World Athletics Day: From Dutee Chand to Parul Chaudhary, the fastest Indians

Athletics is one set of sports that catches everyone's attention. Be it a 100-metre dash or a 1500-metre long-distance race, the excitement remains the same.

This is a sport that can take you to glory or leave you astray, all in a matter of a few seconds or even milliseconds. World Athletics Day is celebrated every year to encourage good health and fitness and to honour the athletes who work tirelessly to bring laurels to the countries they represent.

On this year's World Athletics Day, The Bridge lists down the athletes who hold the record for the fastest Indian timings in each track category, in both men's and women's divisions.

Manikanta Hoblidhar and Dutee Chand: 100m

In what one could say is the most frenzy and exciting event in all of track, the 100m dash is a show of pure speed and athleticism.

In the men's category, Manikanta Hoblidhar holds the national record for the fastest timing, running it in 10.23s during the 62nd National Open athletics championships held in Bengaluru in 2023.

Dutee Chand ran the women's 100m at 11.17s, breaking her national record at the National Athletics Grand Prix in Patiala, in 2021. But unfortunately, even a record-breaking run couldn't find her an Olympic spot for the Tokyo Summer Olympics.

Amlan Borgohain and Saraswati Saha: 200m

The 200m national record holders are Amlan Borgohain and Saraswati Saha for the men's and women's category respectively.

Assamese runner Amlan Boroghain ran the 200m in 20.52s at the National Federation Cup in Calicut, Kerala in 2022, a performance that also gave him the gold medal.

On the other hand, Saraswati Saha set her 200m record in 2002, at the National Circuit Athletic Meet held in Ludhiana, clocking at 22.82s, a record that has hitherto remained unbroken.

Muhammed Anas and Hima Das: 400m

The 400m is often considered the toughest race to run, requiring a lot of speed and endurance in the right mix to compete and win.

Muhammed Anas holds the national record for the fasting timing in the men's category as he ran the 400m at 45.21s at the 2019 Czech Athletics Championships. He has also represented India at the 2016 Rio Olympics in the 400m and 4x400m relay events.

Nicknamed the Dhing Express, Hima Das broke into the athletic scene with a blistering 400m run at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, clocking 50.79s. She is also the first Indian athlete to win a gold medal in a track event at the IAAF World U20 Championships.

Jinson Johnson and Tintu Luka: 800m

Jinson Johnson holds two records for India: the fastest 800m and 1500m timings. He broke the Sriram Singh record in 800m in June 2018 when he clocked a time of 1:45.65s at the Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships.

Tintu Luka, the sprinter from Kerala broke the 800m record at the 2010 Continental Cup in Croatia, clocking at 1:59.17s. She broke the 15-year record held by Shiny Wilson, who had run the 800m at 1:59.85s.

Jinson Johnson and Harmilan Bains: 1500m

Jinson Johnson, in addition to holding the 800m national record, also owns the 1500m national record. He completed the race in 3:35.24s at the 2019 Internationales Stadionfest (ISTAF), Berlin.

Harmilan Bains clocked 4:05.39s in the 1500m race at the National Open Championships 2021 in Warangal to set a new national record erasing Sunita Rani's 2002 record of 4:06.03s.

Surendra Singh and Parul Chaudhary: 3000m

Surendra Singh, the long-distance runner who represented India at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, holds the national record for 3000m with a timing of 7:50.31s.

Parul Chaudhary set her national record in the 3000m at the 2022 Los Angeles Sound Running Sunset Tour, clocking 8:57.19s. She is also the first Indian runner to hold a sub-9 minute record in the women's 3000m category.

Avinash Sable and Parul Chaudhary: 5000m

Although Avinash Sable specializes in the 3000m Steeplechase, he also holds the record in the 5000m long-distance running, setting the national record at the 2023 Sound Running On Track Fest in the USA, clocking 13:19.30s.

Parul Chaudhary, who also holds the 3000m national record, has the 5000m national record to her name as well. She clocked 15:10.35s at the 2023 Sound Running On Track Fest in the USA.

