Abuduaini Tuergong claimed the men's discus gold at the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya, Japan on Thursday, 24 September, ending a 24-year wait for China to reclaim the title in the event. The 29-year-old sealed the win with a throw of 64.26 metres on his third attempt, with compatriot Wu Nanjun taking silver at 61.58m.

Abuduaini's Gold: From Bronze to Champion

Abuduaini, a two-time Asian Championships winner who broke the Chinese national record multiple times last year, was visibly emotional following his victory. 'It's been more than 20 years since China last won the title. Now we've brought it back,' he said. 'I'll call my family and friends when I get back to my hotel, and then have a good sleep.'

The performance marks a dramatic turnaround from Hangzhou 2023, where Abuduaini had to settle for bronze. He attributed his improved form to a deliberate and significant weight gain. 'I weighed around 113 to 114 kilograms in 2023, and now I'm 140 kilograms,' he said. 'I made that sacrifice to improve my performance. Adding more than 20 kilograms has made me more stable in all aspects.' The gain of more than 20 kilograms over three years reflects a calculated physical overhaul rather than coincidence — a reminder that elite field athletics is as much about biomechanics as technique.

Yavi Makes History in Women's 10,000m

Bahrain's Winfred Yavi, the reigning Olympic and world champion in the women's 3,000-metre steeplechase, added another title to her collection by winning the women's 10,000 metres in 32 minutes and 39.18 seconds — and she did it in her very first competitive 10,000m race. 'It feels so special because it's my first 10k at the Asian Games and I did it for the first time in my life in a competition,' Yavi said. 'It felt so good, entering such an event and getting a gold medal.'

Yavi indicated she plans to gradually shift her competitive focus from the steeplechase to the 5,000 and 10,000 metres going forward — a transition that could redefine the middle- and long-distance landscape in Asia.

Other Key Results from the Track and Field Programme

Uzbekistan's Sharifa Davronova claimed gold in the women's triple jump with a personal-best 14.35 metres, with China's Huang Yingying and Li Yi taking silver and bronze respectively. Bahrain's quartet set an Asian Games record of 3:12.87 in the mixed 4x400-metre relay.

In the men's 100 metres preliminaries, Thailand's Puripol Boonson posted a season-best 9.95 seconds to lead the heats. The 20-year-old — who set a personal best of 9.94 seconds last year — said: 'I am extremely happy now because I never expected to reach this result. My initial goal was around 10 seconds.' Boonson, the Hangzhou Asian Games silver medallist, expressed confidence ahead of the final. China's Zeng Keli progressed in 10.22 seconds, while defending champion Xie Zhenye advanced from another heat in 10.30 seconds.

On the women's side, 17-year-old Chinese sprinter Chen Yujie recorded the fastest preliminary time of 11.41 seconds in the women's 100 metres heats — just outside the Asian junior record of 11.08 seconds she set at a domestic meet in August, which is also the fastest women's 100m time in Asia this season. Defending champion Ge Manqi suffered leg cramps during the fourth heat and finished in 12.13 seconds, failing to advance.

What to Watch Next

With the men's and women's 100m semifinals and finals still ahead, Boonson's bid for Thailand's sprint gold and Chen Yujie's quest to back up her junior record will be among the most anticipated moments remaining on the track programme in Nagoya.