India’s junior athletics talent pool delivered a spectacular show at the National (U-20) Junior Federation cup Athletics Championships 2025, with a flurry of national records and personal bests lighting up the track and field.
The standout performer of the day was Odisha’s Astik Pradhan, whose brilliant run in the men’s 400m final announced him as a rising star on the national sprinting scene.
Astik Pradhan Clocks 46.58s, Enters All-Time U20 Elite
Astik Pradhan supported by Reliance Foundation, already turning heads after a strong semifinal clocking of 46.99s, unleashed a career-best 46.58 seconds in the final to clinch gold and break the meet record previously held by Bapi Hansda (46.90s). The time places Astik third all-time among Indian U-20 athletes in the 400m, behind only Amoj Jacob and Jay Kumar—both of whom went on to represent India at senior international level.
- 🥇 Gold – Astik Pradhan (46.58s)
- 🥈 Jerome Nishant (46.95s)
- 🥉 Manish Kumar (47.46s)
Astik’s timing also places him 12th on the 2025 Asian U-20 leaderboard, showcasing that his performance is not only nationally elite but also relevant at the continental level.
110m Hurdles: Yuvaraj Leads a Historic Podium Sweep
While Astik ruled the quarter-mile, the men’s 110m hurdles final turned into a historic affair. Yuvaraj S clocked 13.69 seconds, breaking the U20 national record of 13.74s held by Tejas Shirse. Incredibly, the silver and bronze medallists—Sandeep, supported by Reliance Foundation (13.70s) and Kiran (13.70s)—also ran faster than the previous record.
- 🥇 Yuvaraj S (13.69s) – New National U20 Record
- 🥈 Sandeep (13.70s)
- 🥉 Kiran (13.70s)
This makes it one of the most competitive junior hurdles races in Indian history, with all three medalists surpassing the previous benchmark.
Race Walk: Nitin Gupta Smashes Junior NR in 10km
Earlier in the day, Nitin Gupta delivered a landmark performance in the 10km race walk, becoming the first Indian junior to break the 40-minute barrier in the event. He clocked 39:46.78 seconds, wiping out the previous U20 national record held by Amit Khatri and further establishing his dominance this season.
- 🥇 Gold – Nitin Gupta (39:46.78s) – New National U20 Record
This was Nitin’s second national record in 2025, having also rewritten the 5km U18 record earlier in the year. Trained by Basanta Bahadur Rana, Nitin has now become a genuine medal prospect for India in junior Asian-level competitions.
Discus Delight: Ujjawal Choudhary Breaks His Own Record
In field events, Ujjawal Choudhary continued his fine form in the men’s discus throw, bettering his own U20 national record that he had set earlier at the Mumbai Open Throws meet. While exact distances were not available at the time of filing, officials confirmed his throw exceeded his previous best, and his gold medal adds another feather to his breakout season.
- 🥇 Gold – Ujjawal Choudhary (New NU20R)
Long Jump: Personal Bests Galore
The men’s long jump final saw two breakout performances, with both Shahnavaz Khan and Jithin R recording personal bests en route to gold and silver medals respectively. Their consistency through the rounds and aggressive board approach signaled technical maturity beyond their age.
- 🥇 Gold – Shahnavaz Khan (PB)
- 🥈 Jithin R (PB)
With India struggling in jumps at senior levels in recent years, these U-20 results come as a welcome sign.
A Promising Generation Emerges
The performances at the 2025 National Junior Federation Cup are a strong reminder that India’s future in athletics is bright. From Astik Pradhan’s sprinting brilliance to Yuvaraj’s record hurdles, Nitin’s relentless walking pace, and Ujjawal’s discus dominance, the next generation of Indian athletes is showing readiness to step up at the Asian and World U20 stages.
With the World Junior Championships and the Asian U20 Championships on the calendar later this year, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) now has a wealth of in-form athletes to consider. If nurtured with the right technical guidance, nutrition, and exposure, many of these young stars could become household names in the lead-up to Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.
The torch has been passed and it’s burning brighter than ever.
