The Diamond League 2027 schedule has 15 meetings, starting in Doha on 7 May and ending with a two-day Final in Zurich on 25 and 26 August 2027. World Athletics announced the calendar on 13 October 2026, and it will therefore be the 18th season of the Wanda Diamond League.

In total, the series visits 15 cities on four continents. Moreover, it ends about a month before the World Championships in Beijing in September 2027, so every meeting also matters for World Championships qualification. Below, you will find the full Diamond League 2027 schedule, how the league works and what it means for Indian athletes such as Neeraj Chopra.

Diamond League 2027 schedule: full calendar

The table below lists the full Diamond League 2027 schedule in date order. In addition, the Final in Zurich is highlighted.

The 2027 season month by month

Overall, the calendar falls into four clear blocks. First, the season opens with three meetings in Asia in May. After that, it moves to Europe and Africa, crosses to the United States in early July and returns to Europe for the run-in to the Final.

May: the Asian swing and Rome

Doha, Shanghai/Keqiao and Xiamen make up the Asian leg, which is also the best time zone for Indian fans. After that come Rome on 27 May and Rabat, the only African meeting, on 30 May.

June and July: the heart of the season

Next, June brings Oslo, Stockholm and Paris. Then, in July, the league visits Eugene in the United States before three meetings in quick succession: Monaco, Lausanne and London, all within eight days of each other.

August: the run-in

After a four-week break, the season resumes in Silesia on 15 August and Brussels on 20 August. Notably, Brussels hosted the 2026 Final, and Silesia also staged a meeting in 2026; read our Silesia Diamond League 2026 report.

Diamond League Final 2027 in Zurich

The 2027 Final will be held over two days, 25 and 26 August, in Zurich. As always, the winner of each discipline is crowned Diamond League champion. For example, at the 2026 Final in Brussels, Australia’s Cameron Myers won the 1500m in 3:30.14.

How the Diamond League works

Each series meeting stages only some of the disciplines. Then, in every discipline, the top eight athletes score points: 8 for first, 7 for second and so on down to 1 for eighth. Therefore, athletes need several good results across the season to qualify.

India and the Diamond League 2027

Neeraj Chopra is India’s biggest name in the Diamond League. In 2022, he became the first Indian to win the Diamond League title, in Zurich, the same city that hosts the 2027 Final. In 2026, he threw a season-best 88.05m in Lausanne, finishing nine centimetres behind Rumesh Pathirage.

However, an ankle ligament tear ended his 2026 season in late August, so he missed the Final in Brussels. As a result, the 2027 Diamond League will be a key test of his comeback, with the World Championships in Beijing only weeks after the Final.

Diamond League 2027 and the road to Beijing

Diamond League meetings are among the highest-ranked competitions in the world rankings. That matters, because the rankings decide most World Championship places under the Beijing 2027 qualification system. Consequently, Indian athletes who cannot hit the entry standards will want as many Diamond League starts as possible.

India’s athletics team finished the 2026 Asian Games with 24 medals: one gold, nine silver, and 14 bronze. The total fell from 29 medals, including six golds, at the previous edition. India’s earlier performance was its best athletics haul since the inaugural Games in 1951, when Indian athletes won 34 medals. This time, the team also recorded five national records, 11 personal bests, and three season bests.

However, several concerns emerged well before the competition ended. Coaching decisions, relay performances, and athlete management raised questions about India’s preparation. Here are four areas that may need attention before the next season.

1. Jerry Lee Holness: Reviewing the Women’s 400m Coaching Setup

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) appointed Jamaica’s Jerry Lee Holness as the dedicated women’s 400m coach at the NCOE camp in Trivandrum. His responsibilities included the women’s 400m and 4x400m relay squads.

Holness arrived with high expectations. He had previously mentored Olympic and world champions Elaine Thompson-Herah and Nesta Carter. However, after almost two seasons, his results with India’s women’s 400m group remain a concern.

By comparison, Jamaican coach Jason Dawson has earned credit for India’s progress in the 400m. His work includes Vishal TK’s national record of 44.98 seconds.

India’s women won the country’s only athletics gold at the Asian Games in the 4x400m relay. However, the athletes’ training arrangements raise questions about the camp’s contribution. Kiran Pahal, Vithya Ramraj, and Prachi trained mostly outside the camp. They joined it after the Inter-State Championships, the qualifying event for the 2026 Asian Games. This arrangement technically met AFI’s campers-only policy.

What the Women’s 400m Results Reveal

Individual performances also highlight the issue. Vithya Ramraj, a 400m hurdler who trains outside the camp under Nehpal Singh Rathore, recorded the fastest Indian women’s 400m time of the season at 51.96 seconds. Aishwarya Mishra ranked second at 52.51 seconds. She also trained outside the camp.

Last season’s rankings showed a similar pattern. Aishwarya topped the list with 51.12 seconds. Among the top four athletes, only Rupal, who finished second at 52.41 seconds, trained at a camp. She worked under Dawson rather than Holness.

Therefore, AFI faces an important decision. Will it retain Holness or consider a coaching change before the 2028 Olympics? The Asian Relay Championships and the 2027 World Championships will provide important opportunities to assess progress.

2. Radhakrishnan Nair: Choosing India’s Next Chief Athletics Coach

NNIS Sports reported on 17 July 2026 that India’s chief athletics coach, Radhakrishnan Nair, was expected to retire. AFI has since posted the vacancy on its website and invited applications for the position.

Sources indicate that a throws coach with experience working alongside several of India’s elite throwers may be a frontrunner. However, the federation has not made a final decision.

We contacted coaches and athletes to understand their expectations for the next chief coach. Their responses highlighted three priorities: stronger support for Indian coaches, better communication, and greater transparency.

What Athletes and Coaches Want

One coach, who requested anonymity, said, “Focus more on Indian coaches and don’t be entirely dependent on foreign coaches.”

A member of the support staff also called for better communication with athletes. They said, “Communication with athletes should be smoother and more respectful. There have been instances of male athletes being spoken to using inappropriate language.”

Meanwhile, another athlete stressed the need for transparent team selection.

“Team selection should be explained by the chief coach at a press conference after each selection meeting. This would ensure transparency and help people understand AFI’s thinking,” the athlete said.

These concerns point to the need for clear communication and accountability. The next chief coach will need to build trust with athletes and support staff while improving India’s competitive performance.

3. India’s 4x100m Relay Coaches: Addressing Performance and Injuries

After India won silver in the women’s 4x100m relay at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships, AFI announced that it would prioritise both 4x100m relay teams for the Asian Games.

The federation appointed James Hillier, athletics director at Reliance, as the men’s national coach. It also appointed Seenivasan Ramaiah to lead the women’s team. AFI announced the probable athletes almost a year in advance and organised two preparatory camps. The women trained at NCOE Trivandrum, while the men trained at Reliance’s Jio Institute in Mumbai.

Women’s Progress and Men’s Relay Setbacks

The women’s team qualified for the Asian Games final and finished fourth in 43.57 seconds. However, the men’s team endured a difficult season.

First, the men were disqualified at the season-opening Open Relays on 28 March 2026. As a result, they missed qualification for the Asian Relay Championships. They then suffered another disqualification at the World Relays because of a failed baton exchange.

Injuries created further problems. Most members of the men’s squad sustained injuries while training at the Jio Institute under Hillier. Consequently, India missed the men’s 4x100m relay event at the Asian Games.

These setbacks highlight the importance of relay coordination, injury management, and consistent preparation. AFI will need to review its training methods and athlete fitness plans before the next major competitions.

4. Ronald Weigel: Assessing India’s Racewalking Programme

AFI appointed Germany’s Ronald Weigel as India’s foreign racewalking expert in 2025. However, almost two seasons later, the programme has yet to demonstrate clear improvements in major international competitions.

