India Shines at Asian Games 2026 with Multiple Medals in Boxing and Archery

Parveen Hooda Clinches Boxing Gold

Indian boxer Parveen Hooda achieved a remarkable victory by securing gold in the women's 65 kg category at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Friday. She triumphed over Chen Nien-Chen from Chinese Taipei with a close split decision of 3-2. This victory marks India's second gold in boxing for the day, following Olympic medalist Lovlina Borgohain's win in the women's 75 kg event. After missing out on a bronze in the 2022 Asian Games due to a doping issue, this win serves as a significant redemption for Hooda. With this medal, India has now amassed a total of 73 medals at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, including 13 golds, 25 silvers, and 35 bronzes.

Hooda started cautiously, countering her opponent's jabs effectively while both boxers exchanged punches. She secured the first round with a unanimous score of 5-0.

In the second round, Hooda maintained her distance and utilized her reach to land effective punches, although Chen fought back to take the round. The final round saw both boxers trading jabs, but Hooda's quick counter-punches ultimately led her to victory.

Men's Sepaktakraw Team Wins Bronze

India's sepaktakraw team celebrated a bronze medal win at the Asian Games 2026 after facing Japan in the semifinals. The men's quadrant, consisting of Malemnganba Singh Sorokhaibam, Ram Kumar Sharma, Bobby Kumar, and Akash Yumnam, lost 0-2 (12-15, 13-15) to Japan. This achievement marks India's third medal in sepaktakraw at the Asian Games, following two previous bronze medals in earlier editions.

Historic Gold for Women's Recurve Archery Team

In a stunning upset, India's women's recurve archery team, featuring Kumkum Mohod, Ankita Bhakat, and Kirti Sharma, defeated South Korea 5-3 to win the gold medal. This victory is significant as it marks India's first-ever medal in this discipline at the Asian Games. Young archer Kumkum played a pivotal role, scoring crucial points in the final moments of the match.

Mixed Recurve Archery Team Takes Silver

Kumkum Mohod and Dhiraj Bommadevara earned a silver medal in the mixed recurve archery event after narrowly losing 3-5 to China's Zhu Jingyi and Li Mengqi.

Lovlina Borgohain Celebrates Birthday with Gold

Boxer Lovlina Borgohain marked her 29th birthday by winning gold in the women's 75 kg final, defeating China's Bao Ziyi with a score of 5-0.

Nethra Kumanan Wins Bronze in Sailing

Sailor Nethra Kumanan secured a bronze medal in the women's dinghy event, showcasing a strong comeback after a challenging first race. She finished level on points with Hong Kong's Stephanie Louise Norton but claimed the bronze due to superior head-to-head results.

Men's Recurve Team Secures Silver

In another archery event, India's men's recurve team, consisting of Dhiraj Bommadevara, Yashdeep Sanjay Bhoge, and Neeraj Chauhan, won silver after losing 1-5 to South Korea in the final.