India’s Athletics Contingent Targets Multiple Medals as Asian Games Action Intensifies

India, Sep 26 : India’s athletics contingent entered a crucial phase of the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with several athletes scheduled to compete in medal events on September 26.

The day featured finals in men’s shot put, men’s triple jump, women’s 400m, men’s 400m and women’s 1500m, alongside qualification and preliminary rounds in several other track and field disciplines.

Among the prominent Indian names in action was Tajinderpal Singh Toor, who was scheduled to compete in the men’s shot put final alongside Karanveer Singh. Toor entered the competition with experience of major international events and was among India’s established field event athletes.

The men’s shot put final was scheduled for the afternoon, giving India another opportunity to add to its medal tally after a productive day for athletics on September 25.

Praveen Chithravel and Karthik Unnikrishnan were also listed for the men’s triple jump final. Chithravel has established himself as one of India’s leading triple jumpers, while Karthik’s presence gave the country two competitors in the medal event.

The women’s 400m final was another important event for India, with Prachi and Kiran scheduled to compete. The two athletes were part of a wider Indian athletics group participating across track and field events during the Games.

The men’s 400m final also featured Indian representation, with Vishal Thennarasu scheduled to compete. His appearance added another medal opportunity in the sprint programme.

The women’s 1500m final featured Pooja and Parul Chaudhary. Parul is one of India’s experienced distance runners and had already been part of the country’s athletics campaign at major international competitions. Her participation added further interest to an evening session featuring several Indian finalists.

The athletics schedule extended beyond the medal events. Jyothi Yarraji and Nandhini Kongan were due to compete in the women’s 100m hurdles heats, while Harita Bhadra and Unnathi Aiyappa Bolland were listed for women’s 200m heats.

On the men’s side, Animesh Kujur was scheduled to take part in the 200m first round. Yoonus Shah and Gulveer Singh were also listed in the men’s 1500m heats.

Gulveer’s appearance was particularly noteworthy after he secured silver in the men’s 10,000m on September 25. His performance had been part of a productive day for Indian athletics, which contributed three medals to the country’s overall tally.

India’s field events also included the men’s decathlon, where Tejaswin Shankar and Thowfeeq Noushad were scheduled to continue their multi-event campaigns. The decathlon programme included the shot put and other disciplines as athletes accumulated points across individual events.

The women’s long jump qualification was another event involving Indian athletes. Shaili Singh and Ancy Sojan were listed in the qualification rounds, with their performances determining progression to the final.

The athletics programme was taking place alongside a packed schedule in other sports. India had athletes competing in shooting, squash, boxing, archery, fencing, canoe sprint and badminton, while the men’s hockey team was also scheduled to face Japan in a Pool A match.

The athletics programme was particularly significant because the sport has historically supplied a substantial share of India’s medals at the Asian Games. The September 25 results reinforced that contribution, with Gulveer Singh winning silver and Baranica Elangovan and Manpreet Kaur taking bronze medals.

The performances also came across different disciplines. Gulveer’s medal came in the 10,000m, Baranica reached the podium in pole vault and Manpreet secured bronze in shot put. Their results demonstrated India’s participation across both track and field events.

September 26 therefore offered another broad set of opportunities. Instead of relying on a single event, India had competitors spread across sprints, middle-distance races, hurdles, jumps, throws and the decathlon.

The men’s shot put final was among the key field events of the day, while the triple jump provided another opportunity for India to challenge for a podium finish. The evening session was expected to feature several finals in succession, including the 400m and 1500m events.

For India’s athletes, the September 26 programme also provided a chance to build on the momentum generated by the previous day’s medal-winning performances. The contingent had already shown strength in both established events and disciplines where younger competitors were making their presence felt.

The day’s athletics schedule also offered opportunities for athletes who were still at the qualifying stage. A strong performance in preliminary rounds would be necessary for them to progress to later stages, making the programme important beyond the medal finals.

With the Asian Games continuing until October 4, India’s athletics campaign still had several events remaining after September 26. The performances during the opening week would form part of a longer campaign involving experienced international competitors and younger athletes making their mark at the continental level.

The September 26 schedule thus placed Indian athletics firmly among the sports to watch, with Toor, Chithravel, Parul, Pooja and several other athletes competing across a full day of track and field action.