AFI required athletes who had trained independently or with private and government organisations to join the camp under Weigel. Nevertheless, only a few athletes, including Priyanka Goswami and Sandeep Kumar, trained under him. India’s performances at the World Race Walking Championships also fell short of expectations.

India’s Results at the World Race Walking Championships

The following results show how Indian racewalkers performed in the marathon and half-marathon events.

Marathon Race Walk — Men

• Ram Baboo — 17th (3:13:55)
• Sandeep Kumar — 20th (3:15:41)

Marathon Race Walk — Women

• Priyanka Goswami — 10th (3:43:01)
• Payal — 28th (3:59:50)
• Manju Rani — 31st (4:05:22)

Half-Marathon Race Walk — Men

• Servin Sebasthiyan — 19th (1:30:28)
• Akshdeep Singh — 50th (1:38:19)
• Hardeep — 57th (1:42:28)
• Sahil — 59th (1:43:11)

Half-Marathon Race Walk — Women

• Ravina — 39th (1:45:44)
• Munita Prajapati — 43rd (1:47:15)
• Mansi Negi — 52nd (1:54:12)

Racewalking Concerns at the 2026 Asian Games

India’s racewalkers struggled again at the 2026 Asian Games. Across the four marathon and half-marathon race walk events, India fielded athletes only in the women’s marathon race walk. Priyanka Goswami and Manju Rani represented the country.

Priyanka received four red cards after approximately 9km and was disqualified. Two cards cited loss of contact, while the other two cited knee flexion. Meanwhile, Manju Rani finished last in 3:40:17. Her time was nearly seven minutes slower than her personal best of 3:33:24.

When NNIS Sports approached Weigel for an interview at the venue, he declined. He explained that he could not speak to the media without AFI’s permission.

These results raise questions about the effectiveness of the current racewalking programme. AFI may need to assess coaching methods, athlete preparation, and the support available to racewalkers before the next international season.

What Needs to Change Before the Next Athletics Season?

India’s 2026 Asian Games campaign delivered 24 medals, national records, and individual improvements. However, the results also exposed concerns about coaching effectiveness, relay preparation, athlete communication, and racewalking performance.

AFI now faces important decisions about its coaching structure and training programmes. Better support for Indian coaches, transparent selection processes, improved injury management, and stronger event-specific preparation could help athletes progress.

With the 2027 World Championships and the road to the 2028 Olympics ahead, the next season will offer an important opportunity to evaluate these changes and strengthen India’s athletics programme.

Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will host the 41st National Junior Athletics Championships from October 23 to 27. The meet features around 100 events across four age groups: U20, U18, U16, and U14. Both men and women will compete.

The championships offer a major platform for India’s young athletes. Past editions introduced talents such as high jumper Pooja and sprinter Abinaya Rajarajan before their senior careers.

This season has already produced remarkable junior performances. A 17-year-old hammer thrower set a senior national record. An U18 sprinter broke his age-group record twice in one day. Meanwhile, hurdlers combined for six runs faster than the previous national record.

Here are the athletes and events to watch in Chennai.

1. Sprints: Neil Samraj Leads the U18 Field

Neil Samraj Targets a Faster 100m

Tamil Nadu’s Neil Samraj, 17, is a leading contender in the U18 men’s 100m. On September 1, 2026, he broke the U18 national record twice in one day at the Youth Nationals. He now holds the record at 10.46 seconds.

However, Samraj wants more. He told NNIS Sports after his race, “Not really satisfied with my performance. I was targeting a sub-10.40s run, but the race went slow.”

His next race offers another chance to improve that mark.

Pratik Maharana and Aarti Siwach Aim to Impress

Odisha’s Pratik Maharana, 19, will also attract attention. He is the defending U20 200m champion and last year’s 100m silver medallist. His personal bests stand at 10.62 seconds in the 100m and 21.24 seconds in the 200m.

Maharana trains under Siba Misra, who has also coached Dutee Chand. Chand holds the women’s senior national 100m record at 11.17 seconds. Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium track has a reputation for speed. Therefore, both sprinters could challenge their personal bests.

In the women’s U20 sprints, Aarti Siwach will move up from the U18 category. She previously won national titles in both the 100m and 200m. Her personal bests are 11.81 seconds and 24.12 seconds, respectively.

Siwach also won bronze at the 2025 U18 Asian Youth Championships. This season, she joined Reliance and began training under Rohit Manne. The U20 competition will test her against older and stronger rivals.

2. Hurdles: Three Contenders Chase the Men’s Title

Fasalul Haque, Kiran K and Saif Chafekar

The men’s 110m hurdles could deliver one of the closest races of the championships. Kerala’s Fasalul Haque and Kiran K will face Maharashtra’s Saif Chafekar.

These three athletes have made significant progress over the past year. Yuvaraj S, who has now exceeded the U20 age limit, also contributed to the rise in performances.

Together, the four athletes have recorded six times faster than the previous U20 national record. Moreover, athletes have lowered that record three times during the same period. The Chennai final will reveal who currently leads the field.

Nupura Holla Returns to the Spotlight

In the women’s U18 100m hurdles, 16-year-old Nupura Holla is another athlete to watch. She set a personal best of 13.78 seconds while winning the youth title ahead of Shourya Ambure at the Youth Nationals.

Holla also qualified for the Youth Olympics. However, she could not represent India because she holds a US passport. The Chennai championships offer her a major opportunity to compete again after that disappointment.

3. Race Walk: Tushar Panwar Looks to Continue His Progress

Tushar Panwar enters the men’s 5000m race walk after winning bronze in the 21km race walk at the U23 Nationals on October 18, 2026.

Earlier this season, Panwar won the 5km title at the Indian Race-Walking Championships. He also holds the fastest time in the 5000m race walk field.

However, the two distances demand different approaches. The move from 21km to 5000m requires a major adjustment in pace and race strategy. His speed over the shorter distance will be worth watching.

Understanding the Race Walk Records

Nitin Gupta holds the Indian U20 record in the 5000m race walk. Meanwhile, Tushar Panwar holds the record in the 5km race walk.

The distances may sound similar, but the events use different courses. The 5000m race walk takes place on a track. In contrast, the 5km race walk takes place on a road course.

4. Throws: Record-Breakers Return to Competition

Anushka Yadav Returns to the U20 Hammer Throw

Uttar Pradesh’s Anushka Yadav, 17, made headlines this season. She broke the senior women’s hammer throw national record with a throw of 67.02 metres.

She also won the Inter-State Championships and earned selection for India’s Asian Games team. Later, Tanya Chaudhary improved the national record to 68.35 metres.

Yadav now returns to the U20 hammer throw after an eventful season. Her performance in Chennai will show how she responds to the demands of junior competition.

Nischay Brings International Experience

Haryana’s Nischay, 17, is another promising name in the throws. He won silver at the U20 Asian Championships with a U20 national record of 60.10 metres in the discus.

He also represented India at the U20 World Championships. At Chennai, Nischay will compete in the U18 discus and shot put. His participation in both events makes him one of the meet’s most versatile throwers.

5. Jumps: Sadhana Ravi Takes on Two Events

Tamil Nadu’s Sadhana Ravi, 18, will compete in both the women’s long jump and triple jump.

She won the 2025 Junior Federation Cup triple jump with a mark of 12.75 metres. She also claimed the 2025 U18 national long jump title with 5.94 metres.

This season, Ravi earned silver in the triple jump at the U20 Asian Championships. She then improved her personal best to 13.08 metres at the season-opening Open Jumps.

Her long jump season best stands at 5.74 metres. Therefore, both events offer opportunities to assess her progress and consistency.

What to Expect at the National Junior Athletics Championships 2026

The five-day championships will bring together promising athletes across four age groups. Sprinting, hurdles, race walking, throws, and jumps all feature potential breakthrough performances.

Neil Samraj will look to improve his record-breaking sprint times. Meanwhile, the men’s 110m hurdles promises a close contest. Tushar Panwar, Anushka Yadav, Nischay, and Sadhana Ravi will also draw attention in their respective events.

