Athletics: Records Tumble on Day 2 of Junior Nationals in Karnataka as Nitin Gupta, Ashfaq, Shahnavaz Shine

Tumkur (Karnataka), April 25: The second day of the 24th National Junior (U20) Athletics Federation Competition in Tumkur on Saturday (April 25), turned into a record-breaking spectacle as multiple athletes delivered standout performances, rewriting national benchmarks and raising the bar for Indian junior athletics.

The spotlight firmly belonged to three exceptional athletes - Nitin Gupta, Mohammed Ashfaq and Shahnavaz Khan - who headlined a day filled with national records, qualification marks and intense competition at the Mahatma Gandhi Stadium.

Nitin Gupta Breaks 19-Minute Barrier in Race Walk

Army's Asian junior silver medallist Nitin Gupta produced one of the most remarkable performances of the day by becoming the first Indian to break the 19-minute barrier in the men's U20 5,000m race walk. Clocking 18:54.37, he not only clinched gold but also shattered his own previous national record of 19:24.48 set last year.

His timing was even superior to his performance at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships, underlining his rapid progression and growing dominance in the event.

Ranjana Yadav Rewrites Women's Race Walk Record

In the women's 5,000m race walk, Ranjana Yadav of Madhya Pradesh also entered the record books with a gold-winning effort of 23:22.12, improving upon the previous national record of 23:43.58. Her performance highlighted India's emerging strength in race walking at the junior level.

Mohammed Ashfaq Sets New 400m Benchmark

The men's 400m final emerged as one of the most competitive events of the day, with six of the eight finalists clocking times below the Asian junior qualification mark of 47.53 seconds.

Kerala's Mohammed Ashfaq stole the show by setting a new national junior record of 46.05 seconds, surpassing Amoj Jacob's long-standing mark of 46.26 seconds from 2017. He also broke the meet record, cementing his status as one of India's most promising young sprinters.

Shahnavaz Khan Leaps into History

Uttar Pradesh long jumper Shahnavaz Khan delivered a stunning performance, recording a massive leap of 8.23m to win gold. In doing so, he broke both the meet record (7.90m) and the national junior record of 8.20m previously held by Murali Sreeshankar.

His record-breaking jump, achieved on his fourth attempt, was one of the standout moments of the competition.

Other Notable Performances

Tamil Nadu's pole vaulter Kavinraja S also impressed by clearing 5.12m, improving his own national mark and crossing the Asian junior qualification standard. In the decathlon, Rajasthan's Upkar topped the standings with 7039 points, comfortably surpassing the qualification benchmark.

In the women's 400m, Neeru Pathak of NCOE Trivandrum clinched gold with a time of 54.31 seconds, leading a highly competitive field where seven of the eight finalists went below the qualification mark.

Across events, several athletes met or came close to Asian junior qualification standards, reflecting the depth and quality of talent on display.

A Day of Promise for Indian Athletics

Day 2 of the championships showcased the growing strength of India's junior athletics pipeline, with multiple athletes not only winning medals but also pushing boundaries with record-breaking performances.

With several national marks rewritten and young talents stepping into the spotlight, the competition continues to underline India's potential on the continental stage.