The 2025 Federation Cup in Kochi will go down as one of the most memorable editions in recent Indian athletics history.
From long-standing meet records falling to national records being shattered, the event served as a spectacular showcase of talent, resilience, and ambition.
With athletes aiming for qualification to the Asian Athletics Championships and beyond, the performances witnessed this week reaffirm India’s growing presence in world athletics.
Shaili Singh Soars Past Anju George’s 23-Year-Old Record
In one of the standout performances of the meet, long jumper Shaili Singh etched her name in history books by breaking the 23-year-old meet record held by Anju Bobby George.
Shaili leaped an impressive 6.64m, surpassing Anju’s long-standing mark and sending a powerful message ahead of the continental season. This performance also qualified her for the upcoming Asian Athletics Championships (AAC), where she will be a strong medal contender.
She wasn’t alone in her brilliance. Ancy Sojan and Moumita Mondal also breached the AAC qualification mark in women’s long jump, making it a clean sweep of top-tier performances in the event. The trio has firmly positioned India as a force to be reckoned with in women’s long jump in Asia.
Tejaswin Shankar Breaks Decathlon Meet Record with 7603 Points
Multi-event star Tejaswin Shankar added another feather to his cap by breaking a 19-year-old Federation Cup meet record in the decathlon, accumulating 7603 points — also breaching the Asian Athletics Championships mark.
Although he fell just short of his national record (7666 pts), Tejaswin showed he is peaking at the right time. With his sights now set on Korea for the AAC, the national record seems to be living on borrowed time.
Twinkle Chaudhary Lights Up the Track in Women’s 800m
In the middle-distance events, Twinkle Chaudhary delivered a sensational performance to win gold in the women’s 800m. She clocked 2:00.71, a massive personal best, and comfortably qualified for the AAC.
Her run was aggressive, controlled, and hinted at even faster times in the future. Twinkle is now emerging as one of the brightest middle-distance hopes for India.
Animesh Kujur Sets the Track on Fire with National Record in 200m
The men’s sprint scene witnessed a historic moment as Animesh Kujur broke the national record in the 200m final. Clocking 20.40 seconds, he surpassed Amlan Borgohain’s 2022 record of 20.52s.
Not only did Animesh clinch gold, but he also qualified for the Asian Athletics Championships, narrowly missing the World Championships automatic mark of 20.16s.
Dubbed “Mr. Consistent,” Animesh’s performance cements his position as India’s fastest 200m man right now. He’s now within touching distance of breaking into the elite global sprinters’ circle — an exciting prospect for Indian athletics.
Nithya Gandhe Dominates Sprints with Double Gold
In women’s sprints, Nithya Gandhe emerged as the sprint queen of the Federation Cup, claiming gold in both the 100m and 200m finals. She clocked 11.50s in the 100m and 23.68s in the 200m.
While her 200m timing missed the AAC qualification mark of 23.39s by a mere 0.29s, her double-gold haul is a testament to her rising stature and consistency across sprint distances.
Pooja Qualifies for AAC in Women’s High Jump
In field events, high jumper Pooja delivered a clutch performance, clearing 1.84m to qualify for the AAC. The qualification standard stood at 1.83m, and Pooja edged past it with confidence. She’s now one centimeter shy of her personal best of 1.85m, and with her current form, breaking that barrier seems well within reach.
Praveen Chithravel Equals NR, Books World Championships Berth
Praveen Chithravel, India’s triple jump record holder, proved his class once again by equaling his own national record of 17.37m at the Federation Cup.
Not only did he breach the AAC qualification, but he also secured automatic qualification for the World Athletics Championships by going past the 17.22m benchmark.
With this, Praveen becomes the fourth Indian to qualify for the Worlds after Neeraj Chopra, Avinash Sable, and Gulveer Singh. His consistency and technical refinement have made him one of the most exciting names in global triple jump.
Abhishek Pal’s Comeback: Double Qualification in 5K and 10K
Abhishek Pal marked a stunning return from injury with gold in the men’s 5000m, clocking a personal best of 13:40.59, breaching the AAC qualification mark. His victory was made more special by the depth of competition — both Sawan Barwal (13:41.58) and Kiran Matre (13:47.16) also qualified by finishing within the required timing of 13:48.33.
Earlier in the meet, Pal had already secured qualification in the 10,000m, finishing second with a timing of 29:14.86. The Railways athlete, a bronze medallist at the previous AAC, now looks poised to chase gold in Korea.
India’s Federation Cup: A Launchpad for Continental Glory
With athletes breaking records and qualifying in bunches, the Federation Cup 2025 has firmly established itself as a launchpad for Indian stars aiming at the Asian Athletics Championships and the World Championships. From the long jump pit to the sprint tracks and endurance races, Indian athletes have shown depth, ambition, and hunger.
As the road now leads to Korea and Tokyo, fans and coaches alike will watch closely to see who can carry this momentum forward. One thing is certain — Indian athletics is in a golden phase, and the best is yet to come.
