Athletics — every event, javelin & shot put weights, AFI Nationals & the SAI camp system
Education Margdarshan's athletics map for India: every running, jumping and throwing event in simple words, the weight of the javelin, shot, discus and hammer at each age, how a throw or jump is judged, the World Championship standards, World Athletics age groups, the false-start rule and the 2026 shoe regulations, AFI's age-group Nationals and the meets you must run to qualify, whereabouts and age checks, the SAI centres where India's athletes train, who pays, and the awards and jobs after a medal.
Every event, the throwing weights, age groups and India's Nationals
Every senior athletics event in simple words [4][3]
| Group | Events | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Sprints | 100m · 200m · 400m | Run flat out. In every race up to 400m each runner has their own lane, 1.22 m wide, from start to finish. |
| Middle distance | 800m · 1500m | Speed plus stamina; tactics matter because runners share the track. |
| Long distance & road | 5000m · 10,000m · marathon | Stamina races on the track or the road. |
| Hurdles | 100m hurdles (women) · 110m hurdles (men) · 400m hurdles | Sprint and clear 10 hurdles in your lane. |
| Steeplechase | 3000m steeplechase | Long race over heavy barriers and a water jump. |
| Relays | 4x100m · 4x400m · mixed 4x100m · mixed 4x400m | Four runners pass a baton inside a marked zone. |
| Jumps | High jump · pole vault · long jump · triple jump | Jump over a bar (high jump, pole vault with a pole) or as far as you can from a take-off board (long jump; triple jump = hop, step and jump). |
| Throws | Shot put · discus · hammer · javelin | Throw a heavy ball (shot), a plate (discus), a ball on a wire (hammer) or a spear (javelin) as far as you can inside the sector. |
| Combined events | Decathlon (men, 10 events) · heptathlon (women, 7 events) | Points from every event are added up. Decathlon day 1: 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400m; day 2: 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, 1500m. Heptathlon day 1: 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m; day 2: long jump, javelin, 800m. |
| Race walking | Half marathon race walk · marathon race walk | Walk fast with no loss of contact with the ground that the eye can see, and the front leg straight from landing until it is upright. Judges watch by eye. |
Throwing implements by age — the weight you must throw [3]
| Implement | Women U18 | Women U20 & senior | Men U18 | Men U20 | Men senior |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shot | 3 kg | 4 kg | 5 kg | 6 kg | 7.26 kg |
| Discus | 1 kg | 1 kg | 1.5 kg | 1.75 kg | 2 kg |
| Hammer | 3 kg | 4 kg | 5 kg | 6 kg | 7.26 kg |
| Javelin | 500 g | 600 g | 700 g | 800 g | 800 g |
Only World Athletics certified implements may be used in World Rankings competitions, and the organisers provide them; you may bring at most two of your own, and only if they are certified and checked before the event. At AFI's Junior Nationals, Under-14s throw a kids' javelin from a 5 m runway, and Under-16 combined events use a standing shot put. [3][7]
- Trials: in the throws, long jump and triple jump, if more than 8 athletes take part each gets 3 trials, and the best 8 get 3 more. With 8 or fewer, everyone gets 6.
- You have 1 minute for each trial once your name is called (more time near the end of high jump and pole vault). Run out of time and it is a failure.
- Javelin: hold it at the cord grip with one hand and throw over the shoulder — no slinging. The metal head must land first, inside the 28.96° sector. Do not turn your back to the arc before the throw, and do not touch the runway lines or the ground beyond the arc.
- Shot, discus and hammer: you throw from a circle. It is a foul if you touch the top of the rim (or, in shot put, the top of the stop board) or the ground outside, or if you leave the circle before the implement lands or leave from the front half. The landing sector is 34.92°.
- Long and triple jump: a foul if your take-off foot crosses the take-off line, or you take off from outside the board's ends.
