Prachi Choudhary added another athletics medal to India’s tally at the Asian Games 2026 after securing bronze in a thrilling women’s 400m final.
Prachi clocked 53.21 seconds to finish third, while Iran’s Zahra Manoujan produced a superb final stretch to take silver in 52.38 seconds. Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser, meanwhile, dominated the race from start to finish, storming to gold in 49.20 seconds.
The Indian athlete delivered a composed run from the inside lane and held her position through the final stages to secure a place on the podium.
Hima Das is the last Indian woman to win a major individual 400 m medal at the Asian Games before Prachi. Hima Das won a silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta with a time of 50.79 seconds in that race, making it a national record for India.
Salwa Eid Naser Leaves The Field Behind
The women's 400m final was effectively a race of its own for Salwa Eid Naser. The Bahrain star produced a stunning 49.20-second run to leave the rest of the field chasing her.
The bigger battle unfolded behind her as Iran's Manoujan and India's Prachi fought for the remaining podium places. Manoujan timed her finish perfectly, producing a strong late burst to cross the line in 52.38 seconds.
Prachi, however, held firm under pressure and stopped the clock at 53.21 seconds to claim bronze.
The visual of Naser crossing the finish line well clear of the field was striking, while the wait to determine the silver and bronze medallists added another layer of drama to the race.
Kiran Pahal Misses Out On Medal
India also had Kiran Pahal in the final, but she narrowly missed the podium. Kiran finished fifth with a time of 53.41 seconds.
Both Prachi and Kiran had qualified for the final after progressing through their respective heats on Friday. Prachi had finished third in her heat, while Kiran won her heat to book her place in the medal race.
Prachi's progression had followed a strong domestic season as well. Athletics Federation of India records show that she had clocked 53.24 seconds to win the women's 400m at the 2026 National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships.
Another Athletics Medal For India
Prachi's bronze further strengthened India's athletics medal tally at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
India had already collected medals across several track and field disciplines, including Gulveer Singh's silver in the men's 10,000m and bronze medals for Manpreet Kaur in women's shot put and Baranica Elangovan in women's pole vault.