The National Open Athletics Championships move into Day 3 on Saturday, 10 October 2026, with 11 finals scheduled at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. The 65th edition, organised by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), runs from 8 to 11 October. It features senior men and women from state associations and institutional teams such as Railway Sports, SSCB, All India Police and ONGC.
Day 3 starts with two women’s heptathlon events in the morning. The main programme resumes at 4:30 PM and builds toward the women’s 10,000m final at 7:00 PM, the men’s 5000m final at 7:40 PM and the mixed 4x400m relay final at 8:00 PM.
This guide covers the Day 3 order of events, the entries and records in focus, a recap of the first two days and ways to follow the meet live. Timings come from AFI’s Competition Schedule Version 1.0 and the Day 3 start list. AFI says the Technical Delegate can change event timings.
Key Highlights
- Day 3 of the 65th National Open Athletics Championships falls on Saturday, 10 October 2026, at JLN Stadium, New Delhi.
- Eleven finals are scheduled, numbered 22 to 32 in the official schedule, out of 48 finals across the four days.
- The afternoon and evening session runs from 4:30 PM to the mixed 4x400m relay final at 8:00 PM.
- The women’s heptathlon begins with the 100m hurdles at 7:30 AM and the high jump at 8:15 AM.
- AFI says its championship page carries a live stream on all four competition days.
Table of Contents
- What Happened? Recap After Two Days
- Important Details: Day 3 Schedule
- Why Is This News Important?
- Latest Updates
- Official Statement / Source
- Background / Context
- What Happens Next?
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Conclusion
What Happened? National Open Athletics Championships Recap After Two Days
The first two days of the National Open Athletics Championships produced 21 finals, seven on Thursday and 14 on Friday, going by AFI’s numbering. Several results already shape the Day 3 storylines. All figures below come from AFI’s official result sheets.
Day 1 began with the men’s pole vault, won by Kuldeep Kumar of Madhya Pradesh at 5.30m. Reegan G of SSCB took second at 5.25m. The results sheet carries a meet-record marker beside both heights, and the meet record listed on it is 5.15m.
Nirbhay Chaudhary of Delhi won the men’s hammer throw with 69.42m. Giridharani Ravikumar of Railway Sports won the women’s 100m in 11.48 seconds. Seema of Haryana topped the women’s discus at 57.63m, and I. Asha Ilango of Tamil Nadu won the women’s triple jump with 13.89m. Shampa Gain of West Bengal won the women’s 5000m in 16:54.56, and Shivaji Madappa of Railway Sports won the men’s 10,000m in 30:30.54.
Day 2 delivered 14 finals. Manikanta Hoblidhar of Karnataka won the men’s 100m in 10.25 seconds, with a recorded wind of -0.1 m/s. Akash Raj of Tamil Nadu won the men’s 400m in 46.24, just ahead of Vikrant Panchal of Railway Sports at 46.26. Anjli of Haryana won the women’s 400m in 53.37.
Moumita Mondal of Railway Sports took the women’s 100m hurdles in 13.48. Manpreet Kaur won the women’s shot put at 17.07m, Sebastian V S of SSCB won the men’s triple jump at 16.54m, and Dharamraj Yadav of SSCB won the men’s discus at 55.90m. Muhammed Lazan VK won the men’s 110m hurdles in 13.70.
Arjun Waskale won the men’s 1500m in 3:43.04, and Ankita won the women’s 1500m in 4:13.18. Suraj Panwar of Uttarakhand and Mokavi Muthurathinam of Railway Sports won the men’s and women’s half marathon race walks. Railway Sports D won the mixed 4x100m relay in 42.82.
In the decathlon, Jinoy Jayan of ONGC led after day one with 3844 points. Yaman Deep Sharma of Railway Sports won the final with 7068 points, ahead of Usaid of SSCB (7005) and Gokul K R of Kerala (6975). A medal or team table was not available in the sources reviewed.
