India Shines at Asian Games with Multiple Medals in Athletics and Shooting
Athletics and Shooting Highlights
While gold medals eluded India, the nation celebrated a remarkable day at the athletics venue, where nearly every event resulted in podium finishes. Pistol shooter Esha Singh's determination ensured that the day was not a total washout despite the rain at the Asian Games.
On the ninth day of the competition, the track and field team delivered an outstanding performance, securing three silver and three bronze medals, which boosted India's overall medal count to 45 (four gold, 20 silver, and 21 bronze).
India currently stands just outside the top 10, a position it has maintained since the Games commenced.
In men's javelin throw, India achieved a double podium with Yashvir Singh (85.72m) and Rohit Yadav (84.35m) winning silver and bronze, respectively, surpassing reigning Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem (80.29m), who finished fourth.
Their impressive performance compensated for the absence of two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra due to injury, while the gold medal was claimed by Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage (88.55m).
Other notable performances included seasoned long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, who secured his second consecutive Asiad silver with an 8.07m jump, and distance runner Gulveer Singh, who added a silver in the men's 1500m race.
Esha Singh's silver in the women's individual 25m pistol event was another highlight, as she competed through five shoot-offs, ultimately missing gold by just one shot.
Gulveer, who had already won silver in the 10,000m, achieved a personal best of 3:36.72sec in the 1500m.
Kurash athlete Picky Balhara surprised everyone by winning bronze in the -78kg category, making her the most successful Indian Kurash player at the Games with a silver from 2018.
Vithya Ramraj also made headlines by breaking P T Usha's long-standing national record in the women's 400m hurdles, clocking 54.75sec to win bronze.
In the women's 5000m, Parul Chaudhary secured bronze with a time of 15:14.61sec, unable to defend her gold.
In boxing, Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), Priya Ghanghas (60kg), and Kapil Pokhariya (90kg) advanced to the semifinals, ensuring at least bronze medals for themselves.
However, there were disappointments, including defending women's individual compound archery champion Jyothi Surekha Vennam's early exit and track veteran Avinash Sable's fifth-place finish in the men's 3000m steeplechase.
Manu Bhaker also left without a medal after struggling in both the team and individual 25m women's pistol events.
Despite the challenges, Esha redeemed herself in the individual competition after a team mishap, showcasing her resilience and skill in a dramatic final against China's Jiaruixuan Xiao, who ultimately took gold.
Cricket Team Advances
The Indian men's cricket team progressed to the semifinals without playing, as their quarterfinal match against Afghanistan was washed out. Shreyas Iyer's team advanced based on their higher world ranking, sitting at number one compared to Afghanistan's tenth position.
Hockey Team Dominates
The Indian men's hockey team continued its unbeaten streak, defeating Bangladesh 10-0 in their final group match, with captain Harmanpreet Singh scoring a hat-trick. India topped Pool A and is set to face arch-rivals Pakistan in the semifinals on October 1.
Squash and Volleyball Success
The squash teams also performed well, with both the men's and women's teams advancing to the quarterfinals. The women's team secured a gritty 2-1 victory over Japan, while the men's team, fresh off a gold medal win in China, defeated South Korea 3-0.
In volleyball, the Indian men's team triumphed over Hong Kong, China, with a 3-0 victory, marking their second consecutive win at the Games.