- High jump and pole vault: high jumpers take off from one foot. Three failures in a row, at any heights, and you are out. You may pass a height. [3]
World Athletics age categories [1]
| Category | Who | Counted on |
|---|---|---|
| Under-18 (U18) | Aged 16 or 17 | 31 December of the competition year |
| Under-20 (U20) | Aged 18 or 19 | 31 December of the competition year |
| Masters | From the 35th birthday | The birthday itself |
Each competition's own regulations decide which age groups apply and the minimum age to enter. [1]
- False start: except in combined events, the athlete responsible is disqualified and shown a red-and-black card. In combined events the first false start brings a warning and a second one disqualification. [1]
AFI national championships, October 2026 [6][5][7]
| Championship | Dates | Venue | Who |
|---|---|---|---|
| 65th National Open Athletics Championships | 8–11 Oct 2026 | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi | Senior |
| 6th Indian Open U23 Athletics Competition | From 16 Oct 2026 | Jaipur | Under 23 |
| 41st National Junior Athletics Championships | 23–27 Oct 2026 | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai | U14 · U16 · U18 · U20 — 98 finals |
At the Junior Nationals the combined events step up with age: Triathlon (U14), Pentathlon (U16), Heptathlon (U18 men and women, U20 women) and Decathlon (U20 men). [7]
Olympics, World Championships, Asian Games — and the cash that follows
World Championships Beijing 2027 — entry standards (senior) [4]
| Event | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 100m | 9.95 | 10.96 |
| 200m | 20.07 | 22.45 |
| 400m | 44.45 | 50.00 |
| 800m | 1:43.00 | 1:57.50 |
| 1500m | 3:30.00 | 3:58.00 |
| 5000m | 12:50.00 | 14:36.00 |
| 10,000m | 26:48.00 | 30:40.00 |
| Marathon | 2:06:00 | 2:23:20 |
| 3000m steeplechase | 8:08.00 | 9:06.50 |
| 110m / 100m hurdles | 13.18 | 12.60 |
| 400m hurdles | 48.00 | 54.00 |
| High jump | 2.30 m | 1.96 m |
| Pole vault | 5.90 m | 4.75 m |
| Long jump | 8.25 m | 6.86 m |
| Triple jump | 17.35 m | 14.40 m |
| Shot put | 21.50 m | 19.30 m |
| Discus | 67.20 m | 64.50 m |
| Hammer | 78.30 m | 74.00 m |
| Javelin | 85.50 m | 63.40 m |
| Decathlon / heptathlon | 8620 points | 6550 points |
| Half marathon race walk | 1:23:00 | 1:33:10 |
| Marathon race walk | 3:01:00 | 3:28:00 |
These are the marks for the 2027 World Championships in Beijing, the main step before LA28. About 40% of athletes get in by hitting a standard and about 60% by world ranking. For most events the marks count from 23 August 2026 to 22 August 2027, and only at category C meets or higher. Area (Asian) champions also qualify if no one else from Asia is entered in that event. [4]
AFI named a 77-member squad (34 men, 43 women) for the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, including Avinash Sable (3000m steeplechase), Gulveer Singh (1500m/5000m/10000m), Annu Rani (javelin) and Jyothi Yarraji (100m hurdles). [8]
Government cash award for a senior athletics medal (₹ lakh) [16]
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | 75 | 50 | 30 |
| Asian Games / Commonwealth Games | 30 | 20 | 10 |
| World Athletics Championships (every 2 years) | 20 | 14 | 8 |
| Asian Athletics Championships (every 2 years) | 7.5 | 5 | 2.5 |
Relays are team events: each member gets 75% of the individual amount. The coach also gets a share of the award. [16]
Shoe limits, age checks and whereabouts
Maximum sole thickness — World Athletics shoe regulations (from 20 April 2026) [2]
| Events | Maximum sole |
|---|---|
| Track events (not race walks), jumps and javelin | 20 mm, spike or non-spike shoe; in jumps the forefoot sole may not be higher than the heel |
| Road running and race walks (road and track) | 40 mm |
| Shot put, discus, hammer, cross-country, mountain and trail | The sole rules do not apply, and the shoe need not be on the approved list |
- Every other shoe must be on World Athletics' approved list. A development shoe (a prototype not on sale) is allowed for at most 12 months and never at the Olympic Games or World Athletics Series events.
- Spikes may be at most 9 mm long on most tracks (12 mm in high jump and javelin). [2]
- SAI runs an Age Verification Test on new NCOE inductees (boys under 17, girls under 15) before they join; an athlete who does not join within 7 days loses the place. [12]
- AFI publishes overage lists after age-verification checks at events such as the National Inter-District Junior Athletics Meet (NIDJAM). [11]
- Filing your whereabouts with NADA, WADA or the Athletics Integrity Unit in ADAMS is mandatory to compete in India or abroad; missed tests and late filings lead to filing failures, for which the athlete alone is responsible. [10]
From the district meet to the national camp
Every stage from first club to the international level, the detailed route, the age-by-age ladder and what to eat from stage 1, with sources.
