The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai witnessed a day of high drama, national records, and strong all-round performances on Day 2 of the 64th National Inter State Athletics Championships.
While Tamil Nadu’s Vishal TK stole the spotlight by breaking the men’s 400m national record, the day also featured a memorable decathlon victory for Stalin Jose, a commanding 1500m win for Pooja, and a meet record-equalling performance in women’s pole vault. The evening session brought together a combination of established names and young hopefuls, reflecting both the present strength and the future promise of Indian athletics.
Vishal TK Smashes six year old National Record in Men’s 400m
The headline moment of the day came at 6:04 pm, when Tamil Nadu’s Vishal TK stormed to gold in the men’s 400m final, clocking 45.12 seconds. In doing so, he broke Muhammed Anas’s six-year-old national record of 45.21 set in Kladno, Czech Republic, in 2019. Vishal, just 22, had already signaled his form with a 45.78s semifinal run the previous evening. In the final, he kept his composure after a fast start and pulled away from the field in the home straight. His state-mate Rajesh Ramesh (46.04s) took silver, while Haryana’s Vikrant Panchal (46.17s) settled for bronze.
Despite his heroics, Vishal narrowly missed the World Championships automatic qualifying standard of 44.85s, a target he has set for himself in the coming season.
“I’ve been very consistent this year with sub-46 runs. Today, I wanted to test myself against the record, and I’m glad I got it. Breaking the 45s barrier is my next big goal,” Vishal said after the race.
His performance also erased the Inter State meet record of 45.51s held by Muhammed Ajmal since 2023.
Women’s 400m: Devyaniba Zala Takes Command
The women’s 400m final, held earlier in the evening, saw Devyaniba Zala of Gujarat power to victory in 53.37s. Though outside her personal best of 53.17, the performance underlined her consistency this season. Kerala’s Anakha B claimed silver in 53.84, while Uttar Pradesh’s Prachi secured bronze in 53.96. With several Indian quarter-milers fighting for international qualification, the event promises fierce competition in the months to come.
1500m Finals: Pooja and Yoonus Shine
Haryana’s Pooja reinforced her growing reputation in the women’s 1500m, clocking 4:10.68 to win gold with a dominant gun-to-tape performance. Already the Asian champion this season, Pooja needed both the win and a fast time to consolidate her World Championships qualification bid. Her efforts pushed her world ranking average to 1185 points, moving her into the qualification zone at 47th place — a huge boost with the global cutoff at 56 athletes. Lili Das of Uttarakhand (4:12.47) and Amandeep Kaur of Punjab (4:21.37) completed the podium.
The men’s race was far tighter. Uttar Pradesh’s Yoonus Shah emerged victorious with a time of 3:41.22, narrowly holding off state-mate Ajay Saroj (3:41.55). Madhya Pradesh’s Arjun Waskale claimed bronze in 3:42.86. Though impressive by national standards, the results were some way off the World Championships qualifying mark of 3:33.00, underscoring the work still ahead for India’s middle-distance men.
Stalin Jose Claims Decathlon Crown with PB
Tamil Nadu’s Stalin Jose produced a career-best performance in the decathlon, amassing 7052 points to clinch gold. His two-day campaign was marked by consistency across events and crucial personal bests that lifted him past the 7000-point mark for the first time. Maharashtra’s Kushal Mohite (6976 points) settled for silver, while Haryana’s Kamal Dhankhar took bronze with 6820. For Jose, the win is not just about national glory but also a stepping stone towards breaking into Asia’s elite.
The morning session had set the tone, with Jose clearing 4.40m in the pole vault to stay ahead of the pack. By the discus throw and javelin stages, his lead was secure, and a composed 1500m run sealed the title.
Women’s Pole Vault: Baranica Equals Meet Record
The women’s pole vault final brought another highlight, as Tamil Nadu’s Baranica Elangovan cleared 4.10m to equal the meet record. Though she missed her subsequent attempt at 4.15m, the gold medal was secured. Kerala’s Mariya Jaison (4.05m) and Tamil Nadu’s Sathya Tamilarsan (4.00m) completed the podium. The performance was a reminder of the progress Indian vaulters have made, though still short of Rosy Meena Paulraj’s national record of 4.21m and the World Championships qualifying mark of 4.73m.
In the men’s discus throw, Chandigarh’s Kirpal Singh claimed gold with a 55.00m effort. Though well below the meet record of 60.31m, his consistency through the series proved decisive. Haryana’s Nirbhay Singh (53.62m) took silver, while 19-year-old Ujjwal Choudhary impressed with a bronze-winning throw of 53.23m. The competition also featured spirited attempts from Bhanu Sharma (52.59m) and Md. Saqlai (52.06m), reflecting the depth in Indian discus throwing.
Rajasthan’s Kachnar Chaudhary delivered the standout performance in the women’s shot put, winning gold with 15.75m. Her effort was comfortably ahead of Vidhi (Uttar Pradesh, 15.30m) and Shiksha (Haryana, 15.13m). The event, featuring 10 participants, highlighted emerging talents like Vanshika and Ambika Kar, though consistency remains an area to improve for most contenders.
Hurdles Action: Tejas Cruises in Heats
In the men’s 110m hurdles heats, national record-holder Tejas Shirse cruised through with a time of 13.72s, comfortably qualifying for Friday’s final. With the World Championships standard set at 13.27s, Tejas will need to find another gear in the coming weeks if he hopes to qualify. The final will also feature promising hurdlers such as Krishik M, Manav R, and Shintomon, who impressed in their respective heats.
Day 2 of the Inter State Championships reinforced the balance of Indian athletics seasoned names delivering national records and medals, alongside fresh talents pushing into the limelight.
•Vishal TK’s 400m national record will be remembered as the defining moment, a signal that Indian one-lap running is entering a new era.
•Pooja’s 1500m win all but secures her place at the World Championships, underlining India’s growing strength in women’s middle-distance events.
•Stalin Jose’s decathlon breakthrough shows the potential of multi-event athletes in India, a discipline long overshadowed but now gaining momentum.
With two more days of action left in Chennai, fans can expect more fireworks, as athletes chase medals, meet records, and above all, qualification for Tokyo.
Results (Selected Finals):
•Men’s 400m: Vishal TK (TN) 45.12s NR, Rajesh Ramesh (TN) 46.04s, Vikrant Panchal (HR) 46.17s
•Women’s 400m: Devyaniba Zala (GJ) 53.37s, Anakha B (KL) 53.84s, Prachi (UP) 53.96s
•Men’s 1500m: Yoonus Shah (UP) 3:41.22, Ajay Saroj (UP) 3:41.55, Arjun Waskale (MP) 3:42.86
•Women’s 1500m: Pooja (HR) 4:10.68, Lili Das (UKD) 4:12.47, Amandeep Kaur (PB) 4:21.37
•Men’s Discus Throw: Kirpal Singh (CHD) 55.00m, Nirbhay Singh (HR) 53.62m, Ujjwal Choudhary (HR) 53.23m
•Women’s Pole Vault: Baranica Elangovan (TN) 4.10m =MR, Mariya Jaison (KL) 4.05m, Sathya Tamilarsan (TN) 4.00m
•Women’s Shot Put: Kachnar Chaudhary (RJ) 15.75m, Vidhi (UP) 15.30m, Shiksha (HR) 15.13m
•Men’s Decathlon: Stalin Jose (TN) 7052 pts, Kushal Mohite (MH) 6976 pts, Kamal Dhankhar (HR) 6820 pts
