By Sundeep Misra, OCA Media
Nagoya, Japan, September 27, 2026: The Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium transformed the Asian Games athletics into a crucible of emotion, breathtaking speed and relentless endurance. From dominant throwing to blistering sprints that equalled continental records, the stadium bore witness to some incredible athletics.
Thailand’s sprint sensation Puripol Boonson cemented his status as a superstar by securing a magnificent sprint double. Having already conquered the flagship 100-meter event where he shattered the Games record with a blistering 9.90, Boonson returned for the 200-meter final with even grander ambitions.
Exhibiting a ferocious bend and acceleration, he scorched across the finish line in a sensational 19.88 seconds. That blistering time not only eclipsed the Asian Games record of 20.10 he had already reset in the semifinals but also equalled the Asian record set by China’s Xie Zhenye in 2019.
“I trusted my training and every single sacrifice it took to get here,” Boonson reflected, catching his breath amidst the flashbulbs. “To bring this glory back to Thailand and share a record that has stood for years feels completely surreal. This is for everyone back home who has supported me through the highs and lows. We broke a 48-year drought, but this is just the beginning for Thai sprinting.”
*In the women’s 200 meters, Singapore’s iconic sprint star Shanti Pereira put on a tactical clinic to successfully defend her 2022 continental title. She secured the gold medal with a stellar season-best time of 22.78 seconds, holding off a fierce challenge from China’s emerging talent Chen Yujie (22.93s) and India’s Harita Bhadra (23.20s). This performance capped off an incredible multi-medal campaign for Pereira, which included a hard-fought silver in the 100m final earlier in the week.
“I love the pressure now,” Pereira said. “Coming here to defend a title is a completely different mental challenge than chasing one for the first time. I just wanted to trust my instincts, stay relaxed through the curve and leave everything out on the track to make Singapore proud once again.”
*Middle and long-distance events provided equally heart-stopping drama. Bahrain’s Olympic champion Winfred Yavi delivered an awe-inspiring final-lap surge in the women’s 3000-meter steeplechase, obliterating her own previous Games record with a time of 9:04.36. This victory marked her second gold of the Games, following a prior triumph in the 10,000m, with sights firmly set on a historical triple by competing in the 5,000m next. Kazakhstan’s Norah Jeruto Tanui chased hard for silver in 9:06.82, while India’s Parul Chaudhary took bronze in 9:08.67.
*Meanwhile, the field events showcased absolute dominance from elite specialists. In the women’s javelin throw, China’s teenage prodigy, the 18-year-old Yan Ziyi commanded the runway with supreme confidence. Carrying her world-class form into the stadium, she unleashed a colossal throw of 70.46 that left the rest of the field trailing in her wake, securing the gold medal in style. Haruka Kitaguchi, the 2023 World Champion, took the silver with 62.70m with the bronze also going to Japan’s Sae Takemoto with 62.15m
“I knew I had to stay focused on my execution rather than the distance,” Yan said after her victory. “There is always pressure when you step on to the runway representing your country, but I cleared my mind and did it.”
*In the women’s long jump, the competition entered the sixth jump with India’s Ancy Sojan leading with her mark of 6.53m. China’s Tan Mengyi had already thrown down an early marker, claiming the bronze with a brilliant 6.46m flight that kept the pressure building.
Entering the final round. China’s Huang Yingying stood at the runway, pausing for a few seconds. Then ran in with the look of someone whose everything depended on one last jump. Numbers flashed: 6.55 meters. In a heart-stopping twist, gold slipped through India’s fingers and landed with China.
*Elsewhere on the track, the hurdles and multi-events delivered fierce battles. China’s Chen Yuanjiang captured the men’s 110m hurdles gold in 13.15s, edging Japan’s Rachid Muratake (13.29s).
*In the women’s 100m hurdles, Japan’s Mako Fukube secured gold in 12.74s ahead of compatriot Hitomi Nakajima who clocked 12.78 for silver with the bronze going to Wu Yanni in 13.12.
*Following a gruelling two days of multi-event competition, Japan’s Yuma Maruyama triumphed with 8,123 points to secure the decathlon gold medal. China’s Chen Xinghua fought hard to claim the silver with 8,012 points, while India’s Tejaswin Shankar rounded out the podium with 7,934 points to earn a hard-fought bronze.
*Fu Chao-hsuan of Chinese Taipei claimed the gold medal in the men’s high jump after a thrilling duel. Both he and India’s Sarvesh Kushare cleared an impressive height of 2.25 meters. However, Sarvesh heartbreakingly lost out on the top spot, settling for the silver medal because he needed one more attempt to clear the bar than the champion. Meanwhile, Korea’s Woo Sanghyeok rounded out the podium by securing the bronze medal with a clearance of 2.22 meters.
