Indian athletes clinch dual bronze medals marking historic continental achievements
Indian track athletes delivered exceptional performances at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, securing bronze medals in both the mixed 4x100m relay and the men's 5000m race on Tuesday. Continental athletics competitions consistently draw high-caliber talent from across the region, pushing runners to register peak times under intense pressure.
Competing in challenging, rain-affected conditions, the Indian relay quartet clocked a season-best 41.06 seconds. The team featured Gurindervir Singh, Sneha Sathyanarayana Shanuvalli, Animesh Kujur, and Harita Bhadra. Gurindervir provided a swift start during the opening leg. Sneha maintained their required speed upon receiving the baton. Animesh covered the third segment efficiently before handing off to Harita, who executed a powerful anchor finish to ensure podium placement. China claimed the gold medal with a winning time of 40.78 seconds. Thailand followed very closely, earning the silver medal at 40.87 seconds.
Earlier that afternoon, Gulveer Singh rewrote the history books by claiming bronze in the men's 5000m event. He crossed the finish line in 13:32.75 during a tightly contested distance race. This specific achievement made him the first Indian male athlete to capture three individual medals at a single edition of this continental sporting event. He previously won silver medals in both the 10,000m and 1500m competitions earlier in the week.
Bahrain representative Birhanu Balew secured the 5000m gold medal by finishing the race in 13:30.79. Japanese runner Tomonori Yamaguchi took the silver medal, clocking a time of 13:31.43. These combined medal victories significantly highlight the growing strength and stamina of the national athletics contingent on the international stage.
With Inputs from Agency Threads and Image courtesy: ANI
