Asian Games 2026 Day 11 Highlights: India's Medal Tally At 60 After Golds In Shooting, Archery; Women Storm Into Hockey Final

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Heartbreak on the track! Track cyclists Ronaldo Singh Laitonjam and David Beckham bow out early in a disappointing day for India at the Asian Games.

FINAL BOUND!

THE WOMEN IN BLUE HAVE DONE IT! The full-time hooter sounds in Nagoya, and the Indian Women’s Hockey Team has officially punched their ticket to the Asian Games 2026 Grand Final! Second-half masterclasses from Ishika Chaudhary and Captain Salima Tete broke South Korean hearts to seal a thoroughly dominant victory.

A fully deserved shot at continental glory awaits them in a blockbuster gold medal match against arch-rivals China. The ultimate prize is within touching distance, the championship crown and a direct ticket to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics are just 60 minutes away!

5 more minutes to defend. India are looking comfortable now. Indian women's are launching more attacks as they look for a third.

47' GOAAAL! INDIA DOUBLES THE LEAD!

It’s pure individual brilliance from Salima Tete to spark the attack! She pounces on a loose ball, activates the afterburners, and embarks on a devastating, signature sprint right into the circle.

Salima slashes a dangerous pass toward the centre, causing absolute panic as it takes a deflection off a South Korean defender's stick and rolls into the back of the net! The goal is officially credited to the Indian captain. India leads 2-0 and is sniffing the final!

43' PENALTY CORNER FOR INDIA!

Firing their first of the quarter and a staggering 10th of the match, the pressure finally bursts the dam! CAN THEY CAPITALISE? YES THEY CAN! GOAAAL FOR INDIA! It’s a beautifully crafted penalty corner variation. Deepika sweeps it out to the injector Ishika Chaudhary, who lets fly with a lightning-fast, first-time strike that completely leaves the goalkeeper stranded! The deadlock is broken in absolute style!

India are on a green card. Let's see how long can Korea sustain the continuos pressure!

ON-COURT UPDATE: The spotlight stays on the tennis courts where India is fighting a dual-front battle! 

Men's Doubles QF: Yuki Bhambri and Dhakshineshwar Suresh are pushed right to the brink. After dropping a razor-thin first set 7-6 in a tiebreak, the Indian pair has hit a rough patch and currently trails 4-1 in the second set against Chinese Taipei’s Yu-hsiou Hsu and Chenjui Ho. They need an immediate spark to keep their campaign alive!

Mixed Doubles SF: Meanwhile, a massive podium battle is locked and loading! Yuki Bhambri returns to the court alongside Rutuja Bhosale for a blockbuster semifinal showdown against Chinese Taipei's heavyweight duo of Chun-hsin Tseng and tennis legend Su-wei Hsieh. A victory here officially guarantees India a medal!

History is on their side, India enters as the reigning champions in this event, following Rutuja’s spectacular gold-medal triumph alongside Rohan Bopanna at the Hangzhou edition. Let’s back them to repeat history!

Another strong quarter for India. Plenty of opportunities and penalty corners, but they fail to score the opening goal! Frustating slowly setting in for India as Baljeet gets a green card at the end!,

𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗦𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗧 𝗛𝗔𝗟𝗙-𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘! 🇮🇳🔥

It’s 0-0 between India and South Korea at the break in the Asian Games 2026 semi-final. 🏑💪

Two more quarters to make it count. Come on, India! 🇮🇳🔥#HockeyIndia #IndiaKaGame #AsianGames2026 #AichiNagoya2026 pic.twitter.com/uedyM3pL6j, — Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) September 30, 2026

The biggest enemy for India right now might be their own patience. Historically, when the goals dry up, the Women in Blue have fallen into the trap of over-complicating play, trying to force solo runs or rushing their passes out of pure desperation.

While head coach Sjoerd Marijne has put massive emphasis on fixing this mental block, leading to a much more disciplined look at the World Cup, a high-stakes knockout game is a completely different beast. Nerves will be tested, and India must stick to their structures, move the ball cleanly, and patiently build their openings without letting frustration take the wheel.

