Animesh Kujur clinched the men’s 100m title at the 65th National Inter-State Athletics Championships, clocking 10.28 seconds to finish ahead of Maharashtra’s Pranav Gurav, who took silver in 10.39 seconds. While the victory added another national title to Kujur’s growing collection, the final proved to be a disappointing outing for India’s leading sprinters.

Both Kujur and Gurav finished well outside the Asian Games qualification standard of 10.16 seconds, with neither athlete able to produce the kind of times that have recently raised expectations for Indian men’s sprinting.

The result was particularly underwhelming given the extraordinary performances witnessed at the Federation Cup just weeks ago. There, Gurindervir Singh became the first Indian man to break the 10.10-second barrier, setting a sensational national record of 10.09 seconds. The competition also saw the national record rewritten multiple times as Gurindervir and Kujur pushed each other to historic performances, with Kujur himself clocking 10.15 seconds before Gurindervir lowered the mark even further.

Those performances signalled a new era for Indian sprinting and suggested that consistently fast times were becoming the norm. Against that backdrop, the Inter-State final failed to live up to expectations.

Kujur remains one of India’s finest sprinters and has enjoyed a breakthrough season, establishing himself among the country’s fastest ever athletes and emerging as a genuine contender on the Asian stage. However, his winning time of 10.28 seconds was well below the level he has shown himself capable of producing.

With the Asian Games qualification mark still out of reach in this race, India’s top sprinters will now be hoping to rediscover their record-breaking form in the competitions ahead.

The women’s 400m produced one of the standout performances of the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships, with four Indian quarter-milers breaching the Asian Games qualification standard during the heats in Bhubaneswar.

Veteran sprinter Poovamma Raju led the field, clocking 53.35 seconds, the fastest time across all the heats. Close behind were Kiran Pahal in 53.42s, Aishwarya Mishra in 53.61s, and Rashdeep Kaur in 53.69s, with all four athletes comfortably achieving the qualifying mark for the 2026 Asian Games.

Women’s 400m Heats

1. Poovamma Raju – 53.35s (Fastest qualifier)
2. Kiran Pahal – 53.42s
3. Aishwarya Mishra – 53.61s
4. Rashdeep Kaur – 53.69s

The performances underline the growing depth in Indian women’s one-lap sprinting, an event in which the country has traditionally enjoyed considerable success, particularly in relay competitions at the continental level.

Poovamma, one of India’s most experienced 400m runners, once again demonstrated her consistency by topping the qualifying charts. A multiple Asian Championships medallist and a key member of India’s relay squads over the past decade, she continues to remain competitive against a younger generation of athletes.

Kiran Pahal, meanwhile, has emerged as one of India’s leading quarter-milers in recent seasons, consistently producing performances at the international qualifying standard. Aishwarya Mishra and Rashdeep Kaur have also shown impressive progress, adding valuable depth to India’s pool of 400m runners ahead of a busy international calendar.

The timing of these performances is particularly significant. With the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games both scheduled later this year, India appears well placed not only in the individual event but also in the women’s 4x400m relay, traditionally one of the country’s strongest disciplines.

The four qualifiers will return to the track later today, when they go head-to-head in the women’s 400m semi-finals, scheduled for 6:30 pm IST.

The women’s 200m event at the 65th Interstate Athletics Championships 2026 produced one of the standout sprint performances of the competition as the top three finishers all dipped below the Asian Games qualification standard.

Representing Maharashtra, Harita Bhadra stole the spotlight with a sensational run of 23.14 seconds to clinch the gold medal and emerge as the Interstate champion. The performance marked a huge personal best for the talented sprinter and elevated her to ninth place on India’s all-time women’s 200m list.

Her remarkable achievement also secured qualification for the Asian Games 2026, adding another major milestone to what has already been a breakthrough season. Bhadra has been one of the country’s most promising sprint talents in recent years and earlier this season won the women’s 60m title at the National Indoor Athletics Championships.

Karnataka’s Unnathi Bollanda continued her consistent rise in Indian sprinting by finishing second in 23.40 seconds, comfortably inside the Asian Games qualification mark. One of the country’s leading young quarter-milers and sprinters, Unnathi has steadily improved across the sprint events and once again demonstrated her ability to deliver on the big stage.

Third place went to Prakurthi, who clocked 23.58 seconds to complete a memorable race where all three medalists achieved the qualification standard. Her performance underlined the growing depth in Indian women’s sprinting and ensured she too remained firmly in contention for major international selection.

