In a major development for Indian athletics, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has provisionally suspended Yunus Khan. He coaches middle- and long-distance runners at the Army Sports Institute (ASI). NADA cites alleged complicity in an anti-doping rule violation.

The news has sparked concern across India’s track-and-field community. Khan has worked with several leading distance runners, including Asian Games medallists Gulveer Singh and Kartik Kumar, as well as Sawan Barwal. Consequently, the case raises serious questions about accountability in Indian sports.

Suspended Under Anti-Doping Rule 2.9: Complicity

Official records show that NADA issued Khan a provisional suspension under Article 2.9 of the NADA Anti-Doping Rules 2021. This article covers complicity or attempted complicity. It includes assisting, encouraging, aiding, abetting, conspiring or covering up an anti-doping violation involving an athlete or support person.

When contacted, Khan declined to comment on the ongoing proceedings. He said he did not want to discuss the matter publicly at this stage.

The Paper Trail: A Banned Athlete at a Government Facility

The allegations centre on Khan’s connection to Kartik Kumar, the 2022 Asian Games 10,000m silver medallist.

Kartik is serving a three-year period of ineligibility after testing positive for a prohibited substance. During this period, anti-doping rules restrict where and how suspended athletes can train.

According to sources within NADA, Khan allegedly provided a reference letter for Kartik. The letter reportedly helped the suspended runner access a government synthetic track in Uttarakhand. Kartik allegedly used the facility for training during his ban.

What the Rules State

NADA’s rules restrict suspended athletes from using sports facilities that governing bodies fund or recognise. Two provisions explain these restrictions:

• Article 10.14.1 (Prohibition Against Participation): An ineligible athlete or support person cannot participate in competitions, activities or training during the suspension period. This restriction covers events and training that national federations, affiliated clubs or government-funded facilities organise, recognise or authorise.
• Article 10.14.2 (Return to Training Exception): The rules allow a limited exception near the end of an athlete’s suspension. Athletes may return to team training or use club facilities during the final two months of their ineligibility period, or the final quarter of that period, whichever is shorter.

According to the allegations, Khan provided documentation that helped Kartik access a government training facility before this permitted window. NADA’s proceedings will determine whether this conduct breached anti-doping regulations.

If the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) upholds the complicity charge after a formal hearing, Khan could face a multi-year ban from athletic activities. Such a decision could affect his coaching career and raise further questions about the elite distance-running programme at ASI.

The West Zone athletics 2026 results are now official. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has published the result sheets of the 37th West Zone Junior Athletics Championships, held at the Atal Athletics Stadium in Bambolim, Goa, from 27 to 29 September.

This page therefore lists the gold, silver and bronze medallists in 84 finals, from Under 20 down to Under 14. In addition, you will find the standout marks, the sprint doubles and a medal count by state. Every result below comes from the official AFI result sheets.

West Zone athletics 2026 results: the highlights

Maharashtra dominated the meet in Goa. Its athletes won 31 of the 84 titles listed here, and 55 medals in all. Gujarat also won 55 medals, but only 15 of them were gold.

The fastest men: Tilak Barsel, Arnav Kadam and Raj Chauhan

Tilak Barsel of Chhattisgarh won the Under 20 men’s 100m in 10.81 seconds. Arnav Kadam of Maharashtra then took the 200m in 21.92, while his teammate Raj Chauhan won the 400m in 48.92. In addition, Harsh Nishad of Chhattisgarh broke four minutes in the 1500m with 3:59.54.

Three sprint doubles

Three athletes won both the 100m and the 200m in their age group:

Javelin gold by 13 centimetres

The Under 18 boys’ javelin was the closest field final of the meet. Manjeet Kumar of Rajasthan threw 71.70m, while Shourya Agrawal of Chhattisgarh replied with 71.57m. As a result, just 13 centimetres decided the gold.

The other throws were strong as well. For example, Usmanali Khan of Madhya Pradesh won the Under 20 discus with 55.16m, and Divyanshu Saharan of Rajasthan threw 64.18m in the Under 16 javelin. Meanwhile, Ganesh Singh of Rajasthan cleared 2.00m to win the Under 18 high jump.

Under 20 men: West Zone athletics 2026 results

Here are the medallists in 20 Under 20 men’s finals. Times are in minutes and seconds, while field marks are in metres.

Under 20 women: West Zone 2026 results and medal winners

Maharashtra won the most Under 20 women’s titles, 10 of 20. Some fields were small, so a few events have fewer than three medallists. Here are the 20 finals.

West Zone Under 18 results: boys and girls

Boys: Under 18 medal winners

Girls: Under 18 medal winners

Under 16 and Under 14 West Zone results

The Under 16 events are shorter. For example, the sprint is over 60m and the middle-distance race is over 600m.

Boys: Under 16 medal winners

Girls: Under 16 medal winners

Kids javelin and mixed relay

West Zone 2026 medal count by state

AFI’s result sheets do not include a team points table. So we counted the medals in the 84 finals listed above. Some events had fewer than three finishers, which is why there are 82 silver and 77 bronze medals.

