Asian Games 2026: Srihari Natraj reaches swimming final in 50m backstroke
He clocked 25.37 seconds to finish third in his heat and join the top 10 swimmers advancing to the final, officials said.
- On Monday, Indian Olympian Srihari Natraj secured a place in the 50m backstroke final at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, clocking 25.37 seconds to finish joint-ninth overall in the heats.
- Fellow Indian swimmers faced mixed results as Rishabh Das narrowly missed the 50m backstroke final, finishing 11th overall, while Akash Mani and Geetesh Shah failed to qualify for the 50m freestyle medal round.
- In sepaktakraw, Team India opened their Group B series against Japan with a 2-0 victory, securing the first set 15-13 and the second 15-9 after overcoming an early deficit.
- India's wushu campaign concluded after Nyeman Wangsu finished 15th in the changquan final, while Sanda competitors Aparna Dahiya and Vikrant Baliyan were eliminated during their respective Round of 16 matches.
- Natraj's qualification offers India a rare opportunity to end its long wait for an Asian Games swimming medal, with the country's last podium dating back to Sandeep Sejwal's bronze at Incheon 2014.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Indian Swimmer Srihari Nataraj Advances To Asian Games Final
Indian swimmer Srihari Nataraj has qualified for the men's 50m backstroke final at the Asian Games, clocking 25.37 seconds. Other Indian swimmers like Rishabh Das, Akash Mani, Geetesh Shah, and Danush Suresh did not advance to their respective finals.
The Economic Times
Times of IndiaAsian Games 2026: Srihari Natraj reaches swimming final in 50m backstroke
At Asian Games, Srihari Natraj advanced to the men's 50m backstroke final after a strong performance in his heat. India secured a 2-0 victory against Japan in their sepaktakraw regu match. Nyeman Wangsu finished fifteenth in the Wushu women's changquan final event. Aparna Dahiya and Vikrant Baliyan were eliminated from their respective Wushu Sanda competitions. These results highlight mixed fortunes for Indian athletes at the ongoing Asian Games.
Asian Games 2026: Srihari Natraj in Men's 50 M Backstroke Finals; Success for India in Sepaktakraw
Get latest articles and stories on Sports at LatestLY. Srihari and Rishabh Das finished third and fourth in their heats respectively, as per ESPN. Srihari clocked timings of 25.37, which was +57 behind the heat leader, and Rishabh clocked 25.41 seconds, becoming one of the reserves for the final. Sports News | Asian Games 2026: Srihari Natraj in Men's 50 M Backstroke Finals; Success for India in Sepaktakraw.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 62% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