With several athletes already producing national records and international-level results, Chennai offers an important test. The championships will help identify which juniors are ready to take the next step in Indian athletics.

The 6th National U23 Athletics Championships concluded at Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium on 18 October 2026. The three-day meet featured almost 1,500 athletes. Although the long season affected several performances, the competition revealed promising talent for senior athletics.

Several athletes delivered record-breaking results and personal bests. These included performances in the 100m, long jump, pole vault and heptathlon. Race walking also produced a promising new contender in the men’s half marathon.

Here are five breakout performers who could make their mark in senior athletics over the next one to two years.

1. Rushiprashad (Maharashtra): Breaking the 10.30-Second Barrier

A Record-Breaking 100m Performance

At 21, Maharashtra’s Rushiprashad emerged as a promising sprint prospect. He won the men’s 100m title in 10.29 seconds (+0.7m/s). His performance also set a new meet record, beating Animesh Kujur’s previous mark of 10.38 seconds from 2024.

Rushiprashad broke the 10.30-second barrier for the first time. According to the supplied rankings, his time places him joint 10th on India’s all-time men’s 100m list.

This result marks an important milestone. However, his next challenge is to reproduce that speed consistently against senior athletes.

What Comes Next for Rushiprashad?

Rushiprashad now has a strong foundation for further development. He can focus on acceleration, maximum speed and race execution as he targets bigger competitions.

His coaching and training environment will also play an important role. If he builds on this breakthrough, he could become a sprinter to watch over the next few seasons.

2. Sheeba D. (Kerala): A Long Jump Breakthrough Beyond Six Metres

A New Personal Best in Jaipur

Kerala’s Sheeba D. won the women’s U23 long jump with a personal best of 6.29m. The 21-year-old achieved a significant milestone with her winning jump.

It was her first legal jump beyond six metres. Earlier in the season, she recorded a wind-assisted 6.19m. Her performance in Jaipur therefore established a new benchmark under legal conditions.

According to the supplied rankings, her 6.29m effort places her joint seventh among Indian women’s long jumpers for the 2026 season, alongside Kusuma Ravada.

Building on Her U23 Success

Sheeba joins an event with a strong Indian tradition. Athletes such as Anju Bobby George, Ancy Sojan and Nayna James have helped raise the profile of women’s long jump.

Her next goal will be to deliver consistent performances at senior competitions. Repeated jumps beyond six metres would mark an important step forward.

Further improvements could also strengthen her position among India’s leading long jumpers. Her Jaipur performance suggests that she has made meaningful progress.

3. Nitika Akare (Madhya Pradesh): A Pole Vault Record and Bigger Ambitions

Clearing a New Personal Best

Madhya Pradesh’s Nitika Akare delivered one of the meet’s standout field-event performances. She won the women’s pole vault with a lifetime best of 4.15m.

The 20-year-old also set a new meet record. In pole vault, even a few centimetres can make a significant difference.

According to the supplied rankings, her clearance places her joint fourth among Indian women’s pole vaulters. She shares that position with Pavithra Venkatesan and Vazhalipilli Sureshbabu Sureka.

Her new personal best also brings her closer to the national record of 4.26m.

Significant Progress During the 2026 Season

Nitika opened her 2026 season with a clearance of 3.70m. She then improved to 4.15m, gaining 45 centimetres over the season.

She trains at the DSYW Academy under coach Ghanshyam Yadav. Her training partners include Dev Meena, India’s men’s pole vault national record holder, and former record holder Kuldeep Yadav.

Training alongside accomplished vaulters gives Nitika opportunities to learn from athletes with experience at the highest national level.

Nitika on the Growth of Women’s Pole Vault

Nitika believes women’s pole vault has improved considerably in India.

“Women’s pole vault has improved a lot in India. Earlier, national medal-winning heights were around 3.60m and 3.70m, but now you have to clear at least 4m to win a medal,” she said.

She also recalled watching Dev Meena break the national record. At the time, she wondered when she would achieve similar milestones.

“I always used to watch Dev Meena breaking the national record and think, ‘When will I be able to set national records and meet records like him?’ Now, the performances have started, and there is more to come,” she said.

The Road Ahead

Nitika will now aim to build on her meet-record performance. Her current best puts the national record within reach.

Continued progress could help her establish herself in senior competition. For now, her 4.15m clearance gives her a clear target for the next season.

4. Nitin Gupta (Uttar Pradesh): From Junior Race Walking to the Senior Challenge

Winning the Half Marathon on His First Attempt

Uttar Pradesh’s Nitin Gupta won the men’s half marathon race walk in 1:29:00 at the U23 Nationals.

The result stood out because it was his first attempt at the distance. At 18, Nitin is still developing physically and technically. However, he has already shown promise across different race-walking distances.

He also holds India’s U20 5,000m race walk national record of 18:54.37. The supplied rankings place this performance fourth among the fastest times ever recorded by a U20 walker.

Progress Against Senior Athletes

Nitin has continued to improve over longer distances this season. He has beaten senior competitors at the Indian Race Walking Championships and Indian Athletics Series-9.

These results suggest that he is beginning to move beyond junior competition. His coach, Basant Rana, said Nitin had performed well in the junior category over the past two seasons.

Managing Fatigue and Preparing for Next Season

The U23 Nationals also highlighted the physical demands of a long athletics season. Nitin acknowledged that fatigue affected his performance.

“This was the last competition. I had fatigue due to long season,” he said.

Despite that fatigue, he has already set his sights on the next stage of his career.

“Don’t worry, next season’s target is the senior category,” he added.

His next phase will require continued development, recovery and experience over longer distances. Race walking demands endurance, pacing and precise technique. He must maintain these qualities as he faces stronger competition.

Nevertheless, his U20 record and half marathon victory make him a young athlete worth following.

5. Bidisha Kundu (West Bengal): A Record-Breaking Heptathlon Performance

Crossing the 5,000-Point Barrier

West Bengal’s Bidisha Kundu completed the five-athlete shortlist with an impressive heptathlon performance. She won the title with a personal best of 5,260 points.

The 21-year-old also set a new meet record. For the first time, she crossed the 5,000-point barrier.

The heptathlon tests athletes across seven events: the 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m, long jump, javelin throw and 800m. Competitors need a balance of speed, strength, jumping ability and endurance.

Bidisha recorded lifetime bests in five of the seven events during the championships.

Bidisha’s Results Across Seven Events

Her performances in Jaipur were:

• 100m hurdles: 14.09s — personal best
• High jump: 1.69m
• Shot put: 9.53m
• 200m: 24.65s — personal best
• Long jump: 5.88m — personal best
• Javelin throw: 26.40m — personal best
• 800m: 2:20.83 — personal best

Her overall score reflects progress across multiple disciplines. This balance is essential in combined events, where every improvement can increase the final points total.

Coaching and Future Development

Bidisha trains under Rudra Pratim Roy, a multi-event specialist. Roy previously worked as a strength and conditioning coach with East Bengal’s football team.

He believes she still has considerable room to improve. He also highlighted her relatively short experience in the heptathlon.

“She has only been doing the heptathlon for three years. Before this, she won an individual U20 gold in the high jump,” he said.

The javelin remains an area for improvement. Roy plans to bring in a throwing specialist to help Bidisha develop her technique and gain more points in that event.

Following West Bengal’s Heptathlon Tradition

Bidisha’s progress also connects her to West Bengal’s history in combined events. The state has produced accomplished heptathletes, including Olympian Soma Biswas.

Bidisha hopes to continue that tradition.

“Many heptathletes have come from West Bengal, and some have even gone to the Olympics. Soma Biswas, for example, was trained by my coach’s father,” she said.

She also reflected on her performances in Jaipur.

“I came prepared for the hurdles and was expecting a better performance in the 200m. In the 800m, I was only aiming to break the meet record,” the 21-year-old added.

