Mohammed Afsal: The Journey to India’s 800m National Record | Reliance Foundation Sports

A student at a CBSE school, Afsal had little exposure to competitive sport until he joined Parali Higher Secondary School, a government sports school, in 2010. At first, training felt unfamiliar. He struggled with the intensity and had little idea where sport could take him. Then the medals started coming. From 2012, Afsal began winning at the state and national levels before making his mark in junior competitions. With every medal, he began to understand what hard work could make possible and gradually built himself into a national-level 800m runner. His journey took another step when he joined the Indian Air Force. The training environment helped him develop further, and his performances continued to improve. A turning point came when coach Ajith Markose identified his potential and brought him into the Reliance Foundation programme. With focused training and a stronger support system, Afsal continued to develop as an athlete. In 2022, he won the men's 800m at the National Games in a Games-record 1:46.30s. The progress continued. In 2023, Afsal won silver in the men's 800m at the Asian Games. Then came 2025. Afsal broke the Indian 800m national record twice during the year, becoming the first Indian to go under 1:45. He eventually clocked 1:44.93 in Poznań, setting the current national record. Now, as he looks ahead to another major challenge, Afsal knows that an 800m race can change in a matter of seconds. His approach is simple: prepare, execute and give himself a chance to fight for the medal. From a young athlete who once had little idea where sport could take him to an Asian Games medallist and national record holder, Mohammed Afsal's journey has been built one race, one lesson and one breakthrough at a time. Watch Mohammed Afsal's story on the Reliance Foundation Sports YouTube channel.