National Junior Athletics 2026: Abinaya, Neil Samraj set 100m national records in Chennai
Synopsis
Tamil Nadu produced a sprint double on day one of the 41st National Junior Athletics Championships in Chennai — Abinaya Rajarajan sliced her own U20 women's 100m national record to 11.49s, while Neil Samraj improved his U18 men's mark to 10.45s. Punjab's Amanat Kamboj also set a discus meet record, making it a record-rich opening to India's premier junior athletics meet.
Key Takeaways
Abinaya Rajarajan (Tamil Nadu) set a national record of 11.49 seconds in the women's U20 100m at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai on 23 October 2026 .
Neil Samraj R. (Tamil Nadu) improved his own U18 men's 100m national record to 10.45 seconds , also erasing the meet record of 10.63 seconds .
Amanat Kamboj (Punjab) set a women's U20 discus throw meet record of 51.44 metres , surpassing Kamalpreet Kaur's previous best of 49.85 metres .
Tamil Nadu dominated sprints, with athletes winning gold in both U20 and U18 women's 100m events.
The championships are being held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai as part of the 41st National Junior Athletics Championships 2026 .
Tamil Nadu sprinter Abinaya Rajarajan broke her own national record in the Under-20 women's 100m on the opening day of the 41st National Junior Athletics Championships 2026, held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on 23 October 2026. The meet delivered an immediate double for Tamil Nadu as Neil Samraj R. also improved his own national mark in the Under-18 men's 100m on the same evening.
Abinaya Rajarajan's Record Run
Abinaya clocked 11.49 seconds to take gold in the women's U20 100m, shaving five hundredths off her previous national record of 11.54 seconds set last year in Kochi. The performance announced her as the standout name of the championship's opening session and reinforced Tamil Nadu's growing depth in women's sprinting.
Behind her, Kajal Vaja of Gujarat finished second in 11.61 seconds, with Nancy of Haryana taking bronze in 11.83 seconds.
Neil Samraj Edges His Own Best
Neil Samraj R. won gold in the men's U18 100m in 10.45 seconds, bettering his own national U18 mark of 10.46 seconds set earlier this year in Ludhiana. He also erased the meet record of 10.63 seconds previously held by Anshu Rajak. J Nived Krishna of Kerala was second in 10.67 seconds, with Abhishek Naruka of Rajasthan third in 10.78 seconds.
Amanat Kamboj Dominates Discus
Punjab's Amanat Kamboj, an international-level thrower, set a meet record in the women's U20 discus throw with a distance of 51.44 metres, surpassing the previous championship best of 49.85 metres set by Kamalpreet Kaur. Supriya Attri of Uttar Pradesh came agonisingly close with a throw of 51.40 metres for silver, and Anushree KS of Tamil Nadu took bronze at 46.82 metres.
Other Key Results from Day One
In the men's U20 5,000m, Abhinandan Suryavan of Maharashtra edged a photo-finish in 14:32.08, with Aakash of Uttar Pradesh (14:32.14) and Rohit Choudhary of Rajasthan (14:32.35) in close pursuit. The men's U20 pole vault saw Arya Dev of Uttar Pradesh and Ajeet Kumar of Rajasthan share the top height of 4.60 metres, with RR Vishal of Tamil Nadu taking bronze at 4.40 metres.
In the women's U18 100m, T Mrithika of Tamil Nadu won gold in 11.71 seconds. The women's U18 javelin went to Misti Karmakar of West Bengal with a throw of 51.41 metres. The U14 triathlon finals were claimed by Pinki Pal of West Bengal (2894 points, girls) and Sumit Yadav of Uttar Pradesh (3256 points, boys).
With multiple events still to unfold across the coming days, the championships look set to produce further record-breaking performances from India's next generation of track-and-field talent.
Point of View
Signalling consistency rather than a one-off peak. Amanat Kamboj's discus throw, which wiped out Kamalpreet Kaur's meet record, adds a second story worth tracking: Punjab's women throwers are producing elite numbers at junior level. How the Athletics Federation of India channels these performances into senior squad exposure will determine whether this generation converts potential into international medals.
NationPress
24 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What national record did Abinaya Rajarajan set at the 2026 National Junior Athletics Championships?
Abinaya Rajarajan clocked 11.49 seconds in the Under-20 women's 100m on 23 October 2026 in Chennai, bettering her own previous national record of 11.54 seconds set in Kochi the previous year.
What record did Neil Samraj set at the 41st National Junior Athletics Championships?
Neil Samraj R. of Tamil Nadu won the U18 men's 100m in 10.45 seconds, improving his own national U18 record of 10.46 seconds set in Ludhiana earlier in 2026. He also broke the championship meet record of 10.63 seconds.
Who won the women's U20 discus throw and what was the record?
Amanat Kamboj of Punjab won gold with a throw of 51.44 metres, setting a new meet record. The previous championship best of 49.85 metres was held by Kamalpreet Kaur. Supriya Attri of Uttar Pradesh finished a close second with 51.40 metres.
Where and when is the 41st National Junior Athletics Championships 2026 being held?
The championships are being held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai, with the opening day taking place on 23 October 2026.
Which state dominated the sprint events on day one?
Tamil Nadu dominated the sprints on day one, claiming gold in the U20 women's 100m (Abinaya Rajarajan), the U18 men's 100m (Neil Samraj R.), and the U18 women's 100m (T Mrithika, 11.71 seconds).