Gulveer Singh and Preeja Sreedharan: 10000m

The 10000m pushes the limits of human athletic capability. It is a test of an athlete's endurance and mental capacity and is very brutal. Gulveer Singh and Preeja have embraced brutality and own the national records in this category for men's and women's, respectively.

Gulveer Singh ran the 10000m in 27:41.81s and broke the national record in March 2024, at The TEN event held in the USA. Preeja, on the other hand, clocked 31:50.47s at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, to claim the national record.

Siddhanth Thingalaya: 110m hurdles

Mumbai-born hurdles athlete Siddhanth Thingalaya holds the 110m hurdles record, which he claimed at the Altis Invitational event in the United States in 2017. He completed the race at 13.48s.

Jyothi Yarraji: 100m hurdles

In the women's only 100m hurdles, Jyothi Yarraji ran at 12.78s at the FISU World University Games 2023 in Chengdu, China, and broke the national record.

Ayyasamy Dharun and PT Usha/Vithya Ramraj: 400m hurdles

The 400m hurdles might just be the toughest track event out there. The men's 400m hurdles national record is held by Ayyasamy Dharun, who ran at 48.80 at the 2019 Federation Cup in Patiala.

One of the legends of the athletic world, PT Usha, holds the women's 400m hurdles record, a record that has been hers since 1984 when she set it at the Los Angeles Olympics, clocking at 55.42.

Interestingly, in the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, Vithya Ramraj clocked the exact timing in the same event, thereby sharing the honors with Usha, an honor very few athletes could boast about.

Avinash Sable and Parul Chaudhary: 3000m steeplechase

At the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Avinash Sable completed the 3000m steeplechase with a timing of 8:11.20, thereby setting the national record in that category.

Parul Chaudhary, the stalwart in long-distance running, holds the 3000m steeplechase record as well, clocking at 9:15.31, achieved at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest.

4x100m relay

Relays are some of the most fun events to watch at any athletic event. It is exciting and keeps us all on the edge of our seats, waiting in anticipation as the baton gets passed around from one athlete to the other.

The Indian team of Rahamatulla Molla, Suresh Sathya, Shameer Mon, and A. Qureshi ran their relay at 38.89s at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi to set the national record.

The women's national record was set by the team comprising Archana S, Dhanalakshmi, Hima Das, and Dutee Chand. The quartet ran in 43.37s and set the national record at the Indian Grand Prix IV in 2021.

4x400m relay:

The men's 4x400m relay national record is held by Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Amoj Jacob, Muhammed Ajmal, and Rajesh Ramesh, who clocked 2:59.05s at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest. This is also an Asian record.

The women's 4x400m relay national record was created at the 2004 Athens Olympics by Chitra Soman, Rajwinder Kaur, K.M. Beenamol, and Manjit Kaur, who clocked 3:26.89s.

4x400m mixed relay:

The national record in this category was created at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games by Muhammad Ajmal, Vithya Ramraj, Rajesh Ramesh, and Subha Venkatesan. They also clinched the bronze medal thanks to this stunning race.

Shivnath Singh and O.P Jaisha: Full Marathon

A record untouched since 1978, Shivnath Singh set the full marathon national record by finishing the race with a time of 2:12:00.

O.P Jaisha holds the women's marathon record, one which she claimed at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, China with a timing of 2:34:43.

Avinash Sable and Suriya Loganathan: Half Marathon

Thanks to his 1:00:30 run at the Delhi Half Marathon 2020, which also saw him win the event, Avinash Sable is the holder of the national record in this category.

The women's half marathon record, meanwhile, belongs to Suriya Loganathan, who ran a 1:10:31 race at the 2017 Delhi Half Marathon.

As we celebrate these remarkable feats in athletics, it is also important to imbibe the lessons of hard work, perseverance, and 'never say no' spirit. There are too many more records being created not just at the national level, but also at the international level, hopefully some in the upcoming Paris Olympics.