India's Athletics Team Shines at Asian Games 2026: Surprises and Setbacks

Sawan Barwal's Historic Silver in Marathon

Nagoya: In a remarkable turn of events, Sawan Barwal emerged as a standout performer for India's athletics team at the Asian Games, clinching a surprising silver medal in the marathon with a record-breaking national time. Veteran shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor also secured a silver, as the day unfolded with mixed results for Indian track and field athletes in Nagoya on Saturday.

Quarter-miler Prachi Chaudhary contributed a bronze medal, bringing India's athletics medal count to eight by the end of the fourth day at Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium, which faced persistent rain throughout the day, making the track slippery.

With three days remaining in the competition, the Indian athletics squad is still on the hunt for its first gold medal. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) aims to achieve at least 25 medals.

The day was marred by injuries to two strong medal contenders from the previous edition—100m hurdler Jyothi Yarraji and triple jumper Praveen Chithravel—who had to withdraw from their events.

Yarraji experienced discomfort during warm-ups, while Chithravel had to retire after struggling with an injury during his first attempt.

Barwal's day began positively as the 28-year-old Armyman from Himachal Pradesh completed the marathon in 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 37 seconds, finishing just behind Japan's Ichitaka Yamashita (2:10:49). China's Peiyou Feng secured third place with a time of 2:12:13.

This silver medal marks India's first in the marathon at the Asian Games since Hosur Kukkappa Seetharan won bronze in 1982 in New Delhi.

Barwal is now the fourth Indian to earn a medal in this event at the Asian Games, following Chhota Singh and Surat Singh Mathur, who won gold and bronze respectively in the inaugural Games in 1951.

This achievement is particularly impressive for Barwal, as he has set two national records in his last two races. He transitioned to marathon running this year after competing in various long-distance events, including the 5,000m, 10,000m, and half marathon.

Earlier this year, he broke a 48-year-old national record at the NN Marathon in Rotterdam, clocking 2:11:58.

"My training focused on winning a medal, not necessarily breaking my national record. However, I am thrilled to have won a medal for my country after such a long time (since 1982)," Barwal expressed after the intense race.

Running in mild conditions of 21 degrees Celsius with occasional drizzle, Barwal led the pack for a significant portion of the race.

At the halfway point, he was in second place with a time of 1:05:54. By the 35km mark, only the top three runners, including Barwal, remained in contention.

Hailing from Joginder Nagar in Mandi district, Barwal's father Kuldeep is a driver in New Delhi, while his mother Subhadra Devi is a homemaker.

Toor's Silver: No Hat-Trick of Gold

In contrast, Tajinderpal Singh Toor's quest for a third consecutive Asian Games gold medal concluded with a silver, as he faced challenging wet conditions due to the ongoing rain.

Toor achieved a best throw of 20.64m, securing second place and marking his third consecutive medal at the Asian Games.

Iran's Mohammadreza Tayebise claimed gold with a Games record throw of 20.81m, surpassing Toor's previous record of 20.75m set in 2018. Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Tolu took home the bronze with a throw of 20.48m.

This silver adds to Toor's gold medals from Jakarta in 2018 and Hangzhou in 2022, but it also saw his Games record fall as Tayebise broke the 20.75m mark he had set eight years prior.

"I aimed for a hat-trick of gold medals. I felt strong and confident that I could achieve my best throw by the sixth attempt and reach 21m. So, I am somewhat disappointed with my performance," the Punjab athlete remarked.

"The AFI believed in me and encouraged me to give my best, stating I had the potential to win gold. While I couldn't achieve that, I still secured a silver for India, and a medal is a medal," Toor added, noting that he had been dealing with minor injuries leading up to the Games.

"For the past three months, I have been managing minor injuries. The rain made it difficult to maintain proper grip, and there was always the risk of slipping during the turn," he explained.

Prachi's Bronze in 400m

On a slippery track, Prachi clocked 53.21 seconds to earn a bronze medal. Bahrain's star quarter-miler Salwa Naser, the overwhelming favorite, won gold with a time of 49.20 seconds, leaving second-placed Zahra Zarei Manoujan (52.38 seconds) and Prachi far behind.

The 29-year-old Prachi, hailing from a village in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, achieved a personal and season's best of 52.57 seconds.

"This medal is particularly special for me because people often said I could only win medals in relays. Today, I have proven that I can also win in the individual 400m event at the Asian Games," Prachi stated.

In the men's 400m final, national record holder Vishal TK finished fifth with a time of 45.48 seconds.

Parul Chaudhary and Pooja Olla placed fourth and sixth respectively in the women's 1500m final, clocking 4 minutes and 9.46 seconds and 4:16.78.

Meanwhile, national record holder Animesh Kujur qualified for the men's 200m final after finishing second in semifinals Heat 3 with a time of 20.81 seconds.

Nandhini Kongan also advanced to the women's 100m hurdles final after clocking 13.48 seconds to finish fourth in her heat.