What Comes Next for Bidisha?

Her 5,260-point performance provides a strong foundation for further development. She can now focus on improving weaker events while maintaining her strengths.

Better javelin results could help raise her overall score. Continued progress across all seven events could also make her a stronger contender in senior heptathlon competitions.

What Comes Next for India’s U23 Breakout Athletes?

The U23 Nationals in Jaipur showcased five athletes progressing towards senior competition.

Rushiprashad broke the 10.30-second barrier in the 100m. Sheeba D. recorded her first legal long jump beyond six metres. Nitika Akare raised her pole vault best to 4.15m.

Meanwhile, Nitin Gupta demonstrated his potential over longer race-walking distances. Bidisha Kundu crossed 5,000 points in the heptathlon for the first time.

Each athlete now faces a different challenge. Sprinters and jumpers must turn promising performances into consistent results. Race walkers need to build endurance and experience. Combined-event athletes must improve across several disciplines.

The U23 category provides an important bridge between junior success and senior competition. However, progress takes time, and these results alone cannot guarantee national titles or international selection.

Instead, the performances reveal each athlete’s strengths and provide clear targets for the coming seasons.

For Indian athletics, the U23 Nationals offer more than medals. They help identify emerging talent that could strengthen the senior ranks. Rushiprashad, Sheeba D., Nitika Akare, Nitin Gupta and Bidisha Kundu all left Jaipur with reasons to aim higher.

The next one to two years will show how well they build on these breakthroughs and establish themselves among India’s senior athletes.

Who won gold at the Indian Open U23 Athletics 2026? Forty champions were crowned over three days at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, from 16 to 18 October. Rushiprasad Desai, Unnathi Bollanda, Gaurav Bhaskar Bhosale and Prachi Devkar led a meet where new records were set in 11 events.

Day 1 featured eight finals and five records. The busiest programme came on Day 2, when athletes competed for 14 titles. Finally, Day 3 brought the meet to a close with 18 more gold medals, including two hammer records. This page therefore lists every gold medallist, day by day, with their team and winning mark.

Jump to: Day 1 goldsDay 2 goldsDay 3 goldsGolds by teamWhat comes nextFAQs

Day 1 gold medallists (16 October): eight champions, five records

Eight finals were decided on the opening day, and eight different teams won them. Records fell in the sprints, the pole vault and the women’s discus.

Rushiprasad Desai: the fastest man in Jaipur

Maharashtra’s Rushiprasad Desai ran 10.29 in his 100m semi-final, with a legal tailwind of 0.7 m/s. That broke Animesh Kujur’s meet record of 10.38 from Patna in 2024. In the final, he ran into a 0.8 m/s headwind but still won clearly in 10.35.

Behind him, three men clocked 10.46. The photo finish then split them by thousandths, and Savin Thingalaya of Reliance took silver.

Unnathi Bollanda takes the women’s 100m

Unnathi Bollanda of Reliance broke the women’s 100m record with 11.55 in her semi-final (wind +1.2 m/s). She then won the final in 11.62, into a 0.6 m/s headwind. Kiruthika of Tamil Nadu took silver in 11.74.

Dev Meena clears 5.30m to beat his own record

Dev Meena of Madhya Pradesh cleared 5.30m in the men’s pole vault, improving his 2024 meet record of 5.20m. His teammate Kuldeep Kumar matched the height. However, Meena won on countback because he cleared it at the first attempt.

Priya wins the discus with her final throw

The women’s discus was the contest of the day. All three medallists threw past the old meet record of 50.73m. Priya of Haryana saved her best for her sixth and last attempt, 53.07m, to take gold from Nikita Kumari (51.92m).

The other Day 1 champions

• • Sonam Parmar (IOCL) won the women’s 5000m in 17:03.41, two hundredths ahead of teammate Sunita Devi.
  • Mahek Nasrin Dayan Khan (Odisha) won the women’s high jump on countback at 1.69m.
  • Sheeba D (Kerala) won the women’s long jump with 6.29m.
  • Munesh (BSF) won the women’s shot put with 14.27m.

Nirbhay Choudhary of Delhi also broke the men’s hammer record in qualifying with 65.43m. His final, however, came on Day 3.

Day 2 gold medallists (17 October): 14 titles and two more records

Day 2 had the busiest programme, with eight men’s and six women’s finals. The day featured the busiest programme, with eight men’s and six women’s finals. Bharatpreet Singh and Nitika Anup Akare set meet records. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu swept the men’s long jump.

Bharatpreet Singh Comes from Behind in the Discus

Navy’s Bharatpreet Singh trailed at the halfway stage. However, he produced a winning throw of 54.70m to claim the men’s discus title. That beat the meet record of 53.66m, set by Haryana’s Abhimanyu in 2024. Vaibhav of Himachal Pradesh, who had led earlier, took silver with 53.65m, Telangana Today reported.

Nitika Anup Akare raises the women’s pole vault record

Nitika Anup Akare of Madhya Pradesh cleared 4.15m to win the women’s pole vault. The old record of 4.00m belonged to Tamil Nadu’s Pavithra from 2022. Two years ago, Nitika took silver at this meet with 3.50m, so she has added 65cm since.

Gaurav Bhaskar Bhosale starts his double

Maharashtra’s Gaurav Bhaskar Bhosale won the men’s 5000m in 14:07.77, just 0.64 ahead of Satyam of Uttar Pradesh. His time was only 1.67 seconds outside the meet record. He would return on Day 3 for the 10,000m.

Prachi Devkar wins the 1500m

Prachi Devkar of IOCL won the women’s 1500m in 4:25.87, holding off Rashi of Himachal Pradesh (4:26.15). It was the first of her two golds.

Tamil Nadu sweeps the men’s long jump

C Tharun Vikash won the men’s long jump with 7.70m. His Tamil Nadu teammates R Chitaranjan (7.64m) and Sharon Jestus J (7.55m) completed a clean sweep.

The other Day 2 champions

• • Sahil Malik (NCOE Trivandrum) won the men’s 400m in 46.27.
  • Ayesha Khanam (Rajasthan) won the women’s 400m in 54.27, a home win for the Jaipur crowd.
  • Shaik Roshan (Andhra Pradesh) won the men’s 110m hurdles in 14.14.
  • Sabita Toppo (Odisha) won the women’s 100m hurdles in 13.66, one hundredth outside the meet record.
  • Anurag Singh Kaler (Railway Sports) won the men’s shot put with 18.33m.
  • Lajo Saroj (Madhya Pradesh) won the women’s 10,000m in 36:26.07.
  • Aarti (Haryana) won the women’s half marathon race walk in 1:49:52.
  • Abhijit Bhosale (Air Force) came from behind to win the decathlon with 6,897 points.
  • Rahul Sarnaliya (Uttarakhand) crossed first in the men’s 1500m (3:50.29), but the official sheet lists that result as withheld.

Day 3 gold medallists (18 October): 18 champions and four records

The final day decided 18 titles, ten for men and eight for women. New meet records came in the women’s hammer, the men’s 10,000m, the men’s 400m hurdles and the heptathlon, while the men’s hammer record was improved again.

Nirbhay Choudhary breaks the hammer record twice

Nirbhay Choudhary of Delhi had already broken the men’s hammer record in qualifying. In the final, he went further with 66.32m. The previous mark of 64.75m belonged to Nitesh Poonia from 2022. Mohammad Shahban of Uttar Pradesh also beat the old record with 65.27m for silver.

Haqikat Grewal saves her best for last

Punjab’s Haqikat Grewal led the women’s hammer from her second throw. Then her final attempt landed at 55.46m, beating Tanya Chaudhary’s meet record of 54.42m. Soniya of Rajasthan took silver with 52.16m.

