Asian U23 Athletics Championships: The spotlight was on Indian middle-distance runners as they won two bronze medals on the second day of the inaugural edition of the Asian U23 Athletics Championships 2026 in the Chinese city of Ordos on Friday. Sprinter Abhay Singh won India's third bronze of the day in the men’s 200m.
Shakeel set the ball rolling for the Indian team as he won bronze in the men’s 800m. He clocked 1:48.78-sec. Vinod Kumar B, the second Indian in the 800m final, finished fourth with a time of 1:49.10-sec.
India’s second bronze medal came in the women’s 800m race through Bhumeshwory Devi Huidrom, who clocked 2:10.20-sec. However, it was a disappointing day for Vaishnavi Rajendra Rawal as she finished fifth with a time of 2:10.83.
Uzbekistan’s Jonbibi Hukmove won gold in the women’s 800m with a time of 2:08.41. Japan’s Kurumi Sugure won silver (2:09.42).
In an exciting men’s 200m race, Abhay Singh clinched the bronze medal with a time of 20.96 seconds. The youth National Record holder, Abhay, was also the guide for Simran Sharma when she medaled at the Paris Paralympics.
China’s Youwen Huang won gold (20.43 seconds) in the men's 200m, and Japan’s Kota Uematsu settled for silver (20.58 seconds).
India’s Sharuk Khan finished fourth in the men’s 3000m steeplechase. His time was 9.14.14 seconds. Abhijit Sanjay Bhosale also finished fourth in the decathlon. His overall points tally was 6610.
Earlier on the opening day, the Indian quartet of Astik Pradhan, Sandramol Sabu, Setu Mishra, and Shravani Sachin Sangle won a gold medal in the mixed 4x400m relay on Thursday.
India’s Sharuk Khan finished fourth in the men’s 3000m steeplechase. His time was 9.14.14 seconds. Abhijit Sanjay Bhosale also finished fourth in the decathlon. His overall points tally was 6610.
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The highlight for India on Day One was the gold medal in the mixed 4x400m relay as the quartet clocked the winning time of 3: 18.64 seconds, finishing ahead of China (3:18.74) and the Philippines (3:25.28 seconds), who finished second and third respectively.