Asian Games: India bags eight medals, boxers assure three more podium finishes
India dominates Day 9 of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya with 8 medals in athletics, shooting, and kurash, while boxers secure three more podium spots.
India enjoyed a spectacular ninth day at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, clinching a total of eight medals across various disciplines. The haul, consisting of four silver and four bronze medals, was primarily driven by a dominant performance in athletics, complemented by successes in shooting and kurash. Adding to the excitement, the Indian boxing contingent has guaranteed at least three more podium finishes after three athletes stormed into their respective semifinals.
Athletics Dominance: Javelin and Long Jump Shine
Athletics was the star of the show, accounting for six of the eight medals won on Monday. The men's javelin throw saw an incredible Indian double on the podium:
- Yashvir Singh secured the silver medal with a personal best throw of 85.72m in his final attempt.
- Rohit Yadav claimed the bronze after a strong throw of 84.35m, notably finishing ahead of Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem, who ended in fourth place.
In the men's long jump, Murali Sreeshankar continued his stellar form by clinching his second consecutive Asian Games silver medal. He recorded a best jump of 8.07m, mirroring his runner-up finish at the Hangzhou 2023 edition.
Middle-distance running also saw success as Gulveer Singh grabbed silver in the men's 1500m, clocking a personal best of 3:36.72. In the women's events, Parul Chaudhary added to the tally with a bronze in the 5000m, marking her second medal of the games, while Vithya Ramraj secured bronze in the 400m hurdles.
Shooting and Kurash Success
India's precision in shooting was rewarded as Esha Singh earned a silver medal in the women's 25m pistol individual final. The combat sports category also saw a podium finish in kurash, where Pincky Balhara secured a bronze medal in the women's -78kg category.
Boxing: Three Semifinalists Secure Medals
The Indian boxing team provided a massive boost to the medal tally by ensuring three more podium finishes. Following their quarterfinal victories, the following athletes have advanced to the semifinals:
- Kapil Pokhariya (Men's 90kg) after defeating South Korea's Kim Gichae.
- Lovlina Borgohain (Women's 75kg) after overcoming South Korea's Seong Suyeon.
- Priya (Women's 60kg) after defeating Tajikistan's Mijgona Samadova.
Other Notable Performances
The day was filled with competitive action across multiple fronts:
- Squash: Both the men's and women's teams recorded dominant wins, with the men's side sweeping South Korea and China 3-0.
- Hockey: The Indian men's team delivered a clinical performance, thrashing Bangladesh with a massive 10-0 scoreline in their Pool A match.
- Cricket: Due to rain, the quarterfinal against Afghanistan was abandoned; however, India progresses to the semifinals based on higher seeding.
- Archery: Chikitha Taniparthi showed great form to reach the quarterfinals in the women's compound individual event.