Perfect quarter for India, they dominated throughout through the likes of their forwards. However they missed some close chances. The opening goal is not very far as we gear up for the second quarter!!

India come very close on the 7 minute mark. A great attack which could have been finished. A very close miss!!

India pile on the pressure early, winning back-to-back penalty corners. However Korea defended both well!

The Indian Women’s Hockey Team faces its ultimate litmus test at the Games today as they square off against South Korea in a high-stakes semifinal encounter. Though India enters the fixture boasting an immaculate, high-scoring run of form, the knockout atmosphere promises a steep psychological battle.

The blueprint for the final has already been drawn, with China securing their spot by outlasting Japan in a tense penalty shootout. Consequently, a victory today will not only propel India into a gold-medal match against the hosts but also secure automatic qualification for the historic Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Here's how India lineup.,

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗘𝗠𝗜-𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 XI 𝗜𝗦 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘! 🇮🇳🔥

The Indian Women’s Team is ready to take on South Korea with a place in the Asian Games 2026 final at stake. 🏑💪

⏰ 3:30 PM IST

Watch the action LIVE on the Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV.#HockeyIndia… pic.twitter.com/UdLiDtr7mU, — Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) September 30, 2026

SUNIL KUMAR MAKES HISTORY IN NAGOYA!

Absolute and total destruction on the mat! Sunil Kumar has captured the bronze medal in the Men's 87kg Greco-Roman category with an emphatic 9-0 victory over the Philippines' Callum Roberts. Sunil was a man possessed, executing a spectacular flip to wrap up the bout by technical superiority inside the very first round!

Following his podium finish in Hangzhou, Sunil etches his name into the record books as the first Indian wrestler ever to win two Greco-Roman medals at the Asian Games. What an absolute legend! 

India takes early lead! 4-0 in favour of Sunil now!

The schedule is rapidly winding down ahead of the classification matches at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. With just two preliminary bouts left to conclude on the mat, India’s Sunil Kumar is officially on deck for his highly anticipated Men’s 87kg Greco-Roman bronze medal encounter. 

The parallel bronze medal fixture in the same weight division is also locked in, featuring a highly competitive dual between Shamil Ozhaev of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan’s Jalgasbay Berdimuratov.

HISTORY IN NAGOYA! Lovlina Borgohain has etched her name into the record books, becoming the very first Indian female boxer to secure back-to-back appearances in the Asian Games finals.

While the veteran punches her ticket to the gold-medal bout, India's debutants Kapil Pokhariya and Priya Ghanghas enjoyed spectacular breakthrough campaigns, wrapping up their maiden tournaments with well-earned bronze medals on a historic Wednesday for Indian boxing.

HEARTBREAK FOR ASMITA DEY!

India’s reigning Commonwealth Games champion has agonisingly missed out on an Asian Games bronze medal in the women's 48kg category.

In a highly physical, tactical showdown, Mongolia’s Narantsetseg Ganbaatar broke the deadlock by scoring a decisive Waza-ari to seal the victory. Nerves and tension were high, with both judokas picking up a single Shido penalty during the intense contest. A valiant run from Asmita, who finishes just one step short of the podium.

In a stunning upset, India's top-seeded men's doubles pairing of Anirudh Chandrasekar and N Sriram Balaji bowed out in the quarterfinals after a grueling three-set battle against China's Jiang Fumin and Zhang Tianhui.

The encounter was a razor-thin tactical affair, with all three frames requiring tiebreakers to separate the pairs. After splitting two highly competitive sets 7-6(4), 6-7(7), the match came down to a 10-point match tiebreak, where the Chinese combination held their composure to seal a narrow [10-8] victory, ending the top seeds' campaign by a mere two points.

India's Medal Count

Gold: 10
Silver: 21
Bronze: 29
Total: 59 medals

The defending champions are officially guaranteed another medal. The Indian men's squash team has marched into the semifinals after a clinical 2-0 sweep against Kuwait in the quarterfinals. Veer Chotrani opened the tie with a rollercoaster 3-1 victory over Bader Almoghrebi.

