India is set to commence its athletics campaign at the 2026 Asian Games on Day 5, with a busy schedule of events taking place at the
The morning session kicks off with the women's heptathlon heats, where Anamika Aneesh and Pooja will represent the nation. Anamika is scheduled to compete in Heat 1, followed by Pooja in Heat 2. Shortly after, the focus shifts to the relay track, where the quartet of Jay Kumar, Ansa Babu, Manu TS, and Rashdeep Kaur will participate in the mixed 4x400m relay Round 1 heats. India enters this event with the prestige of being the defending champions, following the gold-medal performance by the team in Hangzhou 2023.
Key Events and Athletes to Watch
As the competition progresses into the afternoon, the women's triple jump final will take center stage, with Asha Ilango and Niharika Vashisht aiming for a podium finish. Following this, the men's 100m heats will feature sprinters Animesh Kujur and Gurindervir Singh. The day’s proceedings will conclude with Seema, who is making her Asian Games debut, competing in the women's 10,000m final.
The inclusion of Gurindervir Singh in the 100m heats is particularly notable given his recent rise in the sport. In May, he became the first Indian man to clock a sub-10.10s time, setting a national record of 10.09 seconds at the Federation Cup in Ranchi. This performance surpassed the previous record held by Animesh Kujur by 0.06 seconds. Despite his recent success, Gurindervir previously faced challenges in major competition, finishing 28th in the 100m heats with a time of 10.39s due to a hamstring injury, and he will be looking for a stronger showing in Nagoya.
Full Schedule for Day 5
The day's events are scheduled as follows: The women's heptathlon heats featuring Anamika Aneesh and Pooja begin at 6:30 am. The mixed 4x400m relay Round 1 heats with Jay Kumar, Ansa Babu, Manu TS, and Rashdeep Kaur are set for 7:01 am. In the afternoon, the women's triple jump final with Asha Ilango and Niharika Vashisht is slated for 4:14 pm. The men's 100m heats involving Gurindervir Singh and Animesh Kujur follow at 4:38 pm, and the women's 10,000m final featuring Seema will wrap up the day's action at 5:55 pm.
