Asiad: Parul Chaudhary wins second bronze in 5000m after steeplechase medal

India's Parul Chaudhary (ANI Photo)

NEW DELHI: India's Parul Chaudhary added another medal to her Asian Games 2026 tally, clinching bronze in the women's 5000m final with a time of 15:14.61.Bahrain's Winfred Yavi claimed gold in 15:10.18, while Japan's Nozomi Tanaka took silver with a timing of 15:11.65.

The experienced Indian long-distance runner secured her second medal at the ongoing Games after winning bronze in the women's 3000m steeplechase earlier in the competition. Her latest podium finish added to an impressive Asian Games record, having also won gold in the women's 5000m and silver in the steeplechase at the Hangzhou Games in 2022.The 5000m bronze further strengthened India's athletics medal tally, with Parul once again demonstrating her ability to compete in multiple events at the continental level.Asian Games Full Coverage | Medal Tally | Schedule

Parul adds another medal after steeplechase success

Parul had earlier produced a record-breaking performance in the women's 3000m steeplechase, winning bronze in 9:08.67 and improving her own national record. She became the first Indian woman to break the 9:10 barrier in the event.The Indian stayed with the leading group through much of the race and was in contention for silver around the halfway mark. However, she could not maintain her position in the closing stages and finished 2.46 seconds behind Kazakhstan's Norah Tanui, who won silver in 9:06.82.

Bahrain's Winfred Yavi claimed the gold medal in a Games-record time of 9:04.36, while India's other entrant, Ankita, finished fourth in 9:19.24.The steeplechase bronze was a significant achievement for Parul, who had bounced back from a fourth-place finish in the 1500m to reach the podium. Her latest success in the 5000m further highlighted her versatility and endurance across distance events.

A second consecutive Asian Games campaign with medals

Parul had enjoyed a successful outing at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2022, winning gold in the women's 5000m and silver in the 3000m steeplechase. She has now added two bronze medals in Japan, including her latest achievement in the 5000m.Her performances across the two editions underline her sustained presence among India's leading distance runners and provide another boost to the country's athletics campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.