Naser Eyes Second Asian Games 400m Title in Nagoya Final Today

Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser will bid for her second Asian Games women’s 400m title when she lines up in the final at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya today.

The final is scheduled for 21:45 in Nagoya, which is 1:45pm Nigerian time (WAT).

Naser, 28, goes into the final as the overwhelming favourite for gold after establishing herself as the only finalist to have run under 50 seconds this season.

The Bahrain star has a season’s best of 49.27 seconds and is also the only athlete in the field to have broken the 50-second barrier in her career.

Naser’s personal best of 48.14, set when she won the 2019 World Championships title in Doha, remains the Asian record and the third-fastest time ever recorded by a woman over 400m.

The former Nigerian, born Ebelechukwu Agbapuonwu in Onitsha, is also the Asian Games record holder after clocking 50.09 seconds to win gold at the 2018 Games in Jakarta.

She will be seeking a second title today after missing the 2022 Hangzhou edition.

Naser arrives in the final in strong form, having helped Bahrain win the mixed 4x400m relay gold on Thursday in a new Games record of 3:12.87.

The women’s 400m final will be held at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium.