Two young Indian athletes achieved national records at the National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar last month. Anushka Yadav improved the hammer throw mark, while Sindhushree G. set a new pole vault record. Both earned spots on the Asian Games team.
Anushka Yadav, 18, threw 67.02m in the hammer throw event. She broke Sarita Singh’s nine-year-old national record twice during the competition in Bhubaneswar. The teenager from Uttar Pradesh also qualified for the World Under-20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, scheduled for August 5 to 9.
Sindhushree G., 25, cleared 4.25m in the pole vault. She surpassed the previous national mark by two centimetres. The athlete from Bengaluru, who lost her father six years ago, used a borrowed pole for the event.
Both athletes face the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4. Their coach and family members highlighted the role of training and support in their progress.