India's Wushu Journey at Asian Games 2026 Comes to an End
Wushu Competitions Wrap Up
Vikrant Baliyan, representing India in the men’s 75kg Sanda category, faced elimination in the Round of 16 at the Asian Games 2026, losing 0-2 to Soheil Mousavi from Iran. Mousavi showcased his skills by winning both rounds decisively with a score of 5-0, thus concluding India's participation in the Sanda events.
Earlier, Aparna Dahiya also exited in the Round of 16, suffering a 0-2 defeat against Iran’s Sogand Sinkaeichetan in the women’s 52kg Sanda competition. Sinkaeichetan dominated both rounds, winning 5-0. Dahiya had entered the tournament with high hopes after clinching gold at the 11th Sanda World Cup in Macau in May, where she triumphed over reigning world champion Thi Phuong Nga Ngo from Vietnam.
Strong Start for India at the Asian Games
The opening day of the Asian Games saw India achieving notable success across various sports. In shooting, Elavenil Valarivan earned a silver medal in the women’s 10m air rifle individual final and, alongside teammates Sonam Maskar and Vidarsa Vinod, secured another silver in the team event. In mixed martial arts, Suchika Tariyal advanced by defeating Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalmaa in the women’s traditional 60kg quarterfinal.
India's hockey teams also delivered impressive performances, with the women's team overpowering Uzbekistan 19-0 in Pool B and the men's team defeating Indonesia 13-1 in Pool A. Additionally, the Indian women's cricket team progressed to the finals after a victory over Bangladesh in the semifinals.
Team Sports and Other Highlights
In table tennis, both the men's and women's teams achieved 3-0 victories against Indonesia in their Group F matches, with the women’s team narrowly defeating Singapore 3-2. The women’s badminton team also kicked off their campaign with a solid 3-0 win over Kazakhstan.
In swimming, Rishabh Das qualified for the men’s 100m backstroke final, finishing fifth in the heats and later placing sixth in the final. Benediction Beniston and Akash Mani secured 12th and 23rd places, respectively, in the men’s 100m freestyle heats.
In teqball, Quimcy Dsouza faced disappointment, losing the women’s singles bronze-medal match, and she, along with Mohamed Anas Beg, was defeated in the mixed doubles bronze-medal contest. The day concluded with the India-Iran table tennis match, where India faced a 0-3 defeat.