Where India's athletes are trained
SAI athletics inductions of 17 December 2024 [12][13][14]
| Centre | City | Athletes inducted |
|---|---|---|
| NSNIS Patiala | Patiala, Punjab | 29 (including javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra) |
| NCOE Bengaluru (NSSC) | Bengaluru, Karnataka | 40 |
| LNCPE | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala | 26 |
Athletics is also trained at SAI NCOEs in Bhopal, Lucknow, Sonepat, Hamirpur, Guwahati, Imphal, Kolkata, Dharamshala (girls) and Gandhinagar. [15]
Who pays an athlete at each level
Who pays — athletics [15][17]
| Stage | Paid by | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Adopted school (age 8–14) | SAI National Sports Talent Contest | Kit, competition exposure and a stipend each year |
| SAI centre trainee | SAI | Coaching, boarding and sports science at an STC or NCOE |
| Khelo India athlete | Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports | ₹6.28 lakh a year incl. ₹1.20 lakh cash |
| Junior medal prospect | TOPS Development Group | ₹25,000 a month |
| Olympic prospect | TOPS Core Group | ₹50,000 a month + approved training plan |
| Athlete in need | PDU National Welfare Fund | Up to ₹2.50 lakh |
- Spikes and racing shoes must be on the approved list and within the sole limits above — buy approved models, not just any 'spikes'.
- Education Margdarshan does not print shop prices: no governing body publishes them, and models change every season. [2]
- Food first, with a certified nutritionist; no supplement is 100% safe and strict liability applies. [18]
Awards, pensions, coaching and sports-quota jobs
- Athletics is one of the 65 sports in the central sports quota for Group C posts, with up to 5 years' age relaxation (10 for SC/ST).
- Medals at the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games or World Championships can bring up to three out-of-turn promotions. [19]
Retired champions can receive the Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons of ₹12,000–20,000 a month. [17]
Coaching route: AFI runs Pre Level 1 courses and World Athletics CECS Level 1–3 coach courses, and publishes the results and certified-coach lists on its website. [5]
Mistakes that cost athletes their season
- Skipping the Indian Open / Grand Prix meets — AFI refuses Senior Nationals entries without a qualifying mark from them. [9]
- Not filing whereabouts — filing failures and missed tests are your responsibility alone. [10]
- Racing in an unapproved or over-thick shoe at a World Rankings competition. [2]
Javelin start, late start, jobs, money and certificates — straight answers
I want to throw javelin like Neeraj Chopra. Where do I start?
Start with the right javelin for your age: 700 g for boys in U18, 800 g from U20; 500 g for girls in U18 and 600 g after that. Under-14s at AFI's Junior Nationals throw a kids' javelin from a 5 m runway. Throw at school, district and state meets; a top-3 state finish or a top-8 Junior Nationals finish can get you into a SAI Training Centre (ages 12–18). The senior target is high — 85.50 m for men and 63.40 m for women to enter the 2027 World Championships. [3][7][15][4]
I am 18, 20 or 22. Is it too late for athletics?
Not for competing: after Under-20 everyone is a senior, and AFI accepts senior entries on marks made at the Indian Open or Indian Grand Prix meets. It is late for the free pipelines — SAI Training Centres take ages 12–18 — so a late starter trains at a club or state centre and must post marks to be noticed. The real clock is the job deadline: Railways sports quota stops at 25 and CRPF at 23 (28 for an unreserved sportsperson after relaxation). [1][9][15][20][21]
Which government jobs can athletics get me?
