New Delhi, India – There were golden victories but muted celebrations at the 64th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships on Sunday, as the domestic meet concluded without a single automatic qualifier for next month’s World Championships in Tokyo.
Javelin thrower Rohit Yadav, long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, and steeplechaser Ankita Dhyani all clinched gold medals, but now face an anxious wait to see if their performances were strong enough to secure a spot via the World Rankings route, with the final list of athletes due to be released on Wednesday.
Sreeshankar’s Perfect, Anxious Comeback
Asian Games silver medallist Murali Sreeshankar maintained a perfect record of wins this season since his return from a patellar tendon tear sustained in April 2024, which forced him to miss the Paris Olympics.
Despite the gold, the 26-year-old jumper from Kerala could only manage a best jump of 8.06m, falling 21cm short of the automatic World Championships qualification mark. However, his participation satisfied the criterion of competing in a minimum of five events, placing him in contention for a quota spot via the World Rankings system.
Javelin Throw: Rohit’s New Personal Best
The men’s javelin throw saw an exciting finish as the 24-year-old Rohit Yadav recorded a new personal best of 83.65m to pip Asian Championships silver medallist Sachin Yadav (83.20m). Maharashtra’s Shivam Lohakare finished third (80.20m).
While Sachin Yadav (currently 22nd in World Rankings) and fourth-placed Yash Vir Singh (30th) are highly likely to join reigning world champion Neeraj Chopra in Tokyo, Rohit’s status as a potential fourth Indian remains uncertain. This marked a significant comeback for Rohit, who missed the 2023 World Championships due to a ligament tear in his right elbow that required surgery. He also expects to receive performance feedback from Neeraj Chopra, similar to previous competitions.
Steeplechase Quota Remains Precarious
In the women’s 3000m steeplechase, gold medallist Ankita Dhyani recorded a time of 9:44.83s, which was 13 seconds slower than her personal best. As it stands, Ankita is currently clinging to the second-to-last spot available for the Worlds through the rankings quota.
National Record holder Parul Chaudhary is the only Indian woman guaranteed a spot in Tokyo, having achieved the qualifying standard earlier this year at the Asian Championships. The three gold medalists now await the final World Rankings update to learn their fate for the global event.
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