India’s athletics campaign at the Asian Games 2026 begins on Day 5 at Nagoya City Mizuho Park. Anamika Aneesh and Pooja will represent India in the women’s heptathlon heats, with Anamika competing in Heat 1 and Pooja in Heat 2. Following the heptathlon, the mixed 4x400m relay team, consisting of Jay Kumar, Ansa Babu, Manu TS, and Rashdeep Kaur, will participate in the Round 1 heats. India enters the relay as the defending champions, having secured gold in the event at Hangzhou 2023 with the team of Amoj Jacob, Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Rajesh Ramesh, and Muhammad Ajmal Variyathodi.
The duo of Asha Ilango and Niharika Vashisht will eye podium finishes in the women’s triple jump final. Sprinters Animesh Kujur and Gurindervir Singh will also compete in their 100m heat races later in the day. A key reason behind this failure was a hamstring injury.
Seema will make her Asian Games debut in the women’s 10,000m final to round off India’s athletics campaign for the day. Gurindervir had risen to nationwide fame in May when he became the first Indian man to clock sub-10.10 seconds in the men’s 100m, storming to victory at the Federation Cup in Ranchi with a sensational national record time of 10.09 seconds. He beat Animesh Kujur’s record by 0.06 seconds and turned himself into one of India’s hottest medal prospects for CWG 2026. However, he could not make it to the finals of the men’s 100 m, finishing with timings of 10.39s and was placed 28th after all heats, which was not enough to earn him a place in the semifinals. India Athletics Schedule, Asian Games Day 5 : Anamika Aneesh, Pooja in women’s heptathlon Heats at 6.30am Jay Kumar, Ansa Babu, Manu TS and Rashdeep Kaur in men’s 4x400m relay mixed Round 1 Heats at 7:01am Asha Ilango and Niharika Vashisht in women’s triple jump final at 4:14pm Gurindervir Singh and Animesh Kujur in men’s 100m Heats at 4:38pm onwards Seema in women’s 10,000m final at 5:55pm (With ANI Inputs)
