Animesh Kujur Shines at Asian Games 2026: Key Updates from Athletics and More

The Asian Games 2026 have seen Indian sprinter Animesh Kujur advance to the semifinals of the men's 200m event, while Sawan Barwal set a national record in the men's marathon, earning a silver medal. The shooting team also secured silver in the women's 50m rifle event. Additionally, the women's archery team finished second in their qualification round. Despite some setbacks in badminton and table tennis, Indian athletes continue to showcase their talent and determination at this prestigious event. Read on for more highlights and updates from the games.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 26, 2026, 09:56 IST

Athletics: Animesh Kujur Advances to 200m Semifinals

Indian sprinter Animesh Kujur has successfully moved on to the semifinals of the men's 200m event at the Asian Games 2026, following a strong performance in his heat on Saturday. He clocked an impressive time of 21.10 seconds, securing the top position in his heat and a spot in the semifinals.

Kujur's performance in the heats was commendable, showcasing his potential as one of India's leading sprinting talents at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. He aims to maintain his momentum as he prepares for the semifinal round, with hopes of competing for a medal.

India Achieves Silver Medals in Marathon and Shooting

In another remarkable achievement, Sawan Barwal made history by clinching the silver medal in the men's marathon, finishing with a national record time of 2:11:37. Additionally, the shooting team comprising Ashi Chouksey, Tilottama Sen, and Vidarsa Vinod secured a silver medal in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions team event. Tilottama placed third with 590 points, while Vidarsa qualified for the individual final by finishing sixth with 588 points.

Archery: Women's Compound Team Secures Second Place

In archery, the Indian women's compound team finished in second place during the qualification event. The trio of Chikitha Taniparthi (705), Jyothi Surekha Vennam (699), and Prithika Pradeep (695) combined their scores for a total of 2099.

Decathlon Update: Tejaswin Shankar in Strong Position

In the decathlon, Tejaswin Shankar and Thowfeeq Noushad competed in the men's 100m event, finishing fifth and seventh, respectively. Tejaswin later excelled in the long jump, achieving a distance of 7.53m, while Thowfeeq followed closely with 7.37m, placing third. Tejaswin currently stands second overall with 1807 points, while Thowfeeq is in fourth with 1759 points.

Canoe Sprint: Mixed Results for Indian Athletes

In canoe sprint events, Harshwardhan Shaktawat progressed to Final B after finishing fifth in the men's kayak single 500m semifinal. Meanwhile, Parvathy Geetha and Prasanna Kumar qualified for Final A by securing second place in the mixed kayak double 500m semifinal. However, Raju Rawat and Neha Devi Leichonbam finished eighth in the mixed canoe double 500m final.

Fencing: Women's Team Advances, Men's Team Eliminated

India's fencing teams experienced mixed outcomes, with the women's foil team defeating Indonesia 45-24 to reach the quarter-finals. Conversely, the men's sabre team won against the Philippines 45-27 in the round of 16 but was eliminated after a 25-45 loss to South Korea in the quarter-finals.

Challenges in Badminton, Table Tennis, and Esports

In badminton, Lakshya Sen was eliminated from the men's singles competition after a match against Singapore's Loh Kean Yew, ending with scores of 12-21, 21-15, and 14-21 in the second round. In table tennis, Yashaswini Ghorpade faced defeat against Japan's Miwa Harimoto in the women's singles round 3. Additionally, in esports, Paritosh suffered a 0-5 loss to Dongshin Kang in the Puyo Puyo Champions quarter-final.