The 64th National Open Athletics Championships 2025 in Ranchi delivered a gripping blend of comebacks, season bests, and breakthrough performances as India’s top athletes battled for national glory and future Asian Games spots.
From the women’s 400m drama to lightning-fast 100m sprints and field-event heroics, the championships served as a fitting finale to an action-packed Indian athletics season. Among the most heartening stories has been the resurgence of Priya Mohan, once India’s most exciting 400m prospect. After recovering from a career-threatening collapsed lung, the 21-year-old sprinter is steadily regaining her old rhythm. Priya clocked a season-best 54.94 seconds in the heats and improved further to 54.78 seconds in the semifinals. Both times are her fastest in nearly two years and place her among the top contenders for the final.
Priya’s steady improvement suggests that a sub-54-second effort in the final is within reach. More importantly, her ability to stay healthy and competitive after a near-career-ending injury is a triumph in itself and a boost to India’s 400m depth ahead of the 2026 Asian Games relay selections.
Neeru Pathak Returns in Blazing Form
If Priya’s return was inspiring, Neeru Pathak’s comeback was electrifying. The 19-year-old U-18 national record holder, who owns a personal best of 52.78 seconds, made her first appearance after a year-long break and immediately stamped her authority on the women’s 400m field. Neeru opened her campaign by winning her heat in 54.77 seconds, the fastest across all heats, and then dominated the semifinals with a superb 53.62 seconds, comfortably ahead of veterans Poovamma Raju (54.04) and Olimba Steffi (54.12).
Neeru’s ability to produce such quick times after a year away underscores her status as India’s brightest quarter-mile prospect. All eyes will be on her clash with Priya in the final, a potential preview of India’s 4x400m relay core for the next Asian cycle. The surprise of the semis was the elimination of Kiran Pahal, India’s second-fastest woman this season, who finished last in her race.
Men’s 100m: Manikanta Equals Meet Record
The men’s 100m produced the fireworks expected of India’s fastest sprinters. Former national record holder Manikanta Hoblidhar stole the show, clocking 10.23 seconds in the first semifinal to match the meet record he set in 2023. This was the second-best timing of his career and a strong statement after injury setbacks earlier in the season.
Close behind were a string of quick performances:
- Pranav Gurav, the Federation Cup champion, led his semifinal with 10.39 seconds.
- Former NR holder Amlan Borgohain followed at 10.41 seconds, with Harsh Raut just behind in 10.43 seconds.
- Youngster Ragul Kumar impressed with a personal best of 10.33 seconds in the heats, a time that bodes well for his preferred 200m.
With the top six sprinters from these championships guaranteed spots in India’s 4x100m relay pool for the 2026 Asian Games, the final promises to be one of the most competitive in recent history. The consistency of Manikanta, the rising threat of Ragul, and the experience of Amlan and Pranav make this an event to watch.
Women’s 100m: Abinaya and Jilna Stand Out
The women’s 100m semifinals were headlined by Abinaya Rajarajan, the Asian Championships silver medallist, who cruised to victory in 11.68 seconds, the only sub-12-second run in her race. In the first semifinal, MV Jilna produced her own season best of 11.69 seconds, edging out Sakshi Chavan (11.89) and Nithya Gandhe (11.93). Abinaya’s combination of top-end speed and championship experience makes her the favourite, but Jilna’s form suggests an exciting battle awaits in the final.
Field Events: Dev Meena Ends a Record-Breaking Year
The pole vault pit witnessed the season’s final act from Dev Meena, India’s pole vault sensation. Battling rainy conditions, the 20-year-old cleared 5.10 meters to win bronze, ending a year in which he rewrote Indian records. Meena became India’s youngest national record holder earlier in 2025, raising the senior mark three times to a remarkable 5.40 meters, while also holding the U-18 and U-20 records. His consistency across age groups makes him the face of Indian pole vaulting heading into the next Olympic cycle.
The gold medal went to M. Gowtham, who also cleared 5.10 meters but edged out Rambir on countback.
Veteran thrower Seema capped her season with a golden sweep of all domestic competitions, winning the women’s discus with a best effort of 55.26 meters. While she remained unbeaten in India throughout 2025 and recorded a season best of 57.18 meters, Seema will be the first to admit that Indian women’s discus faces a worrying stagnation. No Indian has crossed the 60m barrier since 2021, when Kamalpreet Kaur and Seema Punia combined for seven such throws. Bridging that gap remains a priority for coaches as the Paris 2026 Asian Games approach.
In the women’s triple jump, Bhairabi Roy rediscovered her best form, leaping 13.10 meters to win gold her first effort past the 13m mark in nearly two years. Maharashtra’s Poorva Sawant claimed silver with 13.05m, while Nimisha Dayma secured her first senior medal with a 12.96m jump. Season-long podium regular Niharika Vashist surprisingly finished outside the medals, highlighting the event’s increasing competitiveness.
Seema. produced a strong run in the women’s 5000m, winning gold in 16:01.27. Her 2025 campaign has been impressive, including silver at the World University Games and multiple national titles. The championships also saw a spirited showing from middle-distance athletes and relay squads, many of whom are vying for selection to the 2026 Asian Games and the upcoming Asian Indoor Championships.
The National Open Championships are India’s final major domestic meet of 2025, doubling as a proving ground for emerging talent and a rehearsal for the next international cycle. Performances in Ranchi reaffirmed that Indian athletics is on a promising trajectory:
- Youngsters like Neeru Pathak, Ragul Kumar, and Dev Meena continue to set new benchmarks.
- Veterans like Manikanta, Seema, and Priya Mohan are showing resilience and consistency.
As the season closes, India’s athletes can take pride in a year of progress and look ahead to 2026 with confidence.
Whether it is the explosive sprints, the grinding middle distances, or the technical field events, Ranchi once again showcased the depth and potential of #IndianAthletics.
