New Delhi: The National Indoor Athletics Championships at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar offered a fresh experience for Indian athletes, who are not used to competing indoors. The 200m indoor track, with its sharper bends and banked curves, provided a controlled environment with no wind affecting the athletes.
Delhi's athletics coach Dinesh Rawat explained that the turns on an indoor track are sharper due to the smaller radius of the curve, requiring athletes to lean and balance their bodies to maintain momentum.
Karnataka's C Priyanka, who won the 3,000m event, credited her experience on the 200m outdoor track for her success. Pole vaulter Baranica Elangovan set a new national record by clearing 4.22m, attributing her success to the lack of wind indoors.
In the long jump, Praveen Chithravel and Sarun Payasingh engaged in a close contest, while KA Anamika took the top spot in the women's long jump with a jump of 6.05m. Payasingh clinched the gold medal with a personal best of 7.8m, and M Krishik won the 60m hurdles in 7.71s.
