Tamil Nadu's Vishal TK breaks national record

CHENNAI: After topping the heats on Wednesday, Tamil Nadu’s Rajesh Ramesh had to settle for second place as his compatriot Vishal TK stormed through the 400m pack to set a new national record at the 64th Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in Chennai on Thursday, clocking 45.12s to eclipse Muhammed Anas Yahiya’s long-standing mark from 2019.

“I’ve put in a lot of hard work, and I see this win as a reward for my efforts. It’s not about national records or qualifiers, I just wanted to give my best,” Vishal told the media.

Vishal had never gone sub-45 before this season, but he has now achieved it on five occasions. Remarkably, he only transitioned to the 400m last year and has made rapid progress, achieving a personal best of 45.57s at the Asian Athletics Championships in May 2025.

After crossing the finish line, he removed his bib which bore the words: ‘For my coach Jason.’ Vishal credited his coach, Jason Dawson, for the success he has enjoyed this season, saying the Jamaican’s relentless emphasis on hard work had reshaped his approach.

“Jason is Jamaican, and hard work is a given where he comes from. That’s his mindset, and I adapted myself to it, trusted him, and I’ve seen the results,” he said.

Vishal also pointed to the experience gained from competing in European events, including his recent victory at the Wiesław Maniak meet in Poland. “In India, we are taught to think a certain way about races, but in Europe, they never slow down. I’ve tried to follow that mindset, just keep running,” he added.

Devyaniba closes her season with gold

Competing in her first major event since missing out on an individual entry at the World University Games earlier this year, Devyaniba Zala clocked 53.37s to clinch gold in the women’s 400m.

The 23-year-old had earlier set her lifetime best of 53.17s at the same Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai during the Indian Open Athletics Meet.

“I tried to better my timing and set a new personal best, but I had two races yesterday and the final today. I tried, but it didn’t happen,” she told DT Next.

“After not getting my slot at the World University Games, I came here determined to win gold,” she added.

Devyaniba confirmed that she has decided to end her season with this victory in Chennai.

Baranica wins Pole Vault gold

Tamil Nadu’s Baranica Elangovan (4.10m) clinched gold, while Kerala’s Mariya Jaison (4.05m) secured silver in the women’s pole vault final.

Baranica, whose personal best stands at 4.15m, was aiming to match that mark again in Chennai but had to settle for 4.10m, which was enough to earn her the top spot.

Having recently dealt with injuries and juggled both rehabilitation and competitions, Baranica revealed she has switched to a 12-stride short run-up.

“I’ve had some back pain issues, but I’m feeling better now. I think my scores are good for a short run-up,” Baranica told DT Next.

Mariya recorded her season’s best by clearing 4.05m and made three attempts at 4.10m but failed to clear the bar. She admitted that nerves played a part.

“I got a bit nervous. I’ve been trying to set a new personal best and lost focus on my technique towards the end,” said Mariya.

Tamil Nadu's Sathya Tamilarasan (4.0m) won the bronze medal.