– by Pratyusha Mukherjee, Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
India continued its impressive run at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with a spectacular haul of six gold medals on Day 13. Indian athletes produced outstanding performances across hockey, wrestling, boxingĥ and archery, adding further momentum to the country’s campaign.
The Indian women’s hockey team led the charge, defeating defending champions China 1-0 in a tightly contested final to claim the gold medal. Lalremsiami Hmarzote scored the decisive goal, while goalkeeper Savita Punia made a crucial save from a penalty stroke to preserve India’s slender lead.
The triumph ended India’s 44-year wait for an Asian Games gold in women’s hockey. The victory also earned the Indian women a direct qualification berth for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
In wrestling, 23-year-old Sujeet Kalkal produced one of the day’s most dramatic performances, staging a remarkable comeback to win gold in the men’s 65kg freestyle category. Trailing Tajikistan’s Abdulmazhid Kudiev 4-9 in the final, Sujeet fought back to secure a thrilling 10-9 victory.
With the win, Sujeet became only the third Indian wrestler to win an Asian Games gold in the men’s 65kg category, joining the likes of Yogeshwar Dutt and Bajrang Punia.
Indian boxers also enjoyed a highly successful day. Parveen Hooda secured gold in the women’s 65kg category after defeating Chinese Taipei’s Nien-Chin Chen 3-2 in a split decision. Ankush Panghal followed with gold in the men’s 80kg category, overcoming South Korea’s Kim Minseong by a 4-0 split decision.
Star boxer Lovlina Borgohain added another gold to India’s tally in the women’s 75kg category. She defeated China’s Bao Ziyi by a unanimous 5-0 decision in the final. The victory marked India’s second gold medal in women’s boxing at the Asian Games, following Mary Kom’s historic triumph in 2014.
Archery provided another historic moment as India’s women’s recurve team won its maiden Asian Games gold medal. Ankita Bhakat, Kirti Sharma and Kumkum Mohod defeated world champions South Korea 5-3 in a thrilling final to claim the top prize.
India also secured a silver medal in the mixed recurve team event. Kumkum Mohod and Dhiraj Bommadevara finished runners-up after losing 3-5 to China in a closely fought final.
India added two more bronze medals in other disciplines. In sepaktakraw, the men’s quadrant team secured bronze after losing 0-2 to Japan in the semi-final. In sailing, Nethra Kumanan finished third in the women’s dinghy event with an overall score of 14 points to claim another bronze.
The strong medal haul on Day 13 lifted India to fifth position in the overall standings. The country’s tally now stands at 76 medals — 16 gold, 25 silver and 35 bronze.
With the competition entering its final stages, India’s athletes continue to make a strong impact across disciplines, with the latest gold-medal surge further strengthening the country’s position on the Asian Games medal table.
