Indian athletes secure historic podium finishes at Nagoya Asian Games
National record holder Sarvesh Anil Kushare clinched silver in the men's high jump to end a decades-long medal drought for India. He cleared 2.25m at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi Nagoya. This outstanding performance tied him with Chao-Husan Fu of Chinese Taipei. Fu ultimately took gold on the count back rule.
Indian track and field athletes have historically faced fierce competition at the continental level, making these podium finishes highly significant for the national sports ecosystem. Kushare became only the third Indian jumper to claim an Asian Games medal in this specific event. His silver finishes a 56-year waiting period for the country. Bhim Singh secured the last men's high jump medal, a bronze, back in 1970. This silver caps off a remarkable year for the 31-year-old jumper from Maharashtra. He set a fresh national record of 2.31m at the Inter-State National Championships earlier this year. He also secured silver at the Commonwealth Games and finished third during his Diamond League debut in Monaco.
Record breaking run by Parul Chaudhary
Parul Chaudhary delivered a phenomenal performance in the women's 3000m steeplechase. She crossed the finish line in 9:08.67s to claim the bronze medal. This timing shattered her previous national record of 9:12.46. She finished just behind Winfred Yavi of Bahrain and Norah Jeruto of Kazakhstan. Yavi established a new Games record with a timing of 9:04.36. Chaudhary previously earned a silver medal in the 2023 edition of this exact event. She will now shift her focus to the upcoming women's 5000m race for another medal opportunity. Adding to the strong Indian track showing, Ankita Dhyani secured fourth place in the steeplechase with a personal best of 9:19.24. These achievements push India's total athletics medal tally at the current games to 12, comprising five silver and seven bronze medals.