Gaurav Bhaskar Bhosale completes the distance double

The men’s 10,000m was the race of the meet. Gaurav Bhaskar Bhosale won in 29:34.52, with Satyam (29:36.45) and Mohit Choudhary (29:37.19) close behind. All three broke Puneet Yadav’s 2022 meet record of 29:44.64. As a result, Bhosale completed a 5000m and 10,000m double, with Satyam second both times.

Karna Bag wins the 400m hurdles by one hundredth

Karna Bag of West Bengal won the men’s 400m hurdles in 50.27, just ahead of Aryan Prajwal Kashyapa of JSW in 50.28. Both men beat the 2025 meet record of 50.29 set by Kerala’s Arjun Pradeep.

Prachi Devkar and Bidisha Kundu finish strong

Prachi Devkar of IOCL added the women’s 3000m steeplechase (10:26.21) to her 1500m title, finishing almost ten seconds clear. Meanwhile, West Bengal’s Bidisha Kundu won the heptathlon with 5,260 points, a new meet record and 460 points ahead of the runner-up.

The other Day 3 champions

• • Yuvaraj E (Tamil Nadu) won the men’s 200m in 21.01, after finishing sixth in the 100m.
  • Sonika (Haryana) edged Samriti Jamwal by one hundredth in the women’s 200m, 23.97 to 23.98.
  • Akashdeep Singh (Punjab) won the men’s 800m in 1:50.10.
  • Prateeksha Yadav (IOCL) won the women’s 800m in 2:06.92.
  • Ranvir Kumar Singh (Gujarat) won the men’s 3000m steeplechase in 8:59.46.
  • Priyanka Madivalappa Olekar (Karnataka) won the women’s 400m hurdles in 1:00.25.
  • Aaditya Raghuvanshi (Madhya Pradesh) won the men’s high jump on countback at 2.10m.
  • Yuvaraj K (Tamil Nadu) won the men’s triple jump with 15.64m.
  • Marymukta Soreng (Odisha) won the women’s triple jump with 12.57m.
  • Shashank Patil (Karnataka) won the men’s javelin with 76.16m.
  • Deepika (JSW) won the women’s javelin with 51.43m.
  • Nitin Gupta (Uttar Pradesh) won the men’s half marathon race walk in 1:29:51.

Gold medals by team: Madhya Pradesh and IOCL lead

Twenty-two teams won at least one gold across the three days. Madhya Pradesh won four, in the jumps and the 10,000m, while IOCL won four women’s middle- and long-distance titles.

This count covers 39 finals. It leaves out the men’s 1500m, which the official AFI sheet lists as withheld. AFI does not publish a team table, so this is our own count. Haryana, however, won the most medals overall, with 13.

What comes next for India’s U23 champions

The junior season now moves to the National Junior Athletics Championships 2026 in Chennai, from 23 to 27 October. The full result book, with heats and every place in each final, is on the AFI competition page. For every other meet this season, see our athletics results page.

Who is the fastest man in India? It is Gurindervir Singh, a 25-year-old sprinter from Punjab who holds the men’s 100m national record of 10.09 seconds. He set it at the Federation Cup in Ranchi on 23 May 2026 and became the first Indian to run under 10.10. Animesh Kujur is a close second with 10.14, run in Germany in July 2026.

Yet the record changed hands three times in less than 24 hours before Gurindervir settled it. Between them, he and Animesh now own India’s five fastest 100m times. This page therefore ranks India’s top 100m sprinters of 2026, explains how the record fell, and logs every key race of the season.

Jump to: Who is itRecord duelTop 100m timesSprinter profilesRecord historyCWG & Asian Games2026 seasonTheir storyFastest womanFollowFAQs

Who is the fastest man in India? The short answer

Gurindervir Singh is the fastest man in India over 100m. According to World Athletics, he holds national records in the 100m (10.09), the indoor 60m (6.60) and the men’s 4x100m relay (38.69). He is a petty officer in the Indian Navy.

His 2026 season was the best yet by an Indian sprinter. He opened with the indoor 60m record in March, ran 10.09 in May and helped India to a mixed relay bronze at the Asian Games in September. However, he did not reach the individual 100m final at either the Commonwealth Games or the Asian Games.

 Gurindervir Singh’s 10.09 in Ranchi made him the first Indian to break 10.10 in the 100m.

How the 100m national record fell three times in Ranchi

The 29th National Senior Athletics Federation Competition at Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Stadium doubled as the trial for both multi-sport Games. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) set the 100m entry standard at 10.16, faster than the national record at the time, as Olympics.com reported.

In the first semi-final on Friday 22 May, Gurindervir ran 10.17 to beat Animesh Kujur’s 10.18 from 2025. Minutes later, Animesh won the second semi-final in 10.15 to take the record back. “It’s all about hard work,” he said, AFI reported.

The final followed on Saturday 23 May. Gurindervir won in 10.09 with a legal tailwind of 0.3 m/s, according to the official AFI result sheet. Animesh finished second in 10.20, a margin of 0.11. Pranav Gurav took bronze in 10.29. Afterwards, Gurindervir said the record proved he was “not finished”, UNI reported.

Top Indian 100m sprinters: personal bests and 2026 bests

The table ranks India’s leading active 100m sprinters by personal best. Marks come from World Athletics profiles and AFI result sheets. All marks listed are legal; none is wind-assisted.

Only two Indians have run faster than 10.18. In fact, no Indian broke 10.20 until July 2025. Gurindervir’s 10.09 also leaves him 0.19 slower than the 9.90 that won Asian Games gold in September.

India’s top 100m sprinters in 2026: profiles

1. Gurindervir Singh (10.09). The national record holder turned 25 in December 2025. He first broke the record with 10.20 at the Indian Grand Prix in Bengaluru on 28 March 2025. In 2026, he also set the indoor 60m record of 6.60 in Bhubaneswar on 25 March.

2. Animesh Kujur (10.14). The 23-year-old runs for Odisha and also holds the 200m national record of 20.32. He ran 10.14 to finish second at the PUMA Fast Arms Fast Legs meet in Wetzlar, a World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger event. It is the fastest 100m by an Indian on foreign soil, The Bridge reported. He also won the national Inter-State title in 10.28.

3. Manikanta Hoblidhar(10.19). The 24-year-old Army sprinter from Udupi, Karnataka, held the national record from October 2023 until March 2025. He ran his best of 10.19 at the 2025 National Open. Then, after months of rehab that began in April 2026, he won the 2026 National Open in Delhi in 10.25, Telangana Today reported.

4. Pranav Pramod(10.27). The 25-year-old from Daund near Pune won the 2025 Federation Cup in Kochi in 10.27, ahead of Animesh. In 2026, he took bronze at the Federation Cup in 10.29 and silver at the Inter-State Championships in 10.39.

5. Lalu Prashad Bhoi and Vibhaskar Kumar. Lalu Prasad Bhoi, 23, won indoor 60m silver in 6.65 and 100m silver at the National Open in 10.43. Similarly, Bihar’s Vibhaskar Kumar, 22, placed fourth in the Federation Cup final in 10.39.

India’s 100m national record: the road to 10.09

Amiya Kumar Mallick’s 10.26 from 2016 stood for seven years. Since October 2023, the record has fallen six times, and it has dropped by 0.17 in total.

Each time above 10.09 was a national record then. In the same Bengaluru race in March 2025, Manikanta also ran 10.22, but finished behind Gurindervir. Meanwhile, Animesh’s 10.18 in Greece made him the first Indian under 10.20.

How India’s fastest men fared at the CWG and Asian Games

At the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Gurindervir ran 10.39 in his heat on 27 July. He finished second behind Jamaica’s Rohan Watson (10.13) but placed 28th of 73 overall. A time of 10.24 was needed for the semi-finals, WION reported. Animesh ran only the 200m there, clocking 20.46 in the heats and 20.65 in the semi-finals.

