NEW DELHI: India is looking forward to a strong day in the athletics arena at the Commonwealth Games 2026 as: Praveen Chithravel and Selva Prabhu qualified in the men’s triple jump final, while Neeraj Chopra, Rohit Yadav and Yash Vir Singh ensured a clean sweep in the men’s javelin throw qualification.National record holder Praveen Chithravel produced a composed performance to finish second in the triple jump qualification standings with a best effort of 16.41m in his opening attempt.With cold and windy conditions making the competition difficult and none of the 14 athletes meeting the automatic qualification mark of 16.60m, Praveen decided not to take his remaining two attempts after securing his place in the final.The Indian national record stands at 17.37m, while his best time is 17.08m.His compatriot Selva Prabhu had a more dramatic route to qualification. After fouling his first two attempts, the Indian produced a pressure-packed final jump of 16.26m to move up to third position and secure his place in the medal round.The top 12 athletes advance to the final, which will be held this Saturday.Jamaica’s Jordan Scott, who has a season’s best of 17.69m, topped the qualification standings with a second-round effort of 16.56m.On the other hand, India’s national record holder Vishal TK missed the men’s 400m final after finishing sixth in his semifinal heat with a timing of 46.33 seconds. The qualification format allows the top two athletes from each heat and the next two fastest runners overall to advance.Vishal had previously clocked a national record of 44.98 seconds at the Federation Cup in May.
L-R: India’s Yash Vir Singh, Rohit Yadav and Neeraj Chopra (PTI Photo)
All three Indian javelin throwers qualified while Neeraj Chopra led the attack
India also enjoyed a perfect outing in the men’s javelin throw qualification, with three competitors advancing to the final.Two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra, who returned to the Commonwealth Games after missing Birmingham 2022 due to injury, led India’s challenge with a measured performance.Competing in chilly conditions at Scotstoun Stadium, Chopra cleared 76.28m before improving to 79.61m in her second attempt, finishing fifth in qualifying. Having secured his place in the final, the 2018 Commonwealth Games champion chose not to take his third throw.None of the competitors broke the automatic qualification mark of 84m due to the difficult conditions, with the top 12 progressing based on their rankings. Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage topped the standings with 82.84m.India’s Rohit Yadav also made the cut comfortably, finishing ninth after registering 78.37m in his second attempt. He chose not to take his final shot after qualification was confirmed.Yash Vir Singh completed India’s clean sweep, progressing steadily through the qualification round before clearing 78.36m in his final attempt to finish in 10th place.With the three Indians finishing, the focus now shifts to the final as Chopra looks to reclaim his Commonwealth Games title, while Rohit and Yash Vir look to challenge for podium finishes.