Indian Athletics Series Final Set For Delhi On September 10 With Prize Money; Neeraj Chopra Likely To Compete

The Indian Athletics Series 2026 officially started on April 4, 2026, with the first leg held at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. It is a high-profile, invitational domestic competition organized under the aegis of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) designed to showcase the nation's premier track and field talent.

The series culminates in a grand final featuring top-ranked athletes who qualify based on their seasonal performances, serving as a crucial dress rehearsal for major international multi-sport events like the Asian Games. Spanning dozens of distinct track and field events, this premier showcase features lucrative prize purses to reward elite domestic excellence.

The winner in each of the 31 events to feature in the Indian Athletics Series Final on September 10 and they will pocket Rs 1 lakh. Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra is likely to participate in the one-day invitational competition.

The second-place finisher in all the 31 events will get Rs 50,000 while the athletes who ended at third, fourth, fifth and sixth will get Rs 25,000, Rs 20,000, Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively.

This is not the first time that the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is giving prize money to the winners.

During the 2009 season, the AFI had given out prize money to the top-three finishers in the three Indian Grand Prix series, with the winners handed Rs 15,000 each, amounting to an aggregate of Rs 15 lakh prize purse.

The top eight athletes as per their ranking based on the performance of the season in each of the track and field events are eligible to compete in the grand finale of the Indian Athletics Series at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

“The Final leg of the Indian Athletics Series will be conducted in thirty-one events, including 16 in the women’s group. Top eight athletes as per their ranking in each of the track and field events are eligible to compete in the grand Final," AFI President Bahadur Singh Sagoo said in a statement.

In the men's and women’s 1500m and 3000m steeplechase, the top 12 ranked athletes will be eligible to compete.

The AFI has prepared the rankings of the athletes in each event based on the performance on their so far this season.

“The AFI has sent an invitation to eligible athletes. The deadline to confirm entries is August 10,” the AFI president said.

“If any of the top eight ranked athlete doesn’t confirm their participation then next best ranked athlete from among the four reserve players will be eligible to compete in the Final leg.”

Two-time Olympic champion Chopra is ranked second in the men’s javelin throw on the basis of the 85.69m effort in the Doha Diamond League, his lone event this season so far.

He is behind Rohit Yadav (87.05m at the National Inter-State last month), who is ranked at the top.

Ranking is based on the performance of the athletes till the National Inter State Senior Athletics Championships held between June 24 and 28 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

India’s fastest male sprinter and national record holder Gurindervir Singh is ranked No. 1 in the men’s 100m while Animesh Kujur is ranked at the top in 200m. National record holder Vishal TK is ranked No. 1 in 400m.

Another national record holder Sarvesh Anil Kushare, who took the third sport in the prestigious Diamond League in Monaco earlier this month, is leading the field in men's high jump.

With a season's best of 8.38m, Murali Sreeshankar is No. 1 in men’s long jump.

In the women’s group, Vithya Ramraj is ranked No. 1 in 400m and 400m hurdles. Middle distance runner Pooja is leading the field in 800m and 1500m. Praul Chaudhary is ranked No. 1 in the women’s 3000m steeplechase.

Jyoti Yarraji’s season best of 12.99 seconds has earned her No. 1 position in the women’s 100m hurdles. Youngster Pooja Singh is ranked No. 1 in women’s high jump and Ancy Sojan is top ranked in women’s long jump.

The Indian Athletics Series Final will be the dress rehearsal for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya in Japan from September 19 to October 4.

List of events:

Men: 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m steeplechase, 110m hurdles, 400m hurdles, high jump, long jump, triple jump, pole vault, shot put, hammer throw, javelin throw.

Women: 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m steeplechase, 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles, high jump, long jump, triple jump, pole vault, shot put, hammer throw, discus throw, javelin throw.