Dev Meena, Anushka Yadav Secure Asian Games 2026 Berths With Gold-Winning Starts

Dev Meena, Anushka Yadav Smash National Records, Secure Asian Games 2026 Berths

National records fell and Asian Games qualification spots were sealed on the opening day of the National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar as pole vaulter Dev Meena and hammer thrower Anushka Yadav produced headline-grabbing performances on Wednesday.

Meena improved his own men’s pole vault national record with a clearance of 5.46m, while 18-year-old Anushka emerged as the standout performer of the day by breaking the women’s hammer throw national record twice and securing qualification for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya.

Meena Raises The Bar Again

Having shared the spotlight with Kuldeep Kumar at last month’s Federation Cup, where both athletes cleared 5.45m to set a new national record, Meena once again pushed Indian pole vaulting to new heights.

The youngster successfully cleared 5.46m to better his own mark by one centimetre and comfortably surpass the qualification standard for the Asian Games. The effort further cemented his position as India’s premier pole vaulter heading into the continental cycle.

Anushka Produces Breakthrough Performance

While Meena impressed, Anushka stole the show with a sensational display in the women’s hammer throw.

The teenager from Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district shattered Sarita Singh’s nine-year-old national record of 65.25m with a throw of 65.64m in the second round before improving it further with a massive 67.02m effort on her final attempt.

After opening with 62.07m and following up with 64.81m in the third round, Anushka delivered the performance of her young career to become one of India’s brightest throwing prospects. Her record-breaking effort comfortably exceeded the Athletics Federation of India’s Asian Games qualification standard of 61.72m.

The achievement marked a significant improvement over her previous personal best of 62.89m and came just months after she recovered from a ligament fracture suffered while working on her family’s farm.

Coached by her father, former hammer thrower Sushil Yadav, Anushka said her ambition now is to cross the 70m mark and challenge for Asian Games gold.

Jyothi Yarraji Marks Successful Return

National record holder Jyothi Yarraji enjoyed a memorable return to competition after nearly a year out with an ACL injury.

The Asian Games silver medallist clocked 13.14 seconds in the heats before improving to 12.99 seconds in the women’s 100m hurdles final to secure gold and achieve the qualification standard for Nagoya.

Competing exactly one year after suffering the injury that required surgery, Yarraji described the performance as an emotional milestone. The 26-year-old credited her rehabilitation process and coach James Hiller for helping her return stronger mentally and physically.

Nandhini K also secured Asian Games qualification in the same event with a time of 13.24 seconds, while Asha Ilango booked her place in Nagoya after registering 13.89m in the women’s triple jump.

Gulveer Claims 5000m Gold

National record holder Gulveer Singh lived up to expectations in the men’s 5000m, clinching gold in 13:52.92.

Abhishek Pal finished second in 13:54.18, with Harmanjot Singh taking bronze in 13:54.60.

The men’s 800m heats also produced strong competition, with several leading contenders, including Mogali Venkatram, Prathamesh Deore, Krishan Kumar and Mayank Yadav, advancing to the next round.

With multiple national records, several Asian Games qualification marks and strong performances across events, the National Inter-State Championships got off to an impressive start, setting the stage for an exciting week of athletics in Bhubaneswar.