Kiran Pahal’s Golden Run Lights Up Indian Athletics Series in Surat

Olympian Kiran Pahal once again underlined her status as one of India’s premier quarter milers, producing a commanding performance to clinch the women’s 400m gold at the Indian Athletics Series in Surat on Tuesday.

Representing Haryana, the 25 year old comfortably outclassed the field, crossing the finish line in 53.49 seconds . While it was short of her season best effort of 52.89 seconds achieved earlier at the Ludhiana leg of the competition, the victory reaffirmed her consistency as she continues her preparations for upcoming major events.

Kiran, who represented India at the 2024 Paris Olympics , owns a personal best of 50.92 seconds in the one lap race and remains one of the country's leading contenders in the event.

The men’s 400m final also produced a closely fought contest, with Pradeep S of Tamil Nadu taking top honours in 48.41 seconds . He finished ahead of Brajesh Singh of Madhya Pradesh and Vedant Sananse of Maharashtra , who clocked 48.70 and 48.85 seconds respectively.

One of the standout stories of the meet came in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase , where Naveen Kumar Dagar made a successful return after a lengthy absence from competition. The Haryana athlete secured gold in 9:09.80 , finishing comfortably ahead of Ashish Pal of All India Police and Uttar Pradesh’s Raj Kumar .

The middle distance events also witnessed impressive performances. Army runner Nilkantha Ray claimed the men’s 800m title in 1:50.45 , while Navy athlete Nikhil Bhardwaj emerged victorious in the men’s 400m hurdles with a timing of 52.69 seconds .

In the field events, Haryana continued its strong showing through Avinash Kumar , who won the men’s long jump with an effort of 7.72 metres . Maharashtra’s Jay Shah topped the triple jump competition with 15.68 metres , while Haryana’s Aditya captured the men’s javelin throw title after recording a best throw of 67.74 metres .

Among the women, Charu Shoukeen of Delhi sprinted to victory in the 100m race, while Punjab’s Amandeep Kaur secured the 800m crown. Rajasthan athlete Kumari Parru emerged victorious in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase, and Kerala’s Aleena T Saji claimed top honours in the triple jump.

The meet showcased a blend of established stars and emerging talent, with several athletes delivering encouraging performances as the domestic athletics season gathers momentum ahead of bigger national and international competitions.