Historic Bronze for India in Mixed Doubles Table Tennis at Asian Games 2026
Historic Achievement in Table Tennis
Manush Shah and Diya Chitale of India clinched a bronze medal in the mixed doubles table tennis category at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026. They faced a tough semi-final against China's Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, ultimately losing with scores of 8-11, 5-11, 8-11, and 2-11 on Friday.
Ranked eighth globally, the Indian duo's semi-final performance secured them a podium finish, as there is no playoff for the bronze medal in this event, as reported by ESPN.
This bronze marks only the second time India has medaled in mixed doubles table tennis at the Asian Games, the first being achieved by Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra in 2018.
India's Medal Count Grows
The bronze medal from Shah and Chitale contributed to India's impressive medal haul on Day 6 of the Games. Shooters Kamaljeet and Suruchi Inder Singh earned gold in the 10m air pistol mixed team event, while Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Rudrankksh Patil, and Niraj Kumar took silver in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions team event.
In squash, Joshana Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar advanced to the mixed doubles semi-finals, ensuring another medal for India. Additionally, Abhay Singh and Anahat Singh reached the semi-finals in the men's and women's singles events, respectively.
India's kabaddi teams also made headlines, with the women's team defeating Nepal and the men's team overcoming Thailand to reach the finals. In hockey, the women's team triumphed over Japan with a score of 3-1 in their Pool B match.
In swimming, Rishabh Das finished sixth in the men's 200m backstroke final, clocking in at 1:58.77. Weightlifter Seram Nirupama Devi secured seventh place in the women's 61kg category with a total lift of 217kg. Boxer Preeti's journey ended in the round of 16 after a 0-5 loss to North Korea's Pang Chol Mi.
As of now, India has amassed a total of 20 medals, including two gold, eight silver, and ten bronze, placing the nation 12th in the overall standings.