Puripol Boonson matches Asian record with 19.88, seals 100m-200m double at Asian Games 2026
Synopsis
At just 20, Thailand's Puripol Boonson did what only one Asian sprinter had done before him — run 19.88 in the 200m. On a rain-soaked track in Nagoya, he matched the continental record, swept the 100m-200m sprint double at Aichi-Nagoya 2026, and announced himself as the most electrifying sprinting talent Asia has produced in years.
Key Takeaways
Puripol Boonson of Thailand clocked 19.88 seconds in the men's 200m final on 27 September at Aichi-Nagoya 2026 , matching the Asian record.
The record equals the continental mark set by China's Xie Zhenye in 2019 — only the second Asian sprinter to reach this benchmark.
He also won the 100m in a Games-record 9.90 seconds , completing the sprint double.
China's Huang Youwen (20.45) took silver and Japan's Mizukubo Soshi (20.56) claimed bronze in the 200m final.
Puripol arrived in Nagoya seeking to improve on his 100m silver at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games .
At 20 years old , he leaves Aichi-Nagoya with two sprint golds and a place in the Asian record books.
Thailand's Puripol Boonson delivered one of the standout performances of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, matching the continental record in the men's 200m on Sunday, 27 September with a blistering 19.88 seconds to complete a historic sprint double. The 20-year-old became only the second Asian sprinter ever to clock that time, equalling the mark set by China's Xie Zhenye in 2019.
A Dominant Sprint Double
Puripol had already announced himself as the fastest man at the Games two nights earlier, taking the 100m title in a Games-record 9.90 seconds on Friday. That campaign had itself been a record-breaking procession — he posted 9.91 in the semi-finals before pushing the standard down further in the final, finishing ahead of Oman's Ali Al Balushi and Malham Al Balushi.
In the 200m, he wasted no time signalling his intent. He first lowered the 12-year-old Games record in the heats, then eased to a Games record of 20.10 in Saturday's semi-finals before openly targeting Xie's continental benchmark in the final.
The Record-Equalling Final
Running from lane eight on a rain-soaked track at Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium in Nagoya, Puripol established immediate separation from the field and was never seriously challenged. He crossed the line in 19.88 seconds, finishing more than half a second clear of the field. China's Huang Youwen took silver in 20.45, while Japan's Mizukubo Soshi claimed bronze in 20.56.
Notably, the performance came exactly as Puripol had predicted after his semi-final — a rare instance of a sprinter publicly calling a continental record and then delivering it.
Redemption from Hangzhou 2022
The Aichi-Nagoya campaign represents a significant leap forward for the Thai teenager. At the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2022, Puripol had settled for a 100m silver. Four years on, he departed Nagoya with two individual sprint golds and a place alongside Xie Zhenye in Asian record books — a transformation that underlines Thailand's growing depth in sprinting at the continental level.
What This Means for Asian Athletics
The 19.88 is the joint-fastest 200m ever run by an Asian athlete, a mark that had stood for seven years. At just 20, Puripol's trajectory points toward a long and potentially record-shattering career ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. His ability to perform on rain-affected tracks further highlights his technical maturity. Asian sprinting, long dominated by Chinese athletes, now has a credible challenger from Southeast Asia.
Point of View
Chinese athletes set the continental tempo; now a 20-year-old Thai is rewriting the record books on a rain-soaked track. What separates this performance is the manner: he publicly named 19.88 as his target after the semi-final and then delivered it, suggesting a mental composure rarely seen at this level. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics still two years away, the deeper question is whether Thailand's athletics infrastructure can sustain his development — because the talent is evidently there.
NationPress
27 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What record did Puripol Boonson set at the Asian Games 2026?
Puripol Boonson matched the Asian record in the men's 200m, clocking 19.88 seconds at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games on 27 September. This equals the continental mark set by China's Xie Zhenye in 2019, making Puripol only the second Asian sprinter ever to run that time.
Did Puripol Boonson win both the 100m and 200m at the Asian Games 2026?
Yes, Puripol Boonson completed the 100m-200m sprint double at Aichi-Nagoya 2026. He won the 100m in a Games-record 9.90 seconds on Friday and the 200m in a continental-record-equalling 19.88 seconds on Sunday.
Who finished second and third in the Asian Games 200m final?
China's Huang Youwen took silver in 20.45 seconds, and Japan's Mizukubo Soshi claimed bronze in 20.56 seconds, both finishing well behind Puripol's winning time of 19.88.
How does Puripol's 2026 performance compare to his 2022 Asian Games result?
At the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, Puripol won a 100m silver medal. At Aichi-Nagoya 2026, he upgraded to gold in the 100m and added a 200m gold, completing the sprint double while matching the Asian 200m record — a dramatic step up in performance.
What is the Asian record in the men's 200m?
The Asian record in the men's 200m stands at 19.88 seconds, originally set by China's Xie Zhenye in 2019. Thailand's Puripol Boonson equalled that mark at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, becoming the joint-record holder.
