In the world of Indian athletics, where resilience often goes hand-in-hand with results, few athletes embody that spirit quite like Yashas Palaksha.
Over the last three years, the Indian Army hurdler has transformed from a promising name into one of the country’s most consistent performers in the men’s 400m hurdles—a journey marked by personal bests, heartbreaks, comebacks, and now, renewed hope on the road to global qualification.
2023: The Emergence
The 2023 season was a breakthrough year for Yashas. He consistently clocked sub-50 second timings, a crucial benchmark in the 400m hurdles. His standout performance came at the Interstate Championships, where he claimed gold with a personal best of 49.37s, announcing himself as a national force.
His progression culminated in a commendable 5th place finish at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, where he clocked 49.39s. While he narrowly missed out on a podium finish, the result underlined his status among Asia’s elite. His performances earned him a spot in India’s 4x400m relay squad, and he was subsequently selected for the World Relays in the Bahamas—a significant milestone for any Indian track athlete.
2024: A Season of Setback
Just as things were starting to align, adversity struck. During a training camp in the Bahamas ahead of the World Relays, Yashas suffered a Grade 3 hamstring tear—a devastating injury that forced him to the sidelines for much of the 2024 season.
With the Asian Athletics Championships 2024 on the horizon, his absence was deeply felt in a discipline where India has long sought consistent international representation.
But setbacks often sow the seeds for stronger returns, and Yashas used the recovery period to rebuild—physically and mentally. Trained at ASI Pune, he slowly clawed his way back into competitive shape, targeting 2025 as his year of redemption.
2025: Return of the Warrior
Yashas began his 2025 season with measured ambition, eyeing the Asian Athletics Championships qualification mark of 49.19s. In his first race back at the Indian Open Athletics Meet in Nadiad, he clocked 49.63s, just 0.26s off his personal best—a strong indicator that form was returning.
The real breakthrough came at the 28th Federation Cup, where Yashas produced a superb 49.32s to win gold. It was a new personal best and his first major title since the injury. Agonizingly, he missed the Asian Athletics cut by just 0.13 seconds, a cruel twist in what was otherwise a fantastic comeback run.
Undeterred, Yashas took his campaign abroad. At the Taiwan Athletics Open 2025, he delivered the performance of his life. Against a strong field, he surged to silver with a lifetime best of 49.22s—his second consecutive PB in as many meets. He led much of the race, only losing ground in the final meters to Taiwan’s Chung-Wei Lin, who clocked 49.00s.
The result marked Yashas’ third consecutive medal in 2025:
- 🥇 Gold – Indian Open Ath Meet (49.63s)
- 🥇 Gold – Federation Cup (49.32s)
- 🥈 Silver – Taiwan Open (49.22s)
Three sub-50 second timings in four races this season, two personal bests, and a medal at an international Continental Tour meet—the numbers speak for themselves. Yashas isn’t just back—he’s better than ever.
While it’s unfortunate that he didn’t get the chance to compete at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships, Yashas’ performances this season have put him firmly in contention for bigger stages. His timing of 49.22s places him within striking range of the World Championships qualification mark, and with more Continental Tour meets lined up, he still has a realistic shot.
At just 21, Yashas’ progression shows the hallmarks of a world-class athlete: steady improvement, mental resilience, and a refusal to settle for less. From a national gold medallist in 2023 to a continental contender in 2025, he has built a career with intent.
Yashas Palaksha’s journey over the last three years is not just a story of timing sheets and medals. It’s about belief. About rising from injury. About facing missed opportunities with a quiet determination to return stronger. He may have missed the Asian Championships cut, but with each race, he is closing the gap between potential and podiums.
India’s 400m hurdles landscape is shifting—and Yashas Palaksha is running right at the front of it.
Watch this space.
