India’s 34-member athletics squad delivered a masterclass over two days in Taipei, clinching a staggering 12 golds, 3 silvers, and 1 bronze at the Taiwan Athletics Open—a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meet.
Hosted at the Taipei Municipal Stadium, the event offered valuable world ranking points and crucial competitive exposure, and Team India seized the moment emphatically across track, field, and relay disciplines.
Day 1: Perfect Gold Sweep & Meet Records
From the outset, India announced its intent. In six events entered, they secured six golds, including three new meet records.
- Jyothi Yarraji kicked off with a spark in the women’s 100m hurdles, clocking 12.99s in the final after overcoming a rain-affected heat. Her mid-race surge after the seventh hurdle echoed her composure from Gumi’s Asian Championships.
- Tejas Shirse followed with brilliance in the men’s 110m hurdles, posting 13.52s, his second-fastest ever behind his national record (13.41s). He had also won his heat in 13.62s.
- Pooja was unstoppable in the women’s 1500m, winning gold in 4:11.63s and establishing a new Championships Record—her second after clinching silver at the Asian level.
- Abdulla Aboobacker soared in the men’s triple jump, his best of 16.21m making him the only athlete past 16m—collecting vital ranking points in the process.
- The women’s 4x100m relay quartet of Sudheeksha, Sneha, Abhinaya, and Nithya defied imperfect exchanges to win with 44.07s, smashing the previous meet record.
- Men’s 4x100m relay duo Gurindervir Singh, Animesh Kujur, Manikanta, and Amlan anchored a 38.75s run—just 0.06s off the national record and India’s second-fastest time ever.
India closed Day 1 unbeaten, heading into Day 2 with confidence brimming.
Day 2: Dominance in Heats, Finals & Relays
Sunday was even more triumphant, adding six more golds, three silvers, and a bronze to India’s haul.
- Vithya Ramraj breezed through women’s 400m hurdles heat in 57.90s and dominated the final with 56.53s, topping an impressive field.
- Yashas Palaksha, making a comeback, clocked a lifetime best 49.22s in the men’s 400m hurdles, earning silver behind Taiwan’s Chung-Wei Lin (49.00s).
- In the women’s 800m, Pooja led again, winning gold with 2:02.79s, another Championships Record. Twinkle Chaudhary completed the 1–2 finish.
- Krishan Kumar claimed gold in the men’s 800m with 1:48.46s, smashing the Championships Record. Mohammed Afsal narrowly missed bronze.
- Rohit Yadav secured gold in the men’s javelin with 74.42m, his final-round throw textbook in precision and timing.
- In the women’s long jump, Ancy Sojan (6.39m) and Shaili Singh (6.30m) were strong contenders. However, Australia’s Delta Amidzovski leapfrogged both with a dramatic 6.49m SB on her final attempt, snatching gold from under India’s noses.
- Annu Rani, India’s javelin stalwart, clinched gold again with 56.82m—extracting crucial world ranking points for the Road to Tokyo.
- Men’s 4x400m relay anchored off a sensational day: Runners T Santhosh, Dharamveer, Vishal K, and Manu TS clocked 3:05.58s, shattering the Championships Record. Just ten days earlier, this same quartet bagged silver with 3:03.67s at the Asian Championships.
Final Medal Tally & Highlights
| Medal | Event Highlights |
| Gold x12 | Men 4x100m, Men 4x400m relays, Women 4x100m hrelay, Tejas Shirse, Jyothi Yarraji, Pooja (2), Krishan Kumar, Rohit Yadav, Annu Rani, Abdulla Aboobacker |
| Silver x3 | Shaili Singh (LJ), Yashas Palaksha (400mH), Twinkle Chaudhary (800m) |
| Bronze x1 | Ancy Sojan (LJ) |
Significance: More Than Just Medals
This commanding performance in Taipei isn’t just a trophy haul—it’s a message: Indian athletics is ascending. With 13 events on the podium, three meet records, and multiple personal and season’s bests, India made strides with a mix of veteran excellence and emerging talent.
- Middle-distance catalyst: Pooja’s double gold, alongside strong 800m showings from Twinkle, Krishan, and Afsal, underline India’s rising presence in the 800–1500m realm.
- Hurdling impetus: Ramraj, Yarraji, Shirse, and Palaksha’s performances signal a promising depth in both men’s and women’s hurdles.
- Field event strength remains: Yadav, Rani, and Aboobacker produced field magic. Delhi’s resilience and form boost these events ahead of continental qualifiers.
- Relays back with vengeance: The relays were a highlight reel—the men’s and women’s teams executed smart sprint tactics and fast deliveries fitting of serious contenders.
- Youth infusion: Twinkle, Afsal, Palaksha, and Sojan—young talents delivering under pressure—signify a healthy pipeline for future Indian success.
Road Ahead: Bigger Battles Await
With strong performances across the board, India’s athletes will take back both medals and world ranking points to prepare for looming giants: the World Championships, and eventual qualification for Olympic and global-level meets.
The Taiwan Athletics Open 2025 has proved to be a perfect springboard: a blend of competition readiness, record bravery, and mental resilience. Indian athletics is not just competing; it’s asserting.
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In Taipei, India showed not just strength, but intent. And it’s a promising season ahead.
