Asian Games 2026: Sunil Kumar reaches semis, Nisha Dahiya crashes out
Mixed results for India at the Asian Games as Sunil Kumar advances to the men's 87 kg wrestling semis, while Nisha Dahiya suffers a heartbreaking loss.
India's wrestling campaign at the ongoing Asian Games in Japan witnessed a dramatic rollercoaster of emotions on Wednesday. While Sunil Kumar secured a powerful spot in the semifinals of the men's 87 kg greco-roman category, star wrestler Nisha Dahiya suffered a heartbreaking exit in the women's freestyle 68 kg round of 16.
Wrestling: Sunil Kumar shines while Nisha Dahiya falls short
Sunil Kumar displayed absolute dominance in the men's 87 kg greco-roman event. He delivered a masterclass performance against Muhammad Sultonzoda, scoring nine points to secure a victory via technical superiority. Kumar's opponent was unable to register a single point throughout the match, leaving Sunil in a commanding position as he heads into the semifinals.
In contrast, the wrestling results were bittersweet for the Indian camp as Nisha Dahiya's journey ended prematurely. In a nail-biting encounter in the women's freestyle 68 kg category, Dahiya was locked in a fierce battle with North Korea's Pak Sol Gum. Despite a tied score of 4-4, Dahiya lost the match 4-0 on points.
The deciding factor was a technical superiority point scored by Pak Sol Gum in the first round, which carried a four-point weightage. While Nisha managed to score two points in each of the two subsequent rounds, she could not bridge the gap created by the technical score.
Archery: Golden Glory for Indian Women
While wrestling saw mixed results, the Indian archery contingent celebrated a monumental triumph. The women's compound archery team, consisting of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha Taniparthi, and Prithika Pradeep, clinched a sensational gold medal by defeating China in a high-stakes final.
The Indian trio was clinical from the start, maintaining a lead through every rotation of the match. Key highlights of the gold medal victory include:
- The Start: India took an early lead of 30-27 in the first rotation, thanks to three perfect tens.
- The Mid-game: Despite a strong comeback attempt by China, India maintained composure, leading 60-58 after the second rotation and 119-116 by the halfway mark.
- The Finish: India displayed incredible nerves in the final stages, eventually beating China with a score of 238-234.
This victory marks a historic moment for the athletes: Jyothi Surekha Vennam secured her fourth Asian Games gold, while debutants Chikitha and Prithika earned their first Asiad gold medals. This win brings India's total medal tally at the games to 53, including 21 silvers and 25 bronzes.
Squash: India marches into semifinals
The momentum continued in the squash arena, where the Indian women's team guaranteed themselves a place on the podium. India defeated Singapore 2-0 in the quarterfinals to secure a semifinal berth.
Tanvi Khanna set the tone for the team with a resilient 3-1 victory (11-6, 5-11, 15-13, 11-1) over Wai Iynn Au Yeong. Following this, Anahat Singh ensured the victory was undisputed with a commanding 3-0 win (11-7, 11-3, 11-4), sealing the tie and moving India one step closer to the gold.