The 64th Indian Interstate Athletics Championships in Chennai served up one of the most thrilling evenings of track and field in recent memory.
The day was packed with drama, comebacks, meet records, and moments of pure athletic brilliance. From Tamil Arasu’s breathtaking 10.22s sprint to Dhanalakshmi’s fairytale return in the women’s 100m, and even a double meet record in men’s pole vault, spectators at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium witnessed a festival of athletics that showcased India’s growing sprint and field depth.
Tamil Arasu’s 100m brilliance : a race for the ages
The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the men’s 100m final. It was the third time sprinters were lining up on the track that day after heats and semifinals, but fatigue did little to stop Tamil Nadu’s S. Tamil Arasu from producing one of the greatest performances in Indian sprinting history. Clocking a sensational 10.22 seconds, the 23-year-old not only secured the gold medal but also sent shockwaves across Indian athletics.
The national record of 10.18s, set just last month by Animesh Kujur, briefly looked under threat as Arasu stormed through the final 40 meters with power and precision. Behind him, Karnataka’s Manikanta lived up to his pre-race billing as one of the season’s form runners, claiming silver with 10.35s, while Ragul clinched bronze in 10.40s. The time firmly places Tamil Arasu as the equal third-fastest Indian in history, alongside some of the country’s finest sprinters. More importantly, it marked a statement of intent: India’s sprinting revolution is alive and accelerating.
“The NR was in danger there,” said one official trackside. “Arasu has been building form all season, and today everything came together start, transition, finish. It was the perfect race.”
Dhanalakshmi’s comeback redemption in the women’s 100m
If Arasu’s win was about the future, Dhanalakshmi Sekar’s victory in the women’s 100m was about redemption. The 27-year-old sprinter, making her comeback after a three-year doping ban, clocked 11.36s to win the national title in front of her home crowd.
The roar from the Chennai faithful as she crossed the line was not just for her gold medal but for her resilience. This was the same stadium where she had announced herself years ago, and now it became the venue of her rebirth. Behind her, Abinaya Rajarajan took silver with 11.58s, while Sneha from Karnataka claimed bronze in 11.61s. For Tamil Nadu, it was a clean sweep in the glamour event of 100m
With the World Championship qualifying mark at 11.07s, Dhanalakshmi doesn’t stand a chance to make the cut, but her timing is the fastest by an Indian woman in two years and equals the all-time fourth-best mark in the country’s history, a huge step forward in her comeback journey.
Double Meet Record in Men’s Pole Vault
It wasn’t just the sprinters stealing the headlines for Tamil Nadu. The men’s pole vault final produced history of its own as both Reegan and M. Gowtham cleared 5.20m to share the gold medal. In doing so, they broke the previous meet record, showcasing the growing technical development in an event where India has rarely seen multiple athletes crossing the 5m mark in the same competition. For a domestic championship, the standard was encouraging and for the two vaulters, it was a statement that they are ready to push the national benchmark further.
The women’s 5000m final may have lacked depth with just three competitors, but Seema’s performance ensured there was still quality on display. Running virtually alone for much of the race, she clocked 15:42.64, far from the World Championship qualifying mark of 14:50.00, but still a commendable effort in humid Chennai conditions. Her victory was a reminder of the endurance challenge Indian athletes face competing without a large domestic field often means running solo against the clock. Still, her tactical awareness and ability to maintain tempo bodes well for future meets.
400m Men : Vishal, Rajesh, and Amoj shine
The men’s 400m semifinals produced an electric set of races. Vishal TK stunned the crowd with a 45.78s run, comfortably under 46 seconds, followed by Santhosh at 46.19s. In another semifinal, Rajesh Ramesh stormed through to win his heat, with Vikrant in second at 46.65s. Later, Amoj Jacob, the experienced international, showed his class by clocking 46.11s to win his semifinal, chased down by youngster Astik at 47.08s. The final promises fireworks with a lineup including Vishal, Rajesh, Amoj, Vikrant, and others a mix of youth and experience, all capable of producing a sub-46 run.
On the women’s side, Devyaniba Zala returned with purpose, clocking 53.26s in her semifinal. Kerala’s comeback queen Gowrinandana impressed with 54.40s, narrowly ahead of Poovamma at 54.52s, while Manisha clocked 54.63s. Gujarat’s Zala remains the favourite for the final.
The women’s hammer throw saw Tanya Chaudhary from Uttar Pradesh secure their second gold of the championships, clearing 63.91m. While far from the world qualifying mark of 74m, her consistency continues to make her the country’s leading thrower. Divya (Odisha) won silver with 59.58m, while Maya (Rajasthan) took bronze with 57.57m.
In the women’s triple jump, Sandra Babu from Kerala impressed with a 13.20m leap but she was injured in the last jump hopefully she will be better soon, while Aleena Saji from Kerala won Silver with a 13.15m jump and Bronze was grabbed by Niharika from Punjab at 13.09m. The event continues to show signs of progress, though international qualifying marks remain a steep climb.
On the first day at the Interstate Championships, one theme is clear: Indian athletics is breaking old barriers and rewriting benchmarks. Whether it is Tamil Arasu threatening the national record, Dhanalakshmi rising from adversity, or pole vaulters setting new meet records, the depth and diversity of talent is evident.
The road to global competitiveness World Championships, Asian Championships, and eventually the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics remains long and demanding. But what Chennai has proven is that India now has sprinters consistently hitting sub-10.30 in the men’s 100m, women clocking sub-11.50 in the 100m, and quarter-milers threatening sub-46s runs regularly.
That consistency across multiple events is a new phenomenon, one that could signal a golden period for Indian track and field.
The Chennai evening session of the 64th Interstate Athletics Championships was a celebration of speed, power, and resilience. Tamil Arasu’s 10.22s sprint will be remembered as one of the fastest runs in Indian history, while Dhanalakshmi’s redemption arc gave the sport a story of perseverance. Add to that meet records in pole vault, Seema’s solo effort in the 5000m, and thrilling 400m races, and it was a day that reminded fans why athletics remains the purest theatre of sport.
With national records in sight and international standards gradually being chased, Indian athletics is building momentum. And if Chennai was a preview, the future is set to be very, very fast.
