India Shines at Asian Games with Multiple Golds and Historic Wins

Ankush Panghal Secures Boxing Gold

On Friday, Ankush Panghal added to India's medal tally at the Asian Games by clinching gold in the men's 80 kg boxing final, defeating South Korea's Kim Min-seong. This victory marks India's third boxing gold of the day and makes Panghal the first Indian male boxer to win an Asian Games gold since Amit Panghal in 2018.

Ankush began the match aggressively, landing several right hooks to Kim's body. While Kim attempted to counter and maintain distance, Ankush's relentless aggression paid off. He scored uppercuts and benefited from a warning point against Kim, winning the first round decisively with a score of 4-1.

Continuing his strong performance in the second round, Ankush executed quick combinations and showcased impressive footwork. Both boxers exchanged body shots, but Ankush's counter-punching kept him ahead, winning the round 5-0 and leading 20-17 on the judges' scorecards.

In the final round, Kim tried to counter with bobbing and weaving, landing a few punches, but Ankush maintained his lead. Despite Kim's efforts, Ankush was declared the winner, contributing to India's overall medal count of 74 at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, which includes 14 golds, 25 silvers, and 35 bronzes.

Parveen Hooda's Redemption

Earlier in the day, Parveen Hooda secured another boxing gold for India by defeating Chen Nien-Chen from Chinese Taipei in the women's 65 kg final. Hooda won by a narrow split decision of 3-2, marking her redemption after a previous doping incident that cost her a medal in 2022. This victory follows Lovlina Borgohain's gold in the women's 75 kg category.

Sepaktakraw Team Wins Bronze

India's sepaktakraw team also celebrated success, with the men's quadrant earning a bronze medal after a semifinal loss to Japan. The team, consisting of Malemnganba Singh Sorokhaibam, Ram Kumar Sharma, Bobby Kumar, and Akash Yumnam, lost 0-2 (12-15, 13-15) but secured the bronze, marking India's third medal in sepaktakraw at the Asian Games.

Historic Archery Achievement

In a remarkable achievement, India's women's recurve archery team, comprising Kumkum Mohod, Ankita Bhakat, and Kirti Sharma, defeated South Korea 5-3 to win the country's first-ever gold medal in this discipline at the Asian Games. Kumkum played a pivotal role, scoring crucial points in the final moments.

Additionally, Kumkum Mohod and Dhiraj Bommadevara earned silver in the mixed recurve archery team event after a close match against 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 against China's Bao Ziyi, securing another medal for India.

Nethra Kumanan's Sailing Bronze

In sailing, Nethra Kumanan clinched a bronze medal in the women's dinghy event, showcasing resilience after a challenging first race. She finished tied on points with Hong Kong's Stephanie Louise Norton but secured the medal based on superior head-to-head results.

Men's Recurve Team Silver

India's men's recurve archery team also added to the day's achievements by winning silver after a 1-5 defeat to South Korea in the final, unable to replicate the earlier success of the women's team.