Six Triple Jumpers Breach Asian Games Mark as Tejas Shirse, Throwers Shine at Inter-State Athletics Championships

Bhubaneswar, June 26: India's men's triple jumpers delivered the standout performance of Day 3 at the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships, with six athletes surpassing the Asian Games qualification standard at the Kalinga Stadium on Friday (June 26).

National record holder Tejas Shirse continued his impressive run in the men's 110m hurdles, while athletes in the hammer throw and discus throw events also achieved qualification marks, giving selectors plenty to consider ahead of the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.

Triple Jumpers Breach Qualification Barrier

The men's triple jump emerged as the headline event of the day as six athletes crossed the Asian Games qualification mark of 16.28m. Praveen Chithravel led the competition with a winning jump of 16.92m, achieved on his opening attempt. Kerala's Karthik U secured silver with 16.80m, while Tamil Nadu's Selva Prabhu claimed bronze with 16.79m.

Three more athletes also breached the qualification standard, taking the total number of qualifiers in the event to six.

While crossing the qualification mark makes athletes eligible for selection consideration, it does not automatically guarantee a place in India's Asian Games squad. With only a limited number of entries permitted per nation in individual events, the performances have instead created a healthy selection battle for Athletics Federation of India (AFI) selectors.

The result nevertheless represents a significant boost for Indian athletics, which has traditionally relied on a small group of elite performers in technical field events. The emergence of multiple athletes capable of consistently crossing 16.28m provides selectors with greater depth and flexibility heading into the Asian Games cycle.

Chithravel's winning jump was particularly impressive as it came on his first attempt, immediately placing pressure on the rest of the field. Karthik and Selva responded with strong performances of their own, ensuring the competition remained highly competitive throughout.

Damneet Singh Leads Hammer Throw Charge

The evening session opened with a strong showing in the men's hammer throw. Punjab's Damneet Singh won gold with a throw of 69.72m, comfortably surpassing the Asian Games qualification standard of 69.12m.

Rajasthan's Praveen Kumar also crossed the mark with 69.58m to take silver, while Haryana's Ashish Jakhar finished third with 67.61m, narrowly missing the required distance.

The performances added further depth to India's hammer throw pool and provided selectors with multiple athletes capable of competing at the continental level.

Haryana Dominates Women's Discus

The women's discus throw produced one of the most dominant state performances of the championships.

Haryana athletes swept all three podium positions, with every medallist crossing the Asian Games qualification standard of 55.48m.

Seema claimed gold with a best throw of 59.73m, producing one of the strongest performances of the day. Sanya Yadav secured silver with 56.05m, while Nidhi completed the podium with 55.92m.

Seema's throw, which came close to the 60-metre mark, stood out as a performance that could carry significant value at the continental level.

Tejas Shirse Continues Strong Form

On the track, national record holder Tejas Shirse once again demonstrated why he remains India's leading men's hurdler.

The Maharashtra athlete won the men's 110m hurdles in 13.61 seconds, going under the Asian Games qualification standard of 13.63 seconds.

Tamil Nadu's Manav R finished second in 13.66 seconds, while Karnataka's Krishik M took third place in 13.69 seconds.

Shirse's performance came a day after he clocked 13.43 seconds in the heats, where he not only breached the qualification mark but also broke his own meet record of 13.54 seconds.

In the women's 400m hurdles heats, Tamil Nadu's Vithya Ramraj clocked 56.69 seconds to progress comfortably and remain in contention for an Asian Games berth.

Relay Teams Produce Thrilling Contests

The relay races added further excitement to the evening session. Hosts Odisha captured gold in the men's 4x100m relay with a timing of 39.92 seconds, narrowly edging Tamil Nadu (40.02 seconds) and Maharashtra (40.37 seconds).

In the women's 4x100m relay, Karnataka won gold in 44.75 seconds, ahead of Tamil Nadu (45.07 seconds) and Maharashtra (46.21 seconds).

The mixed 4x400m relay delivered one of the closest finishes of the championships, with Tamil Nadu winning in 3:23.51, just 0.03 seconds ahead of Punjab. Rajasthan finished third in 3:23.85.

Race Walkers Fall Short of Qualification Standard

The women's 21km race walk did not produce an Asian Games qualifier.

Munita Prajapati of Uttar Pradesh won the event in 1:45:05, ahead of Reshma Patel (1:45:48) and Maharashtra's Sejla Anil Singh (1:46:31).

The Asian Games qualification standard of 1:37:20 remained out of reach for the field.

Selection Battle Intensifies

Day 3 proved to be one of the most productive sessions of the championships, with athletes across multiple disciplines achieving qualification standards.

However, with limited quota places available for the Asian Games, the battle for selection is far from over. Beyond qualification marks, selectors are expected to assess consistency, rankings, head-to-head performances and medal potential before finalising India's squad for Aichi-Nagoya.

For now, the biggest takeaway remains the remarkable depth displayed in the men's triple jump, where six athletes threw their names into contention and strengthened India's prospects in one of its most competitive field events.