Asian Games: India's highs and lows

• India finishes with 85 medals at the Asian Games
• Archery and hockey teams secure multiple golds in Japan
• Tennis and badminton face significant medal declines

India failed to beat their best-ever tally of 107 medals at the Asian Games, which they achieved during the 2023 Hangzhou Games, and finished with 85 medals,

including 21 golds, 27 silvers, and 37 bronze medals. Certain sports like Archery performed exceptionally well for India, but there were sports like Badminton and tennis where India failed to meet expectations. Had they delivered, India might have broken the medal tally of the previous Asian Games.

The Stars And Struggles Of The Asian Games

Sports Which Fared Better

Archery

India delivered an exceptional performance in Archery, especially from 17-year-old Kumkum Mohod, who won three medals, including a gold and two silvers.

She became the first-ever Indian woman to win an individual gold in recurve archery, while she also won medals with the women's team and mixed team. Overall, India won 9 medals in Archery, including five golds.

Boxing

India fared better than at the 2023 Games this year after winning six medals, including three golds. They'd won five medals in Hangzhou, but did not win a gold. This year, Lovlina Borgohain, Parveen Hooda, and Ankush Panghal made the country proud by finishing first in their respective categories.

Wrestling

India won six wrestling medals in 2023, and they won six in Japan, but the recent medal tally also included two golds, which is India's best showing in the sport since 1962.



Aman Sehrawat and Sujeet Kalkal created history by winning gold medals. Aman, especially, will be proud of his performance given that he went through a lean phase, battling illness and loss of motivation after the Paris Olympics, but what a comeback he made.

Hockey, Cricket

The Indian Hockey and cricket teams also had a great tournament. For the first time in history, both the men's and women's teams won gold medals at a single edition of the Asian Games.

The Men's team was able to defend their gold from the last edition and also qualified for the 2028 Olympics. Meanwhile, the men's and women's cricket teams also defended their Asian Games gold.

Golf

In golf, Pranavi Urs created history and became the first Indian woman to win an individual gold at the Asian Games.

Sports That Fared Worse

Shooting

India did win three golds in shooting, but it was a significant fall from the last edition where they won 22 medals, including seven golds. In Japan, shooting brought India only 15 medals. Neeru Dhanda was the top performer, winning gold in the women's trap event and also the mixed team event with Kynan Chenai.

Athletics

India fared poorly in athletics in terms of golds. They won six golds in 2023 but managed just one in Japan, won by Kiran Pahal, M.R. Poovamma, Prachi Choudhary, and Vithya Ramraj in the women's 4x400m Relay Team event. Overall, India won 22 medals, seven short of what they won in Hangzhou.

Badminton

India also suffered a significant fall in badminton as top Indian stars faced early exits. India won just bronze this year in comparison to a gold, silver and bronze in the last edition.

Tennis

Tennis was probably the biggest letdown in Japan as the Indian contingent returned home without a medal for the first time in nearly four decades.