Harita Bhadra announced her arrival on the national stage with a stunning performance at the National Indoor Athletics Championships, winning gold in the women’s 60m.
The Maharashtra sprinter clocked 7.32 seconds, a massive personal best that now ranks as the second-fastest time ever recorded by an Indian in the event.
She finished just 0.04 seconds shy of the national record of 7.28 seconds, held by Dutee Chand.
In a remarkable debut, this was Bhadra’s first-ever senior competition in India, and she made an immediate impact with both a gold medal and a top-tier performance.
Her run signals the emergence of a new sprinting talent, with strong potential to challenge national records in the near future.
Lalu Prasad Bhoi delivered a standout performance at the National Indoor Athletics Championships, clocking 6.65 seconds in the men’s 60m final to achieve a national record timing.
Earlier in the semifinals, he had already impressed with a run of 6.72 seconds, setting up a strong showing in the final.
Despite his record-level performance, Gurindervir Singh ran an even faster race, clocking 6.60 seconds in the same final.
Speaking after the race, Lalu revealed that he had written his goal on his spikes, aiming to achieve the national record.
The result continues a period of consistent performances for Lalu, who has emerged as one of India’s most reliable sprinters over the past two years.
He was part of the bronze medal-winning 4x100m relay team at the World University Games last year and also recorded a major win at the 2024 Open Nationals, where he finished ahead of top sprinters including Manikanta, Amlan, and Gurindervir.
With performances like this, Lalu is quickly establishing himself as a rising force in Indian sprinting.
Bapi Hansda made a strong return to national-level competition by securing a bronze medal in the men’s U-20 400m at the National Indoor Athletics Championships.
Competing after a long injury layoff, Hansda clocked 49.18 seconds to finish third in the final.
Odisha’s Malaya Barik claimed the gold medal with a time of 48.98 seconds, delivering a solid performance to top the podium.
This race marked Hansda’s first national-level appearance since suffering an injury at the National Games in Uttarakhand last year.
His return to the podium highlights a positive comeback and signals his intent to regain top form in the upcoming season.
Asian U-20 medalist Vinod Singh continued his strong run of form by winning the gold medal in the men’s 1500m at the National Indoor Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar.
He clocked 3:46.13 to secure the top spot in the final, delivering a composed performance.
Notably, Mohammed Afsal did not start the race, leaving the field open for Vinod to capitalize.
Vinod has shown consistent progress since last season and is currently training under coach Basanta Bahadur Rana, which appears to be contributing to his steady performances.
His victory further establishes him as one of the promising middle-distance runners in Indian athletics.
The stage is set for an exciting men’s 60m final at the National Indoor Athletics Championships, with a strong lineup of India’s top sprinters.
Gurindervir Singh enters the final as the fastest qualifier with a time of 6.69 seconds, closely followed by Animesh Kujur at 6.71 seconds.
Lalu Prasad Bhoi and Nuzrat both clocked 6.72 seconds, while Dondapati Jayaram recorded 6.74 seconds to stay in contention.
Laukik Anant Melge qualified with 6.77 seconds, while Nehal Sagar and Sarun Payasingh both registered 6.88 seconds to complete the lineup.
With minimal differences separating the athletes, the final is expected to be a closely contested race where reaction time and execution will be crucial.
These are the semi-final timings. The men’s 60m final will start at 7:20 PM.
Michael Johnson to Return $500K After Grand Slam Track Collapse
Michael Johnson — four-time Olympic champion, architect of ambition, and founder of Grand Slam Track — is set to return a $500,000 payment he made to himself, as part of a bankruptcy settlement with creditors owed millions.
It is a quiet coda to a project that once aimed to reshape athletics’ commercial future.
Grand Slam Track was conceived as a break from the sport’s fragmented calendar — a league model, cleaner, tighter, built for broadcast and modern audiences. But like many such attempts in track and field, vision ran ahead of viability. Revenues lagged, costs mounted, and the structure never quite held.
The “secret” payment, now folded into bankruptcy proceedings, underscores the financial strain beneath the surface. For creditors, it is partial recovery. For Johnson, it is reputational management as much as restitution.
There is, too, a familiar lesson here.
Athletics has long struggled to sustain league formats outside global championships. Even with credibility, even with star power, the economics remain unforgiving.