It featured an extraordinarily bizarre scoreline where Chotrani completely blanked his opponent in the third game to win 12-10, 8-11, 11-0, 11-5. Abhay Singh then wasted no time sealing the victory, putting on a straight-games masterclass to defeat Ammar Al-Tamimi 11-3, 11-4, 11-8. Up next, the reigning gold medallists face a blockbuster semifinal showdown against Malaysia.

Kushal, Sahil And Ganesh Grab Gold! Great run by the Indians. They were sharp and took the lead by a point. INDIA BEAT CHINA 238-237 IN THE FINAL!

Kapil’s valiant campaign came to an end in the semifinals after a tactical 4-1 split decision defeat to Uzbekistan’s elite world champion, Turabek. While Kapil displayed immense grit, the Uzbek boxer's experience and volume ultimately made the difference, leaving Kapil to secure a well-earned bronze medal. 

This brings the curtains down on today's boxing action at the 2026 Asian Games. India finishes the day celebrating three bronze medals from Kapil, Priya, and Narender. The focus now shifts entirely to October 2, when India’s three gold-medal finalists, Parveen, Lovlina, and Ankush, take center stage to battle for continental glory.

The men’s compound team final has reached a fever pitch in Nagoya, transforming into a masterclass of elite precision. The Indian trio of Sahil Jadhav, Ganesh Thirumuru, and Kushal Dalal maintained relentless pressure by executing a second consecutive perfect trilogy of tens, moving their team total to 178.

However, the Chinese contingent refused to buckle under the strain, delivering a flawless response with three successive tens to preserve their lead. Heading into the final three arrows of the match, China maintains a solitary one-point cushion at 179-178 in what is shaping up to be an unforgettable gold medal finish.

The Indian compound trio mounted a spectacular fightback in the penultimate end of the gold medal match, applying immense scoreboard pressure on China. Sahil Jadhav, Ganesh Thirumuru, and Kushal Dalal executed a flawless three-arrow sequence of perfect tens to elevate India's total to 148 out of a possible 150.

The relentless precision paid dividends as the Chinese team dropped a critical point with a nine on their second arrow. With the gap narrowed to just one point at 149-148, the championship will be decided in a high-stakes final end.

Kapil staged a highly commendable comeback in the second round, exploiting a sluggish start from Turabek to land several fluent combination punches. The Indian boxer dictated the early tempo with superior volume, though Turabek clawed his way back into the frame late with a powerful left hook.

Despite the round appearing highly competitive and potentially destined for a split scorecard, the judges once again leaned toward the Uzbek champion, awarding him the round by a 4-1 margin. Down heavily on the cards, Kapil faces an incredibly steep uphill battle heading into the final three minutes.

China laid down an emphatic marker in the opening end of the men’s compound archery team final, shooting an immaculate 60 out of 60 to take an early lead.

The Indian trio of Sahil Jadhav, Ganesh Thirumuru, and Kushal Dalal put together a highly commendable opening frame of 58, anchored by tens from Sahil and Kushal, but found themselves immediately trailing by two points due to China's flawless execution. Facing a 60-58 deficit, the Indian contingent must quickly regroup heading into the second end, with 18 arrows remaining to erase the margin.

Turabek wasted no time putting his unique flair on display in the opening round, using eccentric movement and hip shimmies to set up explosive, high-velocity flurries. The bout quickly turned highly physical, devolving into close-quarters wrestling that saw the Uzbek star dump Kapil down.

While Kapil showcased excellent counter-speed and finished the frame strongly with a clean, authoritative blow, his overall impact was overshadowed. The judges scored the round unanimously, giving Turabek a dominant 5-0 head start on the cards.

The gold medal match of the men's compound archery team event has officially commenced at the Asian Games, with India targeting an unprecedented sweep of all three team titles today.

Having already locked up the mixed and women's crowns earlier, the spotlight shifts entirely to the trio of Sahil Jadhav, Kushal Dalal, and Thirumuru Ganesh Mani Ratnam. Standing between the dominant Indian contingent and a historic golden hat-trick is home favorite China. Both teams have initiated their opening ends in what promises to be a razor-thin tactical battle for the ultimate podium finish.

The final boxing semifinal featuring an Indian competitor promises to be an absolute thriller as Kapil seeks to punch his ticket to the gold medal match. However, the Indian middleweight faces an elite challenge in Uzbekistan’s Turabekov.