At the Asian Games in Nagoya, both men reached the semi-finals on 24 September. Animesh was third in heat 1 in 10.36, while Gurindervir was second in heat 4 in 10.38. The next day, Gurindervir ran 10.32 for fifth in semi-final 2. Animesh was seventh in semi-final 3 in 10.38.

Thailand’s Puripol Boonson then won the final in a Games record of 9.90, according to World Athletics. He had already run 9.91 in his semi-final.

India’s medal came in the relay instead. On 29 September, Gurindervir, Sneha Shanuvalli, Animesh and Harita Bhadra won mixed 4x100m bronze in 41.06. It beat the national record of 41.35 set at the World Relays in Gaborone earlier in 2026.

India’s 2026 men’s sprint season, race by race

The national 100m record dropped from 10.18 to 10.09 in two days in May. Then the fastest time by an Indian abroad fell from 10.18 to 10.14 in July. The log below lists the key races in date order.

From Jalandhar and Jashpur to Nagoya: their story

Gurindervir Singh trained in Jalandhar for around 12 to 13 years before reaching the top, his early coach Happy told UNI. About three years before his record, a serious digestive illness kept him out for nearly a year, according to reports after his record run. He now trains under James Hillier at the Reliance Foundation High Performance Centre.

Animesh Kujur was born on 2 June 2003 in Ghuitangar, a village in Chhattisgarh’s Jashpur district. Both his parents are police officers. Football was his first sport, as The Bridge reported, and he played until his late teens.

Then, during the COVID-19 lockdown, he entered a local meet without a coach or spikes. Coach Martin Owens later invited him to the Reliance Foundation centre in Bhubaneswar. As a result, Animesh and Gurindervir now train in the same system, and their rivalry has pushed the record down from 10.20 to 10.09 in 14 months.

Who is the fastest woman in India?

Dutee Chand holds the women’s 100m national record of 11.17, set at the Indian Grand Prix 4 in Patiala in 2021, according to Olympics.com. In 2026, Harita Bhadra won the national indoor 60m in 7.32, and Nithya Gandhe won the Indian Athletics Series 3 100m in 11.59.

Follow India’s fastest men on Athletics India

Track every race on the Gurindervir Singh profile page and the Animesh Kujur profile page. For heats, line-ups and finals, see our athletics results page.

The Indian Open U23 athletics 2026 results are now complete. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has published the full result book of the 6th Indian Open U23 Athletics Competition, held at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur from 16 to 18 October.

Forty finals were decided over three days, and new meet records were set in 11 events. This page therefore lists the gold, silver and bronze medallists in every final, the new meet records, the combined events and a medal count by team. Every result below comes from the official AFI finals result sheet.

Indian Open U23 athletics 2026: the highlights

Records fell on the track, in the throws, in the pole vault and in the heptathlon. In three events, the top two or three all finished inside the old meet record.

Three men inside the 10,000m record

The men’s 10,000m was the race of the meet. Gaurav Bhaskar Bhosale of Maharashtra won in 29:34.52, while Satyam of Uttar Pradesh (29:36.45) and Mohit Choudhary of ONGC (29:37.19) followed him home. All three broke the meet record of 29:44.64, which Puneet Yadav of Haryana set in Bilaspur in 2022.

Bhosale had already won the 5000m on Day 2 in 14:07.77. That was just 1.67 seconds outside Shadab Pathan’s meet record of 14:06.10 from 2023. Satyam took silver in both races.

Nirbhay Choudhary breaks the hammer record twice

Nirbhay Choudhary of Delhi broke the men’s hammer record in qualifying on Day 1 with 65.43m. In the final on Day 3, he improved it to 66.32m. Mohammad Shahban of Uttar Pradesh also threw beyond the old record of 64.75m, set by Nitesh Poonia in 2022, with 65.27m for silver.

One hundredth decides the 400m hurdles

Karna Bag of West Bengal won the men’s 400m hurdles in 50.27, just ahead of Aryan Prajwal Kashyapa of JSW in 50.28. Both men broke the meet record of 50.29, which Arjun Pradeep of Kerala set in Hanumakonda in 2025. Vignesh B of Navy took bronze in 51.33.

Desai and Bollanda set sprint records

Rushiprasad Desai of Maharashtra ran 10.29 in the 100m semi-final on Day 1, breaking Animesh Kujur’s meet record of 10.38. He then won the final in 10.35, into a headwind of 0.8 m/s. Likewise, Unnathi Bollanda of Reliance broke the women’s 100m record with 11.55 in her semi-final, and then won the final in 11.62. Our Day 1 report has the full story of both races.

The 200m titles went elsewhere. Yuvaraj E of Tamil Nadu, sixth in the 100m, won the men’s 200m in 21.01. In the women’s race, Sonika of Haryana beat Samriti Jamwal of Himachal Pradesh by one hundredth, 23.97 to 23.98.

New records in the throws and the pole vault

Five more meet records fell in the field:

• Women’s pole vault: Nitika Anup Akare of Madhya Pradesh cleared 4.15m, beating Pavithra’s 4.00m from 2022. She took silver at the 2024 edition with 3.50m.
• Women’s hammer: Haqikat Grewal of Punjab threw 55.46m, beyond Tanya Chaudhary’s 54.42m from 2024.
• Men’s discus: Bharatpreet Singh of Navy threw 54.70m, beating Abhimanyu’s 53.66m from 2024.
• Women’s discus: Priya of Haryana won with 53.07m on her last throw, on Day 1.
• Men’s pole vault: Dev Meena of Madhya Pradesh cleared 5.30m, and won on countback from his teammate Kuldeep Kumar.

IOCL wins four women’s titles

IOCL’s middle- and long-distance runners won four golds. Prachi Devkar won both the 1500m (4:25.87) and the 3000m steeplechase (10:26.21). In addition, Prateeksha Yadav took the 800m in 2:06.92, and Sonam Parmar won the 5000m on Day 1.

Tamil Nadu sweeps the men’s long jump

Tamil Nadu took all three medals in the men’s long jump. C Tharun Vikash won with 7.70m, ahead of R Chitaranjan (7.64m) and Sharon Jestus J (7.55m). Yuvaraj K then added the triple jump title with 15.64m.

Close calls and countbacks

• Women’s 100m hurdles: Sabita Toppo of Odisha won in 13.66, one hundredth outside Moumita Mondal’s meet record of 13.65 from 2021.
• Men’s high jump: three athletes cleared 2.10m. Aaditya Raghuvanshi of Madhya Pradesh won on countback, ahead of Jomon Joy of Kerala and Shyam Sunder of Air Force.
• Men’s javelin: Shashank Patil of Karnataka won with 76.16m. However, Yashvir Singh’s meet record of 78.12m from 2023 survived.
• Women’s javelin: Deepika of JSW won with 51.43m, while Jyoti of Haryana, the 2024 champion and record holder, took bronze with 49.50m.

Men’s 1500m result withheld

The official sheet marks the men’s 1500m final as “withheld”, and it gives no reason. Rahul Sarnaliya of Uttarakhand crossed the line first in 3:50.29. We have left this event out of the medal count below until AFI confirms the result.

Meet records at the Indian Open U23 athletics 2026

New meet records were set in 11 events. Two of them, the men’s and women’s 100m, came in the semi-finals, while the men’s hammer record fell first in qualifying.

Men’s results: Indian Open U23 athletics 2026

Here are the medallists in the 19 men’s individual finals; the decathlon is in the combined events section below. Times are in seconds or minutes, while field marks are in metres. MR marks a new meet record.

Women’s results: Indian Open U23 athletics 2026

Here are the medallists in the 19 women’s individual finals; the heptathlon is in the combined events section below. IOCL won four of these titles, and Odisha won three.

Combined events: decathlon and heptathlon

Abhijit Bhosale of Air Force came from behind to win the decathlon, while Bidisha Kundu of West Bengal led the heptathlon from Day 2 and set a new meet record.

