Prachi Choudhary Wins Maiden 400m Bronze at Asian Games 2026
· Sports · India Today, NDTV Sports, Times of India
India's Prachi Choudhary won her first individual Asian Games medal, a bronze in the women's 400m final, clocking 53.21 seconds in the event held on Saturday. Bahrain's Olympic silver medallist Salwa Naser claimed gold in a Games-record 49.20 seconds, while Iran's Zahra Zarei Manoujan took silver in 52.38 seconds. Choudhary, an Indian Railways athlete, had finished third in her heat in 53.46 seconds and progressed as one of the fastest non-automatic qualifiers before improving her time in the final. India's other finalist, Kiran Pahal, finished fifth in 53.41 seconds. Choudhary, who was part of India's silver-winning 4x400m relay team at the 2022 Asian Games and the Paris Olympics, now targets a medal in the women's 4x400m relay.
Why it matters
The result marks a breakthrough for an Indian sprinter who had previously found success only in relay events, and sets up a potential individual Olympic qualification path beyond the relay. Choudhary's bronze also keeps India's medal momentum alive ahead of the remaining athletics events at the 2026 Asian Games.
Read the original report — India Today
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