Asian Athletics Championships 2025: 10 Reliance Foundation Athletes To Participate In Korea - All You Need To Know

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A group of ten athletes, backed by Reliance Foundation, is set to represent India at the Asian Athletics Championships 2025 in Gumi, Republic of Korea. This event, starting on May 27, is a significant step towards the Asian Games next year. It provides a platform for top talent in the region to showcase their skills.

The Reliance Foundation has been instrumental in nurturing these athletes through its high-performance programme. This initiative focuses on developing Indian athletes from grassroots levels to elite performance. The foundation remains committed to building a strong sporting ecosystem in India.

James Hillier, Athletics Director at Reliance Foundation, expressed pride in the athletes' dedication and achievements. He stated, "We are incredibly proud of our athletes and their dedication. Their recent performances, including multiple national records, reflect their hard work and the comprehensive support they receive from the Reliance Foundation.

"The Asian Athletics Championship is a crucial platform, and I am confident that our contingent will showcase their talent and make the nation proud. We've focused not just on physical conditioning but also on mental fortitude, ensuring they are prepared for the intense competition ahead."

Hillier also shared his enthusiasm about coaching India's national relay team in Mumbai. This effort recently led to breaking the longest-standing national record in Indian athletics for the 4x100m relay.

Jyothi Yarraji, India's leading female hurdler, will compete in two events: the 100m hurdles and the 200m. She is the defending champion in the 100m hurdles and won silver in the 200m at the previous edition held in Bangkok in 2023. Jyothi holds the national record with a time of 12.78 seconds and is renowned for being the first Indian woman to run under 13 seconds in this event.

Animesh Kujur recently set a new national record in men's 200m with a time of 20.40 seconds at this year's Senior Federation Cup. He leads Asia in this event and will also be part of India's men's 4x100m relay team alongside Manikanta Hoblidhar, Amlan Borgohain, and Gurvinder Singh. This team recently broke national records with a time of 38.69 seconds.

Long-Distance Runners Ready to Shine

Gulveer Singh is expected to excel in both the 5000m and 10,000m events. He recently set a new national record for the 10,000m with a time of 27:00.22s and became the first Asian man to break the 13-minute barrier for the 5000m short track with a time of 12:59.77.

Twinkle Chaudhary aims to impress in women's 800m after her personal best performance at last month's National Federation Senior Athletics Competition. Seema Barwal and Sawan Barwal will compete in women's and men's 10,000m races respectively while Ancy Sojan participates again as a long jumper after debuting at last year's championships.