However, this is our count and not the official standings. It also leaves out the combined events named in the note above. We will add the official team standings here as soon as AFI publishes them.

West Zone winners against the National Junior entry standards

The next stop for many of these athletes is the National Junior Athletics Championships 2026 in Chennai. Therefore, we compared ten Under 20 winning marks from Goa with the AFI entry standards for that meet.

Seven of the ten winners were inside the standard. Above all, Aditya and Harsh Nishad of Chhattisgarh only just made it, by 0.11 and 0.46 seconds. However, the hammer, javelin and women’s 800m champions were outside the mark.

West Zone championships in recent years

Jodhpur hosted the 34th edition in October 2023. Rajasthan topped the men’s points table with 273, while Gujarat led the women’s table with 143, according to the AFI points sheet. Then Nagpur staged the 35th edition from 4 to 6 October 2024; its results are on our site (PDF).

However, the 36th edition, due in Shivpuri in September 2025, did not go ahead as planned. AFI postponed it a few days before the start, and its notice gave no new dates.

After the West Zone athletics 2026 meet: what comes next

The 41st National Junior Athletics Championships will take place at the JN Stadium in Chennai from 23 to 27 October. After that, the 20th NIDJAM follows in Hyderabad from 14 to 16 November for Under 14 and Under 16 athletes.

Meanwhile, results from the other zones are on our East Zone athletics 2026 results and South Zone athletics 2026 results pages, and in the North Zone 2026 results (PDF).

The Delhi Half Marathon 2026 takes place on Sunday, 18 October, with the start and finish at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. It is the 21st edition of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label road race with a total prize purse of US$260,000.

Procam International, the race promoter, announced a 42-member Indian elite field on 8 October. Harmanjot Singh, the fastest Indian in the field, leads the men, while former champions Lili Das and Kavita Yadav lead the women. This guide therefore covers the date, the race categories, the Indian elite runners, the prize money, the records and every recent winner. In addition, we will add the results here on race day.

Delhi Half Marathon 2026 date and venue

The race is on Sunday, 18 October 2026. As in recent editions, it starts and finishes at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Procam International organises the event, and the official race website carries the race-day information for registered runners.

The Delhi Half Marathon is one of India’s biggest running events. For example, the 2025 edition had 39,513 participants, including 9,709 women, according to Outlook. The elite race also carries World Athletics Gold Label status, so it draws Kenyan and Ethiopian runners every year.

Race categories at the Delhi Half Marathon 2026

Registrations opened on 23 July for six categories. However, each category had its own closing date or slot limit, so check the official website for any places left.

Delhi Half Marathon 2026 Indian elite field

The Indian elite field has 22 men and 20 women. Procam named the leading athletes in a press release on 8 October, reported by ANI. In short, the men’s race is a contest between a debutant with the best time and the runners who stood on the podium last year.

Indian elite men to watch

Harmanjot starts as the favourite on paper. His best is more than three minutes faster than Kiran Matre’s. Earlier this season, he also traded the lead with Gulveer Singh in the Inter-State 5000m final. Karkera, meanwhile, is in good form as well; he ran a 10,000m personal best on the track at the Indian Athletics Series in April.

Indian elite women to watch

Two former champions, then, meet two steeplechasers who are still new to the distance. Ankita comes into the race in form, too: she won the 1500m at the National Open Athletics Championships in New Delhi this month.

Delhi Half Marathon 2026 prize money

The total prize purse is US$260,000. Most of it goes to the international elite race. For Indian runners, however, there is a separate Indian elite prize, and it is the same for men and women.

In addition, Procam has launched PRIDE (Procam Rewards for Indian Distance Elites) with this edition. It is a merit-based rewards scheme for verified Indian elite distance runners who enter any Procam event, according to Telangana Today.

Course records and Indian elite records

Both overall course records date from the 2020 race, which Ethiopian runners won in very fast times. The Indian elite records are older still.

Can the Indian men’s record fall this year? It would take a big step from Harmanjot. His best of 1:01:46 is still 76 seconds slower than Sable’s mark. Even so, the Rs 1,00,000 bonus gives every Indian elite runner a reason to go for it.

Delhi Half Marathon winners since 2019

East African runners have won every international elite race in recent years. Notably, Olympic and world champion Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda won the men’s race in 2024.

Delhi Half Marathon 2025 results: a quick recap

Last year’s race took place on 12 October 2025. Kenya won both elite races, and that had happened only once before, in 2006. Alex Matata won the men’s race in 59:50, while Lilian Rengeruk beat Ethiopia’s Melal Siyoum Biratu by one second in the women’s race, as Outlook reported.

Two of last year’s men’s podium finishers, Matre and Karkera, are back in 2026. As a result, Harmanjot’s debut gives the Indian race its most open look in years.

