Federation Cup 2026: Sachin Yadav, Animesh Kujur and others chase Commonwealth Games qualification – Preview

With the 2026 Senior National Athletics Federation Cup being the final qualification event for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, a host of top track and field stars from the country are expected to descend to Ranchi for the competition from 22 to 25 May.

There will be 40 medal events in the 4-day competition, and the last chance for all the athletes to breach the qualification standard for the Glasgow Games set by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).

Several top athletes, including Avinash Sable, Jyothi Yarraji, and Manikanta Hoblidhar, have decided to skip the event as they are currently undergoing rehabilitation from injuries.

Despite that, multiple star athletes, including the World Championship finalists, like javelin thrower Sachin Yadav, high jumper Sarvesh Kushare and long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, will be in action.

Athletes to Watch out for

Sprinters:

There is a packed lineup in the sprints department with national record holder Animesh Kujur leading the pack alongside Gurindervir Singh and S. Tamilarasu.

But the AFI standard in the men's 100m is 10.16s – a mark no Indian has ever breached. So the equation is rather straightforward: set a national record and book your ticket to Glasgow.

Kujur will also be aiming for a double qualification by clocking the required 20.61s in the 200m, a timing he has bettered multiple times prior.

In the women’s 100m, the challenge will be even tougher as sprinters like Nithya Gandhe and Abinaya Rajarajan will need to match Dutee Chand’s national record of 11.17s to secure a berth.

Quarter-milers & Hurdlers

Just like 100m, Indian star quarter-milers will also have to break the national record to qualify for the CWG as AFI has set the standard at 44.96s.

Although six Indian players, including the favourites Vishal TK & Rajesh Ramesh, have dipped under 46s this year, further improvement will be a challenging task for them.

In the men's hurdles events, Tejas Shirse (110m), M. Krishik (110m), and P Yashas (400m) will also need to be at their best to confirm their berths in the Indian team.

In the women's 400m, Aishwarya Mishra and Poovamma Raju will be the key athletes to watch, and they might also qualify if they clock timings close to or better than their personal bests.

Middle & Long Distance Runners

In the middle distance races, Mohammed Afsal (800m), Krishan Kumar (800m), and Ajay Saroj (1500m) will be among the favourites for the title.

However, leading long-distance runners Gulveer Singh, Abhishek Pal, and Parul Chaudhary have opted to skip the event and carry on with their training abroad.

In their absence, Ankita Dhyani (3000m steeplechase), Seema (5000m), and Kartik Karkera (5000m) will be among the favourites to bag the gold medals.

Jumpers

From Jeswin Aldrin's comeback in men's long jump and a rising competition in pole vault and men's triple jump, the jump events are expected to put up a great show in Ranchi.

This year, several new Indian athletes have risen in this department, and many of them have already surpassed the Commonwealth Games qualifying mark at least once.

Battles to Watch out for:

• High Jump: CWG Mark 2.20m - Athletes to Watch Out For - Sarvesh Kushare (PB= 2.28m ), Aadarsh Ram (PB= 2.27m)
• Pole Vault: CWG Mark 5.25m - Athletes to Watch Out For - Dev Meena (PB = 5.40m), Kuldeep Kumar (PB = 5.41m), G Reegan (PB = 5.35m)
• Long Jump: CWG Mark 8.05m - Athletes to Watch Out For - Murali Sreeshankar (PB = 8.41m), Jeswin Aldrin (PB = 8.42m), S Lokesh (8.21m)
• Triple Jump: CWG Mark 16.89m - Athletes to Watch Out For - Abdulla Aboobacker (PB = 17.19m), Praveen Chithravel (PB = 17.37m), Selva Prabhu (17.05m)

In the women's long jump, the qualifying mark is set at 6.84m, which is more than the national record and hence top athletes like Shaili Singh and Ancy Sojan will have to give their lifetime best.

Throwers:

The throwing events will also feature several top Indian athletes, including Tajinderpal Singh Toor in the men’s shot put and Annu Rani in the women’s javelin throw.

Although the two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra missed this tournament, the quality of the men's javelin final is expected to be top-notch.

A tough battle for Commonwealth Games qualification is expected between Sachin Yadav, Rohit Yadav, and Kishore Jena, with the required standard set at 82.61m.

Alongside them, the rising star Damneet Singh (Men's Hammer Throw) and Seema (Women's Discus Throw) will also aim for their best performances.

Schedule of the 2026 Senior Athletics Federation Cup

22nd May - 5:40 AM Onwards - 7 Finals

23rd May - 6:00 AM onwards - 12 Finals

24th May - 6:00 AM onwards - 7 Finals

25th May - 5:45 AM onwards - 14 Finals

Where to Watch the 2026 Senior Athletics Fed Cup?

All the action from the 2026 Senior National Athletics Federation Competition will be live-streamed on the official AFI YouTube Channel.