Mumbai athlete Harita Bhadra wins Asian Games 200m bronze medal
The 23-year-old sprinter secured the podium finish in Japan by a margin of just 0.01 seconds.
Mumbai athlete Harita Bhadra won a bronze medal in the women's 200m event at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, in September, according to the Times of India. Bhadra clocked 23.20 seconds in the final, finishing 0.01 seconds ahead of Japanese sprinter Abigeirufuka Ido, who recorded 23.21 seconds.
Singapore's Shanti Pereira won the gold medal in 22.78 seconds, while China's Chen Yujie took silver in 22.93 seconds. This performance ended an eight-year wait for an Indian medal in the event, the last being Dutee Chand's silver at the 2018 Jakarta Games.
Bhadra was added to the Indian athletics contingent at the last minute following a request from the Indian Olympic Association to local organisers. The Sports Ministry cleared her and five other athletes to compete on September 2.
The sports science graduate, who earned a degree from Loughborough University in the United Kingdom in 2025, also runs a handmade jewellery brand called Dagina. Bhadra said she intended to design a special piece inspired by her experience in Japan to celebrate the medal.
Bhadra, who began athletics at age 12, noted that her academic background helped her understand her body better while sprinting. She credited her family for supporting her decision to pursue the sport.