Asian U20 Athletics Championships: Eighteen-year-old Rahul Jakhar from Gujarat's Valsad district has won the gold medal in the decathlon at the 22nd Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong, setting a new Indian Under-20 national record and becoming one of the continent's leading young athletes in the discipline.
Jakhar amassed 7,185 points across the two-day, 10-event competition to secure the title, surpassing the previous national U20 mark in the gruelling combined event.
His victory marks a significant achievement for Indian athletics, with the young athlete emerging as the top decathlete in Asia in the under-20 category.
The teenager, who hails from Charvada village in Valsad district, comes from a family originally from Rajasthan's Sikar district that later settled in Vapi, where they entered the construction business.
His rise to continental success has been built on years of training and progression through Gujarat's sports development system.
Speaking by telephone from Hong Kong after his victory, Jakhar said: "I am grateful to all my coaches who supported me throughout my journey. The Gujarat government has provided excellent facilities and opportunities for athletes. My dream now is to represent India at the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics, and I will continue working hard to prepare for those competitions."
According to his coach, Shivam Upadhyay, the decathlon is regarded as one of athletics' most demanding events, requiring competitors to perform across ten disciplines: the 100 metres, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400 metres, 110 metres hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin throw and 1,500 metres.
"Rahul delivered a record-breaking performance by scoring 7,185 points and winning the gold medal. He is now the national record holder in the Under-20 category," Upadhyay said.
Jakhar currently trains at the Sports Authority of Gujarat's High-Performance Centre in Nadiad, where he receives specialised coaching and sports science support.
After beginning his athletics journey under coach Vipul Chaudhary at the District Level Sports School in Gadh of Banaskantha district, he was selected in 2024 for advanced training at the Nadiad centre.
There, under coaches Shivam Upadhyay, Dharmendra Parmar and Satesh Upadhyay, Jakhar developed into one of India's most promising combined-events athletes.
His introduction to athletics came unexpectedly a few years ago during an evening walk with his father in Vapi.
After seeing athletes training at a local ground and learning about competitive sport, he began running there the following day.
A gold medal in the long jump at Khel Mahakumbh soon followed, setting him on a path that has now led to an Asian title.
After seeing athletes training at a local ground and learning about competitive sport, he began running there the following day.
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Sanghavi added that preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games are helping drive the creation of world-class sporting infrastructure in the state that will benefit future generations of athletes.