M Reddy Sanjana won the first event of the ongoing Indian Open Throws meet at NIS Patiala, registering a lifetime best throw of 15.30m in the U-18 women’s shot put.
The young athlete from Mysore secured the top spot in the event,
Although there were only three entries in the competition, just two athletes turned up.
Haryana’s Aarti finished second, winning silver with a throw of 13.22m.
Tanya Chaudhary is set to compete at the Indian Open Throws competition at NIS Patiala.
The Indian hammer thrower heads into the meet in strong form after registering a personal best of 65.60 metres in her previous competition.
Notably, the mark is better than the current Indian national record of 65.25 metres held by Sarita Singh.
However, the performance does not enter the official record books as it was achieved at the All India University meet, which is not a World Athletics-certified event.
Looking ahead, the qualification standards stand at 61.72 metres for the Asian Games and 66.80 metres for the Commonwealth Games — targets that now appear firmly within reach for the in-form thrower.
Rajesh Ramesh is set to open his 2026 season at the Indian Open 400m meet in Trivandrum.
“Yes, I’ll be participating in the Open 400m meet. Training is going well, there are no injuries, and everything is going smoothly,” Rajesh told NNIS Sports.
The Indian quarter-miler enjoyed a consistent run last season, recording three sub-46-second performances:
45.77s – IGP 2
45.97s – Open Athletics Meet
45.75s – Open Athletics Championships
Among Indian 400m runners, only Vishal TK recorded more sub-46 timings than Rajesh last year, highlighting his strong presence in the national quarter-mile circuit.
More than two lakh girls across 250 districts nationwide will take part in ASMITA athletics events on March 8 and 9 to mark International Women’s Day, Minister of State for Sports Raksha Khadse announced on Monday.
She advocated increased participation of women in sports to strengthen India’s bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games.
The event, part of the Sports Ministry’s initiative, will also initiate the creation of a nationwide pool of women technical officials.
This move is being planned with a long-term vision, keeping in mind the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad and India’s aspiration to become an Olympic host nation.
Five national competitions are lined up this month, setting the tone for the 2026 season.
With the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games 2026 scheduled this year, these competitions become extremely crucial for qualification, form assessment and team selection.
Muhammed Anas Yahiya is set to open his 2026 season at the Indian Open 400m meet in Trivandrum.
“Yes, I will be competing in the 400m Open meet,” Anas confirmed to NNIS Sports.
The former national record holder endured a disappointing campaign last season, managing only two competitions and finishing with a season’s best of 47.03 seconds.
In his absence from peak form, the national record of 45.21 seconds — once held by Anas — was surpassed by Vishal TK, who clocked 45.12 seconds last year to set a new benchmark.
Despite the recent setbacks, Anas remains one of India’s most experienced and accomplished quarter-milers. He has recorded 30 sub-46-second performances — more than any other Indian — underlining both his longevity and consistency at the highest level domestically.
All eyes will now be on Trivandrum as the seasoned campaigner begins what could be a pivotal season.
Keely Hodgkinson delivered an impressive performance over one lap,
clocking a 400m personal best of 51.49 seconds at the Scottish Indoor Invitational in Glasgow.
The run showcased her growing speed and strength — a promising indicator as she builds toward her primary 800m campaigns this season.
Lieke Klaver stormed to the Dutch women’s 400m indoor title,
clocking an impressive 51.28 seconds to secure gold.
She was pushed all the way in a tightly contested final by Myrte van der Schoot,
who delivered a personal best performance of 51.33 seconds.
Despite the late challenge, Klaver held her ground to seal the national crown in commanding fashion.
Last year marked a strong phase for Damneet on the domestic circuit, as he continued to assert his dominance across major competitions in India — a trend that has remained consistent over the past two seasons.
Looking ahead, the challenge now shifts to the international stage.
The qualification mark for the upcoming Commonwealth Games stands at 73.09 metres — a target that would require Damneet not only to surpass his personal best of 69.87 metres but also to break the current national record of 72.86 metres held by KP Singh.
On the continental front, the pathway appears more attainable.
The Asian Games qualification mark is set at 69.12 metres — a distance that sits well within Damneet’s reach based on his current form and progression.
With momentum on his side domestically, the coming season could prove decisive in translating national success into international qualification.
