India has announced a 36-member squad, comprising 23 men and 13 women, for the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, USA, from August 5 to 9. The team includes national record holder Pooja Singh and long jumper Shahnavaz Khan, and will compete across 18 track and field events.
Several Indian wrestlers, including U17 World Champion Neha Sangwan, have been denied US visas for the upcoming U23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, citing age and unemployment. The Wrestling Federation of India has urged the US Embassy to reconsider, highlighting that the athletes are within the U23 age group and many are still pursuing their careers.
'India has expressed interest to host the 2036 Olympics and 2030 Youth Olympics'
The Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship has launched an Rs 11 lakh Player Development Scholarship. This initiative, supported by DCM Shriram Foundation, aims to nurture talent by providing financial aid to winners and runners-up across five singles categories, supplementing the existing prize money.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has announced that the SRY gene test will be mandatory for all athletes participating in its approved competitions across all age categories, effective from 2027. This decision, subject to legal formalities, aligns with new World Athletics regulations for female category eligibility.
India made a strong start at the Asian U-23 Athletics Championships in Ordos, China, securing five medals on the opening day. The haul included a gold in the mixed 4x400m relay, one silver, and three bronze medals, showcasing the nation's emerging talent in athletics.
Harmanjot Singh and Lili Das will lead a 42-strong Indian elite field at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon on October 18. Singh, a strong contender with the fastest personal best in the Indian elite field, will make his debut. Lili Das, a former champion, will lead the women's charge alongside Kavita Yadav, facing competition from Ankita Dhyani. The event offers significant prize money and incentives for new Indian Elite records.
Baranica Elangovan has made history by winning India's first-ever medal in the women's pole vault at the Asian Games, securing a bronze with a clearance of 4.15m. Her achievement, despite being below her personal best, marks a significant milestone for Indian athletics and follows a challenging recovery from an ACL injury.
The National Junior (U20) Athletics Federation competition is set to begin in Tumkur, Karnataka, with young athletes vying for a spot in the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong.
The inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship saw thrilling performances on its second day, with Audrey Werro defeating Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson in the women's 800m and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden clocking the season's fastest time in the women's 100m. Other notable winners included Kenny Bednarek in the men's 100m, Collen Kebinatshipi and Marileidy Paulino in the 400m, Haruka Kitaguchi in javelin, Klaudia Kazimierska in 1500m, Miltiadis Tentoglou in long jump, and Sandi Morris in pole vault.
Pune, India, has been selected to host the UCI Road World Championships in 2032, marking the first time the prestigious cycling event will come to the country. This historic achievement is the result of a collaborative bid by the Government of Maharashtra and the Cycling Federation of India, supported by the Government of India, aiming to establish Pune as a premier global cycling destination. The decision was announced at the UCI Congress in Montreal after Pune's successful presentation, highlighting India's growing potential in the sport.
Russian Athletics has filed a new claim with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), challenging sanctions imposed by World Athletics that prevent Russian athletes from participating in international competitions.
Chandigarh and Bhubaneswar have been awarded the rights to host the Asian Relays in 2027 and the Asian Indoor Championships in 2028, respectively, marking a significant achievement for Indian athletics.
Baranica Elangovan has won a historic bronze medal for India in the women's pole vault event at the Asian Games, marking the country's first-ever medal in the discipline. She cleared 4.15m, sharing the bronze with Kazakhstan's Polina Ivanova.
All Indian track and field athletes selected for the Asian Games will compete in the final leg of the Indian Athletics Series on September 10. The schedule for other legs of the series has also been revised, while a group of athletes has departed for Europe to prepare for the Commonwealth Games.
President Droupadi Murmu extended her congratulations to Indian athletes, including Mirabai Chanu, for their impressive medal-winning performances on Day 4 of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. She highlighted significant achievements such as Chanu's silver in weightlifting, ending a 28-year drought, and historic bronze medals in shooting and soft tennis.
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi praised Kajal Vala for her role in India's silver medal-winning performance in the women's 4x100m relay at the Asian U-20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong.
The Delhi High Court has refused to grant wrestler Vinesh Phogat an interim exemption to participate in the women's selection trials for the 2026 Senior World Championships. The court stated that eligibility criteria apply uniformly to all athletes and granting an interim relief to Phogat, who recently returned from maternity leave, would lead to unequal treatment without a full adjudication of the policy's validity. Phogat had sought to challenge the Wrestling Federation of India's (WFI) circular on eligibility, arguing it unfairly excludes athletes returning from maternity.
India concluded its campaign at the inaugural Asian U23 Athletics Championships with a total of 16 medals, including two gold medals won by javelin thrower Anand Singh and the women's 4x400m relay team. Anand Singh achieved a personal best throw of 80.57m, while other Indian athletes secured multiple silver and bronze medals across various events.
India's first Asian Games gold-winning heptathlete, Swapna Barman, has been provisionally suspended by NADA after testing positive for the banned substance Boldenone. This disciplinary action proceeds despite her recent retirement announcement. The case highlights ongoing efforts to combat doping in Indian sports, with other athletes also facing bans.
