Nagoya, Sep 27 (IANS) India ended the sprint programme at the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 with contrasting results in the women’s and men’s 200m finals on Sunday, as Harita Bhadra claimed bronze in a tight finish before Animesh Kujur placed fifth in a high-quality men’s race.

Harita clocked 23.20 seconds to secure the women’s 200m bronze, edging Japan’s sprinter by just one hundredth of a second. Singapore’s Veronica Shanti Pereira took gold in 22.78s, while China’s Chen Yujie, the 100m champion at these Games, finished second in 22.93s.

The medal ended India’s wait for a podium finish in the women’s 200m at the Asian Games since Dutee Chand’s bronze at the 2018 edition. Harita, 23, also became only the sixth Indian woman to win a 200m medal at the continental event.

The Maharashtra sprinter entered the Games after lowering her personal best to 23.14s at the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships, where she won the national title. Her Asian Games bronze came with a time just 0.06 seconds slower than that mark.

Harita’s teammate Unnathi Aiyappa Bolland finished sixth in the final in 23.46s. After the race, Bolland was among the first to congratulate Harita, embracing her after the Indian secured the podium finish.

The men’s 200m final produced a different outcome for India, with Animesh Kujur finishing fifth in 20.80s.

Thailand’s Puripol Boonson dominated the race to complete the 100m-200m sprint double. He stopped the clock at 19.88s, matching the Asian record, after having already set a new Games record during the qualifying round.

Animesh, who had progressed to the final after a strong showing in the heats, could not reproduce the pace required to challenge for the medals and ended his Asian Games 200m campaign in fifth place.

The Indian’s 20.80s finish came after a competition in which he had also advanced to the 100m semifinal earlier in the Games. For Harita, meanwhile, the bronze provided India with a rare sprint podium moment and capped her first Asian Games appearance with a medal.

--IANS

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