Johnson’s return of funds closes one chapter. It does not resolve the larger question his venture posed: whether the sport can ever build a stable, commercially viable league of its own.
HISTORY IN THE AIR!
Baranica Elangovan just stole the show at the inaugural National Indoor Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar. With a massive 4.22m clearance, she shattered the long-standing National Record. The Kalinga Stadium has a new Queen of the Vault! #IndianAthletics #Bhubaneswar2026
SPEED KING DELIVERS! Mohammed Afsal is officially the master of the 800m. Already the outdoor king, he clocked a blistering 1:47.86 to break the National Indoor Record. That’s two records in one day for the record books!
GIANT KILLER! In the shock of the night, local hero Sarun Payasingh soared to a PB of 7.80m in the Long Jump, taking down Asian medallist Praveen Chithravel. A farmer’s son from Kalahandi proving that on the indoor boards, reputation means nothing.
SLICING OFF 20-SECONDS: Shivaji Parashuram didn’t just win the 3000m; he dismantled it. Slicing an incredible 20 seconds off his personal best to clock 8:09.08, he stunned the field and favourite Vinod Singh. The endurance depth in India is encouraging.
THE CONSISTENCY KING! Odisha’s Ommkar Nanda continues his golden run! Using a “worn-out shoe” for better grip on the slippery wooden circle, the U-20 star threw 17.77m for gold. From Patiala to Bhubaneswar, Nanda is the most consistent arm in the country right now.
THE VERDICT: Records falling, veterans toppled, and a world-class indoor facility that looks ready for the 2028 World Indoors. Indian Athletics is evolving. The indoor era is officially HERE.
The World Athletics Indoor Championships in Kujawy Pomorze concluded as the highest-quality edition in the event’s history, setting a new benchmark for global indoor competition.
The three-day event recorded a competition performance score of 49,516, surpassing the previous record set in Belgrade 2022 and reinforcing the growing stature of indoor athletics.
The championships featured two world records, highlighted by Simon Ehammer’s heptathlon performance, along with a standout showing in the 60m hurdles. In total, six championship records were broken, including Armand Duplantis’s 6.25m pole vault.
Athletes delivered exceptional performances across the board, with 46 national records set during the competition. Participation also reached new heights, with 632 athletes representing 111 countries.
The event also produced historic milestones. Duplantis secured his ninth consecutive global title, while Tom Walsh became the most decorated male athlete in World Indoor history with his seventh medal. Cooper Lutkenhaus made headlines as the youngest individual champion in the event’s history.
Off the track, the championships were equally successful, with a sell-out crowd and a 72 percent increase in media visibility compared to Glasgow 2024. Digital engagement reached an estimated 41.6 billion across global platforms.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe praised Poland’s hosting, as the sport now looks ahead to future editions in India in 2028 and Kazakhstan in 2030.
Kujawy Pomorze 2026 now stands as a defining moment for indoor athletics and sets the standard for future championships.
Olympic marathon champion Sifan Hassan has withdrawn from the upcoming London Marathon scheduled for April 26 due to an Achilles injury.
The Dutch star sustained the injury during a training session around six weeks ago. Initially considered minor, the issue worsened as her training intensity increased, ultimately forcing her to pull out of the race.
Hassan, who holds a personal best of 2:13:44, has enjoyed significant success in London, including a victory in 2023 and a third-place finish last year.
Speaking about her decision, Hassan emphasized the importance of being in peak condition to compete at the highest level, adding that she was unable to prepare to her usual standards.
She is not the only notable absence, as wheelchair athlete Susannah Scaroni has also withdrawn, impacting the overall field.
Hassan will now focus on recovery and long-term fitness, prioritising the remainder of the 2026 season over an early return to competition.
Shivaji Parashuram delivered a breakthrough performance at the inaugural National Indoor Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar, winning gold in the men’s 3000m with a personal best time of 8:09.08.
The run marked a massive improvement from his previous best of 8:29.67, set in 2023, highlighting his rapid progress in middle-distance running.
Parashuram also produced one of the biggest upsets of the event by defeating race favourite Vinod Singh, the reigning Junior Federation Cup champion.
Vinod Singh finished second with a time of 8:16.93, as Parashuram controlled the race to secure victory.
The performance signals Parashuram’s emergence as a strong contender in the 3000m and adds another highlight to the first-ever National Indoor Championships.