Athletics has more jobs than almost any sport. CRPF's 2026 sports quota has 101 of its 521 posts for athletics — every track, jump and throw event (including javelin), the walks, marathon and cross-country. Western Railway's 2026-27 notice had athletics posts at all three levels: Level 5/4 and 3/2 for men's 100m, 200m, 800m, decathlon and shot put, women's 100m to 800m and steeplechase; Level 1 for men's 400m hurdles, high jump and 10,000m and women's 400m hurdles, pole vault and shot put. Central Group C posts under DoPT rules also list athletics. [21][20][19]
Sports-quota job routes open in 2026 — age, qualifying results, pay [20][21]
| Route | Age | Main qualifying results | Pay level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Railways Level 5/4 (graduates) | 18–25 on 1 Jan 2027 | Played the Olympics, or top 3 at a World Cup, World Championship, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games or Youth Olympics | Level 5/4 |
| Railways Level 3/2 (12th, or 10th + apprenticeship) | 18–25 on 1 Jan 2027 | Top 3 at Senior, Youth or Junior Nationals, National Games or All India Inter-University; or Federation Cup gold | Level 3/2 |
| Railways Level 1 | 18–25 on 1 Jan 2027 | Played for your state and finished at least 8th at Senior Nationals; or top 3 at the Federation Cup | Level 1 |
| CRPF Head Constable (GD) (10+2) | 18–23 on 1 Aug 2026; sportspersons get +5 years (OBC +8, SC/ST +10) | Played for India; or top 3 for your state at Nationals or National Games; or gold/silver at Junior Nationals | Level 4 · ₹25,500–81,100 |
| CRPF Constable (GD) (10th pass) | 18–23 on 1 Aug 2026; sportspersons get +5 years (OBC +8, SC/ST +10) | Played for your state at Senior or Junior Nationals; or top 3 at SGFI school nationals or Khelo India Games | Level 3 · ₹21,700–69,100 |
Railways count results from 1 April 2024; CRPF counts the two years before 30 September 2026. Railways fee ₹500 (₹400 back if you attend the trial; ₹250, refunded in full on attending, for SC/ST, women, PwBD, minorities, ex-servicemen and EBC). CRPF fee ₹100 for UR/OBC/EWS men; free for women, SC, ST and ex-servicemen. CRPF picks sign a ₹1 lakh bond to serve at least 3 years. [20][21]
We are a lower-middle-class family. How do we keep costs down?
Aim for the free seats. SAI Training Centres and NCOEs give coaching, boarding and sports science; a Khelo India athlete gets ₹6.28 lakh a year (₹1.20 lakh cash). At World Rankings meets the organisers provide the shot, discus, hammer and javelin, so you do not need your own set to compete. Shot put, discus and hammer shoes are outside the sole rules; for other events buy a shoe from the approved list. [15][17][3][2]
Does any 'national' certificate count for a job?
No. Railways will not recruit on a certificate from a federation MoYAS did not recognise at the time of the championship, and CRPF counts only championships of MoYAS-recognised federations or the IOA's National Games. For athletics, Railways treat the Under-20 Junior National Athletics Championship as the junior national, and a selected candidate signs a 5-year service bond. [20][21]
Where these facts come from
Every fact on this Education Margdarshan page is taken from the governing body's own rule book or a Government of India file below, read on 17 October 2026. Federations change rules, weight classes and scheme amounts — open the current file before you act on it.
- World Athletics — Book C: Competition Rules (C1.1) and Technical Rules (C2.1) (opens in a new tab) U18, U20 and Masters categories; false-start rule · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- World Athletics — Athletic Shoe Regulations (approved 19 March 2026, effective 20 April 2026) (opens in a new tab) Sole thickness table, events outside the rules, approved and development shoes, spike length · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- World Athletics — Book C: Competition Rules (C1.1) & Technical Rules (C2.1) (opens in a new tab) Implement weights by age, certified implements, trials and time limits, javelin and circle fouls, sectors, jump fouls, lane width · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- World Athletics — Qualification System and Entry Standards, World Athletics Championships Beijing 2027 (May 2026) (opens in a new tab) Senior events, entry standards, 40/60 standards-rankings split, qualifying windows, area champions · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- Athletics Federation of India — official website (opens in a new tab) 6th Indian Open U23 (Jaipur, Oct 2026), zonal junior championships 2026, Pre Level 1 and WA CECS coach courses · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- AFI — 65th National Open Athletics Championships 2026: competition schedule (opens in a new tab) Dates and venue, New Delhi, 8–11 Oct 2026 · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- AFI — 41st National Junior Athletics Championships 2026: competition schedule (opens in a new tab) U14, U16, U18, U20 