Asian U20 Athletics: Nitin Gupta wins 5000m race walk gold; Sadhna takes triple jump silver
Synopsis
Eighteen-year-old Nitin Gupta's gold in the 5000m race walk at the U20 Asian Athletics Championships in Hong Kong is more than a podium finish — it is a comeback after a controversial disqualification at a national meet earlier this year. Paired with Sadhna Ravi's triple jump silver, India has two medals on Day 2 and a live decathlon prospect in Rahul Jakhar.
Key Takeaways
Nitin Gupta , 18, won India's first gold at the U20 Asian Athletics Championships 2025 in the men's 5000m race walk with a time of 19:47.49 .
Sadhna Ravi claimed silver in the women's triple jump with a best effort of 12.84m .
Nitin had previously been disqualified at a national meet after defeating double Olympian Sandeep Kumar , making this gold a significant personal redemption.
National record holder Nipam won bronze in the women's 100m (11.62s) on Day 1.
Rahul Jakhar is in contention for a decathlon medal after accumulating 3,902 points across five events on Day 1.
India won 29 medals including 7 golds at the previous edition in Dubai in 2024 .
Nitin Gupta clinched India's first gold at the U20 Asian Athletics Championships 2025 in Hong Kong on Friday, 29 May, storming to victory in the men's 5000m race walk with a time of 19:47.49. Hours later, Sadhna Ravi added a silver in the women's triple jump, taking India's tally to two medals on Day 2 of the competition.
Nitin Gupta's Gold — A Redemption Story
Nitin, 18, finished well clear of the field, clocking 19:47.49 to top the podium. Sheng-qin Lo of Taipei came second in 19:56.17, while Japan's Chihiro Obata took bronze in 20:06.73. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) celebrated the win on X, posting: 'Nitin Gupta walks his way into history with a sensational GOLD in the Men's 5000m Race Walk!'
The victory carries particular weight given Nitin's turbulent recent history. Earlier this year, the teenager had appeared to script a breakthrough at the National Senior Athletics Federation competition at Birsa Munda Football Stadium, defeating Sandeep Kumar — India's 40-year-old national record holder and double Olympian — in the men's 10km race walk. A protest was subsequently lodged against Nitin by Sandeep's camp alleging a violation of Rule 6.2 (giving or receiving assistance from other athletes); the jury accepted the complaint and Nitin was disqualified. His gold in Hong Kong, then, is a direct and emphatic response to that setback.
Sadhna Ravi Claims Triple Jump Silver
Sadhna Ravi recorded a best effort of 12.84m (+0.5) to secure the silver in the women's triple jump. China's Yiqing Xie won gold with a dominant leap of 13.36m (+1.3), while Kazakhstan's Mariya Chshipacheva took bronze with a personal best of 12.70m.
Day 1 Highlights and Decathlon Watch
On Day 1, national record holder Nipam earned a bronze in the women's 100m with a time of 11.62 seconds. India also has a strong medal prospect in the decathlon, where Rahul Jakhar put in an impressive first day across five events. He clocked 10.70 seconds in the 100m (929 points), leaped 6.77m in the long jump (760 points), threw 13.04m in the shot put (670 points), cleared 1.93m in the high jump (740 points), and ran 50.25 seconds in the 400m (803 points).
India's Championship Context
At the previous edition of the U20 Asian Athletics Championships held in Dubai in 2024, India finished third in the overall standings with 29 medals, including seven golds. The team will be eager to match or better that performance as the competition continues in Hong Kong.
Point of View
Then vindicated on an international stage weeks later. The disqualification episode — involving a protest by a decorated senior athlete's camp — raised uncomfortable questions about how India manages the transition from emerging talent to senior competition. His performance in Hong Kong does not resolve those questions, but it does signal that the talent is real. The bigger picture is India's depth at the U20 level: a race walk gold, a triple jump silver, a 100m bronze, and a live decathlon contender in two days suggests the pipeline is healthier than headline results at senior level often imply.
NationPress
11 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Nitin Gupta achieve at the U20 Asian Athletics Championships 2025?
Nitin Gupta won the gold medal in the men's 5000m race walk at the U20 Asian Athletics Championships 2025 in Hong Kong, clocking 19:47.49. It was India's first gold at this edition of the championships.
Why is Nitin Gupta's gold considered a redemption?
Earlier in 2025, Nitin had beaten double Olympian Sandeep Kumar at a national meet but was subsequently disqualified after a protest by Sandeep's camp for allegedly violating Rule 6.2. His gold in Hong Kong came shortly after that controversy.
How did Sadhna Ravi perform at the U20 Asian Athletics Championships?
Sadhna Ravi won the silver medal in the women's triple jump with a best effort of 12.84m (+0.5). China's Yiqing Xie took gold with 13.36m, while Kazakhstan's Mariya Chshipacheva claimed bronze with a personal best of 12.70m.
What is India's overall medal position at the U20 Asian Athletics Championships 2025?
By the end of Day 2, India had won at least two medals — one gold (Nitin Gupta, 5000m race walk) and one silver (Sadhna Ravi, triple jump) — plus a bronze from Day 1 (Nipam, women's 100m). The decathlon result involving Rahul Jakhar was still pending.
How did India perform at the previous U20 Asian Athletics Championships?
At the 2024 edition held in Dubai, India finished third in the overall standings with 29 medals, including seven golds.