The race highlights the significant progress being made in Indian women’s sprinting, with multiple athletes now capable of producing Asian-level performances. With Harita, Unnathi and Prakurthi all achieving the required standard, selectors will have plenty to consider as India begins shaping its sprint squad for the Asian Games 2026.

Women’s 200m Results

1. Harita Bhadra – 23.14s (PB) – Gold – Asian Games Qualification
2. Unnathi Bollanda – 23.40s – Silver – Asian Games Qualification
3. Prakurthi – 23.58s – Bronze – Asian Games Qualification

The event could prove to be a defining moment for Indian women’s sprinting, with three athletes crossing the qualification mark in a single race and signalling a bright future for the discipline.

India’s sprint sensation Animesh Kujur comfortably booked his place for the Asian Games 2026 after clocking 20.87 seconds in the men’s 200m heats at the ongoing 65th Interstate Athletics Championships 2026.

The performance saw Kujur go under the Asian Games qualification standard with ease, continuing what has been a remarkable rise for one of India’s most exciting track athletes.

His qualification came as little surprise. Over the past two seasons, Kujur has established himself as India’s premier male sprinter, consistently rewriting national records and pushing Indian sprinting into uncharted territory.

Earlier this year, the Odisha athlete became the first Indian man in history to break the 20.50-second barrier in the 200m, setting a national record of 20.32 seconds. He also holds the national record in the 100m with a time of 10.18 seconds and has played a pivotal role in India’s relay successes on the international stage.

Given his pedigree and recent form, clearing the Asian Games qualification mark was always expected. Even in a controlled heat race, Kujur demonstrated his class, crossing the line in 20.87 seconds and safely securing qualification for the continental showpiece.

With the heats out of the way, attention now turns to the final, where the national record holder will look to add another title to his growing collection and further cement his status as the face of Indian sprinting.

*Result:*

* Animesh Kujur – 20.87s (Asian Games Qualification)

The qualification reinforces Kujur’s position as India’s leading sprint medal prospect heading into the 2026 Asian Games.

Indian sprinting received a major boost at the 65th Interstate Athletics Championships 2026 as both Harita Bhadra and Unnathi secured qualification for the Asian Games 2026 in the women’s 200m event during the heats.

Harita Bhadra produced a sensational performance, clocking 23.55 seconds to not only go under the Asian Games qualification standard of 23.70 seconds but also register a huge lifetime best. Her time currently stands as the fastest by an Indian woman this season in the 200m.

Joining her in achieving the qualification mark was Unnathi, who ran 23.65 seconds to finish comfortably inside the required standard. The performance also marked a new personal best for the young sprinter, improving her previous best by 0.01 seconds.

With both athletes breaching the qualification mark in the heats themselves, India now has two women who have met the Asian Games standard in the 200m, highlighting the growing depth in Indian women’s sprinting.

Results (Heats):

* Harita Bhadra – 23.55s (Lifetime Best, Season’s Best by an Indian, Asian Games Qualification)
* Unnathi – 23.65s (Personal Best, Asian Games Qualification)

The Asian Games qualification standard was set at 23.70 seconds, and both sprinters comfortably dipped below the mark to keep their Asian Games dreams firmly on track.

Bureau Report

Indian sprint sensation and national record holder Gurindervir Singh is set to miss the upcoming Interstate Athletics Championships 2026, a competition that also serves as a key qualification event for the 2026 Asian Games.

The 25-year-old’s name is notably absent from the Athletics Federation of India’s (AFI) bib list released ahead of the championships, ruling him out of the country’s most important domestic athletics meet of the season.

Gurindervir has been enjoying a breakthrough year. Earlier this season, he etched his name into the history books by clocking a stunning 10.09 seconds in the men’s 100m, becoming the first Indian athlete ever to break the 10.10-second barrier. The performance also saw him rewrite the national record and cement his status as India’s fastest man.

Despite missing the Interstate Championships, Gurindervir has already secured qualification for the Commonwealth Games 2026 and has been included in India’s squad for Glasgow. His absence from the Asian Games qualification meet, however, will come as a disappointment for Indian athletics fans who were hoping to see the national record holder in action.

While he may not feature in the individual 100m at the Interstates, there remains hope that Gurindervir will be part of India’s men’s 4x100m relay plans later in the season.

The Indian relay team will be targeting the Asian Games qualification standard of 38.81 seconds, a mark that appears well within reach based on recent performances. Last season, the Indian quartet clocked faster than the qualification standard in all three of their major outings, emerging as one of Asia’s most promising sprint relay teams.

