As Indian athletics gears up for its biggest domestic meet of the season, after Indian Grand Prix all eyes now turn to the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships scheduled for August 20–24 in Chennai.
This pivotal event is not only a national title decider but also serves as the final qualification opportunity for the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September.
Against this backdrop, several of India’s leading athletes fine-tuned their form at the third leg of the Indian Grand Prix, held on Saturday at the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana. While the day’s competition witnessed strong performances across track and field, it was headlined by the return to winning ways of India’s celebrated shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor, alongside standout displays from national medalists like Vithya Ramraj, Sarvesh Anil Kushare, and Yashvir Singh.
Tajinderpal Toor: Back on Top Ahead of Nationals
Two-time Asian Games gold medallist and national record holder Tajinderpal Singh Toor provided a timely reminder of his class, clinching the men’s shot put title with a best effort of 18.93m. Competing for Punjab, the 30-year-old looked composed and technically sharp, finishing comfortably ahead of compatriot Iqbal Singh Chahal (17.46m) and Delhi’s Sahib Singh (17.25m).
Toor’s focus now shifts to Chennai, where he will seek to extend his domestic dominance and post a qualifying mark for the global stage. Having previously crossed the coveted 21m barrier, Toor’s Ludhiana performance indicates he is building towards peak form just in time.
Vithya Ramraj Continues Hurdles Supremacy
In the women’s 400m hurdles, Tamil Nadu’s Vithya Ramraj delivered another assured performance. Clocking 1:01.01 seconds in Race B, she was comfortably ahead of Moumi Jana (1:02.85) and Aleena Varghese (1:04.02). Her twin sister, Nithya Ramraj, was equally impressive in the 100m hurdles, winning in 13.29 seconds, reinforcing the Ramraj sisters’ stature as India’s top hurdlers this season.
Kushare Cruises in High Jump
Sarvesh Anil Kushare, representing Maharashtra, dominated the men’s high jump with a best clearance of 2.23m a mark that underlines his consistency this year. Army’s Ram Naresh (1.95m) and Arnav Tyagi (1.90m) were distant second and third, showing the gulf in class at the national level. Kushare’s performance keeps him among the country’s leading medal prospects in Chennai, where competition is expected to intensify.
Yashvir Singh claims Gold in Javelin
In the men’s javelin, Rajasthan’s Yashvir Singh recorded a solid 77.79m to claim first place. The young thrower, who has been steadily climbing the domestic ranks, was followed by Manjinder Singh (71.01m) and Gaurav Patel (70.36m). With India’s javelin spotlight often focused on Neeraj Chopra, performances like Yashvir’s highlight emerging depth in the discipline.
Highlights from the Indian Grand Prix:
Track Events
The Ludhiana meet also produced spirited contests across sprints and distance races.
In the men’s 100m, Harjit Singh of the Air Force edged the field with 10.50 seconds, ahead of Tamil Nadu’s Arun Kumar C (10.65) and Varun Oori (10.69). Jishnu Prasad PK (BSF) topped the 200m in 21.48 seconds, narrowly beating Haryana’s Ankur (21.56) and Himachal Pradesh’s Sandeep Singh (21.61).
The men’s 5,000m saw Army’s Onkar Rajendra finish first in 14:32.36, holding off Haryana’s Praveen Kumar (14:35.98) and Maharashtra’s Raj Tiwari (14:37.50).
In the 400m hurdles, Tamil Nadu’s Aswin Krishnan L claimed top spot in 50.98 seconds, with Subhas Das (51.59) and Tejpartap Singh (51.99) completing the podium.
Kerala’s Benjamin Babu took the 3000m steeplechase in 9:47.59 seconds, narrowly ahead of teammate Manoj Kumar (9:48.18).
Field Events:
Beyond the marquee names, several athletes used the meet to fine-tune ahead of Chennai.
In the men’s discus throw, ONGC’s Kirpal Singh threw 53.62m for gold, while Rahul Singh (50.04m) and Ritik (49.40m) followed.
Shantanu Uchale of Maharashtra claimed the hammer throw title with 62.76m, ahead of Gurdev Singh (58.26m) and Arvind Singh (57.87m).
In the triple jump, Maharashtra’s Jay Shah leapt 15.67m for first place, edging out Narpinder Singh (15.59m).
Haryana’s Mohd Atta Sazid topped the long jump with 7.79m, followed by S Lokesh (7.68m) and Swaminathan R (7.65m).
Women’s Events: Strong Showing from Southern and Northern States
In the women’s sprints, Jilna MV (All India Police) won the 100m in 11.70 seconds, while Anankha BA (JSW) took the 400m in 53.40 seconds.
Punjab’s Amandeep Kaur clocked 2:09.31 seconds to win the 800m, with Haryana’s Anju and All India Police’s Gowthami J finishing close behind.
In the discus throw, Haryana dominated with Anisha (49.38m) leading a 1–2 finish alongside Sanya Yadav (48.92m).
Shiksha (NCOE Patiala) won the shot put with a throw of 15.27m, while Tanya Chaudhary (Uttar Pradesh) secured the hammer throw crown with 60.34m.
Sherin A (Tamil Nadu) leapt 6.12m to win the long jump, while Haryana’s Jonika Pahal cleared 1.75m for victory in the high jump.
The Road to Chennai: What’s Next?
The National Inter-State Championships in Chennai promises high stakes and fierce competition as few will also be participating in Odisha World Continental Bronze Meet, as athletes chase qualification marks for the Tokyo World Athletics Championships.
With experienced campaigners like Tajinderpal Toor and rising names like Vithya Ramraj and Yashvir Singh in form, the stage is set for an exciting meet that could define India’s representation on the global stage.
Athletics fans now wait eagerly to see which of these athletes can convert domestic form into world-class performances and earn a coveted ticket to Tokyo.
