Sindhushree delivered the standout performance at the 65th National Senior Inter-State Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar, setting a new Indian national record in the women’s pole vault with a clearance of 4.25 metres. The meet also produced a wave of 2026 Asian Games qualification marks, with several athletes meeting the standards required for the continental event in Japan.
Sindhushree’s 4.25m jump improved on the previous national record of 4.21m, which had been set by Rosy Meena Paulraj at the Indian Championships in Bengaluru in October 2022. In the same women’s pole vault competition, Baranica Elangovan also hit the Asian Games qualifying standard with a 4.20m effort.
Beyond the field events, the sprint and hurdles races also saw athletes clock times that met the Asian Games benchmarks, underlining the significance of the Inter-State championships as a key proving ground ahead of the 2026 season’s biggest target.
Record jump and a rush of Asian Games qualifiers
The headline moment came in the women’s pole vault, where Sindhushree’s 4.25m clearance established a new national record. The mark moved the Indian standard forward from 4.21m, a record that had stood since Rosy Meena Paulraj’s performance in October 2022.
Baranica Elangovan’s 4.20m jump in the same event was also notable, as it met the qualification requirement for the 2026 Asian Games, strengthening India’s options in the discipline.
On the track, Animesh Kujur produced two key runs in the men’s 200m. He first qualified for the 2026 Asian Games by clocking 20.87 seconds in the semi-finals, then went on to win the gold medal in the final with a faster time of 20.74 seconds.
In the women’s 200m, Unnathi Bollanda achieved the Asian Games qualification standard with a time of 23.658 seconds. Haritha also surpassed the qualifying mark, running 23.55 seconds to secure her ticket to the continental games in Japan.
The men’s 110m hurdles also added to the list of qualifiers, with Tejas Shirse meeting the standard by clocking 13.43 seconds. The report also notes that a day earlier, Jyothi Yarraji had achieved the qualification standard as well, continuing her run of headline-making performances at the championships.
In the combined events, the men’s decathlon produced a tight finish at the top. Taufiq N of Kerala won the gold medal with 7,276 points, while Maharashtra’s Kushal Mohite took silver with 7,251 points. Both totals exceeded the Asian Games qualification mark of 7,250 points, meaning both athletes cleared the required benchmark while also finishing on the podium.
In the women’s shot put, Manpreet Kaur of Haryana and Srishti Vig of Delhi cleared the qualification standard of 16.25 metres. The report adds that both athletes, along with Krishna Jayashankar, strengthened their bids for the Asian Games through their performances.
The article also highlights that on the first day of the championship, pole vaulter Dev Meena, young hammer thrower Anushka Yadav, and sprinter-hurdler Jyothi Yarraji made headlines with impressive performances, adding to the broader sense of momentum created by the meet.
Why the Inter-State results matter ahead of Japan 2026
The 65th National Senior Inter-State Athletics Championships served as an important checkpoint for Indian athletes aiming to meet qualification standards for the 2026 Asian Games. With record-setting performances like Sindhushree’s 4.25m pole vault and multiple athletes achieving the required marks across sprints, hurdles, throws, and combined events, the championships offered an encouraging snapshot of India’s depth and readiness.
The Asian Games are set to begin on September 19 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, and the performances in Bhubaneswar were presented as a positive sign for the country’s preparations for the continental stage.