Karnataka’s KP Yajat and Tamil Nadu’s Keerthi Sakthivel Crowned Champions at miniOrange ITF National Triathlon Championship in Pune
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PUNE — The Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune, became the epicenter of Indian multisport on August 15–16, 2026, hosting the highly anticipated miniOrange ITF National Triathlon Championship. The two-day national showpiece brought together elite professionals, enthusiastic age-groupers, promising grassroots talent, and historic para-triathletes in a display of athletic excellence and operational triumph.
lite Seniors: Yajat Edges Out Adarsh in a Historic Photo-Finish
The Elite Senior Men's division witnessed one of the closest and most dramatic finishes in Indian triathlon history. Kp yajat of Karnataka clinched the national title with an incredible time of 57:25.43, edging out Services' Adarsh Ms (SSCB)—who finished a mere three-hundredths of a second behind at 57:25.46—in a breathtaking sprint to the line. Manipur’s Sarungbam Athouba Meitei secured the bronze with a strong showing of 58:07.50.
In the Elite Senior Women's division, Tamil Nadu's Keerthi Sakthivel delivered a dominant and tactically flawless race to secure the gold with a total time of 1:03:35.04. Maharashtra captured the remaining podium spots on home turf, with Dolly Patil taking silver at 1:04:17.17 and Mansi Mohite securing bronze in 1:05:39.85.
Under-23 Powerhouses Showcase Future Olympic Potential
The Under-23 category highlighted the depth of India's developing elite talent pool:
U23 Women: Maharashtra’s Sanjana Joshi claimed a stellar home victory, crossing the line in 1:07:26.80. She was chased closely by Madhya Pradesh’s Durvisha Pawar (1:07:55.29) and Haryana's Heena Phogat (1:08:36.60).
U23 Men: Dev Ambokar of SSCB took the gold in 58:34.32, holding off Manipur’s Telheiba soram (59:16.11) and fellow SSCB athlete Kabidash Kshetrimayum (59:51.55).
Manipur and Maharashtra Dominate Junior and Grassroots Divisions
Day 1 focused heavily on the next generation of triathletes, with Manipur and Maharashtra clean-sweeping several categories:
Junior Division: Thokchom Gautam Singh of Manipur dominated the Junior Men’s race, finishing in 28:10.65. In the Junior Women's category, Madhya Pradesh's Kanakshree Dharwal captured the gold with a timing of 32:02.68.
Sub-Junior Division: Maharashtra's Rutuja Jade clinched the Sub-Junior Women's title in 30:51.44, while Manipur’s Nongmaithem Dhananjoy Meitei triumphed in the Sub-Junior Men's race with a blistering 28:18.39.
KidsTri (Under-14): Manipur’s Akoijam Langlen Devi took the girls' title in 21:13.01, while Maharashtra’s Hemanshu Nandkishor Narkhede led the boys' category with an outstanding 18:35.56.
A Historic Milestone: Inclusive Para-Triathlon Categories Inspire Spectators
For the first time at the national level, the championship featured fully recognized, dedicated Para-Triathlon divisions, showcasing remarkable grit and athletic resolve:
PTS4_5 (Physical Impairment): Binu G of Tamil Nadu put on a masterclass in the men's race, winning gold in 32:41.14. Maharashtra’s Shashruti Vinayak Nakade won the women's division in 46:58.14.
PTWC (Wheelchair Division): Rajasthan's Jagveer singh claimed the national crown with a fantastic time of 36:08.08, followed closely by SSCB's Rajkumar Herojit Singh in 38:08.36.
PTVI (Visual Impairment):
PTVI1: Rajasthan’s Surajbhan Meena captured first place in 38:48.67.
PTVI2_3: Maharashtra’s Ritesh Rajendra Kere won gold in 34:20.00.
PTS2_3 (Severe Impairment): Punjab's Kapil Dev took the national title with a gritty performance of 46:53.86.