Teenager Anushka Yadav made a remarkable impact on the first day of the 56th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships 2026 in Bhubaneswar. She set a new national record in women’s hammer throw, securing a spot in the 2026 Asian Games with her outstanding performance at the Kalinga Stadium. Anushka, aged 18, started with a throw of 62.07m, surpassing the Asian Games qualifying mark, and concluded with a career-best throw of 67.02m, breaking the previous national record of 65.25m.
Another highlight of the day was Dev Kumar Meena’s achievement in the men’s pole vault, where he cleared 5.46m, setting a new national record and meeting the Asian Games qualification standard. Dev’s consistent performance showcased the rapid progress of Indian pole vaulting, marking his second consecutive national record-breaking feat. This success comes after his shared record of 5.45m at the Federation Cup, where he now stands as the sole record holder.
In the women’s triple jump event, I. Isha Elango excelled with a personal-best leap of 13.89m, surpassing the Asian Games qualifying standard. Her remarkable performance placed her third on India’s all-time list and fourth in Asia this season. Additionally, hurdles athlete Jyothi Yarraji, returning from injury, secured the Asian Games 2026 qualification in the women’s 100m with a strong run clocking 3.14 seconds in her first race of the season.
