On Saturday, the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi will host prominent Indian track and field athletes as part of the Indian Open Series. The event has garnered significant interest, attracting over 900 participants across various age categories.
On the eve of the competition, the stadium’s main athletics arena was alive with activity as athletes warmed up and familiarized themselves with the newly installed mondo track. There was palpable enthusiasm among the competitors to perform on a track that has previously hosted the World Championships and the Olympics. This track, laid in 2025 for the World Para Athletics Championships, will serve as the venue for the first-ever national meet focused on able-bodied athletes.
Among the notable competitors scheduled to participate are World Championships finalist Sachin Yadav, Animesh Kujur, who holds the national record for the 100 meters, and Vishal TK, the national record holder for the 400 meters, along with the returning Hima Das.
The men’s 100-meter race is expected to be particularly exciting, featuring a talented lineup that could lead to record-breaking performances. In addition to Animesh, the field includes former national record holder Gurindervir Singh, Pranav Pramod, Harsh Raut, and Tamil Arasu, all of whom have the potential to push the national record of 10.18 seconds even further.
Despite a challenging start to the indoor season for Animesh, marked by his disqualification at the National Indoor Athletics Championships last month, Gurindervir secured the title with a time of 6.60 seconds in the final.
The men’s javelin throw will showcase a world-class field with eight athletes boasting personal bests exceeding 80 meters. In addition to Sachin, the competition will feature Asian Games silver medalist Kishore Kumar Jena, Rohit Yadav, and the emerging javelin star Shivam Lohakare.
Sachin, who finished a commendable fourth in his World Championships debut, will kick off his 2026 season at his home ground. Shivam, who set a new meet record at the Inter-Services competition last year, has already thrown over 81 meters in a recent event.
Kartik Karkera, recognized as India’s latest marathon talent, will take part in both the 10,000 meters and 1,500 meters during his off-season. The 10,000 meters will be the first event of the day, while the 1,500 meters will conclude the day’s activities.
“Currently, I am not competing in any major events, so I plan to participate in both races to assess my fitness and enhance my speed for future marathons,” Kartik stated ahead of the competition.
Earlier this year, Kartik achieved a time of 2 hours, 15 minutes, and 4 seconds at the Delhi Marathon, surpassing the qualification standard established by the Athletics Federation of India for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. In just his third marathon, he recorded a time of 2:13.10 to win gold, outpacing Olympian T Gopi and 2024 Asian Marathon champion Man Singh.
The Indian Open Series, comprising 16 legs, commenced on April 4 in Bengaluru, followed by a second leg in Jaipur on April 5. Due to the overwhelming interest in the Delhi leg, which represents the third segment of the series, the schedule is fully booked from morning until evening. Competitors will be divided into various groups, with all races being treated as finals. In addition to the senior category, competitions will also be held for junior athletes in both men’s and women’s divisions.