Important Details: National Open Athletics Championships Day 3 Schedule
Day 3 follows a two-session pattern: a short forenoon block and a longer afternoon-evening programme. All times below are local Indian times from AFI’s Day 3 start list. Check the official PDF before travelling to the venue, because timings can change.
Forenoon Session: Heptathlon Opens
The women’s heptathlon begins with the 100m hurdles (83.8cm) at 7:30 AM, run in two heats of eight athletes. The high jump follows at 8:15 AM. The start list places the heptathlon shot put at 6:15 PM and the 200m at 8:15 PM, which completes the first day of the combined event.
AFI’s online schedule table shows a different slot for the heptathlon 200m. Fans should confirm that single timing against the official start list.
Afternoon Session: Field Finals and First Rounds
The men’s 400m hurdles heats open the afternoon at 4:30 PM. The women’s pole vault final follows at 4:40 PM, then the men’s shot put final at 4:45 PM and the women’s 400m hurdles heats at 4:50 PM.
The women’s hammer throw final starts at 5:00 PM. The women’s 200m heats run at 5:15 PM, the men’s high jump final at 5:20 PM and the men’s 200m heats at 5:30 PM.
The start list shows 12 women in the pole vault, 18 men in the shot put, eight women in the hammer throw and 16 men in the high jump. The men’s high jump begins at 1.95m, rises in 5cm steps to 2.10m, then in 3cm and 2cm steps. The women’s pole vault begins at 2.80m and finishes in 5cm increments from 4.00m.
Evening Session: Relays and Distance Finals
The women’s javelin final begins at 6:15 PM with nine throwers, and the men’s 800m heats follow at 6:20 PM. The women’s 4x100m relay final is at 6:35 PM, the women’s long jump final at 6:40 PM with 16 jumpers, and the men’s 4x100m relay final at 6:45 PM.
The women’s 10,000m final starts at 7:00 PM with 12 runners. The men’s 5000m final follows at 7:40 PM with 21 athletes. The mixed 4x400m relay final closes the day at 8:00 PM.
The start list names teams including Delhi D, Railway Sports D, Tamil Nadu E, Haryana B, Bihar A and Odisha C for the women’s 4x100m. The men’s 4x100m includes Haryana C, SSCB E, Tamil Nadu F, Delhi B, Railway Sports D and Bihar A. The mixed 4x400m includes Rajasthan G, Punjab E, Railway Sports F, Tamil Nadu H, Haryana C, Kerala D and Bihar B.
Key Events to Watch on Day 3
The men’s high jump includes Sarvesh Kushare of SSCB, whose 2.31m at Bhubaneswar on 27 May 2026 stands as the national record in AFI’s listing. The same listing shows the meet record at 2.26m, also by Kushare, set at Ranchi in 2019.
The women’s pole vault includes G. Sindhushree of Karnataka, listed with the national record of 4.25m from 25 June 2026. The meet record is 4.21m by Rosy Meena Paulraj, set in Bengaluru in 2022.
The women’s 10,000m has a strong link to Day 1. Shampa Gain, the 5000m winner, is on the start list, as are Reeba George and Chatru, who also ran that race. The meet record for the 10,000m is 32:41.31 by Kavita Raut, set at Kochi in 2010.
In the men’s 5000m, the top eight from the Day 1 10,000m, including Shivaji Madappa and Gaurav Mathur, appear on the start list. Moumita Mondal, the 100m hurdles winner, is entered in the women’s long jump. The long jump meet record of 6.74m by Anju B George was set in New Delhi in 2002.
None of these records is confirmed as a target for any athlete. They show the marks that define each event.
Who, Where, When and How
The AFI organises the event, and senior men and women compete. The venue is Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, and Day 3 falls on Saturday, 10 October. AFI says its championship page carries the live stream, and official result PDFs are linked to each event as they are published.
Why Is This News Important?
