Representing Madhya Pradesh, Krishan Chandran won the Men’s U18 Javelin Throw title at the 41st National Junior Athletics Championships 2026. He recorded a throw of 74.83m at Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. However, the win has reopened an age eligibility row that began at the Youth Nationals last month.

Krishan Chandran Faced Protests at the Youth Nationals

But what is shocking is that he is the same athlete who faced multiple protests last month at the Youth Nationals. There, he also won gold with a massive meet-record throw of 79.92m.

The protest alleges that he is overage. Along with it, the protest attaches a result document from the 2024 Junior Nationals. In that document, the U16 Javelin Throw results show “DQ” for overage against Krishan’s name.

So, if the AFI disqualified an athlete for being overage in the U16 category in 2024, how did it allow him to compete in the U18 category just two years later?

What the AFI Said About the Krishan Chandran Protest

After the incident at the Youth Nationals, NNIS Sports reached out to the meet’s technical delegation, which said,

“A protest has been lodged against Krishan, and he has been asked to appear at the AFI office for proceedings.”

These proceedings primarily involve document verification and a bone test.

A source also revealed that the AFI disqualified Krishan in the U16 category in 2024 after it conducted a bone test.

Where Krishan Chandran Trains

Krishan is currently training at Madhya Pradesh’s DSWY Academy under coach Mohd Hadeesh. In fact, Hadeesh was himself a javelin thrower and a bronze medallist at the 2020 Khelo India University Games.

Questions Remain Over Age Eligibility

To sum up, Krishan Chandran has now won gold at both the Youth Nationals (79.92m) and the Junior Nationals (74.83m). At the same time, a 2024 Junior Nationals result still shows “DQ” for overage against his name in the U16 category. You can see the full U18 javelin podium in our Junior Nationals Day 2 results.

So, the big question remains: who will take accountability for this? Will we get any answers from the AFI?

The National Junior Athletics Championships 2026 results from Day 1 are now official. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has published the result sheet for the opening day of the 41st National Junior Athletics Championships, which began at the JN Stadium in Chennai on 23 October.

Nineteen finals were decided on Friday, and national records fell in six events. Minakshi of Haryana smashed the girls’ U16 javelin record by 7.53m, while Tamil Nadu sprinters Neil Samraj and Abinaya Rajarajan both lowered their own 100m national records. This page lists the record-breakers, the medallists in every Day 1 final, the leaders from the qualifying rounds and a medal count by state. Every result below comes from the official AFI Day 1 result sheet.

National Junior Athletics Championships 2026 Day 1: the highlights

Records fell in the javelin, on the track, in the discus and in three of the four U14 triathlons. Minakshi’s javelin was the throw of the day, while Tamil Nadu won four sprint titles in front of a home crowd.

Minakshi smashes the U16 javelin record by 7.53m

Minakshi of Haryana won the girls’ U16 javelin with 54.40m on her very first throw. That destroyed the national and meet record of 46.87m, which Muskan set in Bhubaneswar in 2024. In fact, all five of Minakshi’s legal throws went past the old record, and her second-best was 53.67m.

The chasing pack broke the old record too. Rahi Chavan of Maharashtra threw 52.02m with her sixth and last attempt to take silver, and Sahiba Bano of Madhya Pradesh won bronze with 51.13m. Somya Dhaka of Haryana also threw beyond the old mark with 48.65m, but she still finished fourth.

Neil Samraj runs 10.45 to break his own national record

Neil Samraj R of Tamil Nadu won the men’s U18 100m in 10.45 seconds, into a headwind of 0.2 m/s. That broke the U18 national record of 10.46, which he set himself in Ludhiana on 1 September 2026. It also smashed the meet record of 10.63, set by Anshu Rajak in Coimbatore in 2023.

In fact, Neil had already gone under the old meet record in the semi-finals, where he ran 10.51. J Nived Krishna of Kerala took silver in 10.67, and Abhishek Naruka of Rajasthan won bronze in 10.78.

Abinaya Rajarajan improves her own U20 national record to 11.49

Abinaya Rajarajan of Tamil Nadu won the women’s U20 100m in 11.49, also into a 0.2 m/s headwind. As a result, she lowered her own U20 national record of 11.54, which she set in Kochi on 21 April 2025. The result sheet marks the run as a new meet record too.

