Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana, Punjab, will host the 21st National Youth Athletics Championships 2026, a three-day competition that will also serve as the upcoming Youth Olympics 2026.
Around 650 athletes will participate across 36 events, with 18 events each for men and women.
Although the Athletics Federation of India has not announced any qualification standards, the federation may select the top 2 athletes from each event based on the best results.
A Stepping Stone for Indian Athletics
The 21st National Youth Athletics Championships 2026 will be a stepping stone for Indian athletics, providing an opportunity to see the new stars who could feature more often in the future.
Among the events, the 100m and 200m have received the most entries across both categories.
One of the events that stands out is the women’s javelin throw, which has received around 30 entries. The strong participation looks promising when considering the future of Indian athletics.
Complete Event-Wise Bib List
The complete event-wise bib list for the 21st National Youth Athletics Championships 2026 is available below.