Shaunae Miller-Uibo is the event ambassador

Two-time Olympic 400m champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas is the International Event Ambassador for the Delhi Half Marathon 2026, Procam announced on 24 September. She won Olympic gold in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, and she became world 400m champion in 2022.

Delhi Half Marathon 2026 results on race day

Provisional results are due by 5 PM on race day, according to the official race page. Timing certificates follow on Sports Timing Solutions after 21 working days.

Meanwhile, Indian distance running is having a strong year. For example, Sawan Barwal set a national record of 2:11:37 to win marathon silver at the Asian Games in September. You can also find all of India’s medals in our Asian Games 2026 athletics results.

NEW DELHI — In a dramatic jump-off that came down to a single centimeter, Lakshadweep’s rising star Mubassina Mohammed, representing ONGC, clinched the women’s long jump gold medal at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships 2026.

Mubassina produced a series-best leap of 6.38m to edge out India’s Under-20 National Record holder Shaili Singh (6.37m), marking one of the biggest victories of her senior career. Read more

Women’s Long Jump Final Standings

A Tale of Precision: The Gold Medal Series

Mubassina’s sequence at the Open Nationals showcased exceptional consistency and high-pressure composure across her six attempts:

Hitting her winning distance of 6.38m on her second attempt—and matching it again on her fourth—proved insurmountable for the rest of the field.

The All-Round Powerhouse: Bronze in Heptathlon

Mubassina’s Open Nationals campaign was nothing short of grueling. Competing across eight events in just two days, she managed to seal the long jump gold while also capturing a bronze medal in the women’s heptathlon with 5,265 points.

Along the way, the 20-year-old registered two impressive track personal bests:

• 200m: 24.98s (Personal Best)
• 100m Hurdles: 14.58s (Personal Best)

Women’s Heptathlon Final Leaderboard

1. Pooja (Railways) — 5,468 pts
2. Anamika (Railways) — 5,334 pts
3. Mubassina Mohammed (ONGC) — 5,265 pts
4. Deepika S — 5,102 pts
5. Isha Negi — 4,919 pts
6. Sonu Bhalothia — 4,795 pts
7. Sheetal — 4,484 pts
8. Ritika Gaur — 4,421 pts
9. Purnima — 4,205 pts
10. Rini Khatun — 4,159 pts
11. Rakshita — 4,145 pts
12. Akshatha — 3,913 pts

From her early roots in Lakshadweep to dominating multi-event and horizontal jump rosters across the country, Mubassina Mohammed has rapidly established herself as a cornerstone of Athletics India’s senior pit.

Murad Sirman of SSCB, Haryana’s Aditya, Railways’ Ankita Dhyani and SSCB’s Mohd Sazid Atta claimed titles in their respective events at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships 2026 in New Delhi.

Murad broke the 50-second barrier in the men’s 400m hurdles with a lifetime best, Aditya won the men’s javelin throw with a personal-best effort of 79.40 metres, and Ankita set a new meet record in the women’s 3000m steeplechase. Sazid secured the men’s long jump title with a best effort of 7.99m.

Murad Sirman Breaks 50-Second Barrier in Men’s 400m Hurdles

SSCB’s Murad Sirman won the men’s 400m hurdles title in a lifetime best of 49.86 seconds, breaking the 50-second barrier for the first time in his career.

His SSCB teammate Shakti Singh finished second in 50.13 seconds to take silver, while Karnataka’s Aryan secured bronze in 50.83 seconds.

The result gave SSCB the top two places on the podium, with Murad’s sub-50-second performance highlighting the final.

Men’s 400m Hurdles Results

• Gold: Murad Sirman (SSCB) — 49.86s (PB)
• Silver: Shakti Singh (SSCB) — 50.13s
• Bronze: Aryan (Karnataka) — 50.83s

Aditya Wins Men’s Javelin Gold With Lifetime Best of 79.40m

Haryana’s Aditya won the men’s javelin throw title with a lifetime-best effort of 79.40m.

The 19-year-old improved his previous personal best by almost three metres to secure gold. SSCB’s Anand Singh finished second with 77.77m, while Railways’ Arshdeep took bronze with 77.56m.

Just 21 centimetres separated the silver and bronze medallists, making the contest for the remaining podium places close.

Men’s Javelin Throw Results

• Gold: Aditya (Haryana) — 79.40m (PB)
• Silver: Anand Singh (SSCB) — 77.77m
• Bronze: Arshdeep (Railways) — 77.56m

Aditya’s performance secured the national title for Haryana and marked a substantial improvement on his previous best.

Ankita Dhyani Breaks 11-Year-Old Meet Record in 3000m Steeplechase

Railways’ Ankita Dhyani won the women’s 3000m steeplechase in 9:34.86, setting a new meet record at the championships.

Ankita improved on the previous record of 9:39.83, set by Lalita Babar in 2015, by 4.97 seconds. Her performance earned her gold at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.

