India’s Golden Start at Taiwan Athletics Open 2025: Day 2 Loaded with Big Finals

Indian athletes made a thunderous statement on Day 1 of the Taiwan Athletics Open 2025, winning six out of six gold medals in a flawless showing that underlined their rising stature on the continental circuit.

The World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze event, held in Taipei, saw Indian track and field stars deliver personal brilliance, relay cohesion, and record-breaking speed.

As attention now shifts to Day 2, Indian athletes are gearing up for a packed schedule of heats, finals, and field events, with major names like Annu Rani, Vithya Ramraj, Shaili Singh, and Rohit Yadav in action.

Day 1 Recap: India Wins 6 Out of 6

Six events. Six Golds. A day of complete dominance.

India’s campaign on the opening day of the meet was nothing short of spectacular, with multiple athletes not just winning their events but also setting meet records and posting season-best performances.

Event-by-Event Highlights:

• Jyothi Yarraji – 100m Hurdles (12.99s)
  The national record holder continued her fine form, blazing to a sub-13 second finish. Jyothi maintained her rhythm and technical sharpness over the hurdles to clinch gold with authority.
• Tejas Shirse – 110m Hurdles (13.52s)
  Tejas powered through the field, staying strong in the final 40 metres to pull away and grab another hurdle title for India.
• Pooja – 1500m (4:11.63s – Championship Record)
  The distance specialist clocked a commanding run from the front, smashing the previous meet record and finishing well ahead of the chasing pack.
• Men’s 4x100m Relay (38.75s – 2nd Fastest Indian Time Ever)
  India’s men’s relay team came just fractions short of the national record, showcasing superb baton exchanges and top-end speed in one of their best performances ever.
• Women’s 4x100m Relay (44.07s – Championship Record)
  The women’s team not only won the gold but rewrote the record books with a crisp and aggressive sprint relay display.
• Abdulla Aboobacker – Triple Jump (16.21m)
  The Asian medallist opened his season in style with a controlled series, with his best mark of 16.21 metres being enough to top the field.

India’s Day 1 Tally:

6 Events Entered

6 Gold Medals

2 Championship Records

Day 2 Preview: India Eye More Medals

With momentum firmly on their side, the Indian contingent enters Day 2 with expectations of extending their golden run. The schedule features a combination of track heats and finals, as well as javelin and long jump finals in both men’s and women’s categories.

India’s Full Schedule for Day 2 (All timings in IST):

Track Heats & Field Events

• 12:00 PM – Women’s 400m Hurdles Heat 2
  Vithya Ramraj begins her campaign, looking to make the finals later in the day.
• 12:30 PM – Men’s 400m Hurdles Heat 1
  Yashas Palaksha is aiming to secure a strong qualifying spot.
• 1:00 PM – Women’s 800m Heats 1 & 2
  Pooja (already a gold medallist in 1500m) and Twinkle Chaudhary line up to qualify for the evening final.
• 1:15 PM – Men’s 800m Heats 3 & 4
  Krishan Kumar and Md Afsal look to secure qualification and assess competition from the region.
• 2:00 PM – Men’s Javelin Final
  Rohit Yadav returns to international competition, hoping to build consistency and launch past the 80m mark.

Finals

• 3:00 PM – Women’s 400m Hurdles Final (if qualified)
  Vithya Ramraj could be back for gold if her heat goes well.
• 3:15 PM – Men’s 400m Hurdles Final (if qualified)
  Yashas Palaksha may make a second appearance in the day depending on heat results.
• 3:35 PM – Women’s Long Jump Final
  Shaili Singh and Ancy Sojan, two of India’s top jumpers, compete in what could be a 1-2 finish for India.
• 3:45 PM – Women’s 800m Final (if qualified)
  Pooja will be chasing a rare double in the middle-distance events.
• 3:55 PM – Men’s 800m Final (if qualified)
  Krishan Kumar and Md Afsal will look to convert their qualifying form into medals.
• 4:00 PM – Women’s Javelin Final
  Annu Rani, India’s top javelin thrower, will look to dominate and assess her current rhythm ahead of key summer events.
• 5:30 PM – Men’s 4x400m Relay 2
  Team India rounds off Day 2 with the long relay event, often a test of depth and stamina. Expectations are high following the 4x100m success.

Key Names to Watch

• Vithya Ramraj – A Tokyo Olympian and national record co-holder in 400m hurdles, she’ll be aiming for a clean run to the podium.
• Annu Rani – India’s best ever female javelin thrower, making her season debut at a time when consistency will matter ahead of global championships.
• Shaili Singh – The long jump prodigy is expected to lead the charge in the pit with her eye on the 6.80m mark.
• Rohit Yadav – Returning from a challenging injury period, this competition is a good opportunity for him to test his form.

What’s at Stake?

While the Taiwan Athletics Open is a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meet, it holds significance for Indian athletes chasing Olympic qualification marks, ranking points, and valuable international exposure. The dominant Day 1 shows India’s depth, while Day 2 promises a test of endurance with multiple heats and finals packed into a short time window.

Conclusion: Can India Make it 14 out of 14?

After a flawless start to the competition, India’s track and field stars will aim to build on their Day 1 momentum. With major finals in javelin, relays, long jump, and hurdles, a second straight sweep is not impossible. Even more importantly, the meet serves as a great tune-up ahead of the World Championships later this year.

Follow live updates and in-depth coverage of Indian athletes exclusively on the IndiaSportsHub app.