Indian Triathlon Federation
Indian TriathlonFederation
Sign in
Back to News

Road to Aqaba: Indian Squad Locked for Asian Elite & Age Group Triathlon Championships in Jordan

Posted on

PUNE, INDIA — The Indian Triathlon Federation (ITF) has officially announced the national squad selection following the conclusion of the high-octane miniOrange ITF National Triathlon Championship held at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune.

In line with the international qualification criteria, the top three finishers in the Senior, Under-23, and all amateur Age Group categories have secured their tickets to represent India at the prestigious 2026 Aqaba Asia Triathlon Championships, scheduled to take place in Aqaba, Jordan, from November 25 to 29, 2026.

The Selected Indian Contingent (Top 3 Qualifiers)

Elite Seniors

  • Elite Senior Men:

    1. Kp yajat (Karnataka) — 57:25.43

    2. Adarsh Ms (SSCB) — 57:25.46

    3. Sarungbam Athouba Meitei (Manipur) — 58:07.50

  • Elite Senior Women:

    1. Keerthi Sakthivel (Tamil Nadu) — 1:03:35.04

    2. Dolly Patil (Maharashtra) — 1:04:17.17

    3. Mansi Mohite (Maharashtra) — 1:05:39.85

Amateur Age Group Qualifiers

  • 16–19 Years (Amateurs):

    • Men: 1. Thokchom Gautam Singh (Manipur), 2. Sargam Bathre (Madhya Pradesh), 3. Uday Haridas Jadhav (Maharashtra)

    • Women: 1. Nongmaithem Nelshi (Manipur), 2. Shravani Rajendra jagtap (Maharashtra), 3. Keerthi Srinivas (Karnataka)

  • 20–24 Years (Amateurs):

    • Men: 1. Rajkumar Pawar (SSCB), 2. Laksh (Karnataka), 3. Tushar deka (Assam)

    • Women: 1. Devika Sarma (Assam), 2. Isha Bhagat (Maharashtra), 3. Balasiweor (Meghalaya)

  • 25–29 Years (Amateurs):

    • Men: 1. Virendra Pawar (SSCB), 2. Aditya Jitendra Desai (SSCB), 3. Jalaj Arora (Delhi)

    • Women: 1. Nupur Deka (Assam), 2. Sumarbeyang (Meghalaya), 3. Naphisabet Nongbet (Meghalaya)

  • 30–34 Years (Amateurs):

    • Men: 1. Laikhuram Biten Singh (Manipur), 2. Rohan kumar (Delhi), 3. Omkar Jokar (Maharashtra)

    • Women: 1. Devika Patil (Maharashtra)

  • 35–39 Years (Amateurs):

    • Men: 1. Saikhom Bishworjit Singh (Manipur), 2. Ravi Teja Reddy Pullareddy (Andhra Pradesh), 3. Pravin Gangode (Maharashtra)

    • Women: 1. Mebashisha Laitim Lyngdoh (Meghalaya)

  • 40–44 Years (Amateurs):

    • Men: 1. Ngangom Dewanjit Singh (Manipur), 2. Dr. Ardonister Lyngdoh (Meghalaya), 3. Amit Kumar Singh (Uttar Pradesh)

  • 45–49 Years (Amateurs):

    • Men: 1. Krishnat Sonmale (Maharashtra), 2. Deepender Singh (Karnataka), 3. Mahesh Sawata Khetmalis (West Bengal)

  • 50–54 Years (Amateurs):

    • Men: 1. Pranay Dwivedi (Uttar Pradesh), 2. Neelesh Hattarki (Maharashtra)

  • 55–59 Years (Amateurs):

    • Men: 1. Hamiwell marwein (Meghalaya), 2. Vishnu Tamhane (Maharashtra)

  • 60+ Years (Amateurs):

    • Men: 1. Subhash Nirmale (Maharashtra)

"The Best Elite Group in Indian History" — Harish Prasad

Expressing immense optimism about the selected contingent, Harish Prasad, ITF Development Officer, shared his thoughts on the squad's readiness:

"This is without a doubt the strongest, most balanced, and technically proficient bunch of elite triathletes India has ever produced. The sheer competitiveness we witnessed in Pune—where the top spots were decided by mere milliseconds in a photo-finish—shows that our athletes are racing at a continental standard. Keerthi's tactical masterclass and Yajat's explosive finish prove that India is no longer just participating; we are ready to compete. We have high expectations for Jordan and fully believe this squad has the potential to make a serious mark on the Asian stage."

Preparation Roadmap: National Preparatory Camp Planned

To ensure the squad is physically and mentally primed for the coastal conditions of Aqaba, the ITF has laid out a comprehensive preparation roadmap:

  1. Two-Week Intensive National Camp: The qualified athletes will assemble for a rigorous 14-day high-performance training camp. This camp will focus on advanced open-water swimming techniques, transition speed, and drafting tactics tailored specifically to the Aqaba course.

  2. Broadening the Training Pool: In a strategic move to raise the competitive intensity of the camp, the ITF will also invite high-performing triathletes who narrowly missed out on qualification (finishing in 4th or 5th places). This ensures a high-intensity training environment while keeping the reserve pipeline sharp and motivated for future national assignments.

With the selection finalized and an elite preparation framework in place, the Indian squad stands ready to fly the tri-color high in Jordan this November.