Mori Vandana of Gujarat claimed silver in 10:00.02, while Railways’ Komal Jagdale finished third in 10:05.34 to take bronze.

Speaking after the race, Ankita said she had to lead the race herself and felt she could have recorded an even faster time with stronger competition.

Women’s 3000m Steeplechase Results

• Gold: Ankita Dhyani (Railways) — 9:34.86 (Meet Record)
• Silver: Mori Vandana (Gujarat) — 10:00.02
• Bronze: Komal Jagdale (Railways) — 10:05.34

Ankita’s run erased a record that had stood for 11 years, making it one of the notable performances of the championships.

Mohd Sazid Atta Wins Men’s Long Jump Gold With 7.99m

SSCB’s Mohd Sazid Atta won the men’s long jump title with a best effort of 7.99m.

Odisha’s Sarun Paya Singh secured silver with 7.79m, while Bihar’s Sunny Kumar took bronze with a jump of 7.65m.

Men’s Long Jump Results

• Gold: Mohd Sazid Atta (SSCB) — 7.99m
• Silver: Sarun Paya Singh (Odisha) — 7.79m
• Bronze: Sunny Kumar (Bihar) — 7.65m

Sazid’s victory followed an earlier competition at the same stadium in which he recorded 8.01m, crossing the eight-metre mark for the first time. He finished the National Open Championships with the gold medal after producing a best jump of 7.99m.

Sarun and Sunny completed the podium with efforts of 7.79m and 7.65m, respectively.

Record and Personal-Best Performances Highlight Championships

The four events produced a mix of personal milestones and record-breaking performances. Murad Sirman recorded his first sub-50-second 400m hurdles performance, while Aditya achieved a lifetime best of 79.40m in the javelin throw.

Ankita Dhyani delivered the standout record performance in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, improving the meet record by nearly five seconds. In the men’s long jump, Mohd Sazid Atta secured gold with a 7.99m effort.

Together, the results highlighted strong performances across hurdles, throws, distance running and jumps at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships.

Priyanka and Jishnu Prasad of All India Police won the women’s and men’s 200m titles respectively, while Railways’ Lili Das and Andhra Pradesh’s Mogali Venkatram claimed gold in the 800m events at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships 2026 in New Delhi.

The four finals featured lifetime-best performances from Priyanka, Jishnu and Mogali. The women’s 800m was closely contested, with just 0.33 seconds separating the three medallists.

Priyanka Wins Women’s 200m Gold With Lifetime Best

All India Police’s Priyanka won the women’s 200m title in a lifetime best of 23.68 seconds.

Tamil Nadu’s Prathipa Selva finished second in 24.09 seconds to take silver, while Smriti of Himachal Pradesh secured bronze in 24.14 seconds.

Priyanka’s performance earned her the national title, with Prathipa and Smriti completing the podium.

Women’s 200m Results

• Gold: Priyanka (All India Police) — 23.68s (PB)
• Silver: Prathipa Selva (Tamil Nadu) — 24.09s
• Bronze: Smriti (Himachal Pradesh) — 24.14s

Jishnu Prasad Storms to Men’s 200m Gold in Lifetime Best

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

Railways’ Abhin claimed silver in a personal best of 20.91 seconds, while Rajasthan’s Adesh finished third in 20.96 seconds.

Jishnu’s winning time took him below the 21-second mark and represented his fifth sub-21-second performance. According to the supplied results, the top four finishers all clocked times under 21 seconds, underlining the competitiveness of the final.

Men’s 200m Results

• Gold: Jishnu Prasad (All India Police) — 20.62s (PB)
• Silver: Abhin (Railways) — 20.91s (PB)
• Bronze: Adesh (Rajasthan) — 20.96s

Jishnu’s victory gave All India Police another title, while Abhin also produced a personal best on his way to the silver medal.

Lili Das Wins Women’s 800m Gold in Close Finish

Railways’ Lili Das won the women’s 800m title in 2:05.37, holding off a close challenge from Tamil Nadu’s Kavitha V, who finished second in 2:05.58.

Chhattisgarh’s Thota Sankeert secured bronze in 2:05.70. The 0.33-second gap between Lili’s winning time and the third-place finish highlighted the close contest among the medal-winners.

Women’s 800m Results

• Gold: Lili Das (Railways) — 2:05.37
• Silver: Kavitha V (Tamil Nadu) — 2:05.58
• Bronze: Thota Sankeert (Chhattisgarh) — 2:05.70

Lili’s victory added another title to Railways’ campaign at the championships, with Kavitha and Thota completing the podium after a closely fought two-lap race.

Mogali Venkatram Wins Men’s 800m With Lifetime Best

Andhra Pradesh’s Mogali Venkatram won the men’s 800m title in a lifetime best of 1:47.01.

Mogali, the 2025 Junior National Champion, finished ahead of SSCB’s Aman Kumar, who took silver in 1:47.33. Delhi’s Anant Kumar claimed bronze in 1:48.03.

