India Shines at Asian Games with Multiple Gold Medals

India's Medal Triumph at the Asian Games

On Saturday, India celebrated a remarkable day at the Asian Games, achieving gold medals in men's hockey, T20 cricket, wrestling, golf, and archery. This success brought India's total medal count to 85, which includes 21 gold, 27 silver, and 37 bronze.

Hockey: A Double Gold Victory

The men's hockey team concluded the day with a stunning 5-1 victory over Malaysia, successfully defending their title and securing a spot in the 2028 Olympics. Captain Harmanpreet Singh was instrumental, scoring twice, while Jugraj Singh, Hardik Singh, and Shilanand Lakra also contributed to the scoreline. Malaysia's only goal came from Shello Silverius.

Harmanpreet emerged as the tournament's top scorer with 12 goals, and India dominated the final with 14 penalty corners compared to Malaysia's two. This victory marks India's fifth gold in men's hockey at the Asian Games, following wins in 1966, 1998, 2014, and 2022. India is now the second nation, after Pakistan, to defend the men's hockey title successfully. Harmanpreet also made history as the first Indian men's hockey captain to lead the team to two Asian Games gold medals.

Historic Gold for Women's Hockey Team

The Indian women's hockey team made headlines by defeating defending champions China 1-0, claiming their first Asian Games gold in 44 years and securing an Olympic berth. This achievement marked the first occasion where both Indian hockey teams topped the podium at the same Asian Games.

Wrestling: Aman Sehrawat's Gold Medal Win

In wrestling, Aman Sehrawat upgraded his previous bronze medal to gold by defeating reigning world champion Chong Song Han of North Korea 10-7 in the men's 57kg final. Despite initial challenges against Han's defensive style, Sehrawat took control after being put on the clock, eventually leading 6-1. Although Han fought back to take a 7-6 lead, Sehrawat secured the gold with two crucial takedowns.

This victory marked India's second wrestling gold of the Games, following Sujeet Kalkal's win on Friday. In the women's 53kg final, Antim Panghal earned a silver medal after losing 1-9 to Japan's 2024 world champion Mei Miyooka. Deepak Punia also contributed a bronze in the men's 97kg category, edging out Mongolia's Gankhuyang Ganbataar 2-1. Overall, India concluded its wrestling campaign with six medals: two gold, two silver, and two bronze.

Cricket: Men's T20 Team Retains Title

In cricket, India successfully defended their Asian Games men's T20 title by defeating Pakistan by 19 runs in the final. Abhishek Sharma set the pace with an explosive 61 off 28 balls, including seven sixes, while Tilak Varma remained unbeaten at 51 off 22 balls, leading India to a total of 211/6. Pakistan's Hasan Nawaz challenged with a strong 96 off 51 balls, but India's bowlers managed to restrict them to 192/6, marking India's sixth consecutive victory over Pakistan since the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Golf: Pranavi Urs Makes History

In golf, Pranavi Urs made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win an individual gold medal at the Asian Games. After facing a triple bogey on the third hole, the 23-year-old responded with three birdies, finishing her final round at even-par 70. Pranavi's overall score of 15-under 265 placed her one stroke ahead of China's Yin Ruoning. Her victory also contributed to India's women's team silver, alongside Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar, marking the country's best golf performance at the Asian Games in 44 years.

Archery: Kumkum Mohod's Historic Win

Teenager Kumkum Mohod made history by winning India's first-ever Asian Games individual women's recurve gold medal, edging out South Korea's Oh Yejin 6-5 in a shoot-off. Her victory also secured India an individual quota place for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with the representative to be determined through selection trials.

Neeraj Chauhan capped off a successful day for Indian recurve archery by defeating compatriot Dhiraj Bommadevara 6-4 to win the men's individual bronze medal. After trailing 2-4, Neeraj made a strong comeback, winning the decisive set and becoming only the second Indian male archer to win an individual recurve medal at the Asian Games.

Overview of the Asian Games

Approximately 500 Indian athletes participated in the 2026 Asian Games held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The 20th edition of this multi-sport event commenced on September 19 and concluded on October 4, featuring 469 medal events across 43 sports and 71 disciplines.

In the previous edition at Hangzhou 2023, India sent a contingent of 650 athletes and achieved a record 106 medals, including 28 gold, 38 silver, and 40 bronze, finishing fourth overall.