Gurindervir, alongside fellow sprint star Animesh Kujur, played a crucial role in those performances, providing India with explosive starts and strong relay legs against quality international competition.

Karnataka’s rising sprint star Unnathi Bollanda continued her impressive 2026 season by clinching the women’s 200m title at the Indian Athletics Series-9 in Ludhiana, clocking a lifetime best of 23.66 seconds.

The performance further underlined the 21-year-old’s growing stature in Indian sprinting as she continues her pursuit of the qualification standard for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, set at 23.06 seconds.

While she fell short of that mark on this occasion, her latest victory adds to a season that has already seen her emerge as one of the country’s most promising quarter-lap specialists.

Building on Record-Breaking Form

Unnathi entered the competition in excellent form after a standout performance at the Karnataka State Athletics Championships, where she clocked an unofficial 23.10 seconds.

That run not only broke the Karnataka state record but also shattered the 35-year-old meet record of 23.40 seconds, set by Indian sprinting legend Ashwini Nachappa in 1990.

The timing was particularly significant as it represented one of the fastest performances by an Indian woman in recent years and brought her agonisingly close to the Commonwealth Games qualification standard.

For context, the 23.10s run was the fastest time recorded by an Indian woman at the domestic level since G. Giridharini Ravi Kumar clocked 22.06 seconds in 2022.

Jilna Also Produces Lifetime Best

The women’s 200m final also saw an encouraging performance from Kerala’s MV Jilna, who finished second with a lifetime best of 23.76 seconds.

The strong showing from both athletes reflects the improving depth in Indian women’s sprinting, an area that has witnessed significant progress over the past few seasons.

With several young sprinters consistently running under 24 seconds, competition for national team spots is becoming increasingly intense.

Athletics Runs in the Family

Unnathi’s success comes as little surprise to those familiar with her background.

She is the daughter of G. Pramila, an Olympian and Asian Games medallist who represented India with distinction on the international stage. Growing up in an athletics-oriented environment has played a key role in shaping her development, and she is now beginning to carve out her own identity in Indian sprinting.

The youngster first gained national attention after winning bronze at the 2024 Asian U20 Athletics Championships.

Eyes on Commonwealth Games Qualification

With the Commonwealth Games qualification standard still within reach, Unnathi remains firmly in contention to secure a place at one of the biggest competitions of her young career.

Punjab sprinter Harjit Singh continued his impressive form this season, storming to victory in the men’s 100m at the ongoing Indian Athletics Series–8 with a blistering time of 10.17 seconds.

The race was run with a tailwind of +2.1 m/s, just above the legal limit of +2.0 m/s for record eligibility. While the mark will not be considered for record purposes, it nevertheless underlines the exceptional form that Harjit has displayed in recent weeks.

The performance comes just days after the Punjab athlete clocked 10.21 seconds at the Punjab State Athletics Championships, further establishing himself as one of the country’s most promising sprinters.

Harjit’s rise is also closely linked to one of Indian sprinting’s biggest success stories. The Punjab sprinter was a former training partner of India’s fastest man, Gurindervir Singh, with both athletes training under coach Happy Singh during their developmental years.

Coach Happy Singh played a significant role in shaping Gurindervir’s early sprinting career, and Harjit’s recent performances are a testament to the strong sprinting culture that has emerged from the training group.

With back-to-back fast times and growing confidence on the track, Harjit Singh is rapidly establishing himself as a sprinter to watch. If he can reproduce similar performances under legal wind conditions, he could soon find himself among the fastest Indian athletes in the country this season.

Seventeen-year-old Aditya Pisal of Maharashtra delivered a stunning performance at the ongoing Indian Athletics Series–8, sprinting to victory in the men’s U20 100m final with a remarkable time of 10.23 seconds.

Pisal’s clocking was significantly faster than the current Indian U20 national record of 10.35 seconds, held by Indian sprint star Gurindervir Singh. However, the performance will not be recognized as a national record due to excessive wind assistance.

The race was run with a tailwind of +3.5 m/s, well above the maximum allowable limit of +2.0 m/s for record purposes under World Athletics regulations. While the timing showcases Pisal’s exceptional speed and potential, it cannot be entered into the record books.

Despite the wind-aided conditions, the performance serves as a strong statement from one of India’s most promising young sprinters. Running 10.23s at just 17 years of age highlights Pisal’s growing stature in Indian athletics and underlines his potential to challenge national benchmarks in legal conditions in the future.