Abinaya was not at her best in the early rounds, running 11.84 in the heats and 11.76 in the semi-finals. However, she found 0.27 seconds in the final. Kajal Vaja of Gujarat took silver in 11.61, while Nancy of Haryana won bronze in 11.83.

Three U14 triathlon records fall

Sumit Yadav of Uttar Pradesh won the boys’ U14 Triathlon B with 3,256 points, well past the national record of 3,094. Sadhon Ghosh of West Bengal also beat the old record with 3,192 points, and his 23.68m back throw was the best in the field.

In the girls’ U14 Triathlon C, the top three all went past the record of 2,519 points. Prakriti Atal of Delhi won with 2,644, helped by a 4.00m long jump. Joyita Pakhira of West Bengal (2,607) and Lakshya Saravanan of Tamil Nadu (2,578) took silver and bronze.

Priyanshu Pal of Uttar Pradesh won the boys’ U14 Triathlon C with 2,554 points, which the sheet also marks as a record. In the girls’ Triathlon B, Pinki Pal of West Bengal won with 2,894 points.

Chiranth P equals the meet record as Savin Thingalaya false-starts

Chiranth P of Karnataka won the men’s U20 100m in 10.46, into a headwind of 0.1 m/s. That equalled the meet record of 10.46, set by C.V. Anurag in Coimbatore in 2023. Kshitij Changire of Maharashtra was only two hundredths behind in 10.48, and F Fredrick Russell of Tamil Nadu took bronze in 10.55.

The final lost a big name before it started. Savin Thingalaya of Karnataka, the fastest man in the heats with 10.65, was disqualified for a false start (TR 16.8). Prince Kumar of Bihar did not start, so only six men finished.

Four centimetres decide a record-breaking discus

Amanat Kamboj of Punjab won the women’s U20 discus with 51.44m on her last throw, after fouling four times in a row. Supriya Attri of Uttar Pradesh had led for most of the contest, and she also improved to 51.40m in round six. Both throws broke the meet record of 49.85m, which Kamalpreet Kaur set in Ranchi in 2015.

Anushree K S of Tamil Nadu took bronze with 46.82m, which also came in the final round.

Countback decides the men’s pole vault

Arya Dev of Uttar Pradesh and Ajeet Kumar of Rajasthan both cleared 4.60m. However, Arya cleared 4.40m, 4.50m and 4.60m at the first attempt, while Ajeet needed three tries at 4.60m. So Arya won gold. R.R Vishal of Tamil Nadu took bronze with 4.40m.

T Mrithika and Sarvesh Dev complete a Tamil Nadu sprint sweep

T Mrithika of Tamil Nadu won the women’s U18 100m in 11.71 with a 0.1 m/s tailwind. That is just 0.09 outside the national record of 11.62, which Dutee Chand set in 2013. Suchithra S of Karnataka took silver in 11.98, and Saawari Kulkarni of Maharashtra won bronze in 12.09.

In the boys’ U16 60m, Sarvesh Dev K of Tamil Nadu won in 6.94, only 0.03 outside the national record of 6.91. Arambam Raju Singh of Karnataka, who had run 6.94 in the heats, took silver in 6.95. Aryan Babu Peketi of Telangana won bronze in 7.07.

The girls’ U16 60m was even closer. Kasturi Chavan of Maharashtra won in 7.75, Sanidya Shet of Karnataka was second in 7.76, and Amieyra Khoslla of Delhi took bronze in 7.79.

Tamanna wins the 5000m, then takes 1500m silver

Tamanna of Karnataka won the women’s U20 5000m in 17:27.85, almost eight seconds clear of Roshini Kalura of Uttarakhand (17:35.71). Later the same day, she also took silver in the 1500m in 4:53.93, behind her Karnataka teammate Shilpa Hosamani (4:52.17).

The men’s U20 5000m came down to a sprint finish. Abhinandan Suryavanshi of Maharashtra won in 14:32.08, just 0.06 ahead of Aakash of Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, Hitesh of Haryana won the men’s 1500m in 3:51.17, only five hundredths ahead of his teammate Sohit Vijender.

