Prachi Choudhary takes Asian Games 400m bronze for first individual medal

India’s Prachi Choudhary won the bronze medal in the women’s 400 metres at the Asian Games on Saturday, earning her first individual medal at the event with a time of 53.21 seconds. Bahrain’s Salwa Naser won gold in a Games-record 49.20 seconds. Iran’s Zahra Zarei Manoujan took silver in 52.38, while India’s other finalist, Kiran Pahal, finished fifth in 53.41.

Prachi had reached the final after placing third in her heat in 53.46 seconds and progressing as one of the fastest non-automatic qualifiers. She improved her time in the final and held on for third place. The Indian athlete said she had arrived with the aim of winning two medals.

The women’s 4x400m relay remains ahead, and she said her target was to improve on the colour of India’s medal from the previous Games. Prachi was part of India’s silver-medal-winning 4x400m relay team at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. She had also won a relay silver at the 2019 Asian Athletics Championships in Doha.

An Indian Railways athlete, she represented India in the women’s 4x400m relay at the Paris Olympics. She said her next goal was to qualify for the individual Olympic event as well as remain part of the relay team. Prachi said her decisive effort came in the final 50 metres.

She also credited encouragement from Athletics Federation of India president Lalit Bhanot before the race. Her personal best in the event is 52.40 seconds, recorded in 2023. She was included in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme in September 2026 and received assistance for training at the national coaching camp.

The Asian Games bronze gives her an individual medal before she turns her attention to the relay.