India's Women’s Hockey Team Aims for Historic Gold at Asian Games

As the Asian Games progress, Day 13 is crucial for India, with the women's hockey team vying for gold against China, and several boxers and archers competing for medals. This day holds significant potential for Olympic qualification and marks a pivotal moment in India's sporting journey. With a rich history and a strong desire to succeed, the athletes are ready to make their mark. Discover how India's competitors are preparing for this momentous day and the stakes involved in their quests for glory.

By Narendra Chaudhary Oct 2, 2026, 07:41 IST

A Pivotal Day for Indian Athletes at the Asian Games

On October 2, in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, the Indian women's hockey team is set to pursue its first Asian Games gold medal in 44 years. This comes as three Indian boxers also prepare to compete for top honors, marking a crucial moment in the country's medal quest on Day 13 of the Games.

The highlight of the day will be the women's hockey final against the reigning champions, China, scheduled for 3:30 PM IST. The victor will not only claim the gold but also secure a direct qualification spot for the LA 2028 Olympics, as reported by Olympics.com.

Having missed out on the Paris 2024 Olympics due to a failure to qualify, India is eager to end a 44-year drought for gold in women's hockey at the Asian Games, with their last victory dating back to the 1982 Games.

China, fresh off winning the Asian Games 2023 title and securing silver at the Paris Olympics, will pose a formidable challenge.

In archery, India has three more chances to clinch gold, with the women's, mixed, and men's recurve team events all set to determine medalists.

The women's team, featuring Ankita Bhakat, Kumkum Mohod, and Kirti Sharma, will face China in the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Kumkum and Dhiraj Bommadevara will compete against Japan in the mixed team semi-final, and Dhiraj, Neeraj Chauhan, and Yashdeep Bhoge will take on Iran in the men's semi-final.

The mixed team event is particularly significant, as the winning National Olympic Committee will earn one men's and one women's quota for the LA 2028 Olympics.

In boxing, Olympic medalist Lovlina Borgohain will lead India's charge against China's Ziyi Bao in the women's 75kg final at 10 AM IST. Following her, Parveen Hooda will compete against Olympic medalist Chen Nien-Chin from Chinese Taipei in the women's 65kg final at 2:15 PM, and Ankush Panghal will face Korea's Minseong Kim in the men's 80kg final at 2:45 PM IST.

Wrestling also presents four medal opportunities, with Sujeet Kalkal (men's freestyle 65kg), Rajat Ruhal (125kg), Dipanshi (women's 50kg), and Priya Malik (76kg) starting their campaigns, with medal bouts scheduled later for those who advance.

India has already secured a medal in men's quadrant sepaktakraw after reaching the semi-finals and aims to enhance the medal's value. The women's team will also compete against Thailand in the group stage.

In track cycling, Harshveer Singh Sekhon and Vishavjeet Singh will participate in the men's madison final, while Ronaldo Singh Laitonjam and David Beckham Elkatohchoongo will compete in the men's keirin. Harshita Jakhar will take part in the women's omnium.

Kashish Malik will kick off her journey in the mixed individual virtual taekwondo event, and India will also be represented in golf, sailing, canoe slalom, rugby sevens, and volleyball.

In golf, Yuvraj Sandhu, Veer Ahlawat, and Saptak Talwar will compete in the men's third round, while Aditi Ashok, Diksha Dagar, and Pranavi Urs will lead the women's challenge.

Vishnu Saravanan and Nethra Kumanan will represent India in sailing, while the women's rugby sevens team will face Malaysia in Pool E. The men's volleyball team will play against Korea in a classification match for fifth to eighth place.

With numerous gold-medal events and potential Olympic quotas on the line, Day 13 is poised to be another pivotal day for India's campaign in Aichi-Nagoya.