Rahul Jakhar wins Asian U20 decathlon gold, sets national record with 7,185 points
Synopsis
An 18-year-old from a village in Gujarat's Valsad district who stumbled into athletics on an evening walk has become Asia's top under-20 decathlete. Rahul Jakhar's 7,185-point gold at the Asian U20 Championships in Hong Kong is not just a national record — it is the opening chapter of what Indian athletics hopes is an Olympic story in the making.
Key Takeaways
Rahul Jakhar , 18, from Valsad district, Gujarat , won the decathlon gold at the 22nd Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong .
His score of 7,185 points set a new Indian Under-20 national record in the decathlon.
Jakhar trains at the Sports Authority of Gujarat's High-Performance Centre in Nadiad under coaches Shivam Upadhyay , Dharmendra Parmar , and Satesh Upadhyay .
He was selected for the Nadiad centre in 2024 after beginning his career at the District Level Sports School in Gadh, Banaskantha .
Jakhar's stated goals are to represent India at the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics .
Deputy CM and Sports Minister Harsh Sanghavi credited Gujarat's sports ecosystem and linked the achievement to preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games .
Rahul Jakhar, an 18-year-old athlete from Valsad district, Gujarat, claimed the gold medal in the decathlon at the 22nd Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong, amassing 7,185 points across the two-day, ten-event competition to set a new Indian Under-20 national record. The result makes Jakhar the top-ranked under-20 decathlete in Asia and one of the most promising combined-events athletes to emerge from India in recent years.
A Record-Breaking Performance
Jakhar's 7,185-point tally surpassed the previous Indian U20 national mark in the decathlon, a gruelling discipline that demands proficiency across ten events: the 100 metres, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400 metres, 110 metres hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin throw, and 1,500 metres. His coach, Shivam Upadhyay, confirmed the record, saying: 'Rahul delivered a record-breaking performance by scoring 7,185 points and winning the gold medal. He is now the national record holder in the Under-20 category.'
From Vapi to the Asian Podium
Jakhar hails from Charvada village in Valsad district, from a family originally from Sikar district, Rajasthan, that later settled in Vapi and entered the construction business. His introduction to athletics came by chance — during an evening walk with his father in Vapi, he spotted athletes training at a local ground and returned the next morning to begin running himself. A gold medal in the long jump at Khel Mahakumbh followed soon after, setting him on a trajectory that has now culminated in an Asian title.
The Training Pathway
Jakhar began his structured athletics career under coach Vipul Chaudhary at the District Level Sports School in Gadh, Banaskantha district. In 2024, he was selected for advanced training at the Sports Authority of Gujarat's High-Performance Centre in Nadiad, where he works under coaches Shivam Upadhyay, Dharmendra Parmar, and Satesh Upadhyay, receiving specialised coaching and sports science support.
What the Athlete Said
Speaking by telephone from Hong Kong after his victory, Jakhar said: 'I am grateful to all my coaches who supported me throughout my journey. The Gujarat government has provided excellent facilities and opportunities for athletes. My dream now is to represent India at the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics, and I will continue working hard to prepare for those competitions.'
Government Response and the Road Ahead
Deputy Chief Minister and Sports Minister Harsh Sanghavi congratulated Jakhar, attributing the achievement to the state's sports infrastructure built under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. Sanghavi also noted that preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games are driving the creation of world-class sporting facilities in Gujarat that will benefit future generations of athletes. With an Olympic ambition now clearly stated, Jakhar's progression through senior competitions will be closely watched by Indian athletics selectors.
Point of View
But the more telling detail is the pathway that produced it — a chance encounter at a local ground, a Khel Mahakumbh title, and then a state high-performance centre that provided the coaching depth to convert raw talent into a continental record. Gujarat's investment in district-level feeder schools and centralised high-performance infrastructure is delivering results that national programmes have historically struggled to replicate. The real test now is whether the system can sustain Jakhar through the transition to senior competition, where decathlon scoring standards are significantly higher and the margin for event-specific weaknesses shrinks. India has had promising combined-events athletes before; none have reached the Olympic final. The infrastructure is in place — the question is whether the long-term athlete development plan matches the ambition.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Rahul Jakhar and what did he win?
Rahul Jakhar is an 18-year-old decathlete from Valsad district, Gujarat, who won the gold medal at the 22nd Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong with 7,185 points, setting a new Indian Under-20 national record in the decathlon.
What is the decathlon and why is it considered demanding?
The decathlon is a combined athletics event comprising ten disciplines — the 100 metres, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400 metres, 110 metres hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin throw, and 1,500 metres — contested over two days. It is widely regarded as one of the most physically demanding events in athletics because it requires elite-level competence across speed, strength, and endurance disciplines simultaneously.
Where does Rahul Jakhar train?
Jakhar trains at the Sports Authority of Gujarat's High-Performance Centre in Nadiad, where he has been based since 2024 under coaches Shivam Upadhyay, Dharmendra Parmar, and Satesh Upadhyay. He began his career at the District Level Sports School in Gadh, Banaskantha district, under coach Vipul Chaudhary.
What are Rahul Jakhar's future sporting goals?
Jakhar has stated his ambition is to represent India at the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics, and said he will continue working hard to prepare for those competitions. Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi linked his development to Gujarat's preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
How did Rahul Jakhar get into athletics?
Jakhar's introduction to athletics was unplanned — he spotted athletes training at a local ground in Vapi during an evening walk with his father and began training there the following day. An early gold medal in the long jump at Khel Mahakumbh set him on a path to competitive athletics.
