Team India continued its impressive campaign at the Asian Youth Games 2025 in Bahrain with another day of strong performances on the track and field.
Day 2 saw the young Indian athletes deliver two silver and two bronze medals, alongside several personal best (PB) performances that underscored the nation’s growing depth in youth athletics. With medals coming from the men’s race walk, women’s discus throw, men’s high jump, and women’s 400m, India’s track and field contingent showed both versatility and promise across multiple disciplines.
Palash Mandal Opens the Day with Bronze in 5000m Race Walk
The day began on a high note for India as Palash Mandal secured the bronze medal in the men’s 5000m race walk, clocking 24:48.92, a personal best time that capped off a well-paced and disciplined performance. In a field dominated early by Chinese and Japanese walkers, Palash maintained a consistent rhythm through the opening kilometers before accelerating in the final 600m to clinch the third spot. His closing splits reflected tactical maturity well beyond his age, as he managed to hold off a late challenge from Thailand to seal the podium finish.
Palash’s medal adds to India’s growing success in race walking at the youth level, further strengthening the country’s tradition in endurance events.
The standout moment of the day came from Oshin, who threw a personal best of 43.38m to win silver in the women’s discus throw final. Competing under windy afternoon conditions, the 17-year-old showed composure and confidence, improving her distance with each successive attempt. Her third throw of 43.38m marked the best of her career and secured India its first silver medal of the day. Oshin’s throw was just shy of the gold mark set by China’s representative but comfortably ahead of the rest of the field.
This performance marks a major breakthrough for Oshin, who had previously finished outside the podium at the South Asian U18 Championships earlier this year. Her technical improvement and steady progression signal a promising future in India’s women’s throws category.
High Jump Duo Impresses as Zubin Wins Bronze
The men’s high jump final proved to be one of the most thrilling contests of Day 2, featuring two Indians in the mix Zubin Gohain and Himanshu Singh. Both athletes cleared 2.03m, setting new personal bests in the process. Zubin edged ahead on countback to claim the bronze medal, while Himanshu narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth.
It was an emotional moment for the Indian camp as both jumpers showed tremendous potential, consistently clearing their early heights and pushing beyond their previous limits. Zubin’s bronze was India’s second field medal of the day, adding valuable points to the athletics tally. For Himanshu, the fourth-place finish though bittersweet still represented progress, as his clearance of 2.03m marked a significant improvement over his previous best of 1.98m.
In the men’s javelin throw final, Prince delivered a strong series with a best throw of 61.92m, finishing fourth, narrowly missing out on a bronze medal. Despite missing the podium, the youngster’s consistency across all six attempts showed promise. Prince’s rhythm and release technique have visibly improved since his appearance at the Khelo India Youth Games earlier this year. While he fell just short of a medal, the performance affirmed India’s depth in the javelin a discipline that continues to thrive at every level following the influence of Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra.
Edwina Jason Leads India’s Sprint Charge with Silver in 400m
On the track, India’s sprint contingent produced one of the most memorable moments of the evening. Edwina Jason powered her way to a silver medal in the women’s 400m final, clocking a personal best of 55.43 seconds. Running in lane 5, Edwina maintained a smooth stride pattern through the first 300 meters before unleashing a strong finish down the home stretch. Her time marked a personal improvement by nearly half a second and confirmed her status as one of India’s top emerging one-lap runners.
Teammate Tannu finished eighth with a time of 58.49s, gaining valuable experience at the continental level. In the men’s 400m final, Ramu Lodenge produced a personal best of 49.51 seconds, finishing fifth in a tightly contested race. Despite missing the podium, the youngster’s controlled pacing and improved finishing technique highlighted his steady growth this season. His ability to dip under the 50-second barrier consistently now places him among the top U18 quarter-milers in India.
Summary: India’s Medal Tally on Day 2
| Event | Athlete | Performance | Medal |
| Men’s 5000m Race Walk | Palash Mandal | 24:48.92 (PB) | 🥉 Bronze |
| Women’s Discus Throw | Oshin | 43.38m (PB) | 🥈 Silver |
| Men’s High Jump | Zubin Gohain | 2.03m (PB) | 🥉 Bronze |
| Men’s High Jump | Himanshu Singh | 2.03m (PB) | 4th |
| Men’s Javelin Throw | Prince | 61.92m | 4th |
| Women’s 400m | Edwina Jason | 55.43s (PB) | 🥈 Silver |
| Men’s 400m | Ramu Lodenge | 49.51s (PB) | 5th |
Day 2 at the Youth Asian Games Athletics meet was a testament to India’s emerging generation of athletes talented, fearless, and consistent. With two silver and two bronze medals backed by multiple personal bests, the Indian contingent showed depth across disciplines and readiness for greater challenges ahead.
As the competition heads into its final phase, India’s young track and field stars have already made a mark not just with medals, but with performances that hint at a promising future for Indian athletics.
Four medals, seven personal bests India’s youth athletes are on the rise.
