The India Open U-23 Athletics Championships in Warangal turned into a showcase of India’s next generation of track and field talent a meet that blended promise, precision, and personal breakthroughs.
Across sprints, jumps, throws, and distance events, young athletes from across the country delivered performances that underlined the depth and direction of Indian athletics in 2025. From Odisha’s emerging sprint force Dondapati Jayaram to Lakshadweep’s record-breaking long jumper Mubassina Mohammed, and from Maharashtra’s sprint duo Sudeshna and Sakshi Chavan to NCOE Patiala’s discus star Nikita Kumari, the Warangal meet reflected the growing competitiveness and technical maturity among India’s young athletes.
Odisha’s Dondapati Jayaram capped off a fine season with a gold medal in the men’s 100m final, clocking 10.49 seconds just 0.01s shy of his personal best (10.48s) achieved earlier this year. The sprinter’s performance was another reminder of his remarkable consistency across multiple meets this season. Jayaram’s 2025 has been one of quiet but steady progression. With four podium finishes golds at the India Open U-23 Championships, the Indian Open Athletics Meet, and the UAE Grand Prix, alongside a bronze at the Indian Grand Prix 2 the 22-year-old has emerged as one of India’s most reliable young sprinters.
At the Federation Cup in Kochi, Jayaram achieved his personal best, setting the stage for what has been a defining year. His journey mirrors that of Odisha’s growing sprint ecosystem one that recently celebrated Pratik Maharana’s World U-20 qualification mark.
Mubassina’s Leap of Belief
Few athletes have captured the imagination of Indian athletics fans this season like Mubassina Mohammed. The Lakshadweep jumper continued her blistering run of form in Warangal, clinching the Women’s Long Jump gold with back-to-back lifetime bests 6.32m and 6.36m in her third and fourth attempts.
Her performance came barely a week after she won the Junior National title, where she had registered three consecutive personal bests, topping out at 6.30m. To produce five personal bests in seven days is rare a feat that speaks to Mubassina’s evolving technical consistency and mental composure. The 20-year-old’s season trajectory has been meteoric. Her recent selection to represent India at the South Asian Athletics Championships, alongside senior long jumper Bhavani Yadav, is testament to her readiness for higher competition.
In a discipline where India has seen flashes of brilliance but limited depth, Mubassina’s rise signals new hope for the women’s long jump. Behind Mubassina’s golden leap, Karnataka’s Sinchana M.S. produced her own breakthrough. The 22-year-old registered her first-ever six-metre performance, jumping 6.22m to claim silver a lifetime best and a major personal milestone.
Sinchana, who began her career as a high jumper before transitioning to the long jump, trains under Meran Joe Sebastian at Mar Athanasius College in Kerala. Her previous official best stood at 5.96m, though she had recorded an unofficial 6.11m earlier this season at the Inter-University Championships. To break through the six-metre barrier a psychological threshold for many young jumpers marks an important development in her career. Her performance ensured that the women’s long jump in Warangal wasn’t just about Mubassina’s dominance, but also about the emergence of depth in the event.
Sudeshna, Sakshi, and Tamanna Set the Track Ablaze
The women’s 100m final in Warangal produced one of the most thrilling finishes of the meet. Maharashtra’s Sudeshna clinched gold with 11.66s, edging out compatriot Sakshi Chavan (11.69s) and Tamanna (11.79s). What made this race exceptional was not just the podium, but the times themselves. Both Sudeshna and Sakshi had clocked faster times in the semifinals 11.66s and 11.62s respectively, both better than the existing meet record of 11.63s.
For Sakshi, who improved her previous best from 11.70s at the Inter-State Championships to 11.62s in Warangal, the semifinals served as proof of her technical refinement. Sudeshna’s consistency through rounds and her ability to reproduce sub-11.7s performances reaffirm her as one of the most promising sprinters on the domestic circuit. The duo’s friendly rivalry often finishing within hundredths of a second of each other has been pushing Maharashtra sprinting forward.
The throwing events in Warangal were highlighted by Nikita Kumari’s dominance in the women’s discus throw. Representing NCOE Patiala, the Rajasthan-born thrower produced a lifetime best of 50.73m, breaking the meet record and securing gold.
What made her victory particularly impressive was its timing it came just six days after she won the Junior National title, completing a rare double of junior and U-23 national golds in under a week. Trained under UK-based coach Paul Wilson, Kumari’s technique and power were evident in her series of throws, which consistently hovered around the 50m mark before she broke through. Her progression into the 50m+ bracket establishes her as one of the leading young throwers in India and a strong contender for senior-level selections.
Latika, Aarti, and Bushra Light Up the 10,000m
The endurance events saw Rajasthan’s Latika Talwar dominate the women’s 10,000m, clocking 36:47.22 to claim gold. Though slightly off her personal best of 36:32.69 from last year, Latika’s controlled pacing and tactical awareness ensured she maintained a clear lead throughout. Aarti Pawara, running her first-ever 10,000m race, impressed with a silver in 36:58.96, displaying smart rhythm and endurance for a debut performance.
The comeback story of the race, however, belonged to Bushra Khan. Returning from injury, the long-distance specialist clocked 37:26.15 for bronze a strong step forward after missing much of the season. Earlier this year, Bushra had recorded her personal best of 35:15.92 at the Indian Open Athletics Meet in Sangrur, indicating her capability when fully fit.
If there’s a pattern emerging across India’s athletics landscape, it’s the rise of state-driven performance ecosystems. Odisha’s steady investment in sprinting, Maharashtra’s depth in women’s track events, Karnataka’s technical focus in jumps, and Rajasthan’s growing distance strength all highlight the decentralization of athletic success. The Warangal meet reinforced that the future of Indian athletics lies not in isolated breakthroughs, but in clusters of talent developing simultaneously across the country.
The India Open U-23 Athletics Championships in Warangal wasn’t just a competition it was a mirror reflecting the evolving fabric of Indian athletics. For some, like Jayaram and Sudeshna, it was another confirmation of form. For others, like Mubassina, Sinchana, and Nikita, it was a springboard into higher competition.
As these young athletes prepare for the South Asian Championships and upcoming domestic Grand Prix events, their performances in Warangal will stand as a defining marker of where India’s next generation is headed faster, stronger, and hungrier than ever.
