Asian Games 2026: Rishabh Das qualifies for 100m backstroke final in Nagoya
Synopsis
Rishabh Das punched his ticket to the men's 100m backstroke final at the Asian Games in Nagoya, clocking 54.85 seconds in a competitive heat field headlined by China's record holder Xu Jiayu. While swimming delivered a highlight, India's freestyle duo and teqball contingent fell short — setting up Monday's backstroke final as the next big moment for Indian sport at these Games.
Key Takeaways
Rishabh Das qualified for the men's 100m backstroke final at Asian Games 2026 , finishing fifth overall with a time of 54.85 seconds .
China's Xu Jiayu topped the heats with an Asian record-level time of 52.63 seconds ; Japan's Hidekazu Takehara was second.
Utkarsh Patil missed the final, clocking 56.19 seconds to finish 12th overall as a reserve.
India's women's table tennis team beat Indonesia 3-0 , with wins from Sreeja Akula , Diya Chitale , and Yashaswini Ghorpade .
India's teqball pairs — Dsouza-Beg and Dsouza in singles — both lost bronze-medal matches, ending the campaign without a medal.
The 100m backstroke final is scheduled for Monday in Nagoya.
Indian swimmer Rishabh Das has secured a place in the men's 100m backstroke final at the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya, after a composed performance in Sunday's heats saw him clock 54.85 seconds — good enough for fifth overall. The result keeps India's swimming ambitions alive heading into Monday's final.
Das Advances, Patil Falls Just Short
Das finished third in Heat 3, comfortably booking his spot in the showpiece event. He ended 0.63 seconds behind second-placed Japanese swimmer Hidekazu Takehara. The dominant force in the heats was China's Asian record holder Xu Jiayu, who topped the overall standings with a blistering 52.63 seconds — more than two seconds clear of Das.
Compatriot Utkarsh Patil narrowly missed the cut, clocking 56.19 seconds to finish sixth in his heat and 12th overall, placing him as a reserve for the final.
Freestyle Heats Disappoint for India
The men's 100m freestyle heats offered little cheer. Rohit Benedicton finished fifth in Heat 5 with a time of 50.25 seconds, ending 12th overall and earning only a reserve berth. Akash Mani, competing in the same heat, clocked 50.85 seconds to finish eighth and did not advance to the final.
Table Tennis Women Storm Into Form
India opened their women's team table tennis campaign on a winning note, defeating Indonesia 3-0. Sreeja Akula set the tone by winning the opening rubber, before Diya Chitale extended the advantage with an 11-9, 11-8, 11-5 victory over Almaira Nebuchadnezzar. Yashaswini Ghorpade then sealed the sweep, beating Citra Rasmi 12-10, 11-4, 11-4. India are next scheduled to face Singapore in a Group F encounter at 12:30 PM on Sunday.
Teqball Campaign Ends Without a Medal
India's teqball contingent returned empty-handed from Nagoya. The mixed doubles pair of Quimcy Dsouza and Mohamed Anas Imran Beg lost 2-0 to Vietnam's Hoang Minh Tan Nguyen and Gia Nghi Trinh in the bronze-medal match. Earlier, Dsouza had also fallen 2-0 to Japan's Yuina Sakamoto in the women's singles bronze-medal playoff, ending India's involvement in the discipline without a podium finish.
What to Watch on Monday
All eyes now turn to the men's 100m backstroke final on Monday, where Das will line up against a competitive field headlined by Xu Jiayu. A podium finish would mark a significant moment for Indian swimming at these Games.
Point of View
But the broader swim camp's struggles in freestyle underline a recurring pattern for Indian swimming at multi-sport Games — depth remains thin outside individual standouts. China's Xu Jiayu, with a heat time more than two seconds faster than Das, will be an enormous ask in the final. The real question is whether India's podium ambitions in the pool are realistic or whether qualification itself is being framed as the win — a distinction that matters when measuring genuine progress in the sport.
NationPress
20 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Rishabh Das qualify for the 100m backstroke final at Asian Games 2026?
Yes, Rishabh Das qualified for the men's 100m backstroke final at the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya, finishing fifth overall in the heats with a time of 54.85 seconds. He finished third in Heat 3 to advance to Monday's final.
Who topped the 100m backstroke heats at Asian Games 2026?
China's Xu Jiayu , the Asian record holder, topped the overall standings in the heats with a time of 52.63 seconds, more than two seconds ahead of Rishabh Das. Japan's Hidekazu Takehara finished second overall.
What happened to India in the men's 100m freestyle heats?
India's Rohit Benedicton finished 12th overall with a time of 50.25 seconds and earned a reserve spot, while Akash Mani clocked 50.85 seconds to finish eighth in their heat and did not advance. Neither swimmer qualified for the final.
How did India's women's table tennis team perform at Asian Games 2026?
India's women's table tennis team defeated Indonesia 3-0 in their opening Group F match, with Sreeja Akula, Diya Chitale, and Yashaswini Ghorpade all winning their individual rubbers. India next face Singapore in Group F on Sunday.
Did India win any medal in teqball at Asian Games 2026?
No, India ended their teqball campaign without a medal. Both the mixed doubles pair of Quimcy Dsouza and Mohamed Anas Imran Beg, and Dsouza in women's singles, lost their respective bronze-medal matches to Vietnam and Japan respectively.
