Mohammed Afsal Pulikkalakath Sets New 800m National Record
Mohammed Afsal Pulikkalakath, who is a Reliance Foundation Athlete, has become the first Indian runner to break the 1:45 barrier in the men's 800m, clocking 1:44.93 and smashing his own national record at the Memoriał Czesława Cybulskiego in Poznań, Poland on Saturday.
Afsal, who secured a silver medal in the men's 800m at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, finished sixth in Heat A/1 of the event with his personal best timing of 1:44.93. This performance improved the previous record of 1:45.61 set by himself at the UAE Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai in 2025.
The top three positions in the race were claimed by Polish runners, with Maciel Wyderka winning the A/1 Heat with a time of 1:44.23, setting his personal best and a Meet Record. Filip Ostrowski came second with 1:44.25, while Patryk Sieradzki finished third with 1:44.26.
The Czesław Cybulski Memorial is part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver. Initiated in 2019, the meet honours coach Czesław Cybulski, who graduated from the Secondary Sports School in Gdansk in 1955 and later worked as a trainer and physical education teacher. Initially specializing in sprints, he later focused on throwing events. Cybulski was closely associated with the City of Poznan and AZS Poznań from 1968 onwards.
Who Is Mohammed Afsal Pulikkalakath?
The 29-year-old Afsal, who won a silver medal in the men's 800m at the 2019 South Asian Games in Kathmandu, Nepal, hails from Palappuram in the Palakkad district of Kerala. Recently, he has been training with the Reliance Foundation in Bengaluru.
He serves as a Junior Warrant Officer in the Indian Air Force.
Afsal first gained recognition in September 2013 by winning a gold medal at the first Asian School Track and Field Championships in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia.
(With inputs from IANS)
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