At just 18, Mohammed Ashfaq is quickly becoming one of the most exciting names in Indian athletics. The Kerala sprinter delivered a stunning performance, clocking 46.05 seconds in the 400m, a new U20 national record and the fastest time in Asia this season.
What makes this run even more special is the scale of improvement. Ashfaq shaved nearly half a second off his personal best, a huge leap in a one-lap race. His timing now stands as India’s seventh fastest this season and places him 20th on the country’s all-time list.
His rise, however, has been building steadily. At the start of 2026, he ran 48.10s in Trivandrum. Soon after, he improved to 46.83s in New Delhi, showing clear progress.
At the ongoing Junior Federation Cup, he dominated the heats with 47.39s, breaking the Asian U20 qualification mark, and followed it up with another strong 46.83s in the semifinals.
Now, with both Asian and World U20 standards achieved, Ashfaq is knocking on the door of the elite sub-46 club. If this momentum continues, Indian 400m running may have found its next big star.

Indian distance runner Ankita Dhyani delivered a solid performance at the Drake Relays, clocking 9:34.39 in the women’s 3000m steeplechase at the World Athletics Continental Tour (Silver level) meet in Des Moines, Iowa.

Dhyani’s timing was around seven seconds shy of her personal best, which she had set just a week earlier at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Despite the slight dip, the performance reflects her growing consistency on the international circuit.

Competing against a strong field, Dhyani continues to build momentum this season, with back-to-back races showcasing her ability to maintain competitive timings.

Nitin Gupta delivered a stunning performance at the U20 Federation Cup, winning gold in the 5km race walk with a timing of 18:54.37. But this was not just another victory. It was a moment that changed the record books.

With this effort, Nitin broke his own national record and set a new Asian record. More importantly, he became the first Asian ever to go under 19 minutes in the U20 5km race walk, a mark that was once considered extremely difficult at this level.

 

This performance also secured his qualification for both the Asian U20 Championships and the World U20 Championships, placing him firmly among the top young race walkers in the world.

What makes this achievement even more impressive is the consistency he has shown. Earlier this year, in only his second competition of the season, Nitin clocked 41:44 in the 10km race walk at Chandigarh, showing strong early form.

 

His rise, however, did not begin this year.

In 2025, Nitin had already announced himself as a serious talent. At the Junior Federation Cup, he broke the national record in the 10km race walk with a brilliant 39:46.78, becoming the first Indian to go under 40 minutes. He bettered the previous record held by Amit Khatri.

That same year, he also made his mark on the international stage. At the Asian U-18 Championships, Nitin won silver in the 5km race walk, clocking 20:21.51 and missing gold by just 0.01 seconds in a close finish.

 

His 2025 season was full of milestones:

 

First Indian to go sub-20 minutes in U18 5km race walk.

U18 national record holder.

Gold medalist in 10km at Junior Federation Cup.

National record holder in 10km race walk.

Behind this rapid rise is a strong support system. Nitin trains under Basanta Bahadur Rana, one of India’s most respected race walking coaches, who has also guided top athletes like Ram Baboo and Servin Sebastian.

At a young age, Nitin Gupta is already setting new standards not just for India, but for Asia. His sub-19 run is more than a record; it is a sign that Indian race walking is moving into a new era.

Abhay Singh underlined his rising stature as one of India’s brightest U-20 sprint talents with a sensational performance at the Junior Federation Cup.

Clocking a blistering 10.41 seconds in the men’s 100m final. In the process, he shattered the eight-year-old meet record of 10.47 seconds set by Gurindervir Singh.

The race marked a complete performance — a personal best, a meet record, and a statement of intent at the national level.

Nipam Chauhan delivered a standout performance at the Junior Federation Cup in Tumkur, Karnataka, breaking the women’s U-20 100m national record with a blistering time of 11.53 seconds.

The young sprinter bettered the previous mark of 11.54 seconds held by Abinaya Rajarajan, continuing her remarkable progression — from 11.66s to 11.60s and now 11.53s.

Earlier in the day, Nipam had already impressed by clocking 11.66 seconds in the heats, a personal best at the time, which she repeated in the semifinals to comfortably top her race.

Having already secured qualification for the Asian U-20 Championships, this performance further underlines her growing stature as one of India’s most exciting sprint prospects.

