The United Arab Emirates secured its first medal of the Aichi–Nagoya 2026 Asian Games as Sulaiman Abdulrahman claimed silver in the men’s 400m final. He clocked a time of 44.99 seconds, finishing just 0.09 seconds behind Thailand’s Joshua Atkinson, who claimed gold in 44.90 seconds. Emmanuel Bamidele, also representing the UAE, finished the race in 45.97 seconds.
Key figures from the UAE sports community were present at the final, including Faris Mohammed Al Mutawa, Secretary General of the UAE Olympic Committee; board members Noura Al Jasmi and Major General Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al Murr; and UAE Athletics Federation board member Jamila Abdulrahman. The group observed the competition to support the national athletes.
Major General Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al Murr congratulated UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as well as the nation’s leadership and citizens, for the landmark achievement. He extended further gratitude to UAE Olympic Committee President Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Vice President Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi for their ongoing support, which he credited for motivating athletes to pursue greater international success.
Regarding the performance, Dr. Al Murr stated, “We are delighted that athletics has opened the UAE’s medal account at the Games. For us, this silver feels like gold, given the high standard of the race and the extremely narrow margin to first place. Sulaiman delivered an outstanding performance that reflects how we want UAE athletics to be represented on the continental and international stages.”
In other events at the Games, India’s men’s Kabaddi team earned their ninth gold medal by defeating Iran 40-34 at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium. The Indian women’s team also successfully defended their Kabaddi title, defeating Iran 37-34 to secure their fourth gold in the sport’s history. The Indian men’s backed the women’s gold medal with their own yellow metal as they defeated a strong Iranian side 40-34 in a thrilling final at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium here in Tokai. The Indian team clinched their fourth Kabaddi gold in the history of the Asian Games with a 37-34 win over 2018 champions Iran.
Weightlifting saw a surge in records, with 15 world records established over four days. North Korea’s Ri Won Ju claimed gold in the 70kg category with a world-record 198kg clean and jerk and a 349kg total, while Japan’s Masanori Miyamoto took silver after a record-breaking 154kg snatch. In the 75kg event, Indonesia’s Rahmat Erawan Abdullah defended his title by setting world records in both the clean and jerk (206kg) and total (366kg), and North Korea’s Ri Chong Song secured bronze in the 81kg category with a 162kg snatch world record.
On a rain-swept track, Bahrain’s Salwa Naser broke the Asian Games record to win women’s 400m gold in 49.20 seconds. Iran’s Zahra Zarei Manoujan followed with silver at 53.38 seconds, and India’s Prachi Choudary claimed bronze.
A notable highlight occurred in Esports, where 11-year-old Japanese schoolboy Yuki Kurihara secured gold in a puzzle video game tournament. Competing against opponents up to three times his age, Kurihara expressed humility regarding his win. “To be completely honest, I felt a bit embarrassed, so I couldn’t really show my expressions or change my face much,” he admitted.
Kurihara, who celebrated the aesthetic quality of his medal, noted, “I’m really happy. The gold medal is really beautiful, shiny and heavy.” His victory contributed to a broader medal tally as China surpassed the 100-gold mark in the continental event. According to kurihara, who, He eats well to prepare for contests, bowed slightly as he received his gold medal and gave a small wave.