The Uzbek star possesses an impressive resume, entering the bout as the current reigning World Champion and a bronze medallist from the previous edition of the Asian Games in the 80kg category. Having adjusted his weight class, Turabekov presents a formidable tactical test for Kapil in this marquee semifinal encounter.

It was a bittersweet round for India in the men's singles tournament, resulting in a split 1-1 record on the day. India's top-ranked singles player, Sumit Nagal, delivered a commanding performance to sweep past Uzbekistan’s Sergey Fomin 6-3, 6-2, safely securing his spot in the quarterfinals.

Unfortunately, Dhakshineswar Suresh’s campaign came to an end after a valiant 3-6, 4-6 straight-sets defeat at the hands of Tseng Chun-hsin of Chinese Taipei. Nagal now faces a formidable tactical test in the final eight, where he is scheduled to clash with China's elite contender, Wu Yibing.

India's Updated Medal Count After 3 Golds!!!,

India's Medal Count

INDIA MARCHES INTO THE GOLD MEDAL MATCH!

What an absolute masterclass under pressure! Holding a comfortable seven-point cushion heading into the final frame, the Indian trio refused to blink. South Korea fought back valiantly to cap their run at 229, leaving India needing just 23 points to seal it.

Despite a surprise nine from Sahil, Ganesh hit the bullseye with a ten, leaving Kushal needing a mere four to win. Kushal didn't just find the board, he emphatically slammed in a perfect ten to call game! A dominant 236-229 victory books India a blockbuster final against China. The dream of a historic three-gold clean sweep today is very much alive! 

BACK-TO-BACK GOLD FOR NEERU DHANDA!

INDIA WINS THE MIXED TEAM TRAP FINAL! What an absolutely historic, legendary performance in Nagoya! Partnering with Kynan Chenai, the Indian duo engineered a comeback for the ages. After a shaky 6-out-of-10 opening series left them rock bottom, they flipped a switch and shot an UNBELIEVABLE, flawless streak without missing a single clay target until the gold was secured! Holding off Qatar by just a single point, India takes the ultimate crown. Qatar settles for silver, and China walks away with bronze. Nerves of absolute steel!

An unexpected technical issue has forced a temporary suspension of play in the mixed team trap final. The match officials intervened mid-series, instructing the remaining competitors to step away from the firing line and return to their team benches.

The disruption breaks an incredibly high-caliber stretch of shooting, as none of the three remaining medal-contending nations had registered a single miss in the current series prior to the stoppage. Officials are currently working to resolve the issue.

Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai engineered a stunning turnaround in the second series of the mixed team trap final, executing a perfect round where both shooters hit all five of their respective targets.

This immaculate 10-point surge catapulted India from the bottom of a bottleneck right into a share of the lead alongside Qatar. With Iran failing to keep pace and bowing out as the first team eliminated, India has officially locked up a podium finish. They now head into the business end of the final with their sights set firmly on the gold medal.

The mixed team trap final has gotten off to a surprisingly cagey and low-scoring start, with all four nations struggling to find their elite form in the opening series.

Following the completion of the first 10 shots, Qatar holds a fragile one-point lead at the top with a score of 7.

Meanwhile, a congested bottleneck has formed right behind them, with China, Iran, and India all tied closely on 6 points apiece. With India sitting at the bottom of that tie due to qualification rules, the pressure is heavily on Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai to elevate their accuracy in the upcoming series.

LOVLINA MARCHES INTO THE FINAL!

Defying a hostile, roaring crowd in Nagoya, Lovlina Borgohain showed champion composure to weather a fierce final-round storm from Natalya Bogdanova.

A late flurry and a big left hook from the Kazakh weren't enough to shake the Indian star, who answered beautifully with her own counter punches. The judges have spoken, Lovlina wins it by a 3-2 split decision and is officially fighting for GOLD! 

MOMENTUM SHIFT!

Lovlina roars back in the second round! After establishing her range with a crisp left hook, she weathered a chaotic flurry and a push from Natalya. Lovlina's superior accuracy and higher ring presence earned her a dominant 5-0 sweep of the round from the judges. From a round down to leading the fight, Lovlina is just three minutes away from the final!

