Manipur’s Huidrom Bhumeswori Selected to Represent India at Asian U-23 Athletics Championship 2026 in China
Manipur’s promising middle-distance runner Huidrom Bhumeswori has been selected to represent India at the Asian Under-23 Athletics Championship 2026, set to be held in Ordos, China, from July 9 to 12.
Bhumeswori has been included in the 54-member Indian athletics contingent and will compete in the women’s 800m and 1500m events, highlighting her growing stature in Indian athletics.
The talented athlete secured her place in the national squad following a series of impressive performances at major domestic competitions. She won the gold medal in the 800m race at the Indian Grand Prix 2025 and later claimed another gold in the 1500m event at the Open Athletics Meet 2025. Earlier in the season, she also bagged a silver medal in the women’s 800m at the 64th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships.
A native of Huidrom Awang Leikai in Manipur, Bhumeswori began her professional athletics journey at the Sports Authority of India’s National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Takyel, Imphal. She trained at the centre from 2017 to 2023, developing into one of the state’s most promising track athletes.
Following the discontinuation of the athletics programme at the Imphal centre, she relocated to Bhopal to continue her training and pursue higher-level competition opportunities.
Her steady rise in the sport was further recognized in 2024 when she was inducted into the IOCL Project Shakti programme. The elite initiative, jointly supported by the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), is designed to prepare athletes for major international competitions, including the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Currently, Bhumeswori is undergoing advanced training at the SAI National Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru under the guidance of renowned Italian coach Claudio Pannozzo. The exposure and specialized coaching are expected to strengthen her preparations for the continental championship.
Officials and members of the athletics fraternity at SAI NERC Takyel have congratulated Bhumeswori on her selection and expressed confidence in her ability to perform strongly on the international stage.
With a string of successful domestic performances and support from India’s high-performance athletics system, Huidrom Bhumeswori will aim to make a significant impact at the Asian U-23 Athletics Championship in China and further elevate Manipur’s reputation in Indian athletics.
