Indian Sprinters Piyush Raj and Sahil Malik Secure World U-20 Championships Qualification
In a thrilling display of speed and determination at the Indian Open Athletics Meet held at LNCPE in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, two young Indian athletes have punched their tickets to the prestigious World Athletics U-20 Championships. Bihar's rising star Piyush Raj and Uttarakhand's promising talent Sahil Malik both achieved the crucial qualification standard in the U-20 men's 400m event, finishing first and second respectively.
Gold and Silver Performances Under the Qualifying Mark
Piyush Raj clinched the gold medal with an impressive career-best time of 47.11 seconds, showcasing remarkable improvement from his previous performances. Sahil Malik followed closely, securing the silver medal with a time of 47.28 seconds. Both athletes successfully went under the required qualifying mark, demonstrating their readiness for international competition.
Kerala's Edvin Mathew completed the podium, finishing third with a time of 47.65 seconds. Piyush, who had won silver in the 400m at last year's Indian Open Athletics Meet, expressed his happiness at improving his result and capturing gold after executing a strong, well-paced run.
Expanding India's Contingent for 2026 World Championships
With these outstanding performances, the number of Indian athletes who have met the men's 400m qualification standard for the 2026 World U-20 Athletics Championships has now increased to three. Kerala's Mohammed Ashfaq had previously qualified after winning gold at the 40th National Junior Athletics Championships in October 2025 with a time of 46.87 seconds. Ashfaq later improved his personal best to 46.56 seconds while winning silver at the SAF Games in Ranchi.
The 2026 World U-20 Championships are scheduled to be held in Oregon, USA, from August 5 to 9, providing these young athletes with a global platform to showcase their talents.
Senior Men's Section Highlights
In the senior men's category, Tamil Nadu's Rajesh Ramesh delivered the standout performance of the entire meet. The 27-year-old quarter-miler won Race A with an exceptional time of 45.26 seconds, surpassing his previous personal best of 45.54 seconds set in 2024. After battling injuries following the 2024 Paris Olympics, Ramesh made a strong comeback in 2025 with a season-best of 45.75 seconds. His latest achievement marks an encouraging and promising start to the new competitive season.
Manu TS of NCOE, Thiruvananthapuram, finished second in Race A with a time of 45.96 seconds, while Delhi's Amoj Jacob won Race C in 45.99 seconds to secure third place overall in the senior men's 400m category.
Women's 400m Results
The women's 400m event saw Tamil Nadu's Vithya Ramraj emerge victorious with a time of 53.31 seconds. Rashdeep Kaur of JSW claimed second place with 53.62 seconds, while Karnataka's Vijay Kumari GK, who won Race B in 53.55 seconds, finished third overall in the women's category.
Complete Meet Results
Men's 400m Results:
- Rajesh Ramesh (Tamil Nadu) - 45.26 seconds
- Manu TS (NCOE Thiruvananthapuram) - 45.96 seconds
- Amoj Jacob (Delhi) - 45.99 seconds
U-20 Men's 400m Results:
- Piyush Raj (Bihar) - 47.11 seconds
- Sahil Malik (Uttarakhand) - 47.28 seconds
- Edvin Mathew (Kerala) - 47.65 seconds
U-18 Men's 400m Results:
- Sayed Sabeer (Karnataka) - 47.73 seconds
- Thanish Vijay Gaddam (Maharashtra) - 48.17 seconds
- Hariharan R (NCOE Thiruvananthapuram) - 48.31 seconds
Women's 400m Results:
- Vithya Ramraj (Tamil Nadu) - 53.31 seconds
- Rashdeep Kaur (JSW) - 53.62 seconds
- Vijay Kumari GK (Karnataka) - 53.55 seconds
U-20 Women's 400m Results:
- Reshma (Uttar Pradesh) - 54.84 seconds
- Isha Rajesh Jadav (Maharashtra) - 55.46 seconds
- Dharani A (Tamil Nadu) - 55.63 seconds
U-18 Women's 400m Results:
- Kashish Bhagat (Maharashtra) - 56.46 seconds
- Nethra M (Tamil Nadu) - 59.54 seconds
- Chaudhary Ashaben (Gujarat) - 59.62 seconds
This comprehensive display of athletic prowess at the Indian Open meet highlights the growing depth of talent in Indian athletics, particularly in the sprint events, as athletes across age categories continue to push their limits and achieve new personal milestones.
