Srihari Nataraj now has a place in the men’s 50m backstroke final of the Asian Games 2026 after a good performance in the heats yesterday. The two-time Olympian won third in his heat and ninth in the overall score and will be awarded a place in the medal event.
Srihari’s qualification helps India to have an entry in men’s 50m backstroke final and will help to keep its swimming hopes alive. The Indian swimmer who has represented the country at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games will now try and improve on his heats performance when he returns to the pool for the final.
Srihari was among the swimmers competing for the medals with 25.37 seconds. He finished joint 9th in the heats but the qualification process allowed him to progress to the final, where he will once again challenge the leading swimmers in the event.
Srihari Nataraj qualifies, Rishabh Das misses out
Srihari made it to the final but fellow Indian swimmer Rishabh Das just missed qualification. Das placed 11th overall in 25.41 seconds and was also the first reserve for the final.
The narrow gap between the two Indian swimmers underlined the competitiveness of the 50m backstroke heats. As only the top eight swimmers were able to make the cut, Das was still outside the qualification group in only fractions of a second behind Srihari.
Srihari remained in the final and will now have a chance to try and win a podium place. His qualification is especially important for the Indian swimming team which is desperate to perform well at the continental event.
India Misses Out On Men’s 50m Freestyle
India could not get a place in the men’s 50m freestyle final with Akash Mani and Heer Gitesh Shah both failing to advance from the heats.
Akash Mani finished 26th overall with 23.43 seconds. He won his individual heat but his timing was not fast enough to place him among the 8 swimmers in the final.
Heer Gitesh Shah clocked 23.57 seconds and finished 28th overall. He ended his heat in last and was unable to push for one of the last places.
South Korea’s Youngbeom Kim earned the fastest time in the men’s 50m freestyle heats. His 21.71-second time was also the Asian Games record for the event, highlighting the high level of competition in the freestyle field.
Danush Suresh Misses 100m Breaststroke Final
India’s Danush Suresh also failed to get into the men’s 100m breaststroke final. Suresh came eighth in his heat with a time of 1:03.46 and finished 22nd overall.
With only the top eight swimmers qualified for the final, Suresh's overall rank left him outside the qualification spots. His exit meant Srihari was India’s sole representative in an individual swimming final from all the events in the heats.
Indian Men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay Team Also Out
India’s men’s 4x200m freestyle relay team also failed to advance to the final. The Indian quartet included Dhakshan Shashikumar, Sajan Prakash, Aneesh Sunil and Vedaant Mahadevan.
The relay result contributed to a mixed day for the Indian swimming team. While a lot of swimmers couldn’t progress in their events, Srihari’s qualification was a positive development for our team.
India’s swimming campaign at the 2026 Asian Games will now focus on Srihari Nataraj’s 50m backstroke final. When he returns to competition, the Indian swimmer will aim to convert his qualification into a podium challenge.
The Indian swimming delegation will also aim to improve on its performance in the Hangzhou Asian Games, where India ended up without a single medal in swimming. Srihari’s place in the 50m backstroke final will give the country another chance to reach for a medal in the pool at the 2026 edition.
