India Wins 16 Medals at Inaugural Asian U23 Athletics Championships

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team | Monday, 13 July 2026

India produced an impressive performance at the inaugural Asian U23 Athletics Championships 2026 in Ordos, China, finishing fourth in the medal table with a total of 16 medals. The Indian contingent secured three gold, four silver, and nine bronze medals across track, field, and race walk events, ending behind hosts China, Japan, and Uzbekistan. The championships, held from 9 to 12 July, showcased Asia's emerging athletics talent, with India's women athletes making a significant contribution to the country's success.

Key Highlights

• India finished fourth with 16 medals at the Asian U23 Championships
• Shravani Sachin Sangle won two golds and one bronze for India
• Indian women excelled in relay events, hurdles, and middle-distance races

A 54-member Indian squad competed in the inaugural edition of the continental event, delivering strong performances throughout the competition. The women's team particularly stood out, excelling in relay events and individual disciplines to help India achieve one of its best results at a major age-group championship.

Shravani Sachin Sangle emerged as India's standout performer after winning two gold medals and one bronze. The 20-year-old from Maharashtra played a decisive role in India's victory in the mixed 4x400m relay on the opening day. Teaming up with Astik Pradhan, Sandramol Sabu, and Setu Mishra, she anchored the team to victory in 3:18.64, overtaking hosts China in the closing stages to secure gold by just 0.10 seconds.

Shravani added another gold on the final day by helping India win the women's 4x400m relay. Alongside Sandramol Sabu, Pravallika Narimalla, and Nofisa Khatun, the quartet clocked 3:33.62 to finish ahead of China and Kazakhstan. She completed her impressive campaign by claiming bronze in the women's 400m hurdles with a time of 58.09 seconds, finishing the championships with three medals.

India also secured silver in the women's 4x100m relay through Sanjana, Akshaya Saravanan, Sudheeksha V, and Shreeya Rajesh. The quartet clocked 44.68 seconds to finish behind China and ahead of Kazakhstan, adding another podium finish to India's tally.

Individual athletes also contributed significantly to India's medal haul. Priya won bronze in the women's discus throw, while Bhumeshwory Devi Huidrom secured bronze in the women's 800m after finishing in 2:10.20. Prachi Devkar added another bronze in the women's 3,000m steeplechase, highlighting India's strength across multiple track and field disciplines.

Meanwhile, Telangana athlete Pravallika Narimalla celebrated her first major international gold after contributing to India's victorious women's 4x400m relay team. Hailing from Nalgonda district, she had already established herself as a promising athlete by winning 35 state-level medals, including 23 gold.

India's performance at the inaugural Asian U23 Athletics Championships underlined the country's growing strength in athletics, particularly among its young women athletes. Strong relay performances, consistent medal-winning displays across multiple disciplines, and the emergence of promising talent provided an encouraging sign for the future of Indian athletics on the international stage.