National record holder Mohd. Afsal did not finish the race, according to the supplied results.

Men’s 800m Results

• Gold: Mogali Venkatram (Andhra Pradesh) — 1:47.01 (PB)
• Silver: Aman Kumar (SSCB) — 1:47.33
• Bronze: Anant Kumar (Delhi) — 1:48.03

Mogali’s lifetime best secured the national title, while Aman and Anant completed the podium in the men’s 800m.

All India Police, Railways and Andhra Pradesh Among the Winners

The four finals produced three lifetime-best performances among the supplied gold and silver medal results: Priyanka’s 23.68 seconds in the women’s 200m, Jishnu Prasad’s 20.62 seconds in the men’s 200m and Mogali Venkatram’s 1:47.01 in the men’s 800m.

All India Police claimed both 200m titles, while Railways’ Lili Das won the women’s 800m and Andhra Pradesh’s Mogali Venkatram took the men’s 800m crown.

Sandeep Kumar of Haryana and Ramandeep Kaur of Railways won the men’s and women’s marathon race walk titles respectively at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships 2026, held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.

The marathon race walk events took place on the final day of the four-day championships, which ran from October 8 to 11, 2026.

Sandeep Kumar Wins Men’s Marathon Race Walk Gold

Sandeep Kumar claimed the men’s marathon race walk title after completing the 42.195km event in 3:19:52.00.

Vishvendra Singh of Madhya Pradesh finished second in 3:21:11.00 to secure the silver medal, while Resham Midhun of the Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) took bronze in 3:22:46.00.

Sandeep finished 1 minute and 19 seconds ahead of Vishvendra. The gap between the silver and bronze medallists was 1 minute and 35 seconds.

National record holder Ram Baboo did not finish the race, according to the results provided.

Men’s Marathon Race Walk Results

• Gold: Sandeep Kumar (Haryana) — 3:19:52.00
• Silver: Vishvendra Singh (Madhya Pradesh) — 3:21:11.00
• Bronze: Resham Midhun (SSCB) — 3:22:46.00

Ramandeep Kaur Takes Women’s Marathon Race Walk Title

Ramandeep Kaur won the women’s marathon race walk title with a reported time of 3:59:23.00.

Sonal Sukhwal of Rajasthan secured the silver medal in 4:16:06.00, while her state-mate Deepika Sharma finished third in 4:22:55.00 to claim bronze.

According to the results provided, five athletes entered the event, but only three completed the race, leaving all three finishers on the podium.

Ramandeep finished 16 minutes and 43 seconds ahead of Sukhwal. The difference between the silver and bronze medallists was 6 minutes and 49 seconds.

Women’s Marathon Race Walk Results

• Gold: Ramandeep Kaur (Railways, as reported) — 3:59:23.00
• Silver: Sonal Sukhwal (Rajasthan) — 4:16:06.00
• Bronze: Deepika Sharma (Rajasthan) — 4:22:55.00

Marathon Race Walk Concludes National Open Championships

The men’s and women’s marathon race walk competitions formed part of the final day’s programme at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships in New Delhi.

Sandeep Kumar and Ramandeep Kaur emerged as the respective winners, while Vishvendra Singh, Resham Midhun, Sonal Sukhwal and Deepika Sharma completed the medal podiums in their events.

NIDJAM 2026, the 20th National Inter District Junior Athletics Meet, will take place at Woxsen University in Hyderabad from 14 to 16 November. It is the Athletics Federation of India’s biggest talent hunt for Under 14 and Under 16 athletes, and every entry comes through a district athletics association.

Online entries open on 15 October and close on 30 October. This guide therefore covers everything from the AFI circular: the age limits, the events, how many athletes a district can send, the entry steps and the documents to carry.

What is NIDJAM?

NIDJAM is AFI’s national meet for district champions. AFI first launched it in 2003, and its aim is to find young talent early and give it a national stage.

The meet has grown with every edition. For example, the 2018 meet in Tirupati drew more than 4,500 athletes from over 420 districts. Then the 2023 edition in Patna had 5,482 athletes from 599 districts, according to The Bridge.

NIDJAM 2026 age groups: who is eligible

There are only two age groups, and the date of birth decides the group. In addition, an athlete must be at least 12 years old on 16 November 2026.

For example, a child born on 20 December 2012 is in the Under 14 group. However, a child born on 1 November 2012 falls in the Under 16 group.

NIDJAM 2026 events for Under 14 and Under 16

Under 14: triathlons and kids javelin

Under 14 athletes do not enter single events. Instead, each athlete chooses one triathlon group. Every Under 14 athlete must also take part in the kids javelin throw.

Under 16: single events with lighter implements

The Under 16 events use shorter runways and lighter implements than senior athletics. For example, the shot put is a standing throw, and the high jump is scissor style only.

The circular also lists a pentathlon of 60m, 80m hurdles, long jump, standing shot put and 600m. However, its table does not make clear which group runs it, so check with your district unit before you enter.