BACK IN THE MEDAL HUNT!

Yesterday’s trap champion Neeru Dhanda teams up with Kynan Chenai for the Trap Mixed Team Final in Nagoya this afternoon!

After finishing 4th in qualifying with a score of 136 (behind China, Qatar, and Iran), the pressure is sky-high. Margins are razor-thin: countback rules mean ANY ties in this final will go against India. Every shot counts! 

Slow start in the semifinals! Lovlina (Red) is locked in a cagey tactical battle with Natalya (Blue). Neither boxer is letting their hands fly much in a very quiet opening round. Natalya is pressing forward a bit more, but connecting cleanly is a challenge for both.

Lovlina needs to pick up the volume as her patient approach drops the first round. Natalya takes it 3-2. Big adjustments needed for Round 2!

Next up in the ring, India's Lovlina Borgohain steps out for a blockbuster women's 75kg semifinal clash against Kazakhstan’s Natalya Bogdanova. The stakes couldn't be higher: Bogdanova enters as the reigning 2025 world champion, though she has stepped up from the 70kg division.

Meanwhile, Lovlina brings superb momentum after capturing a silver medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games earlier this year. A massive prize awaits the winner, who will punch their ticket to the gold medal bout against China’s Bao Ziyi.

MEDAL ALERT ALERT: India’s CWG champion Asmita Dey is just one victory away from an Asian Games medal! She successfully cleared the repechage hurdle by defeating Hong Kong's Wong Ka Lee via Yuko.

Asmita will now step onto the tatami at around 1:45 PM to square off against Mongolia's Ganbaataryn Narantsetseg for the bronze! 

Unstoppable on the big stage! Sahil Jadhav and Chikitha Taniparthi have shot their way to an epic Asian Games GOLD! The final went right down to the wire, but our archers refused to blink in a dramatic shoot-off, capitalizing on a rare slip-up by the Korean team.

With Chikitha capturing her second gold of the tournament and Sahil securing his first, India firmly asserts its status as the global powerhouse of compound archery. To make this golden morning even sweeter, this victory punches India's first official ticket to the LA28 Olympics for the compound mixed team event!

Priya goes full throttle! She’s letting her hands fly, but Yang is slipping and blocking the majority of the onslaught. Smart adjustments from Yang, who ties Priya up on the inside and shuts down her rhythm. An airtight defensive round from the world medalist!

The judges have called it, Yang marches on to the final with a 4-1 split win, while Priya secures a fantastic bronze for India!

Goodbye for today, with more medal stories for tomorrow. Certainly a great day for team India.

Defending champions India secure bronze in the men's 4x400m final. The Indian men's relay program concluded its continental campaign on the podium, finishing third behind gold-medallists Japan and silver-medallists Qatar.

Targeting a consecutive golden double alongside the women's team, the Indian lineup faced an elite early pace from the breakaway leaders. While strong strategic runs by third-leg runner Jay Kumar and anchor Vishal TK solidified India's podium spot, they ultimately had to settle for a bronze medal finish.

Gold for India! The traditional heavyweights deliver on the big stage! The Indian women's 4x400m relay squad has successfully captured the crown at the Asian Games 2026.

The star-studded lineup of Kiran Pahal, MR Poovamma, Prachi, and Vithya Ramraj combined raw speed, unmatched tactical pacing, and a sensational anchor leg to safely defend their continental title in majestic fashion!

Race Timing: 3:29:69

Pooja secures a magnificent bronze medal for India! The bar is set at 1.87 meters and it ultimately proves to be the technical limit for the Indian standout tonight.

However, the scoreboard shifts heavily in her favor on countback; thanks to her flawless string of first-attempt clearances up to 1.84m, she successfully out-positions her closest rivals to lock down a well-deserved third-place podium finish.

India captures the bronze medal on the track! An exceptional collective effort from the Indian sprinting contingent, showing incredible grit to lock in a third-place finish in the 4x100m mixed relay showpiece event.

Overcoming a highly competitive field of Asia's fastest relay units, the Indian team executed crisp, calculated exchanges on the straightaways to comfortably guarantee their place on the podium.

