Prince Kumar, Samardeep Gill, Sanjana Singh, Yogita and the mixed relay team clinched five golds for India while Sri Lankans topped the remaining four finals.

Indian and Sri Lankan athletes dominated the opening day of the South Asian Athletics Championships 2025 in Ranchi, clinching five and four gold medals, respectively, at the Birsa Munda Football Stadium in Ranchi.

The first gold medal for India – and the championship – came in the men’s 5000m race, where Prince Kumar, an Uttar Pradesh police constable and winner at the All India Police Championships 2024, clocked 14:22.17 to finish ahead of Sri Lanka’s Vakshan Vicknaraj (14:23.21) and Nepal’s Mukesh Bahadur Pal (14:25.54).

In the women’s 5000m race, India stamped their dominance once again as Sanjana Singh (15:38.70) clinched gold, while compatriot Seema (15:40.55) settled for silver, completing a one-two finish for the hosts.

Samardeep Singh Gill won the men’s shot put title with a throw of 19.59m ahead of compatriot Ravi Kumar, who took silver with 17.95m. Sri Lanka’s Mithunraj claimed bronze with a 14.68m effort.

The women’s shot put saw Yogita strike gold for India with a throw of 15.85m, narrowly edging compatriot Shiksha, who registered 15.83m to win silver. Sri Lanka’s Chandrasekara Ovine secured bronze with 13.03m.

The Indian team of Rashid, Neeru Pathak, Mohammed Ashfaq, Olimba and Steffi added a fifth gold medal by winning the mixed 4x400m relay event.

Among other results, Sri Lanka’s Yodasinghege Chamo won the men’s 100m dash with a time of 10.30s while India’s Pranav Gaurav (10.32s) and Harsh Raut (10.42s) bagged silver and bronze, respectively.

In the women’s 100m, Sri Lanka dominated with Mohammad Yamick (11.53s) and Thanuji Amasha (11.72s) taking gold and silver, while India’s Sudeshna Shivankar finished strongly with 11.78s to secure bronze.

The women’s triple jump saw Sri Lanka’s Herath Mudiyans clinch gold with a leap of 13.36m, followed by India’s Poorva Sawant (13.03m). Sri Lanka’s Ekanayaka Mudiy Sha (12.79m) bagged bronze.

At the end of the opening day, India led the medal tally with five gold, five silver and two bronze medals.

The three-day meet, which will conclude on Sunday, marks the return of the South Asian athletics competition after 17 long years.

This year, which also marks the fourth edition of the championships, features around 300 athletes from six countries – India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives – in 37 medal events.

SAAF CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RESULT MEDAL LIST