Top five performers from India at Asian U-20 Athletics Championships 2023

India finished third behind Japan and China in the medals tally.

The Indian athletes brought home a total of 19 medals from the Asian U-20 Athletics Championships 2023, which took place in Yecheon, Republic of Korea, spanning from 4 to 7 June. India's representation at the Asian U-20 Athletics Championships 2023 resulted in a commendable third-place finish in the overall medal standings with powerhouses Japan and China occupying the top two spots.

Boasting an impressive collection of six golds, seven silvers and six bronze medals, the Indian contingent left an indelible mark.

Let's explore India's top-five standout performers from Asian U-20 Athletics Championships 2023.

Rezoana Mallick Heena

This remarkable 16-year-old athlete won the coveted individual gold medal in the women's 400m race. Crossing the finish line with an impressive timing of 53.32s, she achieved her personal second-best timing and also earned India its first gold medal at this edition of the championships. She further went on to win two more medals in the relay races (bronze - 4*400m mixed relay and gold - 4*400m women's relay). She ended the campaign with three medals, the most by an Indian at the junior continental meet.

Rezoana Mallick Heena is the reigning champion in Asian U-18 and Asian U-20 (achieved the feat in a span of a month).

Laxita Vinod Sandila

Securing another gold medal for India, Laxita Vinod Sandila exhibited her dominance in the women's 1500m event. Crossing the finish line with an impressive time of 4:24.23, she clinched India's second gold medal in the competition.

Siddharth Choudhary

Displaying remarkable progress, the 17-year-old athlete achieved a personal milestone with an exceptional throw of 19.52m. This remarkable distance not only secured a well-deserved gold medal in shotput but also surpassed his previous junior-level record of 19.11m.

Bharatpreet Singh

Bharatpreet Singh showcased his dominance in the discus throw event with a remarkable throw that covered a distance of 55.66m. His exceptional performance propelled him to the top of the podium securing a well-deserved gold medal. Notably, he achieved this impressive mark in his third throw.

Sunil Kumar

Despite facing a significant setback as he arrived in Busan without the crucial fiberglass pole required for the pole vault event. Sunil defied the odds and showcased his remarkable resilience at the Junior Asian Championships. Prior to the final event, the 1500m, Sunil trailed behind the leader, Nodir Norbaev, by a margin of 103 points.

However, with an incredible display of determination and skill, Sunil managed to bridge the gap and secure the gold medal, surpassing Norbaev by a remarkable 47 points. He accumulated a personal best score of 7003 points, which led him to victory and a gold medal.

Other notable performance includes Pooja who settled for silver in the women's high jump. She cleared 1.82m to breach her personal best mark (previously at 1.76m). She was close to clearing the next hurdle at 1.84m but missed out by a fraction.

On the final day of the competition, the quarter-miler Rezoana Mallick Heena anchored the women's 4x400m relay team to a glorious gold medal. With a superb timing of 3:40.49s, Rezoana Mallick Heena, alongside her teammates Anushka Dattaray Kumbhar, Riya Nitin Patil, and Kanista Teena, secured the sixth gold medal.

List of Indian medallists at Asian U-20 Athletics Championships 2023

• Rezoana Mallick Heena (women’s 400m) - gold medal
• Laxita Vinod Sandila (women’s 1500m) - gold medal
• Rezoana Mallick Heena/Anushka Dattaray Kumbhar/ Riya Nitin Patil/ Kanista Teena (women’s 4x400m relay) - gold medal
• Siddharth Choudhary (men’s shot put) - gold medal
• Bharatpreet Singh (men’s discus throw) - gold medal
• Sunil Kumar (men's decathlon) - gold medal
• Susmita (women’s long jump) - silver medal
• Shivam Lohakare (men’s javelin throw) - silver medal
• Sharuk Khan (men's 3000m steeplechase) - silver medal
• Bushra Khan Gauri (Women's 3000m) - silver medal
• Pooja (women's high jump) - silver medal
• Shivaji Parashu Madappagoudra (men's 5000m race) - silver medal
• Deepak Singh/Sharan Megavarnam/Rihan Choudhary/Navpreet Singh (men’s 4x400m relay) - silver medal
• Antima Pal (women’s 5000m) - bronze medal
• Shakeel (men’s 800m) - bronze medal
• Rezoana Mallick Heena/Navpreet Singh/Anushka Dattaray Kumbhar/Deepak Singh (mixed 4x400m relay) - bronze medal
• Abinaya Rajarajan/Akshaya/Tamanna/Nayana Kokare (women's 4x100 relay) - bronze medal
• Vallip Hima Teja/Arijit Rana/Mohammad Reyan Basha/ Dondapati Mrutyam Jayaram (men's 4×100m relay) - bronze medal
• Mehdi Hasan (men’s 1500m event) - bronze medal