Joy Baidwan and Misti Karmakar win with their last throws

Joy Baidwan of Chandigarh won the women’s U18 shot put with 16.06m in round six. Until then, Jasmine Kaur of Punjab had led, and she finished with 15.55m for silver. Hema of Haryana took bronze with 15.30m.

In the women’s U18 javelin, Misti Karmakar of West Bengal took the lead with 51.08m in round three, then improved to 51.41m with her final throw. Apikshakumari Gamit of Gujarat took silver with 49.22m, and Shivani Patel of Madhya Pradesh won bronze with 47.55m.

National and meet records on Day 1 of the National Junior Athletics Championships 2026

The official result sheet marks new national records in six events and meet records in eight, including one equalled.

U20 results: National Junior Athletics Championships 2026 Day 1

Eight U20 finals were held on Day 1, four for men and four for women. Wind readings are in metres per second.

U18 and U16 results: National Junior Athletics Championships 2026 Day 1

Four U18 finals and three U16 finals were decided on Day 1. Tamil Nadu won three of the four sprint titles across the two age groups.

U14 triathlon results: National Junior Athletics Championships 2026 Day 1

Four U14 triathlons were completed on Day 1. Triathlon B combines the 60m, long jump and back throw, while Triathlon C combines the 60m, long jump and 600m.

Qualifying rounds and the decathlon after Day 1

Daksh Solanki of Haryana produced the standout qualifying mark. He threw 68.18m in the boys’ U16 javelin with his first attempt, only 1.94m short of the national record of 70.12m, and then passed his remaining throws. In the boys’ U16 shot put, Varadraaj Jagtap of Maharashtra also needed just one throw, reaching 16.64m.

In the men’s U20 400m heats, three runners went under 48.20: Vaibhav Bhardwaj (47.93), Sagar Saini of Haryana (48.04) and Mayank Chikara of Uttar Pradesh (48.17).

Rahul Jakhar leads the decathlon

Rahul Jakhar of Gujarat leads the U20 decathlon with 3,723 points after five events. He ran 10.88 in the 100m and 49.58 in the 400m, the fastest times in the field. Abhay Singh of Uttar Pradesh is second with 3,680 points, and Dathu Sapavath of Telangana is third with 3,477.

The result sheet lists the U20 national record as 7,185 points by R. Jakhar, set in Hong Kong in May 2026. The meet record is 7,065 points, set by N. Thowfeeq in 2023.

Medal count by state after Day 1

AFI does not publish a team table with the daily results. So we counted the medals in the 19 Day 1 finals. Tamil Nadu leads with four golds, all in the sprints, while Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra have eight medals each. In total, 15 states won at least one medal.

However, this is our count and not an official standing. It includes the four U14 triathlons, and we will update it after each day of the championships.

What comes next at the National Junior Athletics Championships 2026

The championships continue at the JN Stadium in Chennai until Tuesday, 27 October. The athletes who came through Day 1 qualifying will now chase medals in the men’s U20 high jump and long jump, the U20 and U18 400m, and the boys’ and girls’ U16 throws and high jump. The U20 decathlon also finishes with its last five events.

For dates, venue and entry standards, read our National Junior Athletics Championships 2026 guide. Results from every other meet this season are also on the Indian athletics results page.

Indian national records 2026 tell the story of a record year: marks fell 34 times, across 22 events. Gurindervir Singh ran 10.09 in the 100m. Vishal TK became the first Indian under 45 seconds in the 400m. And Vithya Ramraj broke P.T. Usha’s 42-year-old 400m hurdles record at the Asian Games.

This page lists every senior national record set this year. It runs from January to the Asian Games and the Indian Athletics Series Final in September. In other words, it updates our mid-season list of 26 records from July. Below, therefore, you will find the current record in each event and the events where it fell more than once. You will also find the oldest marks that fell and the four records from Nagoya.

Indian national records 2026: the full list

The table shows the current national record in each event and the meet where the athlete set it. In addition, the last column shows the record it replaced.

Records broken more than once in 2026

In six events, the record fell two or more times. Above all, the men’s pole vault led the way: Kuldeep Kumar and Dev Meena pushed each other from 5.41m to 5.50m in one season.

