Pincky Balhara clinches India's third Asian Games Kurash medal
Pincky Balhara reaches the women's 78kg Kurash semifinal at the Asian Games, securing India's third medal in the sport.
India’s quest for glory at the 20th Asian Games received a massive boost on Monday as Pincky Balhara secured a guaranteed medal in Kurash. By reaching the women's 78 kg semifinal, Balhara has ensured that India will add a third medal to its tally in this specific sport at the Games.
Balhara dominates in quarterfinal victory
The Indian judoka displayed exceptional skill during her quarterfinal bout against South Korea's Lim Garam. Balhara delivered a commanding performance, defeating her opponent with a 3-0 scoreline. This victory marks a significant comeback for Balhara, who previously secured a silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games but faced an early exit in the quarterfinals during the 2022 Hangzhou edition.
High-stakes archery battle: Ganesh Mani Ratnam prevails
While Balhara was making history in Kurash, the archery arena witnessed a nail-biting all-Indian clash. In the men's compound individual round of 16, Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru emerged victorious in a contest that went down to the very last arrow. In a razor-thin margin of just one point, Ganesh defeated his fellow countryman Sahil Jadhav with a score of 149-148.
Ganesh’s journey to the quarterfinals was marked by consistent precision, having previously overcome Indonesia’s Sostar Andaru Rinaldi. With Jadhav's exit, Ganesh now stands as the sole Indian representative in the men's individual compound draw. He is scheduled to face Chinese Taipei's Chen Chieh-lun in the quarterfinals on October 1.
Archery contingent shows immense strength
The individual success follows a stellar performance by the Indian archery teams. On Sunday, all five Indian teams competing in the Games progressed to their respective semifinals, including:
- Men's and women's recurve teams
- Recurve mixed team
- Men's and women's compound teams
A busy day for Team India
The Asian Games continue to be a whirlwind of action for the Indian contingent. While Sivaraj Babu's journey in men's shortboard surfing ended following a loss to the Philippines' Alciso Jayuard, other stars are gearing up for crucial rounds:
- Cricket: The defending champions, India's men's cricket team, face Afghanistan in a high-stakes quarterfinal as they aim to defend their gold.
- Boxing: Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain enters the women's 75kg quarterfinal against South Korea's Seong Suyeon.
- Shooting: Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh, and Rahi Sarnobat are set to compete in the women's 25m pistol qualification.
- Athletics: Key medal prospects including Avinash Sable (3000m steeplechase), Murali Sreeshankar (long jump), Yash Vir Singh and Rohit Yadav (javelin throw), and Gulveer Singh (1500m) are all in action.