Bangladesh will pin their athletics hopes on Imranur Rahman and Swapna Khatun at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, from 19 September to 4 October. The country will compete in 22 disciplines, with the sprinter and long jumper leading expectations on the track and in the field.
Imranur returns to the men’s 100 metres after reaching the semi-finals at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. The British-Bangladeshi sprinter arrives in strong form after clocking a season-best 10.15 seconds at the Stratford Speed GP3 in London in July.
The 31-year-old won gold at the Wales Senior Open Championship in June with a time of 10.31 seconds. He then retained his title as Bangladesh’s fastest man at the 49th National Athletics Championship in 10.58 seconds before recording 10.39 seconds at the Commonwealth Games.
Swapna also heads to Japan after setting a new Bangladesh record in the women’s long jump. The 22-year-old made her Commonwealth Games debut in July and finished 10th in the qualifying round with a leap of 5.43 metres.
Bangladesh Athletics Federation general secretary Advocate Ali Imam Topon expressed confidence in both athletes.
“Swapna has a chance to qualify from the Asian Games qualifiers. Her Navy coach guaranteed us, saying, ‘Sir, if I train her for these two months, Swapna is the only one to qualify.’ Also, like last time, Imranur is going for the 100-metre sprint,” he said on Tuesday.