In the semifinals, Aarti finished second with a time of 11.81 seconds, narrowly missing the qualification mark of 11.79 seconds.

Defending champion Nipam could not have asked for a better start to her season. At the Junior Federation Cup in Tumkur, Karnataka, the young sprinter clocked a stunning 11.66 seconds in the women’s U20 100m heats, finishing first and grabbing attention in style.
This was not just another win. It was a performance that showed clear progress. Coming into the race with a previous personal best of 11.86 seconds, set at last year’s Junior Federation Cup in Prayagraj, Nipam managed to cut down two-tenths of a second, a big improvement in sprinting terms.
Her timing of 11.66s was also the fastest across all five heats, underlining her dominance in the field. More importantly, she comfortably went past the Asian U20 Championships qualification mark of 11.79 seconds, securing her place among the top contenders for the upcoming international event.
What makes this run even more special is the context behind it. Last season had its ups and downs for Nipam. Despite entering competitions with high expectations, she had to settle for a bronze medal in the women’s 100m at the National Junior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar, clocking 12.03 seconds. It was a result that did not fully reflect her potential.
But Tumkur looks like a turning point.
Still early in her junior career, which began in 2024, Nipam first caught national attention when she became the U18 national champion in the 200m in Bhubaneswar. Since then, she has steadily grown, and this latest performance shows she is ready to take the next step.
An 11.66s run in the season opener sends a clear message, Nipam is not just back, she is better. And if this is just the beginning, the rest of the season could be something special.
At the Junior Federation Cup 2026 in Tumkur, a strong group of young athletes stepped up in the U-20 men’s javelin throw qualification. A total of eight athletes crossed the Asian U-20 Championships qualifying mark of 65.32m, showing the depth of talent coming through the system.
Leading the list was Rishabh Giri, who threw 72.10m, the best mark in qualification. He was followed by Dharanidharan T (70.65m) and Rajat Kumar (69.83m), both comfortably clearing the standard.
Others who made the cut include:
Ashish Yadav (67.43m), Himanshu (66.74m), Mangal Singh (66.51m), Kallolepa Bandiv (65.75m), and Chetan Jat (65.34m).
Interestingly, Rohan Yadav (69.07m) and Pankaj Gavale (68.11m) also crossed the mark but will not be eligible for the Asian U-20 Championships due to age rules. Only athletes born in 2007 or later can compete.
With so many athletes in form, the final promises to be a thrilling contest.
Defending champion Dipesh Chaudhary will be one of the key names to watch. He will face tough competition from Rishabh Giri and Himanshu, both of whom have already shown top-level potential.
Last year, both Dipesh and Rishabh had crossed the World U-20 qualification mark of 68.50m, proving they can deliver on big stages.
But one name stands out, Himanshu.
The young thrower, who won the U-18 Junior Nationals, created headlines when he broke a long-standing meet record set by Neeraj Chopra in Bhubaneswar. He first threw 79.96m and then improved it to 80.38m (700g javelin) in the final.
He also gained valuable experience training alongside Neeraj Chopra and Jan Železný in South Africa,  a rare opportunity for any young athlete.
This performance in Tumkur is more than just numbers. It shows that India is building a strong pipeline in javelin throw.
National junior champion Mohammed Ashfaq showed great form at the Junior Federation Cup in Tumkur, Karnataka.
He finished first in his heat of the men’s U-20 400m, clocking 47.39 seconds. This timing was not just the fastest in his heat—it was the fastest among all 10 heats in the event.
More importantly, Ashfaq crossed the qualification mark of 47.53 seconds, confirming his place for the Asian U-20 Championships.
Other athletes like Ranjith Kumar (47.70s) and Abhay Dubey (47.83s) also ran well, but they could not meet the qualification standard. Ashfaq was the only runner to achieve it.
He will now compete in the semi-final (Heat 1) at 5:20 PM today, carrying strong momentum.
Ashfaq’s 2026 season shows clear improvement. He started the year at the Indian Open 400m in Trivandrum, finishing 8th with 48.10s.
Later, at the Indian Athletics Series-3 in New Delhi, he won the final with an impressive 46.83s. This steady progress highlights his growing confidence and form.
Last year was even better for the young athlete.
Silver medal – 400m
Silver medal – Men’s 4x400m relay
Gold medal – Mixed 4x400m relay
At the South Asian Athletics Championships, he also clocked a personal best of 46.56s in the 400m.
He also became the U-20 National Champion in Bhubaneswar with a time of 46.86s.
With his qualification now secured, Mohammed Ashfaq is set to compete at his first international championship.

