The National Open Athletics Championships 2026 produced three exciting track finals, with Haryana’s Anjli breaking the 54-second barrier to win the women’s 400m gold, Tamil Nadu’s Akash Raj edging Vikrant Panchal by just 0.02 seconds in the men’s 400m, and SSCB’s Muhammed Lazan claiming the men’s 110m hurdles title with a lifetime best.
Anjli clocked 53.37s to secure her first-place finish in a closely contested women’s 400m final. Akash Raj won the men’s one-lap race in 46.24s, while Lazan recorded 13.70s in the 110m hurdles to complete a strong championship performance.
Anjli Stuns Favourites to Win Women’s 400m Gold
Haryana’s Anjli produced a breakthrough performance to win the women’s 400m title in a lifetime best of 53.37s at the National Open Athletics Championships 2026.
The 21-year-old broke the 54-second barrier for the first time in a registered performance, improving on her previous best of 54.05s. She had set that mark at the 2025 All India University Championships, but the performance was unregistered.
Anjli’s victory came against a competitive field that included Karnataka’s Priya Mohan and heat leader Priya Thakur. Both athletes finished within 0.19 seconds of the winner, making it a tightly contested final.
Priya Mohan and Priya Thakur Finish Just Behind
Priya Mohan took silver in 53.55s, finishing just 0.18 seconds behind Anjli. Himachal Pradesh’s Priya Thakur followed in 53.56s, only 0.01 seconds behind Mohan, to claim bronze.
The narrow margins highlighted the quality of the contest, with all three medallists finishing within 0.19 seconds of one another.
For Anjli, however, the result marked a significant personal milestone. Her 53.37s lifetime best secured the national title and improved on her previous registered-performance benchmark.
Women’s 400m Final Results
| Position | Athlete | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Anjli | Haryana | 53.37s — PB |
| Silver | Priya Mohan | Karnataka | 53.55s |
| Bronze | Priya Thakur | Himachal Pradesh | 53.56s |
Akash Raj Edges Vikrant Panchal to Win Men’s 400m Gold
Tamil Nadu’s Akash Raj won the men’s 400m gold in a lifetime best of 46.24s, edging Vikrant Panchal in one of the closest finishes at the championships.
Akash held off Panchal by just 0.02 seconds to secure the title. Panchal, representing Railway Sports, had entered the final after producing the fastest qualifying time of 45.88s in the heats.
Despite that strong qualifying performance, Panchal narrowly missed the gold medal, finishing second in 46.26s.
SSCB’s Mijo Kurian completed the podium with 46.45s, finishing third behind the leading pair.
A Tight Finish Decides the Men’s 400m
The final underlined how little separated the leading athletes. Akash’s personal best of 46.24s proved just enough to beat Panchal, whose 46.26s secured silver.
For Akash, the victory combined a national title with a new lifetime best. Panchal also maintained his strong form from the qualifying rounds, while Mijo ensured SSCB took home a bronze medal.
Men’s 400m Final Results
| Position | Athlete | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Akash Raj | Tamil Nadu | 46.24s — PB |
| Silver | Vikrant Panchal | Railway Sports | 46.26s |
| Bronze | Mijo Kurian | SSCB | 46.45s |
Muhammed Lazan Sets Lifetime Best to Win Men’s 110m Hurdles
SSCB’s Muhammed Lazan won the men’s 110m hurdles title in a lifetime best of 13.70s at the National Open Athletics Championships 2026.
Lazan led the field to secure gold, delivering a personal-best performance in the final. His time put him ahead of fellow SSCB athlete Graceson, who finished second in 13.85s.
Railways’ Manav R took bronze in 13.97s, completing the podium.
SSCB Secures Two Podium Places
SSCB enjoyed a strong result in the hurdles, with Lazan taking gold and Graceson finishing second. Their performances gave the team two places on the podium.
Lazan’s 13.70s was the standout mark of the final, as he combined a lifetime best with the national title. Graceson finished 0.15 seconds behind the winner, while Manav R crossed the line another 0.12 seconds later.
Men’s 110m Hurdles Final Results
| Position | Athlete | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Muhammed Lazan | SSCB | 13.70s — PB |
| Silver | Graceson | SSCB | 13.85s |
| Bronze | Manav R | Railways | 13.97s |
National Open Athletics Championships 2026: Three Finals, Three Standout Performances
The three finals delivered a mix of personal bests and narrow finishes. Anjli broke the 54-second barrier to claim the women’s 400m title, Akash Raj beat Vikrant Panchal by 0.02 seconds in the men’s 400m, and Muhammed Lazan won the 110m hurdles with a lifetime best of 13.70s.
The results highlighted the competitive depth across the sprint and hurdles events, with Anjli, Akash and Lazan emerging as the gold medallists in their respective finals.