Asian Games 2026: Harita Bhadra wins 200m bronze, Ancy Sojan takes long jump silver
Synopsis
Harita Bhadra broke India's eight-year absence from the women's 200m podium at the Asian Games with a bronze clocked at 23.20 seconds, while Ancy Sojan narrowly missed gold in a dramatic long jump final, settling for silver after China's Huang Yingying edged her by two centimetres on the last attempt. President Droupadi Murmu congratulated both athletes on X.
Key Takeaways
Harita Bhadra won bronze in the women's 200m at Asian Games 2026 with a time of 23.20 seconds , finishing 0.01 seconds ahead of Japan's sprinter.
The medal ended India's eight-year absence from the women's 200m podium at the Asian Games since Dutee Chand's bronze in 2018 .
Ancy Sojan claimed silver in the women's long jump with a best effort of 6.53 metres , pipped by China's Huang Yingying ( 6.55m ) in the final round.
Shaili Singh finished fourth in the long jump at 6.42 metres , narrowly missing the podium.
President Droupadi Murmu congratulated both athletes via posts on X on 27 September 2026 .
Ancy set a national record of 6.88 metres earlier in 2026 at the World Athletics Continental Tour event in Bhubaneswar .
President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday, 27 September 2026 congratulated Indian athletes Harita Bhadra and Ancy Sojan after the duo delivered standout performances at the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 — Harita claiming bronze in the women's 200 metres and Ancy securing silver in the women's long jump. The President took to X to personally acknowledge both athletes, calling their finishes a testament to skill and determination.
Harita Bhadra ends India's 200m podium drought
Harita Bhadra clocked 23.20 seconds in the women's 200m final to finish third — edging out Japan's sprinter by just one hundredth of a second in one of the closest finishes of the athletics programme. Veronica Shanti Pereira of Singapore won gold with a time of 22.78 seconds, while Chen Yujie of China took silver at 22.93 seconds. India's other entrant, Unnathi Aiyappa Bolland, finished sixth with a time of 23.46 seconds.
Notably, Harita's medal ended India's eight-year absence from the women's 200m podium at the Asian Games — the last being Dutee Chand's bronze in 2018. The 23-year-old, competing in her debut Asian Games, had arrived at Aichi-Nagoya having already improved her personal best to 23.14 seconds at the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships earlier this season.
'Warm congratulations to Harita Bhadra on winning the Bronze Medal in the Women's 200 Metres event at the Asian Games 2026. In a highly competitive race, you held your ground to secure a memorable finish. May you continue to pursue excellence,' the President posted on X.
Ancy Sojan's dramatic long jump final
Ancy Sojan produced a compelling performance in the women's long jump, ultimately settling for silver after a last-gasp effort by China's Huang Yingying denied her gold. Ancy had opened with a jump of 6.49 metres, temporarily surrendered the lead mid-competition, and then reclaimed it with a fifth-round effort of 6.53 metres. However, Huang responded with 6.55 metres in her final attempt to pip Ancy by just two centimetres. Ancy's last jump of 6.49 metres confirmed her silver.
China's Mengyi Tan took bronze with a final-round jump of 6.46 metres, while India's Shaili Singh, in medal contention until the final round, finished fourth at 6.42 metres. Ancy's performance this season has been part of a breakthrough year — she set a national record of 6.88 metres earlier in 2026 at a World Athletics Continental Tour event in Bhubaneswar.
'Heartiest congratulations to Ancy Sojan on securing the Silver Medal in the Women's Long Jump event at the Asian Games 2026. Your performance in a thrilling final is a testament to your skill and determination. May you continue to scale greater heights,' President Murmu posted.
India's athletics haul at Aichi-Nagoya
The twin medals underline the rising competitiveness of Indian women's track and field at the continental level. Both performances came from young athletes — Harita in only her first Asian Games and Ancy in the middle of a record-breaking season — signalling a generational shift in Indian athletics that selectors and the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) will be keen to build upon ahead of future global competitions.
Point of View
Dramatic as it was, also raises the question of whether a 6.88m national record earlier this season and a 6.53m effort in the final represents a ceiling or a launchpad. The fourth-place finish of Shaili Singh — in contention until the last round — is the subplot mainstream coverage will miss: India could plausibly have taken two medals in a single long jump final, which has rarely happened at this level. The Athletics Federation of India should be thinking about what support structure sustains this cohort through the next Olympic cycle.
NationPress
27 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What medal did Harita Bhadra win at the Asian Games 2026?
Harita Bhadra won a bronze medal in the women's 200 metres event at the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, clocking 23.20 seconds. She finished just one hundredth of a second ahead of Japan's sprinter to secure third place.
Who won gold in the women's 200m at Asian Games 2026?
Veronica Shanti Pereira of Singapore won the gold medal with a time of 22.78 seconds. China's Chen Yujie took silver at 22.93 seconds, and Harita Bhadra of India claimed bronze at 23.20 seconds.
What was Ancy Sojan's performance in the women's long jump final?
Ancy Sojan secured silver in the women's long jump with a best effort of 6.53 metres. She was edged out by China's Huang Yingying, who jumped 6.55 metres on her final attempt to win gold by just two centimetres.
Why is Harita Bhadra's bronze medal historically significant?
Harita's bronze ended India's eight-year gap on the women's 200m podium at the Asian Games. The last Indian to medal in that event was Dutee Chand, who won bronze at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.
How did President Droupadi Murmu respond to the medals?
President Droupadi Murmu posted personal congratulatory messages for both athletes on X on 27 September 2026, praising Harita for holding her ground in a competitive race and Ancy for a thrilling performance that demonstrated skill and determination.
