Manikanta Hoblidhar Returns to National Reckoning with 100m Gold at National Open Athletics Championships

Manikanta Hoblidhar took an important step towards reclaiming his place among India’s leading sprinters on Friday, winning the men’s 100m title at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships with a time of 10.25 seconds at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

For the 24-year-old from Karnataka, the victory represented more than another domestic title. It marked his return to competitive prominence after a serious hamstring injury derailed a season in which he had hoped to establish himself on the international stage.

Hoblidhar had raised expectations last year when he became the first Indian man to run the 100m in under 10.20 seconds, setting a new national record and challenging the established hierarchy in Indian sprinting. His breakthrough established him as one of the country’s most promising short-distance runners and raised hopes of further progress in international competition. However, his momentum came to an abrupt halt in March this year.

Hoblidhar suffered a Grade 2 hamstring tear during the National Relay Championships. The injury was compounded by the discovery of a blood clot in his tendons, turning what might have been a temporary setback into a major disruption to his season.

The consequences extended beyond his individual ambitions. He missed the Commonwealth and Asian Games as well as the World Relays, losing valuable opportunities to test himself against international opposition and build on his national-record performance. His absence was also felt in the relay setup, where his injury affected the team’s preparations and medal prospects. For a sprinter seeking to establish himself as a reliable contributor to India’s international campaigns, the timing of the setback was particularly unfortunate.

Friday’s performance suggested that he is beginning to put that difficult period behind him, although his winning time remains some distance from the national-record level that brought him into the spotlight.

Hoblidhar acknowledged that he had expected a faster performance but pointed to an upset stomach and the need to exercise caution after his extended absence. He also indicated that he was not yet at optimum fitness and would need more work before the next season. His immediate ambition, however, remains clear: to break the 10-second barrier in the 100m during the coming season.

That target would represent another significant milestone for Indian sprinting. Reaching it will require Hoblidhar to combine his previous speed with the consistency, physical resilience and race execution needed to sustain progress after injury.

Lalu Prasad Bhoi finished second in the men’s 100m final in 10.43 seconds, while Lukik Melge took third in 10.45 seconds. The gap between Hoblidhar and the rest of the field underlined his advantage on the day, even as his winning time suggested that there is still room for improvement. His return to the top of a national championship podium provides a useful competitive marker as he works towards rebuilding his speed and confidence.

The coming months will be important in determining whether he can translate this domestic victory into a sustained return to his best form. Staying healthy through training and competition will be as important as improving his times.

Manpreet Kaur Leads the Shot Put Field

In the women’s shot put, Asian Games bronze medallist and national record holder Manpreet Kaur emerged as the leading performer, producing a best throw of 17.07m. The 21-year-old was the only competitor to cross the 17m mark, securing the title with a performance that reinforced her position among India’s leading shot-putters. After winning bronze at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, she added another strong domestic result to her season.

Her performance was a clear highlight of the women’s events, with the rest of the field unable to match the distance she achieved.

The women’s 400m produced one of the day’s most notable surprises, as Anjli won with a personal best of 53.37 seconds in her first national-level competition. The 21-year-old finished ahead of a field that included favourite Priya Mohan, making her victory a significant breakthrough. Her performance demonstrated the potential for emerging athletes to challenge more established names when given the opportunity to compete at a higher level.

A personal best on such an occasion provides a foundation for further progress, although consistency across future competitions will determine how quickly she can establish herself among the country’s leading quarter-milers.

Moumita Mandal Wins on Her Return

Moumita Mandal also made a successful return from an injury layoff, winning the women’s 100m hurdles in 13.48 seconds after first topping her heat.

Her victory offered another positive result for an athlete working her way back into competition. As with Hoblidhar, the immediate challenge will be to build on the result and regain consistency over the remainder of the season. The morning session also saw drama in the race walk half marathon. Servin Sebastian, who had led the race, was pushed down to fourth after being penalised two minutes for a technical violation involving loss of contact.

At the championships, Hoblidhar’s return was the central story. His national-record performance last year established the benchmark; his injury interrupted the progress that followed. The 10.25-second victory does not yet restore him to that peak, but it provides a starting point for his next phase.

With the next season in sight and the sub-10-second mark firmly in his ambitions, the priority now is to regain full fitness and convert his potential into performances on the track.