How many athletes can a district send to NIDJAM 2026?

The quota is small, so district selection matters. Each district can send:

Above all, only districts that have held a district meet under AFI guidelines can enter. The district association also has to send the district meet results, press cuttings and photographs with its entry, and it needs a valid PAN in its own name.

How to enter NIDJAM 2026

Athletes cannot enter on their own. Instead, the district athletics association enters them online. Here are the steps:

NIDJAM 2026 age verification and documents

Age verification takes place on 13 November, at the venue, as soon as the teams arrive. An AFI committee, which includes doctors, checks every athlete, and managers or coaches have to present their athletes in person.

So bring the original proof of date of birth. AFI accepts either a birth certificate from the Birth and Death Registration Office (municipal corporation, nagar palika or district) or a Class 10 certificate. As a result, an athlete who does not clear verification cannot compete.

Food, stay and travel at NIDJAM 2026

AFI provides food from 13 to 17 November. It also gives free boarding and lodging to up to 13 athletes and 2 officials from each district.

In addition, AFI pays back the rail fare after the meet. It checks the original tickets and the athlete’s actual participation, and then it pays the money into the district association’s bank account. However, overage athletes get no travel allowance, food or accommodation.

Last edition: the 19th NIDJAM in Ahmedabad

The 19th NIDJAM took place at Gujarat University in Ahmedabad from 16 to 18 February 2024. You can see the 19th NIDJAM results (PDF) on our site.

Where else Under 14 and Under 16 athletes compete this season

The Under 14 and Under 16 groups also race at the National Junior Athletics Championships 2026 in Chennai from 23 to 27 October. Meanwhile, the zone results show the current level: see the Under 16 tables in our East Zone athletics 2026 results.

The 65th National Open Athletics Championships 2026 produced several dramatic finishes and standout performances on Day 3 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday, October 10. West Bengal’s Shampa Gain completed a distance-running double, while ONGC’s Mubassina Mohammed edged India’s U20 long jump national record holder Shaili Singh by just one centimetre.

Railways enjoyed another productive day, with Baranica Elangovan winning the women’s pole vault and the team claiming gold in both the women’s 4x100m relay and the mixed 4x400m relay. Ramyashree Jain also won the women’s javelin throw with a lifetime best of 56.63m.

One of the day’s most significant performances came from 18-year-old Anushka Yadav, who broke the women’s hammer throw meet record with 66.53m. The result added a record-breaking performance to a day defined by narrow margins, personal bests and strong performances across track and field events.

Shampa Gain Completes 5,000m and 10,000m Double

West Bengal’s Shampa Gain continued her impressive campaign by winning the women’s 10,000m in a lifetime best of 35:33.90. The victory completed a distance-running double after she had earlier won the women’s 5,000m in 16:54.56, also a lifetime best.

Gain faced a closely contested race, with the top three athletes separated by less than five seconds. Soniya of Uttarakhand finished second in 35:35.36, while All India Police’s Mamta secured bronze in 35:38.25.

The 10,000m victory added to Gain’s success in the shorter distance event and made her one of the leading performers of the championships. Winning two national titles while producing lifetime bests in both events marked a significant achievement in her campaign.

Mubassina Mohammed Edges Shaili Singh by One Centimetre

ONGC’s Mubassina Mohammed won the women’s long jump title with a best effort of 6.38m, narrowly beating Uttar Pradesh’s Shaili Singh, who recorded 6.37m.

The one-centimetre margin made the event one of the closest contests of the day. Shaili, India’s U20 long jump national record holder, had to settle for silver despite producing a jump just one centimetre shorter than the winning mark.

Uttar Pradesh’s Nidhi completed the podium with 6.28m.

Mubassina’s winning distance was particularly notable because she had also recorded 6.38m at the Fifth Indian Open Jumps Competition in March 2026. She had improved her personal best to that mark at the time, making the National Open victory another strong result in her season.

For Shaili, the silver medal came after a narrow battle for gold, with the difference between the two leading jumpers measuring just one centimetre.

Anushka Yadav Breaks Women’s Hammer Throw Meet Record

Eighteen-year-old Anushka Yadav delivered one of the standout performances of Day 3, winning the women’s hammer throw with a meet-record effort of 66.53m.

Representing ONGC, Yadav surpassed the previous meet record of 64.42m, which had belonged to Manju Bala. The new mark was a significant improvement on the championship benchmark, although Yadav’s personal best remained higher at 67.02m.

She opened with 62.21m before improving to 65.75m and then 66.47m. After a foul in her fourth attempt, she reached 66.53m in the fifth round and finished with 65.25m.

Yadav had also finished fourth at the Asian Games 2026, underlining her ability to compete at a high level internationally. Her performance in New Delhi continued that form and made her the outright winner of the event.

Women’s hammer throw results

The gap between Yadav and the rest of the field was substantial. Her winning throw exceeded the silver-medal distance by more than 10 metres, while also establishing a new championship record.

