4x400m relay race (representative image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
India beat a Bahrain team featuring Olympic medallist Salwa Eid Naser to win 4x400m relay gold.
India clocked 3:29.69, with Bahrain taking silver in 3:30.21.
The race was held at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium on September 29.
It is India’s first athletics gold of the Asian Games 2026.
The team was Kiran Pahal, Poovamma Machettira, Prachi Choudhary and Vithya Ramraj.
The race was held at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium.
India beat Bahrain, whose team included Olympic medallist Salwa Eid Naser, to the gold medal.
Bahrain took silver in 3:30.21.
The winning time did not surpass India’s national record of 3:26.89, set at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
It is India’s first athletics gold of these Asian Games.
It is India’s sixth Asian Games women’s 4x400m relay title, and the first since the 2018 Jakarta Games.
The win came on Day 10 of the Asian Games, a day that also saw Neeru Dhanda win trap shooting gold and two boxers reach their finals.
India’s overall medal tally at the Games rose to 53 following Day 10’s results.
Day 10 also saw Gulveer Singh complete a hat-trick of medals in distance running events.
The Asian Games 2026 are being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4.
India’s relay squads have traditionally been among the country’s stronger track and field medal contenders at multi-sport Games.
The women’s 4x400m relay requires each of four runners to cover one lap of the track before handing off a baton.
India’s athletics contingent at these Games has featured a mix of experienced internationals and emerging talent.
Bahrain has fielded several naturalised athletes with strong individual international records in recent major athletics events.
Track and field events make up a significant share of the total medals on offer at any Asian Games edition.
4x400m relay race (representative image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
