Top five medal contenders for India in athletics at Asian Games 2026
Many top athletes will represent India at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.
India will enter the athletics competition at the Asian Games 2026 with several athletes capable of challenging for medals.
While predicting medals in athletics is never straightforward, some Indian athletes’ performances in recent major competitions and their continental-level records make them strong contenders. Here are India’s top five medal contenders in athletics at the Asian Games 2026.
Medal contenders for India in athletics in Aichi-Nagoya
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Gulveer Singh (Distance Running)
Gulveer Singh has established himself as one of India’s leading distance runners. He claimed silver in the 10,000m and bronze in the 5,000m at the CWG 2026, adding to the bronze medal he won at the Asian Games 2022.
His continental-stage record is even more impressive; Singh completed a ‘double’ by winning the 5,000m and 10,000m races at the Asian Championships 2025.
Gulveer also holds the Asian record in the 5000m with 12:59.77 and the Indian record in the 10,000m with 27:00.22. He has opted to compete in three events this time, with the 1,500m completing his schedule. However, his primary medal prospects remain the 5,000m and 10,000m.
Birhanu Balew and Nagiya Mori are serious threats in the 5,000m, while Mebuki Suzuki and Yamato Yoshii will provide the challenge in the 10,000m. With his recent major event performances, he will be one of India’s strongest medal hopes.
Murali Sreeshankar (Long Jump)
Murali Sreeshankar will enter the Asian Games with considerable experience and confidence. He won silver at the 2022 Asian Games with an 8.19m jump.
After missing the Paris Olympics due to injury, Murali has made an incredible comeback after such a long layoff. He won silver at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, where he jumped 8.09m.
The long jumper has also produced an 8.38m effort in 2026, showing that he remains capable of challenging for the top spot at the continental level.
China and Japan provide the principal challenge, but Murali enters with the strongest recent championship form among the Indian contenders. His consistency around the eight-metre mark makes him one of India’s safest medal prospects, in fact, a gold medal prospect.
Related: Top five oldest Indian athletes participating at Asian Games 2026
Tejaswin Shankar (Decathlon)
Tejaswin Shankar has established himself as a serious decathlon medal contender after an impressive 2026 season. He set a new Indian record of 8,057 points in May, followed by a bronze in the decathlon at the Commonwealth Games with 7,976 points.
He also won silver at the 2022 Asian Games and took the Asian Indoor heptathlon title earlier this year. His prowess across all ten events makes him a strong contender.
The decathlon’s unpredictable nature means execution over two days will be crucial. Yuma Maruyama and Xinghua Chen loom as the two leading threats to his gold quest.
Ancy Sojan (Long Jump)
Ancy Sojan could be one of India’s biggest gold medal hopes in athletics. She won silver at the 2022 Asian Games with 6.63m and has improved considerably since then.
In June, Ancy broke Anju Bobby George’s 22-year-old long-standing national record by jumping 6.88m. The mark is the leading women’s long jump performance in Asia this year, while she has also produced multiple jumps beyond 6.70m.
Her Asian Games experience, coupled with her outstanding form in 2026, makes her a strong gold medal contender. Although Huang Yingying and Xiong Shiqi can provide some serious competition, Ancy is legitimately the athlete to beat on current form.
Praveen Chithravel (Triple Jump)
Praveen Chithravel will be another Indian athlete looking to build on a strong year. The triple jumper won bronze at the 2022 Asian Games and silver at the 2025 Asian Championships.
He then added another major medal — winning silver at the 2026 Commonwealth Games with a 16.58m effort. Earlier this year, Praveen produced a 17.08m season-best, while his 17.37m national record remains among Asia’s best marks.
The Chinese duo of Su Wen and Ma Yinglong are the two biggest threats. With recent success at major events, he has a genuine chance of adding another Asian Games medal to his collection.
Is Neeraj Chopra participating at the Asian Games 2026?
No, Neeraj Chopra has been ruled out of the Asian Games 2026 with an injury.
Who are India’s medal prospects in athletics at the Asian Games 2026?
Gulveer Singh (Distance Running), Murali Sreeshankar (Long Jump), Tejaswin Shankar (Decathlon), Ancy Sojan (Long Jump), and Praveen Chithravel (Triple Jump) are some of India’s athletics medal prospects at the Asian Games 2026.
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