Ramyashree Jain Wins Women’s Javelin Throw with Lifetime Best

Railways’ Ramyashree Jain claimed the women’s javelin throw title with a lifetime best of 56.63m.

Jain finished ahead of Rajasthan’s Sanjana Choudhary, who threw 56.12m, and Haryana’s Deepika, who secured bronze with 54.07m. The top two athletes were separated by just 51 centimetres.

Women’s javelin throw results

Jain’s gold-medal performance marked a strong return to competition after an injury layoff, according to the information provided for this report. She trains at the Army Sports Institute in Pune under the Khelo India scheme.

Her winning distance placed her ahead of two strong competitors and gave Railways another field-event title on a successful day for the team.

Railways Win Women’s 4x100m Relay by 0.01 Seconds

Railways won the women’s 4x100m relay in 45.56 seconds, beating Odisha by just one-hundredth of a second.

Odisha finished second in 45.57 seconds, while Tamil Nadu secured bronze in 46.03 seconds. The result was one of the closest finishes of the day, with the gold and silver positions separated by the smallest margin.

Women’s 4x100m relay results

The Railways quartet comprised S. Narayanankutty, Daneshwari T., Avantika Narale and Giridharini Ravikumar.

The narrow victory highlighted the importance of every exchange and hundredth of a second in sprint relays. Odisha pushed Railways to the finish, but the railway team held on to secure the title.

Baranica Elangovan Wins Women’s Pole Vault

Railways’ Baranica Elangovan won the women’s pole vault after clearing 4.10m, becoming the only athlete in the competition to cross the four-metre mark.

Teammate Mariya Jaison finished second with 3.90m, while Sindhushree G. of Karnataka took bronze after clearing 3.80m.

Women’s pole vault results

Elangovan’s victory added another title to Railways’ growing medal collection. Her 4.10m clearance stood 20 centimetres above Jaison’s silver-medal mark and was the best performance in the event.

Elangovan had also won bronze in the women’s pole vault at the Asian Games 2026, making her National Open victory another strong result following the continental competition.

Railways Take Mixed 4x400m Relay Gold

Railways also won the mixed 4x400m relay, clocking 3:21.60 to finish ahead of Haryana and Rajasthan.

Haryana took silver in 3:22.43, while Rajasthan secured bronze in 3:25.54.

Mixed 4x400m relay results

The result strengthened Railways’ showing across the relay events. The team’s success in both the women’s 4x100m and mixed 4x400m highlighted its depth across sprint and middle-distance relay formats.

Sunil Dawar Wins Men’s 5,000m

Madhya Pradesh’s Sunil Dawar won the men’s 5,000m in 14:01.64, finishing ahead of Railways’ Shivaji Madappa and Ajay Bind.

Madappa secured silver in 14:02.81, while Bind finished third in 14:03.86. The top three athletes all finished within three seconds of the winner.

Men’s 5,000m results

Dawar’s victory gave Madhya Pradesh a track title, while Railways collected two more medals through Madappa and Bind.

Rohit Leads Railways to a Men’s High Jump 1–2

Railways athletes dominated the men’s high jump, with Rohit winning gold after clearing 2.19m.

Teammate Jesse Sandesh took silver with 2.16m, while Madhya Pradesh’s Aaditya Raghuvanshi also cleared 2.16m to claim bronze.

Men’s high jump results

Railways’ one-two finish added another field-event success to its Day 3 campaign. Rohit’s winning clearance was three centimetres higher than the marks recorded by both silver and bronze medallists.

Karanveer Singh Wins Men’s Shot Put

Punjab’s Karanveer Singh claimed the men’s shot put title with a best throw of 19.63m.

Railways athletes Sanyam Singh and Anurag Kaler both recorded 18.32m. Sanyam took silver, while Kaler finished third after the tie-break procedure separated their identical best marks.

Men’s shot put results

Karanveer’s winning throw gave Punjab a gold medal, while Railways added two more podium finishes through Sanyam and Kaler.

Railways Enjoy a Strong Day Across Track and Field

Day 3 underlined Railways’ strength across multiple disciplines. The team secured gold in the women’s 4x100m relay, mixed 4x400m relay, women’s pole vault and men’s high jump, while also collecting medals in the men’s 5,000m and shot put.

Individual performances also shaped the day. Gain completed her distance double, Mubassina beat Shaili by one centimetre, Jain recorded a lifetime best in the javelin, and Yadav broke the women’s hammer throw meet record.

The results demonstrated the depth of competition at the National Open Championships, with established international performers, emerging athletes and institutional teams all making their mark.

What to Watch on the Final Day

The championships run from October 8 to 11 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. The final day is scheduled to feature the concluding events, including the men’s and women’s 4x400m relays and the remaining finals.

After a third day packed with narrow finishes, a meet record and several strong individual performances, the final session will provide the last opportunity for athletes and teams to add to their medal counts at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships 2026.