Bharath Raj B led the decathlon after Day 1 with 3,773 points, ahead of Bhosale on 3,589. However, Bhosale scored more over the second day’s five events and won by 284 points. His total was 168 points short of the meet record of 7,065, set in 2024.

In the heptathlon, Kundu led with 3,226 points after four events and finished 460 points clear of Tanishka Sharma. The full scores for every event are in the decathlon and heptathlon result sheets.

Medal count by team at the Indian Open U23 athletics 2026

AFI does not publish a team table with the results. So we counted the medals in 39 finals, leaving out the withheld men’s 1500m. Madhya Pradesh and IOCL won the most golds, four each, while Haryana won the most medals, 13. In all, 22 teams won at least one gold and 29 won a medal.

However, this is our count and not an official standing. Since the meet is open, the table mixes states with institutional teams such as IOCL, Reliance and the services. We will add the men’s 1500m medals once AFI confirms that result.

After the Indian Open U23 athletics 2026: what comes next

The junior season now moves to the National Junior Athletics Championships 2026 in Chennai from 23 to 27 October. Results from every other meet this season are also on the Indian athletics results page.

The complete result book, with heats, semi-finals and every place in each final, is on the AFI competition page. You can also download each day separately: Day 1 (PDF), Day 2 (PDF) and Day 3 (PDF).

Who is Gulveer Singh? He is the 28-year-old Indian Army distance runner who won three medals at the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya: silver in the 10,000m, silver in the 1500m and bronze in the 5000m. Gulveer Singh also holds India’s records in the 5000m, 10,000m and half marathon.

Two months before Nagoya, he also won India’s first-ever Commonwealth Games medal in the men’s 10,000m. This page therefore tells his whole story so far: his medals, his personal bests, his 2026 season race by race, and his life in the Army.

Who is Gulveer Singh? The short answer

Gulveer Singh is an Indian long-distance runner from Uttar Pradesh. He was born on 1 June 1998, according to World Athletics, and he races everything from the 1500m to the half marathon.

He is also a two-time Asian champion. At the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, he won both the 5000m and the 10,000m. In 2026 he then added two Commonwealth Games medals and three Asian Games medals.

Asian Games 2026: three races, three medals

Gulveer opened in the 10,000m on Friday 25 September. He stayed with the leaders and took silver in 28:29.38, behind Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew. As a result, he became the first Indian to win two Asian Games medals in the event, after his bronze in Hangzhou.

Three days later, he dropped down to the 1500m. He kicked hard on the last lap and won silver in a personal best of 3:36.72, just 0.37 seconds behind Japan’s Kazuto Iizawa.

Finally, on 29 September, he completed the set with 5000m bronze in 13:32.75. Balew won again, while Japan’s Tomonori Yamaguchi took silver in 13:31.43.

The hat-trick also put Gulveer in the history books. He became only the second Indian man to win three track medals at one Asian Games, after Lavy Pinto at the first Games in 1951, PTI reported.

Commonwealth Games 2026: India’s first track medal double

In Glasgow on 28 July, Gulveer ran a rain-soaked 10,000m final. He saved energy in the lead group, closed with a 56.4-second last lap and won silver in 27:49.78. Australia’s Ky Robinson won in 27:48.93, so Gulveer missed gold by only 0.85 seconds.

That silver was India’s first-ever Commonwealth Games medal in the men’s 10,000m. Then, on 1 August, he took 5000m bronze in 13:24.95, The Bridge reported, just 0.04 seconds ahead of fourth place. As a result, he became the first Indian to win two track medals at a single Commonwealth Games.

Download PDF: CWG 2026 complete results

Gulveer Singh’s 2026 season, race by race

His year started on the roads. In March he became the first Indian to run a half marathon under one hour. After that, he lowered his outdoor 5000m record in May and then peaked for Glasgow and Nagoya.

Gulveer Singh personal bests

Gulveer holds Indian records from the 3000m to the half marathon. The marks below are from his World Athletics profile and our race reports.

His 12:59.77 made him the first Indian to break 13 minutes in the 5000m, as Outlook reported. Meanwhile, his 27:00.22 missed the 2025 World Championships standard of 27:00.00 by just 0.22 seconds. In addition, his 3:55.63 made him the first Indian to run a sub-four-minute mile.

Who is Gulveer Singh’s coach? From Aligarh to Colorado Springs

Gulveer grew up in Sirsa village near Atrauli, in Aligarh district. His family farms, and it also has a long tradition of serving in the military. In 2018 he joined the Indian Army through the sports quota, and his early postings included Arunachal Pradesh.

His first big medals came in 2023: 5000m bronze at the Asian Championships and 10,000m bronze at the Hangzhou Asian Games. Then, in 2024, he moved his base to high altitude in Colorado Springs to train under coach Scott Simmons. As a result, the records started to fall, beginning with a 10,000m mark that broke Surender Singh’s 16-year-old record.

In 2025 he won the 10,000m in 28:38.63 and the 5000m in a championship record of 13:24.77 at the Asian Championships in Gumi. Those two golds made him a double Asian champion. In 2026 he then took that form onto a bigger stage.

Who is Gulveer Singh beyond the track? Army life and family

Off the track, Gulveer is a Naib Subedar in The Grenadiers regiment. He has said he only began running seriously after joining the Army. Before that, he did not even know about the Commonwealth Games or the Asian Games.

Long spells abroad are also hard on him. He has said he sometimes feels like crying on calls home because he misses his parents. Meanwhile, the support around him has grown: he was upgraded to the TOPS Core Group in March 2026, and the Mission Olympic Cell later approved his training stint in the USA.

Follow Gulveer Singh on Athletics India

His full stats and results are on Gulveer Singh’s athlete profile. In addition, you can follow India’s other distance stars, such as Avinash Sable, and all results on our Indian athletics results page.

NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports over concerns about athletes’ privacy and dignity during anti-doping sample collection.

The Commission acted on a complaint filed by Dr. P. S. M. Chandran, president of the Indian Federation of Sports Medicine (IFSM) and former director of sports medicine at the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

In its response, the NHRC observed that the allegations “prima facie seem to be violations of the human rights of the victims”. It has directed the Secretary of the Department of Sports to inquire into the allegations and submit an Action Taken Report within four weeks.

Complaint Challenges Direct Observation During Urine Tests

The complaint challenges the mandatory direct observation of urine sample collection under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) framework. Under this procedure, athletes must provide urine samples under the direct visual supervision of a doping control officer to help prevent sample tampering.

Dr. Chandran argues that the procedure can cause significant distress, particularly for female athletes during menstruation, pregnancy or post-partum recovery. He has also raised concerns about the privacy and dignity of minor athletes.

“My complaint raises concerns about athletes’ privacy, dignity and bodily autonomy, including the particular difficulties faced by women and minor athletes,” Dr. Chandran stated.

He also questioned whether scientific alternatives could protect the integrity of anti-doping testing while reducing the intrusion into athletes’ privacy.

“It also questions whether less intrusive scientific methods can adequately protect the integrity of anti-doping testing while respecting athletes’ fundamental rights,” he added.

Petition Raises Constitutional Concerns Under Article 21

The petition argues that compulsory direct observation during urine collection infringes athletes’ fundamental rights under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which protects life and personal liberty.

It also points to alternative testing methods, including Dried Blood Spot (DBS) testing, saliva analysis and sweat analysis. The complaint raises the question of whether such approaches could reduce the need for intrusive sample collection procedures.

Emphasising the importance of dignity in sport, Dr. Chandran stated in the petition:

“Any anti-doping regime that demands humiliation as the price of participation is constitutionally unsustainable and morally bankrupt. The Constitution does not stop at the stadium gate, and human dignity does not evaporate in the doping control room.”

These statements represent the complainant’s arguments. The NHRC’s notice seeks an inquiry into the allegations; it does not, by itself, establish that a human rights violation has occurred.

