HANAMKONDA, Warangal district — The 13th leg of the Indian Athletics Series 2026, staged at the JN Stadium in Hanamkonda on Tuesday, produced a notable upset when 20‑year‑old Pravalika Narimalla edged two‑time Olympian Subha Venkatesan to win the women’s 400 metres.
Pravalika beats experienced rival, posts a 54.31s
Pravalika covered the lap in 54.31 seconds, finishing a slim 0.13s ahead of Subha, who touched the line in 54.44s. The podium was completed by Anankha in 55.32s.
Pravalika clocked 54.31s to claim the women’s 400m at the Warangal leg of the Indian Athletics Series.
Subha Venkatesan is a seasoned international competitor, having been part of India’s women's and mixed 4x400m relay squads that won silver medals at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, and a member of title-winning quartets at the Asian Athletics Championships last year. Pravalika, meanwhile, was a member of the Indian women's 4x400m relay team that secured gold at the Asian U23 Athletics Championships in Ordos, China, last month.
Other notable performances in Warangal
Pravalika also ran in the women's 200m earlier in the day and finished third with a time of 24.42s. The 200m was won by Prakruthi Roopa in 23.93s, with V Sudheeksha clocking 24.40s for second.
Prakruthi, aged 23, enjoyed a sprint double at JN Stadium after also topping the women's 100m in 11.74s, ahead of Suba Dharsini (11.80s) and Sudheeksha (12.01s). She had earlier in June breached the Athletics Federation of India’s Asian Games qualifying standard in the 200m at the National Inter‑State Senior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar, registering 23.58s.
- Men’s 400m: Suraj led the field with 46.88s, followed by Barath (46.99s) and Rince Joseph (47.61s).
- Men’s javelin: Manoj Kumar topped the competition with 72.76m, Shashank Patil was second (70.98m) and Uttam Patil third (70.61m).
- Men’s triple jump: Dinesh V finished first with 16.20m.
- Men’s high jump: Santosh M cleared 2.13m to win the event.
| Event | Winner | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Women’s 400m | Pravalika Narimalla | 54.31s |
| Women’s 200m | Prakruthi Roopa | 23.93s |
| Men’s 400m | Suraj | 46.88s |
| Men’s javelin | Manoj Kumar | 72.76m |
Context and implications for Telangana athletics
The Warangal leg of the series provided a competitive platform for both emerging youngsters and established international athletes to test form ahead of national selection windows and continental meets. Performances such as Pravalika’s underline the strength of the 4x400m relay pipeline from Telangana and neighbouring states, and will inform coaches and selectors as they assess relay combinations for forthcoming championships.
Olympian Muhammed Anas Yahiya, part of India’s gold‑winning men's 4x400m quartet at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, finished seventh in Race F of the men's 400m with 49.65s, which stood as the 16th‑fastest time across the men's 400m races at the meet. His result reflects the competitive depth present at the Warangal leg and the variability of form across a long season.
Organisers said the Indian Athletics Series will continue with its 14th leg in Panchkula, Haryana, on August 25, where athletes from this Warangal meeting may seek to consolidate or improve their marks.
The event at JN Stadium drew local spectators and provided a spotlight for Hanamkonda as a venue capable of hosting high‑calibre national athletics. For Telangana’s athletics community, the meet was another opportunity to showcase local infrastructure and talent pipelines that bridge district‑level training environments with national and Asian‑level competition.
Results and timings from Warangal will feed into athletes’ seasonal records and selection considerations for upcoming national championships and continental assignments.
