Himanshu Kumar's 2.09m high jump headlines record-laden National Youth Athletics 2026
Synopsis
A 21-year-old high jump record finally fell at Ludhiana's Guru Nanak Stadium as Jharkhand's Himanshu Kumar cleared 2.09m — but that was just one highlight. From Yash Mulik's national record in the 110m hurdles to Misti Karmakar's javelin gold, the final day of the 21st National Youth Athletics Championships 2026 rewrote the record books across the board.
Key Takeaways
Himanshu Kumar (Jharkhand) won boys' high jump gold at 2.09m , breaking a meet record set in 2005 by Rajesh Kaliramana.
Yash Mulik (Maharashtra) set a national record of 13.40 seconds in the boys' 110m hurdles and was named best male athlete.
Nupura Holla (Karnataka) clocked a meet record 13.78 seconds in girls' 100m hurdles and was named best female athlete.
Krishan Chandra (Madhya Pradesh) threw 79.92m and Misti Karmakar (West Bengal) threw 52.84m to set meet records in boys' and girls' javelin respectively.
Haryana topped the medal tally with 4 gold, 7 silver, 3 bronze ; Maharashtra finished second and Karnataka third.
Himanshu Kumar of Jharkhand shattered the oldest standing mark at the 21st National Youth Athletics Championships 2026, clearing 2.09m in the boys' high jump on 3 September 2026 at Guru Nanak Stadium, Ludhiana, to erase a meet record that had stood since 2005. The feat headlined a record-laden final day in which multiple meet and national marks were rewritten across field and track events.
A 21-Year-Old Record Falls
The boys' high jump meet record of 2.08m, set by Rajesh Kaliramana in 2005 in Bengaluru, was the oldest surviving mark at the championships. Himanshu Kumar ended its two-decade run with a gold-medal clearance of 2.09m. Notably, Zubin Gohain of Assam also matched the previous meet record but settled for silver with the same height of 2.09m, with the gold decided on countback.
Javelin Records Erased in Both Draws
Krishan Chandra of Madhya Pradesh claimed the boys' javelin throw gold with a distance of 79.92m, surpassing the previous meet record of 77.41m set by Rohit Yadav in 2018 in Vadodara. In the girls' event, Misti Karmakar of West Bengal won gold at 52.84m, improving on the previous meet record of 51.84m set by Deepika in 2022.
Track Highlights and Best Athletes
Manas Shinde of Maharashtra clocked 21.51 seconds in the boys' 200m to set a new meet record, bettering the previous best of 21.65 seconds. In the boys' 110m hurdles, Yash Mulik of Maharashtra posted a national record of 13.40 seconds, shaving off the previous best of 13.47 seconds. On the girls' side, Nupura Holla of Karnataka stormed to a meet record of 13.78 seconds in the 100m hurdles, well clear of the previous best of 14.06 seconds. Mulik and Holla were subsequently named the best male and female athletes of the three-day competition.
Medal Tally: Haryana Lead, Maharashtra Second
Haryana topped the overall medal standings with four gold, seven silver, and three bronze medals. Maharashtra finished second with eight medals including three gold, while Karnataka placed third with three gold and two silver. The strong showing from multiple states reflects the depth of youth athletics talent emerging across the country.
Full Day 3 Results
Boys: 200m — Manas Shinde (Maharashtra) 21.51s (MR), Mehebulbul Ahamed (West Bengal) 21.69s, Harit Choudhary (Uttar Pradesh) 21.84s. 110m hurdles — Yash Mulik (Maharashtra) 13.40s (NR), Anshu Yadav (Uttar Pradesh) 13.54s, Kripal Karthic K (Tamil Nadu) 13.71s. Javelin throw — Krishan Chandra (Madhya Pradesh) 79.92m (MR), Pushpak Nel Wade (Karnataka) 76.09m, Manjeet Kumar (Rajasthan) 74.45m. High jump — Himanshu Kumar (Jharkhand) 2.09m (MR), Zubin Gohain (Assam) 2.09m, Sakthivel VN (Tamil Nadu) 2.07m. Long jump — Prem Raj (Bihar) 7.58m (MR), Sanoyaj Mondal (West Bengal) 7.21m, Sukhvir Singh (Uttar Pradesh) 7.10m. Medley 1,000m — Telangana 1:54.54, Tamil Nadu 1:54.84, Kerala 1:55.15.
Girls: 200m — Bhoomika Nehate (Maharashtra) 23.92s (MR), Sahaya Jemima (Tamil Nadu) 24.54s, Saawari Kulkarni (Maharashtra) 24.67s. 100m hurdles — Nupura Holla (Karnataka) 13.78s (MR), Rajashree VB (Tamil Nadu) 14.23s, Khushi Patel (Uttar Pradesh) 14.42s. Shot put — Anjali (Haryana) 16.02m, Jasmine Kaur (Punjab) 15.62m, Drona Choudhary (Rajasthan) 15.40m. Javelin throw — Misti Karmakar (West Bengal) 52.84m (MR), Sanavi Gaiwad (Maharashtra) 50.07m, Shivani Patel (Madhya Pradesh) 49.35m. Heptathlon — Anamika (Kerala) 4641 pts, Muskan (Haryana) 4535 pts, Urmila Bharasag (Odisha) 4156 pts. 1,000m Medley — Punjab 2:13.18, Maharashtra 2:14.30, Haryana 2:14.59.
With a clutch of national and meet records rewritten across disciplines, the 21st National Youth Athletics Championships closes as a benchmark edition — one that will be watched closely by selectors eyeing India's junior pipeline ahead of upcoming international competitions.
Point of View
Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh — contributed record-breakers, suggesting India's youth athletics pipeline is wider than headline results usually convey. Yash Mulik's national record in the 110m hurdles is particularly significant: the event has historically been an Indian weakness at the senior level. Whether these performances translate into senior international medals depends on whether the Athletics Federation of India can sustain structured support beyond the junior circuit — a transition that has repeatedly stalled in the past.
NationPress
3 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What record did Himanshu Kumar break at the National Youth Athletics Championships 2026?
Himanshu Kumar of Jharkhand broke the boys' high jump meet record with a clearance of 2.09m, surpassing the previous mark of 2.08m set by Rajesh Kaliramana in 2005 in Bengaluru — the oldest meet record at the championships. He won the gold medal at the 21st National Youth Athletics Championships in Ludhiana on 3 September 2026.
Who were named the best athletes at the 21st National Youth Athletics Championships?
Yash Mulik of Maharashtra and Nupura Holla of Karnataka were named the best male and female athletes respectively at the three-day championships. Mulik set a national record of 13.40 seconds in the boys' 110m hurdles, while Holla clocked a meet record 13.78 seconds in the girls' 100m hurdles.
Which state topped the medal tally at the National Youth Athletics Championships 2026?
Haryana topped the medal tally with four gold, seven silver, and three bronze medals. Maharashtra finished second with eight medals including three gold, and Karnataka placed third with three gold and two silver medals.
What other meet records were broken on the final day in Ludhiana?
Several meet records fell on Day 3: Krishan Chandra (Madhya Pradesh) threw 79.92m in boys' javelin, Misti Karmakar (West Bengal) threw 52.84m in girls' javelin, Manas Shinde (Maharashtra) ran 21.51 seconds in boys' 200m, and Nupura Holla clocked 13.78 seconds in girls' 100m hurdles. Yash Mulik's 13.40 seconds in boys' 110m hurdles was also a national record.
Where were the 21st National Youth Athletics Championships 2026 held?
The 21st National Youth Athletics Championships 2026 were held at Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana, Punjab, over three days concluding on 3 September 2026.