The National Open Athletics Championships are one of the major domestic competitions on the 2026 Indian calendar. Olympics.com describes the 65th edition as India’s third major national championships of the year. Day 3 carries weight because it holds 11 of the 48 finals and covers the track, jumps, throws and relays.
The start lists show how deep Indian domestic athletics is. Railway Sports, SSCB, Tamil Nadu, Haryana and other units appear across most Day 3 finals. That makes the results a useful read on which teams are strong in which events.
Day 3 also sits within a season where AFI’s own record listings show national marks set as recently as late September 2026. Examples include a women’s 400m hurdles mark of 54.75 at Nagoya on 28 September and a men’s pole vault mark of 5.50m at Nagoya on 29 September. These marks raise the bar for domestic finals, even though no new record is guaranteed.
For readers following [Latest Sports News] from India, Day 3 offers a full cross-section of the championships in a single day. Readers who track [Athletics News] will find the 10,000m, 5000m and relay finals the most closely linked to the earlier days.
Latest Updates
- 30 September 2026: AFI released Competition Schedule Version 1.0 for the 65th National Open Athletics Championships.
- 7 October 2026: State-wise and event-wise bib lists were posted, along with the Day 1 start list.
- 8 October 2026: Day 1 produced seven finals. Jinoy Jayan led the decathlon with 3844 points after five events.
- 9 October 2026: Day 2 produced 14 finals, including the decathlon final won by Yaman Deep Sharma with 7068 points.
- 10 October 2026: The Day 3 start list was published. AFI’s page carried a last-updated stamp of 9:33 AM on the morning of the day.
- Day 3 results: Not available at the time of writing. Follow [Live Match Scores] and AFI’s result PDFs for confirmed outcomes.
Official Statement / Source
No direct quotes from athletes or officials were available in the sources reviewed, so none are included here.
AFI’s championship page lists the meet as running from 8 to 11 October 2026 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. It describes the competition as four days, 78 events and 48 finals for senior men and women. The same page states that event timings follow Competition Schedule Version 1.0, dated 30 September 2026, and are subject to change by the Technical Delegate. It also says the live broadcast plays on all four competition days.
For the full order of events, readers can open the AFI championship page and the official Day 3 start list. For the wider season, Olympics.com’s Indian athletics calendar lists the major domestic dates.
Background / Context for the National Open Athletics Championships
The National Open is a flagship senior event run by AFI, and the 2026 edition is the 65th. It sits in a calendar that began with the 60th National Cross Country Championships in Ranchi on 24 January and the first National Indoor Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar in March. The 41st National Junior Athletics Championships in Chennai follow later this month.
JLN Stadium has a long record as a major athletics venue. It hosted the 1989 Asian Athletics Championships from 14 to 19 November, a six-day event with 40 events and at least 19 nations. An IANS report also shows that the 54th National Open was held there from 2 to 5 November, with around 1,000 entries sent.
Meet records and national records are two different markers. A meet record is the best mark in the history of this championship. A national record is the best mark by an Indian athlete anywhere. AFI’s sheets list both for every event, which explains why some Day 3 national records belong to athletes who set them at other venues.
Some Day 3 marks date back years. The women’s 200m meet record of 22.83 was set in New Delhi in 2002, and the national record of 22.82 by Saraswati Saha dates to 2002. The men’s 200m meet record is 20.66 by B. Nithin from Bengaluru in 2024, while the national record is 20.32 by Animesh Kujur from Gumi in 2025.
The women’s hammer throw national record of 68.35m by Tanya Chaudhary was set in New Delhi on 10 September 2025. The women’s javelin national record of 63.82m by Annu Rani was set at Jamshedpur in 2022. The men’s shot put national record of 21.77m by Tajinderpal Singh Toor was set at Bhubaneswar in 2023.
The relay records show how far the field must go. The women’s 4x100m national record is 43.37, and the men’s is 38.69. The mixed 4x400m national record is 3:12.87 by the national team at Panchkula in 2024. Domestic teams usually race for state and department honours rather than for these marks.
