Mallesh enters quarters of Asiad speed climbing event, sets national record

India's Deepu Mallesh entered the men's speed climbing quarter-finals at the Asian Games 2026 after finishing 11th in the qualification round on Wednesday. The 28-year-old, who is making his Asiad debut, clocked a national record of 5.09 seconds while climbing lane B of the four-lane, 15-metre wall. Notably, Mallesh has broken the national record four times during these Asian Games.