The 65th National Open Athletics Championships 2026 continued at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, with 21 finals completed across the first two days of the four-day competition. While several established athletes faced challenges after competing at the Asian Games, emerging talents seized the opportunity to claim national titles and record personal bests.

The championships have also highlighted the demanding competition schedule, with several athletes returning from the Asian Games either skipping events or failing to finish them. At the same time, Railway Sports continued to dominate the medal tally, completing podium clean sweeps in two women’s events by the end of Day 2.

Asian Games Athletes Face Challenges at the Open Nationals

Kiran Pahal, who competed in the individual 400m and the 4x400m relay at the Asian Games 2026, participated in the 400m heats at the Open Nationals but skipped the semifinals. She was also part of the Indian women’s 4x400m relay team that won gold at the continental event.

Jay Kumar, who represented India in the men’s relay squad at the Asian Games, recorded a DNF in the men’s 400m at the National Open Championships.

The schedule drew concerns from athletes and coaches who felt the championships were held too close to the Asian Games. Nevertheless, the competition offered opportunities for emerging athletes to make their mark in events including the 400m, triple jump and racewalks.

Anjli Breaks the 54-Second Barrier in Women’s 400m

Haryana’s Anjli produced one of the biggest surprises of the championships by winning the women’s 400m final in a lifetime best of 53.37 seconds.

The 21-year-old defeated a competitive field that included Priya Mohan, the fastest athlete in the heats, and Nitisha, who recorded the fastest time in the semifinals.

Anjli broke the 54-second barrier for the first time in a registered performance, improving on her previous best of 54.05 seconds. She had recorded that mark at the 2025 All India University Championships, but the performance was unregistered.

Akash Raj Stuns Vikrant Panchal in Men’s 400m

Tamil Nadu’s Akash Raj claimed the men’s 400m title in a lifetime best of 46.24 seconds, edging out Vikrant Panchal in a closely contested final.

Vikrant had been the fastest athlete in both the heats and semifinals, becoming the only competitor to run under 46 seconds in both rounds. However, he narrowly missed the title, finishing just 0.02 seconds behind Akash Raj.

Suraj Panwar Wins Men’s Half Marathon Racewalk

Suraj Panwar clinched the men’s half marathon racewalk title with a winning time of 1:30:48.00, finishing ahead of a field that included Asian Athletics Championships bronze medallist Servin Sebastian.

Servin missed out on the podium, finishing fourth in 1:32:46.00.

Shampa Gain Sets Lifetime Best in Women’s 5,000m

Shampa Gain won the women’s 5,000m gold medal in a substantial lifetime best of 16:54.56.

Ravina Gaikwad, the 2026 Federation Cup 10,000m champion, could not secure another podium finish and ended the race in fourth place.

Shivaji Madappa Wins Tactical Men’s 10,000m

Twenty-two-year-old Shivaji Madappa claimed the men’s 10,000m title in 30:30.54, overcoming several experienced competitors in a tactical, slow-paced race.

His victory came ahead of established distance runners, including Abhishek Pal and Vinod Singh, as the younger athlete secured the national title.

Sebastian V S Becomes National Triple Jump Champion

Sebastian V S won his first national championship title in the triple jump, recording a lifetime best of 16.54m.

The 23-year-old’s performance marked a significant milestone in his career as he emerged as the champion in one of the field events.

Railway Sports Complete Two Women’s Podium Sweeps

Railway Sports continued its strong showing across the championships, completing clean sweeps of the podium in the women’s half marathon racewalk and women’s 1500m.

Women’s Half Marathon Racewalk

Mokavi led the Railway Sports sweep, winning gold in 1:45:39. Munita Prajapati secured silver in 1:45:43, while Bhawana Jat finished third in 1:46:47 to complete the podium.

Women’s 1500m

Railways also swept all three medals in the women’s 1500m. Ankita Dhyani won gold in 4:13.18, followed by Lili Das in 4:19.05 and Komal Jagdale in 4:22.67.

National Open Athletics Championships 2026 Medal Tally After Day 2

With 21 finals completed, a total of 63 medals have been awarded across gold, silver and bronze. Railway Sports leads the medal tally with 21 medals, including nine gold, seven silver and five bronze.

Services sits second with 12 medals. Despite not winning a gold medal on the opening day, Services has collected three gold, four silver and five bronze medals by the end of Day 2.

Emerging Athletes Make Their Mark

The first two days of the National Open Athletics Championships 2026 have delivered a mix of established athletes navigating a demanding schedule and emerging competitors making the most of their opportunities.

Anjli’s breakthrough in the women’s 400m, Akash Raj’s narrow victory over Vikrant Panchal, Shivaji Madappa’s 10,000m triumph and Sebastian V S’s triple jump title have been among the notable performances.

With Railway Sports leading the medal standings and the remaining finals still to come, the final two days will offer further opportunities for athletes to secure national titles and personal bests at JLN Stadium.