Indian para shooters Millie Shah, Mona Agarwal, and Avani Lekhara secured a gold medal in the R2 women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 team event at the Changwon 2026 WSPS Para Shooting World Championships. The men's team also won silver, and individual medals were claimed by Mona Agarwal (silver) and Avani Lekhara (bronze), significantly boosting India's medal tally.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has confirmed that the governing body's position on excluding Russian and Belarusian athletes from international competition remains unchanged, despite an upcoming Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) case. Coe emphasised that the decision is based on maintaining the integrity of competition, not politics. Russian Athletics has filed a fresh appeal with CAS challenging these sanctions, which have been in place since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen made a stunning comeback from Achilles surgery to win the men's 5,000 metres at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship, securing a $150,000 prize. Fellow star Mondo Duplantis also claimed a pole vault title, narrowly missing a world record. The new championship format aims to attract new fans with its high-stakes fields and glitzy production.
The Delhi High Court has urged the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to establish clear guidelines and timelines for female athletes returning to competitive sports after maternity leave. The court's observations came during a hearing for grappler Vinesh Phogat, who is seeking permission to participate in selection trials for the 2026 Senior World Championships after her maternity break. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma highlighted the unfairness faced by women athletes post-childbirth and criticised the WFI's current policies, hinting at the need for a balanced framework.
Indian athletes Baranica Elangovan, Gulveer Singh, and Manpreet Kaur secured historic medals at the Asian Games. Elangovan clinched India's first-ever pole vault medal with a bronze, while Singh became the first Indian to win two 10,000m medals, earning a silver. Kaur redeemed herself with a shot put bronze, contributing to India's growing athletics medal tally.
Two-time Olympic gold medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo has been announced as the International Event Ambassador for the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. The Bahamian sprinter, known for her explosive finishes and consistent performance, will visit New Delhi to be part of the event, aiming to inspire runners with her journey of progress and consistency.
Chandigarh and Bhubaneswar have been awarded the rights to host the Asian Relays in 2027 and the Asian Indoor Championships in 2028, respectively, marking a significant moment for Indian athletics.
Norwegian middle-distance runner Jakob Ingebrigtsen secured his seventh European Athletics Championships gold, winning the 5,000 metres title in a thrilling sprint finish, just months after Achilles surgery.
Nipam made a memorable international debut by winning the bronze medal in the 100m at the U20 Asian Athletics Championships. Other Indian athletes also showed promise in various events.
Sharmila Dhankar has won India's first-ever para athletics gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in the women's shot put F57 event. Her teammate Shilpa Shyla also secured a bronze medal after a successful protest against a Nigerian athlete, marking a historic day for Indian para-athletics.
Ashish Yadav secured a silver medal in the men's javelin throw at the World Athletics U20 Championships, marking India's first medal at the event. His throw of 74.09m placed him second, following South Africa's Jan-Hendrik Heymans who won gold. Yadav is now the second Indian to win silver in this event, after Neeraj Chopra.
The National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships concluded with star long jumper Murali Sreeshankar and javelin thrower Rohit Yadav delivering top-class performances.
The Delhi High Court has sought WFI's response on Vinesh Phogat's plea to participate in the September 14 selection trials for the 2026 World Championship.
The Sports Ministry has revised its Scheme of Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSF), significantly increasing financial support for organising international events in India, with up to Rs 50 crore available. The new guidelines also maintain funding for National Championships, introduce assistance for National Games, and outline plans for Olympic Training Centres, aligning with India's 2036 Olympic bid and 2030 Commonwealth Games aspirations.
Indian long-distance runner Gulveer Singh has secured a silver medal in the men's 10,000m event at the Asian Games, clocking 28:29.38 minutes. This achievement marks an upgrade from his previous bronze and adds to his growing list of international accolades, including medals at the Commonwealth Games and multiple national records.
Olympic gold medallist javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem is embroiled in a controversy with the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) for travelling to South Africa for training without obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC). This unapproved travel could impact his participation in upcoming international competitions like the World Ultimate Athletics Championship and the Asian Games.
Sharmila Dhankar, overcoming polio and an abusive marriage, made history by winning India's first para-athletics gold medal in 20 years at the Commonwealth Games in the women's shot put F57 event. Her compatriot Shilpa Shyla also secured a bronze after a protest. Dhankar's inspiring journey from Haryana to international success, supported by her family and second husband, highlights her remarkable resilience and dedication to para-athletics.
Indian long-distance runner Gulveer Singh clinched a silver medal in the men's 10,000m at the Asian Games, clocking 28:29.38 minutes. This achievement marks an upgrade from his previous bronze and adds to his impressive tally of international medals, including a silver at the Commonwealth Games. Gulveer attributed his success to a strategic race plan and dedicated support team.
The Indian athletics team for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan has undergone significant changes. Commonwealth Games medallist Yashvir Singh replaces an injured Neeraj Chopra, while long-distance runner Abhishek Pal has been dropped due to an alleged doping offence. Tejas Shirse is also out due to injury. The final team comprises 77 members, with six new additions. The Athletics Federation of India is aiming for 25-30 medals.
The Indian athletics team will undergo an acclimatisation camp at the University of Tsukuba near Tokyo before the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. This follows an MoU between SAI and the University. Athletes are also returning from Czech Republic for a training stint and an event in Bhubaneswar, though Neeraj Chopra will not participate. The Athletics Federation of India has already submitted a list of over 72 athletes for the Games to the Indian Olympic Association.
