puts the 17-year-old among the favourites for the final.

Mulik will face strong competition from Uttar Pradesh’s Anshu Yadav and Tamil Nadu’s Kirpal.

The three will battle for the youth national title.

The performances underline the growing depth of Maharashtra’s young sprint and hurdles talent at the championships.

India has finalised its 79-member athletics squad for the upcoming Asian Games 2026, scheduled to be held from September 19 to October 4 across Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

Athletics will have the largest contingent among all sports in India’s Asian Games delegation.

However, there are likely to be some changes to the squad in the coming days. Neeraj Chopra, whose name remains on the men’s javelin throw squad, has already been ruled out of the Asian Games. Yashvir is expected to replace him, with final confirmation likely to come later this week.

Another major development concerns long-distance runner Abhishek Pal, who has been issued a notice by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for an alleged Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV). Pal has requested an early hearing from NADA, and his participation in the Asian Games could depend on the outcome of the proceedings.

The 4x400m relay teams also remain subject to change. Several athletes have been included as potential reserves, with the final relay combinations expected to be announced after September 10, following the Indian Series final at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. Performances at the event are expected to play a role in determining the final teams.

India’s 79-member athletics squad