Manikanta Hoblidhar Wins 100m Gold

Manikanta Hoblidhar Wins 100m Gold After Injury Setback

Indian sprinter Manikanta Hoblidhar made an impressive return to the track by winning the men’s 100m gold at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships 2026 in New Delhi. Competing at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the Karnataka sprinter clocked 10.25 seconds despite recovering from a hamstring injury and dealing with stomach cramps before the race. His victory marked an important step in his comeback after months away from competition.

Manikanta Hoblidhar’s Injury Comeback

Hoblidhar’s return followed a difficult period that began when he suffered a Grade 2 hamstring tear during the National Open Relay Competition in March. The injury disrupted his season and ruled him out of major competitions, including the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.

The sprinter began rehabilitation in April and gradually worked towards returning to competitive athletics. Although he had competed at a state-level meet in September, the National Open Championships represented his first major domestic test since the injury.

Hoblidhar admitted that he was not yet fully fit, making his gold-medal performance particularly encouraging. He had also experienced stomach cramps the night before the race, which affected his hopes of producing an even faster time.

100m Gold Despite Physical Challenges

Hoblidhar had hoped to improve his personal best, but the physical setbacks prevented him from reaching that target. Nevertheless, his 10.25-second performance secured the title and demonstrated that he remains a strong contender in Indian sprinting.

His victory also carried significance because he had helped raise the standard of the men’s 100m in recent seasons. He clocked 10.23 seconds in 2023 before recording 10.19 seconds at the National Open meet in 2025. Other Indian sprinters subsequently lowered the national benchmark, with Gurindervir Singh holding the national record at 10.09 seconds.

National Open Athletics 2026: 100m Results

Railways sprinter Lalu Prasad Bhoi pushed Hoblidhar before finishing second in 10.43 seconds. Laukik Melge of the Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) claimed bronze in 10.45 seconds.

The men’s 100m final highlighted the competitive depth of Indian sprinting, with Hoblidhar returning to the top of the podium while two challengers completed the medal places.

Moumita Mandal and Manpreet Kaur Shine

The championships also featured strong performances from other Indian athletes. Moumita Mandal, who had been sidelined by a shoulder injury, won the women’s 100m hurdles in 13.48 seconds. Her return offered another positive sign for athletes working their way back from injury.

In the women’s 400m, Haryana’s Anjli won gold in 53.37 seconds, finishing ahead of Priya Mohan in 53.55 seconds and Priya Thakur in 53.56 seconds. Akash Raj of Tamil Nadu took the men’s 400m title in 46.24 seconds.

Asian Games bronze medallist Manpreet Kaur won the women’s shot put with a throw of 17.07 metres, comfortably ahead of Srishti Vij, who recorded 16.11 metres.

Other Highlights from the Athletics Championships

Suraj Panwar won the men’s 21km race walk in 1:30:48.00 after Servin Sebastian received a two-minute penalty for a technical violation and dropped to fourth. Deepak Gurjar finished second in 1:30:55.00, while Vishvendra Singh secured third in 1:31:32.00.

Sebastian’s result underlined how technical rules can dramatically affect race-walking outcomes, even when an athlete crosses the finish line first.

In the men’s triple jump, Sebastian VS won with an effort of 16.54 metres. Ankita claimed the women’s 1500m title in 4:13.18, ahead of Lili Das and Komal Jagdale.

Manikanta Hoblidhar Looks Ahead

For Hoblidhar, the 100m gold is an encouraging milestone rather than the end of his recovery journey. The sprinter has acknowledged that he needs more time to regain full fitness, but his performance in New Delhi gives him a positive platform for the coming season.

After months of rehabilitation, missed competitions and physical challenges, Hoblidhar has returned to the national podium. His victory at the National Open Athletics Championships 2026 offers a timely reminder that a successful comeback is built on patience, resilience and consistent work.