AFI sets stringent qualifying standards for Commonwealth Games

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Monday revealed the qualifying standards for the Commonwealth Games 2026, which will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2.

With the scaled-down edition of the Commonwealth Games limiting each country to a maximum of 32 athletes in its track and field squad, with no more than 16 women, the AFI laid down stringent qualification standards for selection.

As many as 15 events will require Indian athletes to better the national record, while two events – the women’s 100m and women’s high jump – need athletes to match the existing ones.

The men’s events that require athletes to break the existing national record are the 100m, 400m, 1500m, 110m hurdles and hammer throw.

Asian Championships bronze medallist Animesh Kujur holds the 100m national record at 10.18s, which is 0.02s slower than the Indian qualification mark for the event at CWG 2026. Tejas Shirse, who holds the 110m hurdles national record at 13.41s, is also 0.02s shy of the cut in his event.

For women, athletes will need to surpass the current national records in the 800m, 5000m, 10,000m, 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles, long jump, triple jump, pole vault, hammer throw and the marathon.

Asian Games silver medallist Jyothi Yarraji, returning from an ACL injury, will have to improve her 100m hurdles national mark of 12.78s to at least 12.67s.

In the women’s 400m hurdles, Asian Games bronze medallist Vithya Ramraj – who has equalled PT Usha’s national record of 55.42s in the event – will need to further lower her mark to 54.67s to be eligible to participate in CWG 2026.

In the field events, the men’s javelin throw could offer multiple qualifiers with the entry standard set at 82.61m.

Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra (90.23m), Sachin Yadav (86.27m) and Rohit Yadav (83.65m) already boast personal bests that exceed the set entry standard.

Furthermore, the AFI did not announce any qualifying standard for the men’s 4x400m relay. The qualifying standard for the mixed 4x400m relay was set at 3:16:00s.

Final selection trials

The AFI also announced that the Federation Cup in Ranchi from May 22 to 25 will serve as the final selection trials for CWG 2026, including those who have breached the qualification mark earlier in the season.

However, AFI could exempt some of the athletes under exceptional circumstances.

Unlike the Olympics, where qualification standards are uniform across nations, Commonwealth Games qualifying marks vary from country to country.

Selectors also retain discretionary powers to include athletes who may not have met the qualifying standards but are assessed as potential medal contenders.

At the previous Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022, India secured 61 medals overall. Eight medals – one gold, four silver and three bronze – came in athletics.

India’s best showing at the Commonwealth Games came at New Delhi 2010, where the hosts delivered a record-breaking haul of 101 medals – 38 gold, 27 silver and 36 bronze.