Similarly, the 100m record changed hands three times in one meet. First, Gurindervir ran 10.17 in his semi-final; then Animesh Kujur replied with 10.15. Finally, in the final, Gurindervir took it back with 10.09, as The Tribune reported.

The oldest Indian national records that fell in 2026

Moreover, several of this year’s new records replaced marks that had lasted for decades. As a result, fans will remember 2026 as the year Indian athletics finally moved past some of its most famous names.

Four national records at the Asian Games 2026

Meanwhile, India set four national records at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, and, notably, three of them came with medals.

The first national records in the new race walk events

From 2026, the half marathon and marathon race walks replaced the 20km and 35km at major championships. Consequently, India needed new national records. The first ones came at the Indian Open Race Walking Competition in Chandigarh. In the marathon race walk, Ram Baboo set 3:09:16 and Manju Rani 3:33:24. In the half marathon race walk, Sahil clocked 1:25:48 and Ravina 1:39:14.

What comes next for Indian national records

The senior season is nearly over; still, records can fall before the end of the year, so we will add any new mark to this page. Meanwhile, the full results from every meet are on our Indian athletics results page.

The former Tokyo Marathon champion tested positive for methylprednisolone, but a falsified medical prescription and misleading statements to investigators turned a doping violation into a six-year suspension.

Ethiopian marathon star Ruti Aga has been banned for six years, but the most damaging part of her case was not simply the presence of a prohibited substance in her system. It was what happened when anti-doping investigators began asking questions.

The 32-year-old, who won the prestigious Tokyo Marathon in 2019, tested positive for methylprednisolone following her victory at the Meishan Renshou Half Marathon in China on March 15, 2026.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) imposed a two-year sanction for the substance violation and an additional four years for tampering with the investigation.

The six-year ban took effect on September 10, 2026, the date of her provisional suspension.

The Medical Explanation That Fell Apart

Aga sought to explain the positive test by claiming she had received treatment for a knee injury.

She submitted medical documentation to support that explanation. But investigators found serious irregularities.

The prescription referred to a clinic that did not exist. The supposed prescribing doctor was reportedly a family member who was not registered to practise medicine. A clinic associated with an old prescription pad denied any connection with the document.

The AIU concluded that the medical evidence had been falsified. It also found that Aga had misled officials during the investigation.

What might have remained a two-year doping sanction consequently became a six-year exclusion from competition.

For an athlete who had established herself among the world’s leading marathon runners, the consequences are potentially career-defining.

What Is Methylprednisolone?

Methylprednisolone is a synthetic corticosteroid used to treat inflammation, swelling, allergic reactions and certain painful medical conditions.

It is not an anabolic steroid used for building muscle. Instead, its anti-inflammatory properties can reduce pain and discomfort, potentially helping athletes train or compete despite injuries.

The medication is available in different formulations, including methylprednisolone acetate, commonly used in longer-acting injections, and methylprednisolone sodium succinate, used in injectable preparations.

Importantly, the publicly reported findings do not establish which specific formulation Aga used.

Under the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) 2026 Prohibited List, methylprednisolone belongs to the S9 Glucocorticoids category.

Glucocorticoids are prohibited during competition when administered orally, by injection or rectally, unless the athlete has appropriate therapeutic authorisation. Other routes, including certain topical and inhaled applications, are generally permitted under specified conditions.

How Long Does the Drug Remain in the Body?

WADA recommends different washout periods depending on how methylprednisolone is administered.

For oral administration, the standard washout period is three days. Intramuscular injections require five days, while most local injections carry a three-day guideline.

These periods are intended to reduce the possibility of a positive test. They are not guarantees that a substance will become undetectable.

Sustained-release formulations may remain detectable beyond the recommended period.

Athletes requiring genuine medical treatment must maintain accurate medical records and, where necessary, obtain a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE).

A Warning Beyond One Athlete

Aga’s case illustrates how anti-doping violations can extend far beyond a positive laboratory result.

Under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules, the presence or use of a prohibited substance and tampering with the investigation are separate violations, carrying separate consequences.

The AIU’s six-year sanction reflects that distinction: two years for the drug offence and four for interfering with the process.

For athletes, coaches and medical support teams, the implications are significant. A legitimate medical condition does not automatically excuse the use of a prohibited substance. Equally, attempting to manufacture medical evidence can carry consequences even more severe than the original violation.

