Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra and steeplechase specialist Parul Chaudhary were named the Best Male and Best Female Athletes of the Year respectively at the inaugural Indian Athletics Awards on Saturday, with the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) honouring standout performers from the 2025 season.

Indian Olympic Association president and legendary sprinter P T Usha was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award as the AFI launched the awards ceremony to recognise athletes, coaches, officials and other contributors to the development of athletics in the country.

Neeraj Chopra Receives Top Honour

Fresh from his return to international competition at the Doha Diamond League, Chopra received the Best Male Athlete award and said the recognition held special significance.

“This award is very close to my heart. The old and new generation of athletes are here. I am very happy to have received the award in front of them,” Chopra said.

The 28-year-old arrived from Doha earlier on Saturday after participating in his first event of the 2026 season.

Chopra recorded a best throw of 85.69m on his third attempt to finish fourth at the Doha Diamond League.

The competition marked his comeback after a lengthy injury layoff caused by a back problem suffered ahead of the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.

He underwent rehabilitation in Turkiye before continuing his training programme in Switzerland.

Despite missing out on a podium finish, Chopra comfortably crossed the Athletics Federation of India’s qualification mark of 82.61m for the Commonwealth Games.

Record-Breaking 2025 Season

The award capped an outstanding 2025 campaign for the Indian javelin star.

Chopra achieved a major milestone by breaching the 90m mark for the first time, registering a throw of 90.23m at the Doha Diamond League.

He also finished on top of the Paris Diamond League standings and emerged victorious at the NC Classic in Bengaluru.

The performances further strengthened his status as one of India’s leading medal contenders ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Asian Games in Japan later this year.

Parul Chaudhary Honoured for Consistency

Parul Chaudhary was named Best Female Athlete of the Year after another successful season.

The national record holder in the women’s 3000m steeplechase has established herself as one of India’s most dependable distance runners on the international circuit.

Her performances over the past year earned her recognition as the country’s top female athlete.

P T Usha Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

P T Usha, president of the Indian Olympic Association and one of India’s most celebrated athletes, received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the ceremony.

Introduced by the AFI, the Indian Athletics Awards seek to honour athletes, coaches, technical officials, mentors, state associations and other stakeholders who have contributed to the sport’s growth.

The inaugural edition featured 10 categories, including Best Male Athlete, Best Female Athlete, Best Coach, Best Technical Official, Best State Association and the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The awards marked a new initiative by the federation to recognise excellence and contributions across Indian athletics.

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