Teenager Sulaiman Abdulrahman Secures UAE's First Medal at 2026 Asian Games with Thrilling 400m Silver

Teenager Sulaiman Abdulrahman claimed the UAE's first medal of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games after taking silver in a thrilling men's 400 metres final. Abdulrahman, still an under-20 athlete, clocked 44.99 seconds to finish just 0.09 seconds behind Thailand's Joshua Atkinson, who took gold in 44.90s. UAE teammate Emmanuel Bamidele was also in the final, finishing fifth in 45.97s.

The result continued an impressive year for Abdulrahman, who won 400m gold at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong earlier this year. His winning time of 44.85 was a championship record and made him the first athlete in the competition's history to break the 45-second barrier.

“For us, this silver feels like gold, given the high standard of the race and the extremely narrow margin to first place,” said Major General Dr Mohammed Abdullah Al Murr, president of the UAE Athletics Federation. “Sulaiman delivered an outstanding performance that reflects how we want UAE athletics to be represented on the continental and international stages.

“This achievement carries even greater significance because Sulaiman is still an under-20 athlete.” Al Murr said Abdulrahman's medal and the performances of the country's emerging athletes provided further encouragement for the UAE's long-term ambitions in the sport.

The UAE also enjoyed a strong showing in dressage, with Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri and Bianca Schutz qualifying for the individual freestyle final after finishing among the top 15 combinations. Al Jahouri, riding Lotus-S, recorded an aggregate score of 132.736 across the two qualifying rounds, while Schutz and Le Grand Ayden HB finished on 132.706.

Meanwhile, Indian badminton medallist HS Prannoy has criticised Asian Games organisers for putting on a “sad” event for athletes and arranging a “cruel” competition schedule for his sport. Prannoy, who won a men's team bronze at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, said the lack of a dedicated athletes' village had taken away the joy of mixing with other competitors.

On Saturday, an Aichi-Nagoya Games organising committee official apologised for logistical mistakes that have affected athletes, saying accommodation and transport had improved and that staff were working to ensure they do not happen again.