South Asian Athletics C'ships: Indian athletes clinch five gold medals on Day 1

The Indian contingent made a strong start to their campaign at the 4th South Asian Athletics Championships 2025, being held at Birsa Munda (Morabadi) Stadium, Ranchi, clinching five gold medals on the opening day. Indian athletes also shattered two meet records, marking a promising start to the three-day continental event.

However, the sprint events saw Sri Lankan domination as their sprinters took home both men’s and women’s 100m gold medals.

India’s gold medal tally opened with Prince Kumar storming to victory in the men’s 5,000m, clocking 14:22.17s, narrowly ahead of Sri Lanka’s Vicknaraj Vakshan (14:23.21s). In the women’s 5,000m, Sanjana Singh clinched the top podium spot in a meet record time of 15:38.70s, breaking PS Sreedharan’s 2008 mark of 16:08.09s.

At the throwing arena, Samardeep Gill emerged as the star performer, hurling the shot put to 19.59m — a new South Asian Athletics Championships record, bettering compatriot Satyendra Kumar Singh’s 17.71m from 2008. India’s Yogita continued the medal streak with a gold in women’s shot put, recording 15.85m.

The hosts wrapped up the day in style as the Indian mixed 4x400m relay team — comprising Rashid, Neeru Pathak, Mohammed Ashfaq, and Olimba Steffi — clinched gold with a timing of 3:20.13s, ahead of Sri Lanka (3:20.85s).

Despite India’s success, the crowd witnessed Sri Lanka’s sprint supremacy. Chamod Yodasinghge clocked 10.30s, setting a new meet record in the men’s 100m, surpassing Chintake De Soyza’s 1998 mark (10.35s). In women’s 100m, Mohammad Yamick of Sri Lanka stormed to gold in 11.53s, another meet record.

Day 1 Results

Men

100m: Chamod Yodasinghge (Sri Lanka) 10.30s (Meet Record – previous 10.35s by Chintake De Soyza, Sri Lanka, 1998); Pranav Gurav (India) 10.32s; Harsh Raut (India) 10.42s

5,000m: Prince Kumar (India) 14:22.17s; Vicknaraj Vakshan (Sri Lanka) 14:23.21s; Mukesh Bahadur Pal (Nepal) 14:25.54s

Shot Put: Samardeep Gill (India) 19.59m (Meet Record – previous 17.71m by Satyendra Kumar Singh, India, 2008); Ravi Kumar (India) 17.95m; Suseenthir Kumar (Sri Lanka) 14.68m

Triple Jump: Kumarapeli Arac (Sri Lanka) 16.19m; Dinesh V (India) 16.14m; Sebastian VS (India) 15.88m

Women

100m: Mohammad Yamick (Sri Lanka) 11.53s (Meet Record – previous 11.74s by D Priyadashani, 2008); Dewa Thanuji A (Sri Lanka) 11.72s; Sudeshna S (India) 11.78s

5,000m: Sanjana Singh (India) 15:38.70s (Meet Record – previous 16:08.09s by P S Sreedharan, 2008); Seema (India) 15:40.55s; Santoshi Shrestha (Nepal) 16:36.61s

Shot Put: Yogita (India) 15.85m; Shiksha (India) 15.83m; Chandrasekera Ovini (Sri Lanka) 13.03m

Triple Jump: Herath Mudiyans N (Sri Lanka) 13.36m (Meet Record – previous 13.01m by Lekha Thomas, India, 1998); Poorva Sawant (India) 13.03m; Ekanayaka Mudiy (Sri Lanka) 12.79m

Mixed 4x400m Relay

India (Rashid, Neeru Pathak, Mohammed Ashfaq, Olimba Steffi) 3:20.13s, Sri Lanka 3:20.85s, Nepal 3:37.16s