Mirabai Chanu Shines with Silver as India Secures Multiple Medals at Asian Games 2026

India's Medal Achievements at Asian Games 2026

On September 23, in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, Mirabai Chanu spearheaded India's medal efforts at the Asian Games 2026 by winning a silver medal in the women's 49kg weightlifting category, marking her first podium finish at the Asiad. Additionally, India celebrated four bronze medals through Jay Meena in soft tennis, as well as the men's badminton team and both the women's and men's skeet shooting teams.

However, the day was not without its disappointments, as India's prominent 10m air pistol team, featuring two-time Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker, failed to secure any medals. In a more positive light, wushu athlete Roshibina Devi advanced to the finals, positioning herself for a potential gold medal tomorrow.

Chanu's silver in the 49kg weightlifting event came after she lifted a total of 198kg, achieving 87kg in the snatch and 111kg in the clean and jerk. North Korea's Ri Song Gum took home the gold with a lift of 215kg, while Wijayana earned bronze.

In a historic achievement, Jay Meena captured India's first-ever Asian Games medal in soft tennis, clinching bronze in the men's singles event. His journey ended in the semi-finals after a hard-fought match against Japan's Takuya Kurosaka, where he lost 3-5, despite a valiant comeback.

The Indian women's skeet shooting team, consisting of Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Raiza Dhillon, and Maheshwari Chauhan, also made headlines by securing a bronze medal with a total score of 331. Dhaliwal and Dhillon each scored 111 out of 125, while Chauhan contributed 109 points.

China dominated the event, winning gold with a score of 346, while Kazakhstan took silver. The men's skeet team also brought home bronze, with Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Mairaj Ahmed Khan, and Bhavtegh Singh Gill finishing third after a shoot-off against Kazakhstan.

The Indian men's badminton team earned a bronze medal after a 3-1 defeat to China in the semi-finals, with Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty securing India's only victory against the world champions.

In wushu, Roshibina Devi is on the brink of completing her medal collection, having reached the final in the women's 60kg Sanda category. After winning bronze in Jakarta 2018 and silver in Hangzhou 2023, she aims for gold in the upcoming final.

The Indian women's hockey team, led by Deepika Sehrawat, made history by defeating Thailand 20-1, with Sehrawat scoring nine goals, setting a record for the most goals by an Indian woman in a single Asian Games hockey match.

In weightlifting, Gyaneshwari Yadav placed eighth in the women's 53kg category, lifting a total of 195kg. In squash, Veer Chotrani advanced to the men's singles pre-quarter-finals, marking a successful day for Indian squash players.

In rowing, several Indian teams qualified for the finals, including the men's quadruple sculls and lightweight double sculls. In table tennis, Manush Shah and Diya Chitale progressed to the mixed doubles quarter-finals.

India's current medal tally stands at 12, comprising one gold, five silver, and six bronze medals.