Emerging Athletes Shine at National Junior Athletics Meet in India

The National Junior (U20) Athletics competition in India witnesses intense contests as athletes strive to meet the stringent standards set for the upcoming Asian U20 Athletics Championships. With over 1,000 participants, the event promises to be a stepping stone for young talents eyeing national and international success.

Devdiscourse News Desk | Tumkur | Updated: 23-04-2026 16:52 IST | Created: 23-04-2026 16:52 IST

Emerging Athletes Shine at National Junior Athletics Meet in India — This image is AI-generated and does not depict any real-life event or location. It is a fictional representation created for illustrative purposes only.

Country:
India

The Mahatma Gandhi Stadium is set to host the National Junior (U20) Athletics Federation competition starting Friday, showcasing India's rising track and field talents. This event acts as a gateway to next month's Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong, raising the competitive stakes.

Attention will be on the 100m sprint with Jharkhand's Parth Singh competing against Odisha's Pratik Maharana, amongst others. Parth, aiming to replicate last season's success, competes in a crowded field of 79 sprinters, alongside a highly contested men's 200m event with 93 participants.

The meet also marks the return of Odisha's international 400m runner Bapi Hansda from injury and sees Kerala's Mohammed Ashfaq vying for a spot in the national team. The competition, with over 1,000 athletes, highlights the young talent preparing for future challenges.

(With inputs from agencies.)