Asian Games 2026: India Rises to 8th with 10 Golds After Archery Sweep
India reaches 10 golds at Asian Games 2026 after a historic compound archery sweep and shooting triumphs.
India has surged up the medal standings at the Asian Games 2026, climbing to eighth place on Wednesday after reaching the 10-gold milestone. A historic golden sweep in compound archery and a landmark victory in shooting were the primary drivers behind this significant leap in the standings.
The country's total medal tally has now reached 60, consisting of 10 gold, 21 silver, and 29 bronze medals. The surge on Day 11 was fueled by four gold medals, allowing India to leapfrog two positions in the overall rankings.
Compound Archery: A Historic Triple Gold Sweep
The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the performance of the compound archers, who achieved a clean sweep by winning gold in all three team events. This dominance has not only boosted the medal count but has also secured a historic milestone for Indian sports.
Women's Team Dominance
The women's team, comprising Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha Taniparthi, and Prithika Pradeep, opened the gold rush. They defeated China’s Wunier, Yue Wang, and Fangyao Wei with a score of 238-234. Remarkably, the trio equalled the world record during their performance while successfully defending their Asian Games title.
Mixed Team Triumph and Olympic Glory
Chikitha Taniparthi and Sahil Jadhav secured the mixed team gold in a nail-biting final against South Korea’s Jungyoon Park and Choi Eun Gyu. The Indian duo prevailed 157-158 following a tense shoot-off. This victory is particularly significant as it earned India an Olympic quota, making India the first nation to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics compound mixed team event.
Men's Team Completes the Sweep
The men’s team—Kushal Dalal, Sahil Jadhav, and Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru—completed the golden sweep for India. They edged out China’s Jiahao Liao, Jinyi Liu, and Jingyu Shi with a score of 238-237 in a high-stakes final.
Shooting: Breaking Records in Trap Event
In the shooting range, Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai delivered a stellar performance to clinch gold in the mixed team trap event. This marks India's first-ever gold medal in the Trap Mixed Team event.
After a challenging start, the duo finished with a score of 34, surpassing the previous Asian Games record of 30. This victory contributed to India's shooting contingent reaching a total of 15 medals (three golds, eight silvers, and four bronzes).
Hockey: Women's Team Secures Semifinal Victory
In hockey, the Indian women’s team has booked their place in the gold medal match after a commanding 2-0 victory over South Korea in the semifinals.
After a scoreless first half, Ishika broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute by converting a penalty corner. India doubled the lead in the 47th minute when a cross from Salima Tete deflected off a defender into the net, sealing the win and setting up a high-profile final.
Current Standings Context
With the recent surge, India sits in eighth place. The leaderboards are currently topped by China, which dominates with 275 medals (150 golds). Japan holds second place with 199 medals, followed by South Korea in third with 102 medals. Bahrain currently occupies seventh position with 11 gold medals.