NEW DELHI : India concluded their Asian Games 2026 campaign in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with an impressive haul of 85 medals: 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze. A remarkable performance on the penultimate day saw the Indian contingent win five gold medals across different sporting disciplines, helping the country overtake Uzbekistan and finish fourth in the final standings.
China continued their dominant run in Asian Games, topping the medal table with 341 medals, including 169 golds, ahead of hosts Japan and the Republic of Korea.
Final Super Saturday Surge
As the Games entered their final stretch, India remained just outside the top five before producing one of the most dramatic finishes in the country’s multi-sport history.
Double Hockey Delight
The Indian men’s hockey team signed off in style, defeating Malaysia 5-1 in the final to successfully defend their title and secure direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Earlier, the Indian women’s team had ended a 44-year wait by winning their first Asian Games hockey gold, completing a historic gold-medal double for India.
High-Octane Cricket Defense
India’s men’s cricket team held their nerve in a marquee clash against arch-rivals Pakistan, clinching a 19-run victory to retain their Asian Games gold.
Mat Supremacy
Freestyle wrestler Aman Sehrawat mounted a heroic comeback from 6-7 down in the 57kg final to capture wrestling gold, accompanied by silver from Antim Panghal and bronze from Deepak Punia.
Trailblazers In Archery & Golf
Teen sensation Kumkum Anil Mohod scripted history by winning India’s first-ever women’s individual recurve archery gold, just days after teaming up to snap South Korea’s 28-year dominance in the women’s team event.
Meanwhile, Pranavi Urs delivered a breakthrough moment on the green, capturing India’s first-ever women’s individual golf gold.
A Campaign Of Breakthroughs
While India’s overall haul of 85 medals did not match the historic high-water mark of 106 medals achieved at Hangzhou, the Aichi-Nagoya campaign stood out for its qualitative depth across traditional and emerging frontiers:
Shooting & Archery Precision: Disciplines where India asserted regional dominance, headlined by mixed-team records, Neeru Dhanda’s historic trap triumph, and a compound archery sweep.
Combat Sports Resurgence: The Indian boxing contingent secured a hat-trick of golds on Friday through Lovlina Borgohain, Parveen Hooda, and Ankush Panghal.
Kabaddi Double: India reasserted its uncontested authority in kabaddi, sweeping both the men’s and women’s tournament golds.
With 21 golds in the bag and several continental records broken, Team India heads home having reaffirmed their position within Asia’s top tier.
