Manikanta Hoblidhar wins 100m gold at 65th Nationals despite stomach cramps
Synopsis
Karnataka's Manikanta Hoblidhar ran through stomach cramps to claim the 100m gold at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships in New Delhi, clocking 10.25 seconds. He missed his own meet record by 0.06 seconds — but the win, coming mid-rehab, signals a strong competitive return for India's top sprinter.
Key Takeaways
Manikanta Hoblidhar (Karnataka) won the 100m gold in 10.25 seconds at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships in New Delhi .
Hoblidhar battled stomach cramps from Thursday night and fell 0.06 seconds short of his own meet record of 10.19 seconds .
Servin Sebastian (SSCB) was denied the men's 21km race-walk gold after a two-minute penalty for a technical violation dropped him to fourth; Suraj Panwar (Uttarakhand) was declared winner in 1:30:48.00 .
Railways swept the men's 1500m podium and won the mixed 4x100m relay in 42.82 seconds .
Yamandeep Sharma (Railways) won the decathlon with 7068 points ; Manpreet Kaur (Railways) topped the women's shot put at 17.07m .
Karnataka sprinter Manikanta Hoblidhar powered through stomach cramps to claim the 100 metres gold at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships on Friday, 10 October 2025, at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. Battling an ailment that struck the previous night, Hoblidhar clocked 10.25 seconds to be crowned the fastest man of the meet — even as he narrowly missed his own championship record of 10.19 seconds set last year.
Hoblidhar's comeback run
Hoblidhar suffered the stomach cramps on Thursday night, but more than 20 hours later he showed no visible signs of distress on the track. He finished ahead of Lalu Prasad Bhoi of Railways (10.43 seconds) and Laukik Melge of SSCB (10.45 seconds).
'I was pretty confident of improving my personal best here in Delhi but missed because of stomach cramps,' Hoblidhar said. 'I am happy with my performance as I have been undergoing rehab since April this year,' he added. Notably, this victory carries added significance given his rehabilitation stint — suggesting a competitive return to form for the Karnataka speedster.
Race-walk drama: Servin Sebastian's heartbreak
The morning session produced one of the more dramatic finishes of the day. Servin Sebastian of SSCB crossed the line first in the men's 21km half marathon race walk, only to be handed a two-minute penalty for a technical rules violation. The punishment dropped him to fourth place with a final time of 1:32:46.00. Suraj Panwar of Uttarakhand was declared the winner in 1:30:48.00, followed by Deepak Gurjar of Delhi (1:30:55.00) and Vishvendra Singh of Madhya Pradesh (1:31:32.00).
Key results from Day's action
In the men's 400m, Akash Raj of Tamil Nadu edged out the field in 46.24 seconds, with Vikrant Panchal (Railways, 46.26 secs) and Mijo Kurian (SSCB, 46.45 secs) following. The men's 1500m was a Railway clean sweep — Arjun Waskale won in 3:43.04, ahead of Shivam Sharma (3:43.12) and Rahul Baloda (3:43.14). In the 110m hurdles, Muhammed Lazan VK of SSCB topped with 13.70 seconds.
On the field, Sebastian VS (SSCB) took the triple jump gold at 16.54m, while Dharamraj Yadav (SSCB) won the discus throw with 55.90m. Yamandeep Sharma of Railways claimed the decathlon with 7068 points.
In the women's events, Anjli of Haryana won the 400m in 53.37 seconds, while Moumita Mondal (Railways) claimed the 100m hurdles in 13.48 seconds. Manpreet Kaur of Railways dominated the shot put with a throw of 17.07m. Mokavi M of Railways won the women's 21km half marathon race walk in 1:45:39.00. The mixed 4x100m relay went to Railways in 42.82 seconds.
What this signals for Indian sprinting
Hoblidhar's win, achieved despite a physically taxing night, underscores the depth of competition at the national level. His ongoing rehabilitation — which began in April 2025 — and his continued ability to finish sub-10.30 seconds at a major national championship suggest he remains a frontline contender for international selection. This is the second consecutive year he has topped the 100m podium at this meet, consolidating his status as India's leading short-sprint talent.
Point of View
However, is the Servin Sebastian episode: a race-walk athlete crossing the finish line first only to be relegated by a technical penalty exposes the tension between athletic effort and rule enforcement that frequently disrupts Indian field competitions. National selectors watching this meet will note both the sprint headline and the growing depth in the 400m and 1500m, where margins were razor-thin.
NationPress
10 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 100m gold at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships?
Manikanta Hoblidhar of Karnataka won the 100m gold, clocking 10.25 seconds at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on 10 October 2025. He overcame stomach cramps suffered the previous night to claim the title.
Did Hoblidhar break his own meet record?
No. Hoblidhar's winning time of 10.25 seconds fell short of his own national championship record of 10.19 seconds set the previous year. He attributed the miss to the stomach cramps that affected him overnight.
Why did Servin Sebastian lose the race-walk gold?
SSCB's Servin Sebastian finished first in the men's 21km half marathon race walk but received a two-minute penalty for a technical rules violation, which dropped him to fourth place with a final time of 1:32:46.00. Suraj Panwar of Uttarakhand was declared the winner.
Which state or institution performed best on the day?
Railways had a strong showing, sweeping the men's 1500m podium, winning the mixed 4x100m relay in 42.82 seconds, and claiming medals in multiple women's events. SSCB also performed consistently, particularly in hurdles and field events.
What is the significance of Hoblidhar's win given his injury history?
Hoblidhar revealed he has been undergoing rehabilitation since April 2025, making his sub-10.30 gold-medal run a significant marker of his recovery. It positions him as a strong contender for national selection in upcoming international competitions.
