Anushka Yadav Breaks Hammer Throw Meet Record
Anushka Yadav Breaks Hammer Throw Record as Baranica Elangovan Wins Pole Vault Gold
Anushka Yadav throws 66.53m to erase Manju Bala’s five-year-old meet record at the National Open Athletics Championships 2026, while Asian Games bronze medallist Baranica Elangovan claims pole vault gold with a 4.10m clearance.
Teenage Anushka Yadav delivered one of the standout performances at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships in New Delhi, breaking the women’s hammer throw meet record with an effort of 66.53 metres. The 18-year-old ONGC athlete surpassed the previous record of 64.42m, set by Manju Bala five years earlier. On the same day, Baranica Elangovan, fresh from winning India’s historic women’s pole vault bronze at the 2026 Asian Games, secured gold with a best clearance of 4.10m. Their performances highlighted a strong day for Indian women’s athletics at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
Anushka Yadav’s Hammer Throw Record: 66.53m in New Delhi
Anushka Yadav made an immediate statement in the women’s hammer throw, establishing herself as the athlete to beat from her opening attempt. Her winning distance of 66.53m improved Manju Bala’s previous meet record by 2.11m, a substantial margin in a technically demanding throwing event.
The teenager’s consistency was equally impressive. Her series included throws of 62.21m, 65.75m, 66.47m, one foul, 66.53m and 65.25m. Five of her six attempts were valid, and three of those exceeded 65 metres. The performance showed that her victory was not dependent on a single isolated throw.
Anushka Yadav Improves on Her Personal Best Form
Although the meet record was a major achievement, Yadav’s personal best remains 67.02m, recorded in June 2026. That means her National Open winning throw came just 0.49m short of her lifetime best, placing her among India’s leading hammer throwers.
Yadav had also finished fourth in the women’s hammer throw at the 2026 Asian Games. Returning to domestic competition with another strong performance gives her a useful platform as she continues to pursue greater consistency at the international level.
Baranica Elangovan Wins Pole Vault Gold With 4.10m
Asian Games bronze medallist Baranica Elangovan added another domestic title to her season by winning the women’s pole vault. Representing Railways, she cleared 4.10m to take gold at the National Open Athletics Championships.
Mariya Jaison, also representing Railways, finished second with 3.90m, while Karnataka’s Sindhushree G claimed bronze after clearing 3.80m. Elangovan’s winning clearance gave her a 20cm advantage over the silver-medal mark.
From Asian Games Bronze to National Open Gold
Elangovan’s performance followed a landmark result at the 2026 Asian Games, where she cleared 4.15m to win bronze. She became the first Indian woman to secure an Asian Games medal in pole vault, adding to her growing record in the event.
The 4.10m clearance in New Delhi was below her Asian Games height and her national-record performances earlier in 2026, but it was enough to secure the title. Her continued presence at the top of the domestic standings reinforces her importance to Indian pole vault.
National Open Athletics 2026: Other Key Results
The third day at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium also produced close finishes and strong performances across track and field.
In the men’s 5,000m, Madhya Pradesh’s Sunil Dawar won in 14:01.64, narrowly ahead of Railway’s Shivaji M, who clocked 14:02.81. Ajay Bind, also of Railways, finished third in 14:03.86.
Railway athlete Rohit won the men’s high jump with 2.19m, ahead of Jesse Sandesh and Aaditya Raghuvanshi, who both cleared 2.16m. Punjab’s Karanveer Singh claimed the men’s shot put title with 19.63m.
In the women’s long jump, ONGC’s Mubassina Mohammed won with 6.38m, just one centimetre ahead of Uttar Pradesh’s Shaili Singh at 6.37m. Ramyashree Jain of Railways won the women’s javelin throw with 56.63m.
Relay Races Deliver Close Finishes
The men’s 4x100m relay went to the Services Sports Control Board (SSCB), which finished in 39.76 seconds. Railways took silver in 40.75 seconds, while Haryana secured bronze in 41.37 seconds.
The women’s 4x100m relay was even tighter. Railways won in 45.56 seconds, edging Odisha by just 0.01 seconds, with Odisha recording 45.57 seconds. Tamil Nadu finished third in 46.03 seconds.
Railways also won the mixed 4x400m relay in 3:21.60, finishing ahead of Haryana at 3:22.43 and Rajasthan at 3:25.54.
Anushka Yadav and Baranica Elangovan Lead a Strong Day for Indian Athletics
The National Open Athletics Championships offered a snapshot of India’s depth across throwing, jumping and track events. Anushka Yadav’s 66.53m hammer throw meet record was the headline result, while Baranica Elangovan continued her impressive season with pole vault gold.
With the championships bringing together athletes from states, services and national institutions, performances like these provide an important measure of domestic progress. For Yadav, the next target will be to build on her record-breaking form and challenge her personal best. For Elangovan, the focus will be on maintaining consistency after a historic Asian Games medal.
