Dev Meena, Anushka Yadav shine at interstate C’ships opener, close Asiad 2026 spots
Pole vaulter Dev Meena and hammer thrower Anushka Yadav stole the limelight as records fell on the opening day of the National Inter-State Championships in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, June 24. Meena cleared 5.46m to rewrite the men’s national mark in the pole vault, while Anushka made a surprise appearance in the women’s throw at the meet twice, breaking her Asian hammer throw record of 202 Nagoya Games.
Meena, a pole vaulter from Madhya Pradesh, topped the field events with a distance of 5.46m, bettering his own national record by a centimeter and comfortably achieved the Asian Games qualification standard. The feat came barely a month after the youngster engaged in a thrilling showdown with Kuldeep Kumar in the Canadian city Federation Cup in Ranchiwhere both athletes cleared 5.45 m and broke the national record. Meena eventually won gold in the count-down and raised the bar again in Bhubaneswar to cement his status as India’s leading pole vaulter.
However, Anushka pulled off the biggest surprise of the day. The hammer thrower first broke the existing national record and Asian Games qualifying mark before producing an even better effort later in the competition to further improve the record. The performance capped a breakout day for the youngster and heralded her arrival on the national stage. Anushka Yadav qualifies for 2026 Asian Games in women’s hammer throw. (Image: Screengrab from X/@afiindia)
THE NAGOYA BED OBSTACLE BOOK
National record holder Jyothi Yarraji booked her ticket to Nagoya after clocking 13.14 seconds in the women’s 100m hurdles. The Asian champion looked in complete control as she comfortably met the required mark.
Nandhini K joined Yarraji on the list of qualifiers after clocking 13.24 seconds in the same event, highlighting India’s growing depth in the women’s sprint hurdles.
Asha Ilango also punched her ticket to the continental show when she cleared 13.89m in the women’s triple jump.
GULVEER COMPLEMENTS INVOICING
In the men’s 5000m final, national record holder Gulveer Singh lived up to expectations by winning gold in 13:52.92. Abhishek Pal finished second in 13:54.18 while Harmanjot Singh completed the podium with a time of 13:54.60.
“Commonwealth Games is coming up in a month and I am preparing for it,” Gulveer Singh said after missing out on qualifying for the Asian Games in the ongoing 2026 Inter-State Athletics Championship.
Gulveer won the men’s 5000m gold medal with a time of 13:52.92s while pic.twitter.com/J0nXSNiZ7T— nnis Sports (@nnis_sports) June 24, 2026
The men’s 800 m heat also witnessed strong competition, with 15 competitors advancing to the next round. Mogali Venkatram, Prathamesh Deore, Shakeel, Krishan Kumar, Salman Farookh and Mayank Yadav were among those who advanced as the battle for places in the Indian team gathered pace.
A PROMISING BEGINNING
With two national records, several Asian Games qualifiers and a dominant victory for Gulveer, the National Interstate Championships in Bhubaneswar got off to an encouraging start. The competition, a key selection event ahead of Nagoya 2026, is expected to bring more qualifying marks and outstanding performances in the coming days.
Attention now turns to an action-packed second day featuring the men’s and women’s 200m, 800m final, women’s pole vault final and men’s discus final. The men’s 110m hurdles will also get under way, while the half-marathon walk will crown its champions as athletes continue their bid to qualify for next year’s Asian Games.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
24 Jun 2026 21:40 IST