 

Sawan Barwal has just rewritten Indian athletics history, breaking a 48-year-old national record set by Shivnath Singh. But in a rare and revealing moment, the long-distance runner says the achievement brought him little joy.

In this exclusive interview, Barwal opens up about expectations, disappointment, and why the record wasn’t the real goal.

Q: You’ve just broken a long-standing national record. What does it mean to you?

Sawan Barwal:
“We had planned to run around 2:08–2:10. The national record wasn’t the target — it was expected if we hit that time. The focus was always on performance.”

Q: What was going through your mind at the finish line?

Sawan Barwal:
“There was no happiness — only disappointment. We had a target, and I felt we missed it. Even though the record was broken, it didn’t feel like an achievement at that moment.”

Q: Why such a strong feeling of disappointment despite the record?

Sawan Barwal:
“Our goal was the time, not the record. In the last 2 km, things didn’t go as planned. That’s why I wasn’t satisfied.”

Q: Has life changed after this performance?

Sawan Barwal:
“Not really. I haven’t paid much attention to social media or anything outside.”

Q: This was your first marathon. How was the experience?

Sawan Barwal:
“It’s both physically and mentally demanding. Toward the end, it becomes a mental battle. Transitioning from track events like 10,000m to the marathon was a challenge, but preparation helped. I was confident of running around 2:08–2:09.”

Q: You narrowly missed a medal at the Asian Championships. Does that stay with you?

Sawan Barwal:
“Yes. Finishing fourth is tough. It doesn’t stay on my mind every day, but it’s always there.”

Q: How do you reflect on your last season overall?

Sawan Barwal:
“It was good. I set personal bests and performed well across events. The only disappointment was the Asian Championships, but I learned a lot from that.”

Q: Did breaking Shivnath Singh’s record carry emotional weight for you?

Sawan Barwal:
“I knew about the record, but I didn’t focus on it. I believed if I ran my target time, the record would come naturally. My focus was always on timing, not the record itself.”

Q: What are your main targets now?

Sawan Barwal:
“The Asian Games. I want to prepare properly and aim for a medal.”

Q: Finally, how did you process the moment after the race?

Sawan Barwal:
“I felt mentally light, but still disappointed. Later, my coach told me to relax and enjoy it. I’ll aim to do better next time.”

A day-long conference hosted by the World Anti-Doping Agency in India brought together global experts, law enforcement, and anti-doping officials to address the growing complexity of doping. The focus was clear: doping is no longer just an athlete issue — it is an organised, global network that requires intelligence-led action and stronger legal frameworks.

On the sidelines of the conference, we spoke to WADA’s Director of Intelligence & Investigations, Gunter Younger, about India’s role, the push for criminalisation, and why athletes remain the most vulnerable link.

Q: How important is India in the global fight against doping?

Gunter Younger:
“India is a very important partner — not just because of its size, but because of production. You are the ‘pharmacy of the world.’

Most of it is legal, but a small percentage is misused and exported globally. If we can identify and stop those networks in India, we can reduce the global impact. That’s why our top-down strategy relies heavily on India.”

Q: Why are athletes punished more easily than coaches or support staff?

Gunter Younger:
“That’s been a long-standing issue.

For athletes, it’s straightforward — a positive test leads to a case. But proving a coach or doctor’s involvement is much harder. You need clear legal evidence that they supplied the substance.

Athletes are often the weakest link. If they speak up, they risk losing their careers.

That’s why we need a different approach. If doping is criminalised — something India is considering — law enforcement can target coaches, doctors, and networks with stronger tools. The aim is to go after the system and better protect athletes.”

Q: Why do doping cases continue to rise globally?

Gunter Younger:
“It depends on the situation. For some athletes, especially in poorer regions, it’s about financial security. For others, it’s about performance and success.

But beyond that, there’s a financial ecosystem. Some coaches take a percentage of earnings. If one athlete is caught, another replaces them.

And then there’s organised crime. These groups are not interested in medals — they’re interested in profit.

That’s where we need to intervene — by targeting those who make money out of athletes’ health.”

In one line:

WADA’s message is clear — the fight against doping must move beyond athletes and focus on dismantling the networks that enable it.