New Delhi, September 11, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A healthy rivalry with fellow trainee Anushka Yadav helped Uttar Pradesh hammer thrower Tanya Chaudhary produce a record-breaking performance at the Indian Athletics Series Final in New Delhi, as she shattered the national record on the opening day of the prize-money meet.
The 22-year-old sent the hammer 68.35 metres, improving the previous national record of 65.25m set by Sarita Singh in 2017. The performance came just ahead of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, giving Tanya a major boost as she prepares for the continental event.
“My previous personal best is 63.91m. I have done 65m-plus two or three times at the inter-university level, but those were not official. Now, I am able to do it. It is a new beginning,” Tanya said.
She added that she had previously struggled with nerves but remained focused on her technique during the record-breaking attempt.
Tanya and Anushka train at the same ground in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, although they work under different coaches. Tanya said their competition had helped both athletes improve.
“We both are from the same ground. So, there is healthy competition between us. So, it is good for both of us to move forward,” she said.
Although Tanya did not breach the Asian Games qualifying mark, she has been selected for the Indian team for the Games. She said injuries had affected her preparation but expressed confidence about improving in Japan.
“I had multiple injuries at the same time: a hamstring injury and a stress injury in the femur bone. The injuries were going on since January,” she said.
The opening day featured two national records in the hammer throw. Delhi’s Nirbhay Choudhary broke the men’s record with a throw of 71.02m, surpassing Neeraj Kumar’s previous mark of 70.73m set in 2016. Punjab’s Damneet Singh finished second with 68.12m, while Haryana’s Ashish Jakhar was t
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