Aga’s case has become a stark reminder that anti-doping enforcement is not limited to detecting prohibited drugs. It also depends on the honesty of the explanations and evidence provided after a positive test.

For the former Tokyo Marathon champion, that distinction has proved devastating.

Odisha athletes Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati, 21, and Malaya Barik, 20, died in a road accident on the Cuttack–Bhubaneswar National Highway near Nakhara at around 10:30 pm on Wednesday, 21 October 2026. Both were declared dead on arrival at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

Sheetal Devi is the headline of India’s Asian Para Games 2026 results. The armless archer from Jammu and Kashmir has equalled the world record, broken two more world records, won silver in the women’s doubles and reached the individual compound final, which she shoots on 22 October.

Overall, India has won 47 medals (12 gold, 17 silver, 18 bronze) at the Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, as of midday on 21 October. Para athletics leads the way with 30 medals. Below are Sheetal’s results, India’s medal tally by sport and every Indian athletics medal, day by day.

Sheetal Devi leads the Asian Para Games 2026 results

Sheetal arrived in Aichi-Nagoya as the defending champion and world No. 1 in women’s compound. Even so, her first three days were remarkable. In the ranking round, she scored 704 out of 720, equalling the world record held jointly with Turkey’s Oznur Cure. That score also raised the Asian Para Games record from 680 to 704.

Silver in the doubles with Payal Nag

In the women’s doubles, Sheetal teamed up with 18-year-old Payal Nag from Balangir, Odisha. Payal lost all four limbs in an electrocution accident as a child, and she took up archery after being inspired by Sheetal. Together, they topped the ranking round with Asian and Games records. However, in the final on 21 October, China’s Xu Xueqing and Zhao Jing won 150-141, so the Indian pair took silver.

Other Indian archers

Swati Chaudhary reached the women’s W1 final by beating South Korea’s Lee Eunhee 6-2. Meanwhile, Toman Kumar lost his men’s compound semi-final 144-149 to China’s Ai Xin Liang and goes for bronze.

Who is Sheetal Devi?

Sheetal Devi was born on 10 January 2007 in Loidhar village in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir. She was born with phocomelia, a rare condition that left her without arms, so she shoots with her legs and feet. In fact, she is the first female para archer without arms to become a world champion.

Around 2020, the Indian Army’s Rashtriya Rifles noticed her through Operation Sadbhavana and supported her education and medical care. Later, at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Sports Complex, coaches Abhilasha Chaudhary and Kuldeep Baidwan began training her. Within 11 months, she was competing at the Asian Para Games.

India’s Asian Para Games 2026 medal tally by sport

Para athletics has won 30 of India’s 47 medals so far. In addition, para shooting has given India a gold through Mona Agarwal in the women’s 10m air rifle SH1.

Para athletics results: 19 October

India opened with six athletics medals. Nishad Kumar won the long jump T47, and then Rinku Hooda and Ajeet Singh Yadav finished one-two in the javelin F46, just nine centimetres apart. Later, Soumya and Radha Venkatesh did the same in the women’s 1500m T12/T13.

Para athletics results: 20 October

Day 2 brought 14 athletics medals. Above all, Deepthi Jeevanji defended her 400m T20 title in a Games record of 56.36, and Simran Sharma won the 200m T12 in 24.80, also a Games record. Nishad Kumar then added a second gold in the high jump with a Games record of 2.04m.

Para athletics results: 21 October

On Wednesday, Paris Paralympic champion Praveen Kumar won the high jump T64 with a Games record of 2.05m. Then India swept the shot put F46, led by Sachin Khilari’s Games record of 15.87m. Later, Anubhav Choudhary and Rakeshbhai Bhatt both ran personal bests for 100m bronze.

Records set by Indian athletes at the Asian Para Games 2026

What to watch next

On 22 October, Sheetal Devi shoots for her second straight Asian Para Games individual gold against Singapore’s Alim Nur Syahidah. Meanwhile, the athletics programme continues until the Games end on 24 October, and India’s squad still includes two-time Paralympic javelin champion Sumit Antil. For the full athletics squad, see our Asian Para Games 2026 guide.