Standings:,

1. China: 40.78s
2. Thailand: 40.87s
3. India: 41.06s

The first thing to clear up is that this is actually the Mixed 4x100m relay team rather than the 4x400m.
It is a common practice in championship events for teams to switch up their lineup or running order between the heats and the final.

Coaches often choose to rotate runners to manage workloads, especially since Abhinaya Rajarajan has been heavily taxed, having just anchored the grueling women's 4x100m relay final the day before where India narrowly missed a medal.

India locks down fourth and fifth in a historic hammer throw final. The evening belonged to China’s Zhang, who put on an absolute clinic to shatter both the Area and Games records at 78.27m for gold, but the Indian contingent showed incredible grit.

23-year-old Tanya Chaudhary delivered the performance of her young career, resetting her personal record twice to anchor fourth position at 65.35m. Her compatriot Anushka Yadav secured the fifth spot with an identical best throw of 65.35m, ensuring India heavily features at the top of the continental standings even as China and Japan sweep the medals.

The high jump final has transformed into a high-stakes tactical chess match! Pooja remains foot-perfect under the stadium lights, refusing to drop a single target.

But the continental powerhouses have answered the call. Uzbekistan's Sayfullaeva and Kazakhstan's Ovchinnikova have cleared every progression flawlessly as well, locking them in a three-way tie for the gold medal position. The margin for error is officially zero.

History made in Nagoya! Gulveer Singh has his hat-trick! Under immense national pressure as India's lone warrior on the track, Gulveer puts on a tactical clinic to cross the finish line for a phenomenal bronze medal.

He neutralises the early setback of losing his running partner and completes a breathtaking distance trilogy, adding 5000m bronze to his double-silver haul. What a monumental moment for Indian athletics!

Sable registers a DNS as Gulveer Singh mounts solo medal pursuit. India's distance contingent suffered an unexpected setback just moments before the men's 5000m final, with star runner Avinash Sable withdrawing from the start sheet.

Despite the vacant spot, India remains a potent threat through Gulveer Singh. Singh, who has already put together a highly successful multi-medal meet, now targets a rare individual hat-trick on the continental stage.,

Gulveer Singh will be chasing his third medal of the Games in the men's 5000m final. However, India has suffered a setback, with Avinash Sable marked as DNS (Did Not Start), ruling him out before the race could even begin.

Easy does it for Pooja! Another flawless flight under pressure as she clears 1.84m at the first time of asking to maintain her absolute vice-grip on this final.

Heartbreak on the other side of the apron, however, as Supriya Basavaraju exhausts her three attempts at 1.80m and exits the field. The spotlight shines entirely on Pooja now as the air gets thin at the top!

A tough finish to the 800m campaign for Mohammed Afsal. The reigning Asian Games silver medallist fell off the lead pack during the final lap, ultimately crossing the line in last position.

It is an unexpected detour for the elite Indian distance athlete who has otherwise enjoyed a historic record-breaking block over the past year.

Japan's Ko Ochiai smashes the Games Record with a 1:44.48 to take gold ahead of Iran's Ali Amiran and Qatar's 1:45.25

India's Pooja registers a top-seven finish on the track. The middle-distance runner clocked a respectable 2:06.72 in a highly competitive women's 800m showpiece event.

The championship crown goes to China as Wang Hongjiao claims the gold medal. She is joined on the podium by Bahrain's Nelly Korir (silver) and the Philippines' breakout star Victoria Bassong, who takes home the bronze medal.

The Chinese throwing contingent lays down a massive marker. Zhang fires a commanding 74.11m opening effort to claim the top spot, closely followed by compatriot Zhao at 72.47m.

Further down the order, Japan's Macarthur bridges the gap to the rest of the field in third. India's medal hopefuls Anushka (64.29m) and Tanya Chaudhary (62.09m) open their campaigns with stable marks, settling into the fourth and fifth positions respectively as they look to build momentum in the upcoming rounds.

The curtain falls on a spectacular pole vault final for India! Dev Meena officially seals seventh place in the continent, walking away with a brand-new lifetime best and a towering 5.50m National Record. To achieve that in your very first season competing at the elite international level is nothing short of extraordinary.

