The Sports Ministry has approved a 492-member Indian contingent, comprising 265 male and 227 female athletes, for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Athletics forms the largest group with 73 participants, including star athletes like Neeraj Chopra and Jyothi Yarraji. Other prominent sports like shooting, weightlifting, badminton, boxing, and wrestling also feature strong teams, with some adjustments made due to doping violations.
India's Asian Games athletics team has been trimmed to 74 members, with prominent athletes like javelin thrower Annu Rani, long jumper Shahnavaz Khan, and sprinter Nithya Gandhe dropped due to performance or medical reasons. The decision followed a confirmatory event, while some injured national record holders were cleared to participate.
Madhya Pradesh's Dev Kumar Meena won gold in pole vault at the National Senior Athletics Federation Competition, with both he and Kuldeep Kumar setting a new national record. Several other athletes also achieved Commonwealth Games qualification marks.
Tanya Chaudhary broke the women's hammer throw national record with a distance of 68.35m at the Indian Athletics Series Final. Avinash Sable also made a strong return to the 3000m steeplechase, winning his first race in over a year. The event served as a crucial tune-up for Indian athletes heading to the Asian Games, with several other notable performances including wins by Harita Bhadra, Animesh Kujur, Rohit Yadav, and Tajinderpal Singh Toor.
India's large contingent of 501 athletes is set to compete at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, aiming to showcase the nation's growing sporting depth and its ambition to become a global top-10 sporting power by 2036. Despite initial accommodation challenges, the focus is on building on the momentum from the record 2022 Hangzhou Games, with strong medal hopes in shooting, athletics, cricket, badminton, and hockey.
Long jumper Shahnavaz Khan and high jumper Basant Kumar Meghwal, both recent World Athletics U20 Championships medalists, are now setting their sights on podium finishes at the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, aiming to improve their personal bests.
Young Indian athlete Lokesh Sathyanathan won the gold medal in the men's long jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships, setting a new indoor national record.
Sreeshankar jumps huge 8.41m in National Inter-State, qualifies for World Championships
Basant Kumar Meghwal and Shahnavaz Khan became the first Indians to win a medal each in high jump and long jump at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships.
Indian high jumper Sarvesh Kushare achieved a historic third-place finish in his Diamond League debut in Monaco, clearing 2.26m. This remarkable performance places him among an exclusive group of four Indians to have secured a top-three spot in the prestigious athletics event, alongside Neeraj Chopra, Murali Sreeshankar, and Vikas Gowda. He also outperformed several world champions in the process.
Indian athletes are set for a busy day at the Asian Games on September 27, competing across a wide array of sports including athletics, archery, shooting, boxing, and squash.
Athletics Federation of India's selection committee chairman Adille Sumariwalla has dismissed concerns over Neeraj Chopra's recent silver medal, stating that the "country's greatest athlete" should not be scrutinised for an occasional silver after consistently delivering gold for a decade.
Murali Sreeshankar has been ruled out of Paris Olympics after sustaining a knee injury during training.
Indian para-athlete Dilip Mahadu Gavit, fresh off winning the Commonwealth Games 2026 gold medal in the men's T47 100m with a Games record, dedicated his triumph to his coach Vaijanath Kale on Guru Purnima, crediting him for spotting his talent and transforming his career.
Murali Sreeshankar clinched a historic silver in men's long jump to give India its second medal in athletics at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Thursday.
Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar on Sunday 'voluntarily' gave dope sample to the NADA officials after producing a big leap of 8.41m to qualify for the upcoming World Championships so that 'nobody points any finger of suspicion'.
India is relying heavily on its boxing, weightlifting, and athletics contingents to maintain its two-decade streak of top-five finishes at the Commonwealth Games, which opens in Glasgow.
Murali Sreeshankar is the only third Indian to finish in the top-three of a Diamond League after Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and former discus thrower Vikas Gowda.
However, top Indian sprinter Dutee Chand crashed out of the CWG after finishing 27th overall in the preliminary heat races. The national record holder (11.17s) clocked a disappointing 11.55 seconds to finish fourth in heat number 5.
Olympic-bound long jumper Murali Sreeshankar on Saturday said he is working on his technical flaws and is hoping to take part in competitions abroad once the current travel restrictions on Indians are eased.
A new book, "Heroes: The Changemakers of Indian Sports" by journalist-author Thirumoy Banerjee, chronicles the inspiring journeys of 15 Indian athletes, including Manu Bhaker, C A Bhavani Devi, Nikhat Zareen, Aman Kumar Kadyan, and Sumit Antil. It highlights their determination, resilience, and triumphs over setbacks, offering insights into their paths to success and celebrating their unwavering spirit.
Murali Sreeshankar was "very happy' to win the silver medal in the men's long jump at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Thursday, but a "bit disappointed" at being unable to take home the gold.
He may have missed out on a gold medal by the thinnest of margins, but the ever-smiling Murali Shreeshankar, who won a historic silver medal in men's long jump at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Thursday, says this is just the beginning; he is hungry for more success.
Having become the first Indian male athlete to qualify for the long jump finals in the World Championships, the Sreeshankar raised hopes of a historic medal in the showpiece event, but his performance in the finals was way below his season's and personal best of 8.36m.
Rohit Yadav clinched the javelin throw gold medal at the National Inter-State Athletics Championships to keep himself in contention for a berth in the World Championships in Tokyo.
Star Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar on Saturday qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics after winning a silver medal in the Asian Athletics Championships.
Sreeshankar said featuring consistently at top international events, like the Diamond Leagues, will be his focus going forward.
'We will announce the team on August 30. More confirmation has to come from World Athletics by then.'
Murli Sreeshankar qualified for the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday after bettering his own National record with a leap of 8.26 metres on the second day of the Federation Cup Senior National Athletics Championships, in Patiala.
Maykel Masso of Cuba won the event with a best effort of 8.35m while World Championships silver medallist and reigning Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece (8.31m) and Marquis Dendy (8.31m) of USA finished second and third respectively.
The 29-year-old Indian athlete finished ahead of South Korea's Yu Gyumin and Kim Jang-woo, both Asian Championships bronze medal winners.
Swimmer Maana Patel registers Best Indian Time
Murali Sreeshankar became the first Indian male long jumper to qualify for World Athletics Championships finals while 3000 metre steeplechaser Avinash Sable also expectedly made the grade on the opening day of competition, in Eugene, USA, on Saturday.
History was made under the Doha lights as Neeraj Chopra finally broke the 90-meter barrier - a mark he had chased for years.
The AFI added that it has got involved in the matter and Shirse should get his visa within the next 24 hours.
India's hurdlers Jyothi Yarraji and Nithya Ramraj advanced to the women's 100m hurdles final, while ace long jumpers Murali Sreeshankar and Jeswin Aldrin also sailed through.
Sreeshankar was expected to at least qualify for the final round but form deserted him when it mattered the most on Wednesday.
Neeraj to lead India in World C'ships; three miss chance due to medical issues despite qualification
Indian athletes' schedule for Thursday, August 4, at the Commonwealth Games.
The Indian team left for the five-day Asian Athletics Championships on Saturday night from Delhi and Bengaluru.
