Harita Bhadra wins bronze; Narender secures boxing medal
Harita Bhadra clinches bronze in 200m sprint while Narender and Parveen Hooda secure boxing medals at the Asian Games in Japan.
India enjoyed a productive Sunday at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, as track star Harita Bhadra secured a podium finish in the women's 200m sprint. The momentum continued in the ring, where Indian boxers Narender and Parveen Hooda delivered commanding performances to guarantee medals for the nation.
Track and Field: Harita Bhadra clinches bronze
In a thrilling women's 200m final, Harita Bhadra displayed remarkable speed to claim the bronze medal. Clocking in at 23.20 seconds, Bhadra finished third in a highly competitive field.
The gold medal went to Singapore's Shanti Pereira, who crossed the line in 22.78 seconds, while China's Chen Yujie took the silver with a time of 22.93 seconds.
In the men's category, India's Animesh Kujur narrowly missed out on a medal. Despite a strong run of 20.80 seconds, Kujur finished in fifth place in the 200m final. The gold was claimed by Thailand's Puripol Boonson (19.88 seconds), followed by China's Huang Youwen (silver) and Japan's Soshi Mizukubo (bronze).
Boxing Dominance: Narender and Parveen Hooda shine
The Indian boxing contingent had a stellar day, with multiple athletes securing spots in the medal rounds.
Narender's knockout victory
In the men's 90+kg category, Narender stormed into the semifinals after a dominant quarterfinal display against Thailand's Adthapong Saengtep. The bout ended via Referee Stops Contest (RSC) just 1 minute and 37 seconds into the first round, after Narender sent his opponent to the canvas with two decisive knockdowns.
Parveen Hooda's redemption
In a significant moment for Indian boxing, Parveen Hooda secured a medal in the women's 65 kg division. She achieved a 5-0 unanimous decision victory over Uzbekistan's Navbakhor Khamidova, a silver medallist at the World Championships. Hooda's performance was clinical, winning her rounds with scores of 4-1, 5-0, and 5-0.
This victory serves as a powerful moment of redemption for Hooda, who previously saw her 2022 Asian Games bronze rescinded due to a doping violation. She now stands a strong contender for the gold.
Ankush Panghal joins the winners
Adding to the tally, Ankush Panghal also guaranteed a medal for India in the men's 80 kg boxing event. Panghal secured his place in the medal rounds after defeating Tajikistan's Nekruz Salimov in a hard-fought quarterfinal match.