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Reliance Foundation athletes delivered a stellar performance on Day 2 of the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships at the Kalinga Stadium on Thursday, securing six Asian Games 2026 qualification spots across track and field events.
The contingent made a massive statement in the sprints, led by Animesh Kujur and Harita Bhadra, who clinched Gold medals in the Men's and Women's 200m events, respectively. Rising star Unnathi Aiyappa joined them on the podium with a hard-fought Silver in the Women's 200m. On the middle-distance front, experienced runner Md Afsal dominated the field to bag Gold in the Men's 800m, as per a press release. The field athletes added crucial silver-lining success to the tally, with Krishna Menon securing a Silver medal in Shot Put and Baranica E clearing the bar for a Silver in the Women's Pole Vault. All six athletes successfully breached the selection criteria, marking a highly successful second day for the Reliance Foundation program as they focus on representing India on the continental stage in Japan later this year. Yesterday, Athlete Jyothi Yarraji made an unforgettable comeback after 383 days away from the track that saw her win Gold and run under-13s again, She completed her run in 13.14 seconds in the opening heats of the women's 100m hurdles, booking her spot for the Asian Games to be held this year from September 19 to October 4. Mohammed Afsal also met the qualifying mark for the Asian Games in the men's 800m event at the Inter State Athletics Championships, clocking 1:47.69 minutes. (ANI)
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