The National Open Athletics Championships 2026 delivered several standout performances, with Kuldeep Yadav breaking the men’s pole vault meet record, Asha Ilango setting a new mark in the women’s triple jump, and Shivaji Madappa claiming the men’s 10,000m title in a tactical race.
Kuldeep cleared 5.30m to win the pole vault, while Asha matched her lifetime best of 13.89m in the triple jump. On the track, Railways’ Shivaji clocked 30:30.54 to secure the 10,000m crown.
Kuldeep Yadav Breaks Pole Vault Meet Record
Madhya Pradesh’s Kuldeep Yadav won the men’s pole vault gold medal with a 5.30m clearance, setting a new meet record at the National Open Athletics Championships 2026.
Kuldeep produced his winning clearance to rewrite the championship record and take the top spot on the podium. His 5.30m effort put him 5cm ahead of SSCB’s Reegan G, who finished second with 5.25m.
Reegan’s performance was also significant as he cleared the previous meet record. However, Kuldeep raised the bar further to take the gold medal and establish the new mark.
Rambeer Sets Lifetime Best
SSCB’s Rambeer completed the podium with a 5.10m lifetime best, adding another personal milestone to his campaign at the championships.
The final standings were:
- 🥇 Kuldeep Yadav (Madhya Pradesh) — 5.30m, Meet Record
- 🥈 Reegan G (SSCB) — 5.25m
- 🥉 Rambeer (SSCB) — 5.10m, PB
Kuldeep’s record-breaking clearance made him the standout performer in the men’s pole vault, while Reegan and Rambeer gave SSCB two places on the podium.
Asha Ilango Sets Women’s Triple Jump Meet Record
Asha Ilango produced the standout performance in the women’s triple jump, matching her personal best of 13.89m to set a new meet record at the National Open Athletics Championships 2026.
Asha currently leads the competition after three attempts, with her 13.89m effort matching her lifetime best while also rewriting the championship record.
Her performance puts her in a strong position as the competition heads into the final attempts.
Shaili Singh Makes Triple Jump Debut
India’s long jump star Shaili Singh also impressed on her first-ever triple jump appearance.
Shaili opened with a 13.31m effort on her first attempt and currently sits second after three rounds.
With Asha leading and Shaili making a strong start to her triple jump career, the competition remains open as the athletes move into the final attempts.
Shivaji Madappa Wins 10,000m Gold
Railways’ Shivaji Madappa produced a breakthrough performance to win the men’s 10,000m title at the National Open Athletics Championships 2026, clocking 30:30.54.
The 22-year-old stunned a field featuring experienced campaigners Abhishek Pal and Vinod Singh in a tactical, slow-paced race at the championship.
Shivaji remained in contention for much of the race while conserving his energy before making his decisive move in the closing stages. His late surge proved enough to secure the national title as he held off the more experienced runners.
Shivaji Holds His Nerve in Tactical Race
Gaurav Mathur finished second in 30:36.33, while Vinod Singh completed the podium in 30:37.13.
The final standings were:
- 🥇 Shivaji Madappa (Railways) — 30:30.54
- 🥈 Gaurav Mathur — 30:36.33
- 🥉 Vinod Singh — 30:37.13
For Shivaji, the victory marks an impressive breakthrough on a major national stage. His patience during the slow early stages and decisive finish proved crucial as he secured the 10,000m national title.