R Madhavan’s son Vedaant suffers second loss at Asian Games 2026
Indian swimmer’s Asian Games campaign hit by close calls, one race still to go
Dubai: R Madhavan’s son Vedaant endured another setback at the Asian Games 2026 after failing to qualify for the men’s 200m freestyle final on Wednesday.
Competing in his second event at his Asian Games debut, Vedaant clocked 1:52.01 to finish 13th overall in the heats. Only the top 10 swimmers advanced to the final, bringing his campaign so far without a final appearance.
His first disappointment came in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay. Vedaant joined Sajan Prakash, Dhakshan Shashikumar and Aneesh Sunil Kumar Gowda as India finished ninth among 13 teams in the heats. Their time of 7:24.32 was just 0.2 seconds slower than Qatar, which took the eighth and final qualifying spot.
Vedaant later shared his disappointment on social media, while his father R Madhavan also reacted to the narrow miss.
The 21-year-old still has one opportunity to end his Asian Games campaign on a positive note. Vedaant is scheduled to compete in the men’s 200m backstroke on September 25.
Despite the setbacks, Vedaant’s participation marks another step in his international swimming career. He has represented India at several competitions and arrived in Tokyo with previous international experience.
For now, the focus shifts to his final event, where he will look to secure a place in the next round and finish his Asian Games debut on a stronger note.