Dr. Chandran Says Complaint Does Not Seek to Weaken Anti-Doping Enforcement

Dr. Chandran has stressed that his complaint does not seek to weaken anti-doping enforcement or protect athletes who violate the rules.

“My concern is not to weaken the fight against doping, but to encourage a scientifically sound, proportionate and athlete-sensitive system,” he explained.

Instead, the complaint calls for a balance between the need to protect fair competition and the obligation to respect athletes’ privacy, dignity and bodily autonomy.

It also raises a wider question for sports administrators: how can anti-doping authorities maintain effective testing procedures while minimising unnecessary intrusion into athletes’ personal lives?

Sports Ministry Asked to Submit Report Within Four Weeks

The Department of Sports under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports must inquire into the allegations and submit its Action Taken Report to the NHRC within four weeks, as directed by the Commission.

The inquiry will address the concerns raised in the complaint regarding anti-doping sample collection and athletes’ rights.

The matter brings athlete welfare and testing procedures into focus, particularly the safeguards needed for women and minors. However, any assessment of the allegations and the proposed alternatives will depend on the inquiry and the relevant scientific, regulatory and legal considerations.

The NHRC’s next steps will follow the Department of Sports’ response within the prescribed timeline.

Railways emerged as the overall champions at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships 2026, winning 49 medals — 22 gold, 15 silver and 12 bronze — at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

The four-day competition followed the Asian Games, so several elite athletes were expected to miss the event. Nevertheless, the championships delivered several encouraging performances, personal bests and meet records.

Across 48 finals, athletes produced notable results in sprinting, distance running, hurdles, jumps, throws and race walking. Here are some of the standout performances from the championships.

Asha Ilango Matches Lifetime Best as Shaili Singh Shines in Triple Jump Debut

Tamil Nadu’s Asha Ilango won the women’s triple jump gold with a leap of 13.89m. The Asian Games fourth-place finisher matched her lifetime best and set a new meet record.

Meanwhile, Shaili Singh made an impressive debut in the event, claiming bronze with 13.31m. That performance moved her to 19th on India’s all-time list and made her the country’s fourth-best triple jumper this season.

Railways Sweep Women’s 20km Race Walk Podium as Bhawana Jat Returns

Railways secured all three medals in the women’s 20km race walk. Mokavi won gold in 1:45:39, followed by Munita Prajapati in 1:45:43 and Bhawana Jat in 1:46:47.

The competition also marked Bhawana’s return after nearly three years away from competition. Her previous competition came in 2023, before a suspension following a whereabouts failure.

Kuldeep Yadav Sets Meet Record in Pole Vault

Kuldeep Yadav won the men’s pole vault title after clearing 5.30m to establish a new meet record.

Reegan G also surpassed the previous mark, clearing 5.25m to take silver. Meanwhile, Rambeer completed the podium with a lifetime best of 5.10m.

Moumita Mondal Wins 100m Hurdles Gold on Return from Injury

Moumita Mondal returned from an injury layoff to win the women’s 100m hurdles title in 13.48 seconds.

Her victory marked a successful return to competition and added another highlight to the championships.

Anjli Breaks 54-Second Barrier to Win Women’s 400m

Twenty-one-year-old Anjli won the women’s 400m title in a lifetime best of 53.37 seconds.

She improved on her previous best of 54.05 seconds, recorded at the 2025 All India University Championships. In the final, Anjli beat Karnataka’s Priya Mohan and heat leader Nitisha to secure gold.

Akash Raj Wins Men’s 400m Gold

Akash Raj claimed the men’s 400m title in a lifetime best of 46.24 seconds.

Vikrant Panchal, who had recorded the fastest time in the heats, finished a narrow second. Just 0.02 seconds separated the two athletes at the finish.

Manikanta Retains Men’s 100m Title

Manikanta returned from injury to win the men’s 100m gold in 10.25 seconds.

With this victory, he retained his title and finished the championships as the fastest man in the event.

Shampa Gain Completes Distance Double with Two Lifetime Bests

West Bengal’s Shampa Gain won the women’s 10,000m title in a lifetime best of 35:33.90.

It was her second gold medal of the championships, following her victory in the women’s 5,000m. Two titles and two lifetime bests made it a memorable competition for the distance runner.

Baranica Elangovan Leads Women’s Pole Vault with 4.10m

Railways’ Baranica Elangovan won the women’s pole vault title with a clearance of 4.10m. She was the only athlete to clear four metres.

Her Railways teammate Mariya Jaison took silver with 3.90m. Meanwhile, four athletes shared bronze after clearing 3.80m on their first attempts.

Anushka Yadav Breaks Meet Record in Women’s Hammer Throw

Anushka Yadav won the women’s hammer throw title with a best effort of 66.53m, breaking the meet record.

Her performance added another record-breaking result to the championships.

Railways’ Rohit Sets High Jump Lifetime Best

Railways’ Rohit won the men’s high jump title with a lifetime best of 2.19m.

His teammate Jesse Sandesh secured silver with 2.16m, while Madhya Pradesh’s Aaditya took bronze at the same height.

Jishnu Prasad Goes Sub-21 Seconds to Win 200m Gold

All India Police’s Jishnu Prasad won the men’s 200m title in a lifetime best of 20.62 seconds.

He broke the 21-second barrier for the first time this season, recording his fifth sub-21-second performance.

Railways’ Abhin also set a personal best of 20.91 seconds to claim silver. Rajasthan’s Adesh finished third in 20.96 seconds.

Mogali Venkatram Wins 800m Gold as National Record Holder Afsal Fails to Finish

Mogali Venkatram, India’s 2025 Junior National Champion, won the men’s 800m title in a lifetime best of 1:47.01.

SSCB’s Aman Kumar secured silver in 1:47.33, while Delhi’s Anant Kumar claimed bronze in 1:48.03. However, national record holder Mohd. Afsal did not finish the race.

Murad Sirman Breaks the 50-Second Barrier in 400m Hurdles

SSCB’s Murad Sirman won the men’s 400m hurdles title in a lifetime best of 49.86 seconds.

He crossed the finish line under 50 seconds for the first time in his career. His SSCB teammate Shakti Singh took silver in 50.13 seconds, while Karnataka’s Aryan won bronze in 50.83 seconds.

Aditya Adds Nearly Three Metres to Personal Best in Javelin

Nineteen-year-old Aditya won the men’s javelin throw title with a lifetime best of 79.40m.

The Haryana athlete improved his previous personal best by almost three metres to secure gold.

Ankita Dhyani Breaks Lalita Babar’s Meet Record

Railways’ Ankita Dhyani won the women’s 3,000m steeplechase in 9:34.86, breaking Lalita Babar’s 11-year-old meet record.

She also won the women’s 1,500m title, completing an impressive distance double at the championships.

Mubassina Mohammed Shines in Long Jump and Heptathlon

Mubassina Mohammed competed in both the women’s long jump and heptathlon over two busy days. The heptathlon alone comprises seven events, while the long jump added another discipline to her programme.

She won long jump gold with 6.38m, edging out Shaili Singh. Mubassina also claimed bronze in the heptathlon with 5,265 points.

The 2022 U18 Asian Athletics Championships silver medallist recorded personal bests in two track events as well: 24.98 seconds in the 200m and 14.58 seconds in the 100m hurdles.

Additionally, Mubassina holds India’s third-best women’s long jump performance of the season, with a mark of 6.53m.

Railways Lead a Championship Full of Standout Performances

Railways finished atop the overall medal standings with 49 medals, including 22 gold, 15 silver and 12 bronze.

The championships also featured meet records from Asha Ilango, Kuldeep Yadav and Anushka Yadav, alongside lifetime-best performances from athletes such as Anjli, Akash Raj, Shampa Gain, Jishnu Prasad, Mogali Venkatram, Murad Sirman and Aditya.

From record-breaking field events to closely contested track finals, the 65th National Open Athletics Championships provided several performances to remember.