Indian Athletes Shine at Asian U18 Athletics Championships 2025 with 11 Medals
Saudi Arabia/Patiala, 19 April (Sports Desk)
Indian athletes delivered a commendable performance at the Asian U18 Athletics Championships 2025, held in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, securing a total of 11 medals: one gold, five silvers, and five bronzes. The event, which concluded on April 18, 2025, saw standout performances from Himanshu, Nischay, and Aarti, with the latter two each claiming two medals.
India’s Medal Haul
Gold Medal
- Himanshu (Boys’ Javelin Throw): India’s only gold came on the final day, with Himanshu’s opening throw of 67.57m securing victory over China’s Lu Hao (63.45m) and Uzbekistan’s Ruslan Sadullaev (61.96m). This marked India’s first-ever gold in boys’ javelin throw at the Asian U18 Championships.
Silver Medals
- Nitin Gupta (Boys’ 5000m Race Walk): On April 16, the 17-year-old Army Boys Sports Company cadet clocked 20:21.51 to win silver, finishing just 0.01 seconds behind China’s Zhu Ninghao. Despite leading into the final 100m, Nitin was overtaken in the closing moments. Addressing speculation about an early celebration, he clarified, “I knew the Chinese walker was beside me, so I didn’t disrupt my rhythm. I’m not sure what happened at the end.”
- Tannu (Girls’ 400m): Tannu secured silver with a time of 57.63, trailing Japan’s Imamine Saki (57.27). India’s Edwina Jason finished fifth at 58.46.
- Nischay (Boys’ Shot Put): The 16-year-old achieved a personal best of 19.59m to claim silver, showcasing his versatility across throwing events.
- Devak Bhushan (Boys’ High Jump): Devak cleared 2.03m for silver, narrowly missing gold to Kuwait’s Mohammad Alduaij (2.05m).
- Chiranth P, Sayed Sabeer, Saket Minj, Kadir Khan (Boys’ Medley Relay): The quartet set a new youth national record of 1:52.15, surpassing the previous mark of 1:52.96, to win silver.
Bronze Medals
- Nischay (Boys’ Discus Throw): Nischay added a bronze with a throw of 58.85m, complementing his shot put silver.
- Aarti (Girls’ 100m): Aarti set a personal best of 11.93s to win bronze.
- Aarti (Girls’ 200m): She followed up with another personal best of 24.31s for bronze.
- Shourya Ambure (Girls’ 100m Hurdles): Shourya claimed bronze in a competitive field.
- Lakshita Mahlawat (Girls’ Discus Throw): Lakshita rounded out India’s medal tally with a bronze.
Key Highlights
- Multi-Medalists: Nischay and Aarti were India’s standout performers, each earning two medals. Nischay’s shot put silver and discus bronze highlighted his throwing prowess, while Aarti’s sprinting excellence shone in the 100m and 200m.
- Historic Gold: Himanshu’s javelin throw victory marked a milestone for India, breaking new ground in the event.
- National Record: The boys’ medley relay team’s 1:52.15 set a new benchmark, underscoring India’s growing strength in relays.
- Near Misses: Anchal Sajesh Patil narrowly missed a podium in the girls’ high jump, clearing 1.65m like Kuwait’s Yasmeen Roy but losing bronze due to a second-attempt clearance compared to Roy’s first.
Comparison to 2023
At the previous Asian U18 Championships in Tashkent 2023, India amassed 24 medals (6 golds, 11 silvers, 7 bronzes), led by Rezoana Mallick Heena’s three-medal haul (two golds, one silver). While the 2025 tally of 11 medals is lower, the performances in Dammam reflect the depth of India’s young talent, with new faces like Himanshu and Nischay stepping up.
Event Context
The sixth edition of the Asian U18 Athletics Championships featured fierce competition, with athletes from across the continent vying for top honors. India’s 11 medals placed them among the top-performing nations, though they trailed powerhouses like China and Japan in the overall standings. The championships served as a crucial platform for young athletes to gain international exposure ahead of future global events.