Those wanting [India Sports Updates] on the wider season can track the same AFI result PDFs, which are posted after each session.
What Happens Next?
Day 4 on Sunday, 11 October closes the meet with 16 finals. The marathon race walks start at 5:40 AM and 5:42 AM. The afternoon session then runs from 5:20 PM with the men’s javelin final and continues through the 400m hurdles, women’s high jump, 200m, 800m and men’s long jump finals.
The men’s and women’s 3000m steeplechase finals are scheduled at 7:00 PM and 7:20 PM. The women’s and men’s 4x400m relay finals close the programme at 7:40 PM and 7:50 PM.
Several Day 4 finals depend on Day 3 rounds. The 400m hurdles and 200m finals will draw on the Day 3 heats, and the men’s 800m final follows the Day 3 first round. Final fields for those races will only be known once the heats finish. For updated fixtures, readers can follow [Sports Schedules and Fixtures] alongside the AFI pages.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When is Day 3 of the National Open Athletics Championships 2026?
Day 3 of the National Open Athletics Championships is on Saturday, 10 October 2026. The forenoon session starts at 7:30 AM with the women’s heptathlon 100m hurdles. The main session begins at 4:30 PM and ends with the mixed 4x400m relay final at 8:00 PM, according to AFI’s start list.
Where are the National Open Athletics Championships being held?
The 65th edition is being held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. The meet runs from 8 to 11 October 2026 and is organised by the Athletics Federation of India. AFI lists 78 events and 48 finals across the four competition days for senior men and women.
How many finals are there on Day 3?
There are 11 finals on Day 3, numbered 22 to 32 in AFI’s schedule. They are the women’s pole vault, men’s shot put, women’s hammer throw, men’s high jump, women’s javelin, women’s 4x100m relay, women’s long jump, men’s 4x100m relay, women’s 10,000m, men’s 5000m and mixed 4x400m relay.
What time does Day 3 start and finish?
The first Day 3 event is the women’s heptathlon 100m hurdles at 7:30 AM. The main programme starts at 4:30 PM with the men’s 400m hurdles heats. The last final, the mixed 4x400m relay, is scheduled for 8:00 PM, and the heptathlon 200m is listed at 8:15 PM.
Where can I watch the National Open Athletics Championships live?
AFI says its championship page carries the live broadcast on all four competition days. The page embeds a stream that switches to each session as it goes live. Readers should check AFI’s page and official social channels for the latest link before each session begins.
Who won the men’s 100m at the National Open Athletics Championships 2026?
Manikanta Hoblidhar of Karnataka won the men’s 100m final on Day 2 in 10.25 seconds, with a recorded wind of -0.1 m/s. Lalu Prasad Bhoi of Railway Sports was second in 10.43, and Laukik Melge of SSCB was third in 10.45, per AFI’s results.
Are any records expected on Day 3?
No record attempt is confirmed. AFI’s sheets list the national and meet records for each event, such as 2.31m in the men’s high jump and 4.25m in the women’s pole vault. Athletes may or may not approach those marks, and official results will confirm any new records.
How can I check the official Day 3 results?
AFI links official result PDFs to each event as they are published on its championship page. Day 1 and Day 2 result PDFs are already posted there. The Day 3 results should appear in the same place after each event finishes.
Conclusion
The National Open Athletics Championships reach their busiest stretch on Day 3, with 11 finals across jumps, throws, distance races and relays. The morning heptathlon start and the evening finals give the day two distinct halves, and AFI’s start list sets out every event in order.
The first two days have already produced clear storylines, from the decathlon result to the sprint and hurdles winners. Day 3 adds the distance finals and several national-record holders on the start list. Official outcomes will be confirmed only through AFI’s result PDFs.
The best way to follow the day is to keep AFI’s start list open, note the timings above and check the result PDFs after each session. Timings can still change, so confirm the order before heading to the stadium or tuning in.
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