Parul Chaudhary Wins Bronze in Both the 3000m Steeplechase and 5000m

Two races, two podiums, one very busy weekend. The Parul Chaudhary bronze medals came in the 3000m steeplechase on September 27, 2026, and in the 5000m on September 28, both at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.

Her steeplechase run also set an Indian record of 9:08.67. At 31, the runner from Uttar Pradesh now has four Asian Games medals.

All facts below are as of October 3, 2026, and come from reports by PTI, ANI, Khel Now and UNI.

The 3000m Steeplechase Bronze and a National Record

The Race

The first of the Parul Chaudhary bronze medals came in an eight-runner final at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium. Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi won in 9:04.36, a Games record that beat her own mark of 9:18.28 from Hangzhou.

Norah Jeruto Tanui of Kazakhstan took silver in 9:06.82. Parul ran 9:08.67 for bronze, 1.85 seconds behind Tanui and 4.31 seconds behind Yavi.

Why the Steeplechase Is So Hard

A steeplechase is not a flat 3000m. Runners clear fixed barriers and water jumps on every lap, which breaks stride and drains the legs. A runner who wins a medal in the event has also done a lot of technical work.

The Record

Parul’s previous best was 9:12.46, which she ran when she won silver at the 2025 Asian Championships in Gumi. She beat it by about 3.8 seconds.

Her 9:08.67 made her the first Indian woman to run the steeplechase in under 9:10. That is a big step for an event where each second is hard to find.

Joining Sudha Singh

The medal also adds to a short list in Indian steeplechase history. Parul won silver in Hangzhou in 2023, and her bronze now gives her two individual Asian Games medals in the event.

That equals Sudha Singh, who won gold in 2010 and silver in 2018.

The 5000m Bronze One Day Later

Parul had little time to rest. On Monday, September 28, she lined up in the 5000m final in a 12-runner field, and the track was wet.

Yavi won again in 15:10.18. Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka took silver in 15:11.65, and Parul finished third in 15:14.61.

Parul crossed the line 4.43 seconds behind the winner and 2.96 seconds behind Tanaka. Going by the listed times, the silver was close enough to see.

She could not defend the 5000m gold she won in Hangzhou. Still, a second podium in two days is a strong return.

The second of the Parul Chaudhary bronze medals also came with company. Yavi’s win also made history of its own. Gulf Daily News reported that she became the first athlete to win the 5000m, 10,000m and steeplechase at one Asian Games. Parul raced that same woman twice in two days and finished third both times.

Her teammate Seema, who had earlier won 10,000m bronze, finished sixth in 15:35.06.

Three Finals in Three Days

Parul’s schedule at the Games was heavy. She raced three finals on three straight days.

• 1500m final on September 26: fourth place in 4:09.46
• 3000m steeplechase final on September 27: bronze in 9:08.67
• 5000m final on September 28: bronze in 15:14.61

She finished fourth in the 1500m, then won two bronze medals in the next two days. Fourth place is a hard one to swallow, yet she was back on the track the next day.

Parul told ANI she was happy with her performance despite tough competition. That sounds right to me, because the Parul Chaudhary bronze medals came after a heavy load.

Who Is Parul Chaudhary?

Early Life in Iklauta

Parul comes from Iklauta village in Meerut district, Uttar Pradesh. She is one of four children in a farming family, and her parents are Krishanpal Chaudhary and Rajesh Devi.

Modern facilities and proper shoes were hard to come by in her early years. She started in 2011 by running barefoot in an 800m school event.

Building a Career

Parul moved through the 1500m and 3000m before settling on the 5000m and the steeplechase. She took a job with Western Railway in 2015.

Khel Now lists her as the Indian record holder in the 3000m steeplechase and the 5000m. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, she did not reach the 5000m final.

From Hangzhou Gold to Aichi-Nagoya Bronze

In 2023 at the Hangzhou Asian Games, Parul won gold in the 5000m and silver in the steeplechase. Her steeplechase time there was 9:27.63, behind Yavi.

Now compare that with her new record. She is 18.96 seconds faster over the same distance, three years later.

Parul now owns four Asian Games medals, made up of one gold, one silver and two bronzes. Adda247’s Day 9 summary describes the 5000m bronze as her fourth Asian Games medal.

Her story in 2026 is not about one medal falling short. It is about doing more races, at a higher level, with a faster time at the end.

Why the Parul Chaudhary Bronze Medals Matter

Bronze can sound like a lesser prize. In these races, it was not.

Yavi is a reigning Olympic champion and a world silver medallist in the steeplechase, according to Bahraini reports. Parul finished less than five seconds behind her in both events.

Yavi’s personal best of 8:44.39 is about 24 seconds faster than Parul’s new record, so the world level is still some distance away. Even so, Parul finished within five seconds of Yavi’s Games-record run in Nagoya.

India’s medal count also climbed with the Parul Chaudhary bronze medals. The steeplechase bronze took India to 36 medals, and the 5000m bronze took the tally to 42, with four golds, 18 silvers and 20 bronzes.

That same Monday brought a bronze and a national record for Vithya Ramraj in the 400m hurdles, plus a men’s 1500m silver for Gulveer Singh. Adda247 called it India’s most successful day of the Games to that point, with eight medals.

Parul Chaudhary Bronze Medals by the Numbers

Latest News Note

As of October 3, 2026, reports show Parul’s three finals ran from September 26 to 28, and the two bronze medals are confirmed. The Asian Games run until October 4, so India’s medal count may still change.

ANI reported that India had reached 77 medals on October 3, including 17 golds. Check the official table for the final numbers.

Key Takeaways

• Events: 3000m steeplechase and 5000m at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games
• Medals: two bronzes, on September 27 and 28
• Record: 9:08.67 in the steeplechase, the first time an Indian woman has gone under 9:10
• Title: Parul Chaudhary bronze medals, her third and fourth Asian Games medals
• Workload: three finals in three days, with fourth place in the 1500m
• Career haul: one gold, one silver and two bronzes

FAQs

Which events produced the Parul Chaudhary bronze medals?

She won bronze in the women’s 3000m steeplechase and the women’s 5000m.

What was Parul Chaudhary’s time in the 3000m steeplechase?

Her time was 9:08.67, which is a new Indian record.

Who won the 5000m at Asian Games 2026?

Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi won the 5000m in 15:10.18.

How many Asian Games medals does Parul Chaudhary have?

She has four medals in total: one gold, one silver and two bronzes.

Did the Parul Chaudhary bronze medals include a national record?

Yes, her steeplechase bronze came with a new Indian record.

Conclusion

The Parul Chaudhary bronze medals are confirmed as of October 3, 2026. She took bronze in the 3000m steeplechase with an Indian record, then added another bronze in the 5000m a day later.

Her fourth-place run in the 1500m opened a gruelling three days. She leaves Aichi-Nagoya with two medals, a national record and a place beside Sudha Singh in steeplechase history.