age groups, 98 finals, combined events by age, Chennai 23–27 Oct 2026 · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- AFI — 77-member squad for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 (opens in a new tab) Squad size and named athletes · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- AFI — Notice: mandatory participation in Indian Open meets or Indian Grand Prix (1 Apr 2025) (opens in a new tab) Qualifying mark must come from an Indian Open or Grand Prix meet for the Federation Senior Nationals · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- AFI — Letter to athletes on submission of whereabouts (22 Nov 2023) (opens in a new tab) Whereabouts in ADAMS mandatory to compete, filing failures · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- AFI — Overage athlete lists (age verification reports) (opens in a new tab) Overage lists from NIDJAM, junior and other national events · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- SAI KITD — Induction of 29 athletes at NSNIS Patiala (17 Dec 2024) (opens in a new tab) Inductee list, Age Verification Test (boys U-17, girls U-15), 7-day joining rule · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- SAI KITD — Induction of 40 athletes at NCOE Bangalore (17 Dec 2024) (opens in a new tab) 40 athletics inductees at NSSC Bengaluru · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- SAI KITD — Induction of 26 athletes at LNCPE Trivandrum (17 Dec 2024) (opens in a new tab) 26 athletics inductees at LNCPE Thiruvananthapuram · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- SAI — Brief on Sports Promotional Schemes 2024-25 (opens in a new tab) Athletics NCOEs, STC individual-event entry, NSTC support, weeding-out rules · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- MYAS — Scheme of Cash Incentive to Medal Winners (amended 1 Feb 2025) (opens in a new tab) Award amounts, World and Asian Athletics Championships listing, 75% team rule, coach share · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- PIB — Financial Support to Athletes (5 Aug 2024) (opens in a new tab) Khelo India, TOPS Core and Development allowances, welfare fund, pension · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- NADA India — Managing the Risk of Nutritional Supplements (opens in a new tab) Food first, supplement risk, strict liability · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- DoPT — Instructions on Recruitment/Promotion for Sportspersons (18 Nov 2022) (opens in a new tab) Athletics in the 65-sport list, Group C, out-of-turn promotion · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- Western Railway RRC — Employment Notice RRC/WR/01/2026 (Sports Quota), 27 Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab) 2026-27 athletics posts by level, age 18–25 on 1 Jan 2027, level norms, U20 Junior National, MoYAS-recognition rule, fees, 5-year service bond · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- CRPF — Recruitment of Meritorious Sportspersons, HC & Constable (GD), Sports Quota 2026 (Advt. R.II-21/2026-Sports, 17 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab) 521 posts incl. 101 for athletics by event, age 18–23 on 1 Aug 2026 and sportsperson relaxation, sports qualifications, fee, ₹1 lakh service bond · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- World Masters Athletics — Competition and Technical Rules (October 2026) (opens in a new tab) Masters age groups M35/W35 to M100+/W100+ in five-year steps, age on the first day of competition · Last checked 19 Oct 2026
- PIB — India's Sporting Transformation (backgrounder, 10 June 2025) (opens in a new tab) KIRTI talent tests for ages 9–18 at 174 Talent Assessment Centres · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- SAI NSNIS Patiala — Six Week Certificate Course in Sports Coaching (opens in a new tab) 6 weeks (4 online, 2 offline), ₹14,800, Class 12 + district-level top 3 or state / inter-university / SGFI / national participation · Last checked 19 Oct 2026
- SAI NSNIS Patiala — Diploma in Sports Coaching (course page, 2026-27) (opens in a new tab) 1 year, ₹63,800, 785 + 104 seats in 26 disciplines at Patiala, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram; Category A (Class 12 + international record), B (graduation + national record) · Last checked 19 Oct 2026
- Khelo India Youth Games 2026 (Telangana) — Sports (opens in a new tab) The 25 disciplines listed for KIYG 2026 · Last checked 19 Oct 2026
- ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition — Dietary Guidelines for Indians (booklet), Guideline 8 (opens in a new tab) Cereal-pulse 3:1 protein quality, vegetarian and non-vegetarian protein sources; most athletes meet protein needs from food, protein powders unnecessary · Last checked 19 Oct 2026
Spotted something out of date? Email margdarshan07support10@gmail.com with the official link and Education Margdarshan will update it.
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