His compatriot Kuldeep Kumar pushed the field all the way but ultimately finishes in tenth place, unable to progress past the 5.35m mark tonight. The future of Indian pole vaulting is burning incredibly bright.

Pooja stays absolutely perfect under pressure! She glides over the 1.80-meter bar at the first time of asking, flashing a commanding lead early in this grand final.

The reigning Asian champion looks entirely in her element, but the heavy artillery is still waiting in the wings. Kazakhstan's Kristina Ovchinnikova continues to bide her time on the sidelines, waiting for the bar to go higher before making her opening flight. A brilliant tactical chess match is unfolding!

India reaches five-gold milestone at the 2026 Asian Games. The Indian contingent has successfully expanded its medal haul, officially securing its fifth gold medal of the competition. ,

Flawless execution from Pooja tonight! She is rising to the occasion under the stadium lights, making light work of both the 1.70m and 1.75m bars at the first time of asking.

Her perfect rhythm keeps her right at the summit of the standings. The medal radar is pinging loudly for India right now as the pressure shifts entirely to her competitors.

Dev Meena sets a new Indian National Record in the pole vault. The standout athlete scaled new heights at the grand final, successfully clearing the 5.50m progression on his second attempt.

The spectacular clearance eclipses his previous lifetime best and co-held national benchmark of 5.46m. Regardless of the final podium distribution, Meena’s record-breaking performance cements an incredibly successful campaign for the Indian athletics contingent.

Kuldeep failed to clear his attempt.

Indian vaulters face early resistance at record height. The bar has been raised to 5.50m, representing a potential new Indian National Record.

Both Dev Meena and Kuldeep Kumar fell short on their initial flights at this progression. Having already shown great resilience earlier in the final, the tandem will now rely on their second attempts to break into new statistical territory.

No mistakes this time around! The bar moves up to 1.70 meters, and the Indian duo handles it with clinical precision, clearing the height on attempt number one.

Exceptional composure from Supriya in particular, after a slightly rocky start at 1.65m that required multiple attempts, she clears this new progression with absolute ease alongside Pooja.

Kuldeep clears it at the absolute death! The bar was rattling, the pressure was at an absolute maximum on attempt number three, but Kuldeep Kumar digs incredibly deep to sail over 5.35 meters.

He refuses to bow out early and joins Dev Meena in the next progression flight. Brilliant tactical resilience on display from these two Indian vaulters tonight.

Mixed fortunes for India at the 5.35m progression. Dev Meena produced a flawless opening vault, comfortably clearing the 5.35m threshold on his first run to put himself in a great position.

However, teammate Kuldeep Kumar was unable to replicate the feat, falling short on his first attempt. With Meena safely through to the next height, the focus shifts to Kumar's upcoming second run as he fights to stay in contention alongside his compatriot.

A sporting masterclass in resilience! India has stunned Qatar! Down and nearly out at 2-0, the Indian squad completely flipped the script, mounting an epic three-set counter-offensive to force, battle through, and conquer the deciding frame.

With that spectacular victory, India successfully maintains its unblemished record to advance into the quarterfinals as the number-one seed from the group. What an unforgettable exhibition of heart and tactical grit from this Indian team!

No mistake on the second go! The Indian duo resets, charges down the runway, and sails over the bar at 5.20 meters. With their shared lifetime best and National Record sitting well above at 5.46m, you absolutely expected these two to bounce back. The composure pays off, and they keep their final runs moving forward.

Setbacks for India at the 5.20m mark. After clean opening clearances, both Kuldeep Kumar and Dev Meena encountered difficulty at the next progression height, missing their initial attempts at 5.20m.

Both athletes now face crucial second attempts to keep their final campaigns on track before the elite jumpers enter the field.

The men's pole vault final is underway! India's Kuldeep Kumar is among the first athletes down the runway, soaring over his opening bar of 5.05m with absolute ease to secure a confident start.

Because Kuldeep and teammate Dev Meena hold the modest personal bests of the group (5.46m), they will be setting the early benchmark on the runway long before the heavy medal favourites enter the fray!

