Indian Athletics series finale: Sable, Yashvir in limelight in Delhi ahead of Asian Games

Almost all the athletes at the Asian Games, including star steeplechaser Avinash Sable who is improving again, will take part in the India Athletics Series final in New Delhi on Thursday as part of their preparations for the mega event in Japan later this month. The invitational one-day event at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is the culmination of the 15-leg Indian Athletics Series presented by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) in April this year.

The national federation has made the finals lucrative by introducing a total prize fund of Rs 65 crore. The winner of each of the 30 tournaments will take home Rs.one million.

Each runner-up will receive Rs 50,000, while the third, fourth, fifth and sixth runners-up will receive Rs 25,000, Rs 20,000, Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively.

Apart from a few athletes like long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, high jumper Sarvesh Kushare and triple jumper Praveen Chithravel, all the athletes in the 77-member Indian squad for the Asian Games in Japan starting September 19 will compete on Thursday.

Sreeshankar, who won silver at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and has also broken the 8m mark in every competition he has competed in this season, is already in Japan, training at the University of Tsukuba near Tokyo ahead of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.

The remaining athletes will leave for Japan on Saturday and arrive at the University of Tsukuba the next day for a short acclimatization camp. They will arrive in Aichi-Nagoya on September 21, two days before the start of athletic events at the Asian Games.

This is not the first time that the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has given away prizes to the winners.

During the 2009 season, the AFI distributed prize money to the top three finishers in the three Indian Grand Prix series, with the winners handing over Rs 15,000 each, for a total purse of Rs 15 million.

SABEL, YASHVIR AMONG THE BEST MOVES

Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Yashvir Singh, who replaced the injured Neeraj Chopra in the Asian Games squad, will be among the top picks alongside Sable, shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor, 100m hurdler Jyothi Yarraji and long jumper Ancy Sojan to name a few.

Thursday’s event is important for Sable as the AFI has asked Asian Games organizers to allow him to enter the 5,000m race.

But first, he will have to break the qualifying standard (13 minutes and 39.18 seconds) set by the AFI in Thursday’s race. However, his participation in the Asian Games in the 30,000m steeplechase is confirmed.

Sable only ran one race this season he had ACL surgery last year. At the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, he won gold in the 3000m steeplechase and silver in the 5000m.

Also in the fray are India’s fastest sprinter and 100m national record holder Gurindervir Singh, 200m national record holder Animesh Kujur and 400m national record holder Vishal TK.

CWG medalist Gulveer Singh is not competing as long distance events are not included in the meet.

Marathon, race walking, heptathlon, decathlon, men’s discus and women’s 200 meters are also excluded.

LIST OF EVENTS

Men: 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m hurdles, 110m hurdles, 400m hurdles, high jump, long jump, triple jump, pole vault, shot put, hammer throw, javelin throw.

Women: 100m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m hurdles, 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles, high jump, long jump, triple jump, pole vault, shot put, hammer throw, discus throw, javelin throw.

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Issued by:

Akshay Ramesh

Published on:

09 Sep 2026 18:47 IST