Sprinter Abinaya Rajarajan Smashes U20 National Record in Stunning Return to Form
BHUBANESWAR: The Kalinga Stadium played host to a historic performance on Saturday as 19-year-old sprinter Abinaya Rajarajan delivered a breathtaking performance, shattering the U20 national record in the women’s 100m sprint at the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meet.
Coming off a challenging four-month layoff due to injury, the Tamil Nadu-born athlete clocked a sensational 11.34 seconds, eclipsing the previous U20 national record of 11.53s set by Nipam Chauhan at the Federation Cup earlier this year. With this performance, Abinaya now sits among the elite tier of Indian sprinters, ranking third all-time alongside national icons Dutee Chand (11.17s) and Rachita Mistry (11.34s).
A Remarkable Comeback
Abinaya’s path to the record books was anything but linear. Following an injury sustained at the Asian Indoor Championships, the NCOE Trivandrum trainee underwent a grueling rehabilitation process. While she steadily improved her timings throughout the season—including an 11.58s finish in the Czech Republic—the national record remained just out of reach.
"In the Czech Republic, I was hoping to break the record, but my physical condition held me back," said an elated Abinaya after the race. "But today I was fully fired up. I didn’t expect this time—11.34 is a crazy, crazy time."
The young athlete credited her recovery to a combination of rigorous training under coach R. Seenivasan, the power of visualization, and the unwavering emotional support of her father, Rajarajan. Her father, who first identified her talent when she outpaced him during a casual walk at just six years old, remained a pillar of strength throughout her injury. "He told me, ‘Don’t take any pressure. Run easily. Just run. Enjoy,’" she recalled.
Following her triumph, Abinaya delighted the home crowd by celebrating with Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic "Siu" gesture.
A Banner Day for Indian Athletics
The event saw a wave of strong performances from Indian athletes. In the men’s javelin, Rohit Yadav made a spectacular comeback from his Commonwealth Games disappointment, securing the title with a massive 87.68m throw in his final attempt. He bested Commonwealth bronze medalist Yashvir Singh, who took silver with an 82.94m mark.
Other notable highlights included:
- Long Jump: Ancy Sojan claimed the women’s title with a 6.71m leap, followed by Shaili Singh (6.56m), while Murali Sreeshankar dominated the men’s event with an 8.07m effort.
- Track Events: Vithya Ramraj clocked a personal best of 51.96s to win the women’s 400m, while sprinters Animesh Kujur (10.32s) and Gurindervir Singh (10.39s) impressed in the men’s 100m.
International talent also shone, with Nigerian shot put champion Chukwuebuka Enekwechi clinching gold with a throw of 20.78m, and Brazil’s Andressa de Morais taking the women’s discus title at 58.66m.
While the night was a success for most, it proved difficult for hurdles star Jyothi Yarraji, who finished third in the 100m hurdles (13.24s) before opting to pull out of the 100m sprint.
As the athletics season continues, Abinaya Rajarajan’s record-breaking performance in Bhubaneswar serves as a clear indicator that a new star has arrived on the national stage, signaling a bright future for Indian sprinting.