WE ARE GOING TO A FIFTH SET! India forces the decider! What an absolute masterpiece of a comeback! The Indian men elevate their game to a completely different level, storming through the fourth set 25-20 to draw level.

From 2-0 down, it is now 2-2! While both powerhouses are safely through to the quarterfinals, the ultimate prize of topping the group rests entirely on this final, deciding set. Empty the tank, boys, everything is on the line!

THE FIGHTBACK IS ON! India keeps the match alive! Refusing to bow out quietly, the Indian men dig deep in a frantic third set to edge past Qatar 25-23.

By clawing one back, they narrow the match deficit to 2-1. The Men in Blue are officially back in the hunt, momentum has shifted!

A flying start for the top seeds!

India’s premier men’s doubles duo, Anirudh Chandrasekar and N Sriram Balaji, opened their campaign with a clinical 6-2, 6-1 demolition of Nepal's Abhishek Bastola and Pradip Khadka. Having received a first-round bye, the Indian heavyweights cruised straight into the quarterfinals in dominant fashion!

Qatar pulls off another late-set heist! India pushes them all the way past the limit into extra points, but the Qatari side finds the decisive winning kills to take it 27-25.

India has played fantastic volleyball but finds themselves in a deep 2-0 hole against a highly resilient Qatar squad.

Unbelievable! Qatar turns the tables yet again! India looked completely in control of this second set, but a relentless Qatari surge turns an early deficit into a late 23-21 lead.

The Indian squad is suddenly staring down the barrel of a 2-0 match deficit, they need a miracle block right now!

The Indian men roar back! Refusing to let the first-set heartbreak linger, India storms out of the blocks in the second set to open up a commanding 13-9 lead over Qatar. The momentum is firmly back with the Men in Blue, can they hold onto this cushion?

Heartbreak in deuce! Qatar steals the first set! An absolute marathon opening frame goes the distance as Qatar edges past India 28-26. The Indian squad fought valiantly and saved multiple set points, but the Qatari comeback is complete. India trails 1-0 in the match and must reset immediately!

We have an absolute thriller on our hands! Qatar launches a spectacular comeback to completely erase India’s early advantage. Both teams are locked in a high-stakes game of chicken late in the frame. It is deadlocked at 23-23! Talk about absolute minimal margin for error, who will blink first?

Time for some high-flying volleyball action! The Indian men's team steps onto the court for a massive showdown against Qatar. Both squads have been absolutely flawless so far, India cruised past Vietnam and Hong Kong, while Qatar similarly swept their opening games.

With quarterfinal tickets already punched for both sides, the ultimate prize here is the top spot in the group. And it’s a dream start for India, who hit the ground running early in the first set!

Early heartbreak for Shapath. The mountain proves too steep to climb as the Indian shooter is eliminated in eighth place at the 10-shot mark.

A tough, out-of-character final sees him finish with a modest 7 out of 10, making him the first to bow out of the competition.

Standings after 10 shots:

Yang Kun-Pi - 8
Qi Ying - 8
Talal Alrashidi - 8
Azamat Kayumov - 8
Khaled Almudhaf - 8
Saeed Abusharib - 7
Alisher Aisalbayev - 7 (Eliminated after 10 shots)
Shapath Bharadwaj - 7 (Eliminated after 10 shots)

An uphill battle from the very first shot. Shapath starts on the back foot, dropping two targets to finish his opening series at a shaky 3 out of 5. That immediately places him at the bottom of the live leaderboard.

The pressure is suffocating here: The elimination clock is ticking, with the bottom two shooters getting chopped after the 10th and 15th shots. Because Shapath qualified in eighth place, he holds zero tie-breaker advantage, if he ties with anyone, he is automatically out. He needs perfection from here on out!

Standings after 5 shots:

Yang Kun-Pi - 4
Qi Ying - 4
Talal Alrashidi - 4
Azamat Kayumov - 4
Alisher Aisalbayev - 4
Saeed Abusharib - 3
Khaled Almudhaf - 3
Shapath Bharadwaj - 3

Next up, Shapath Bharadwaj takes center stage! He has fought his way into the grand final, qualifying in eighth place. While it is a contrasting path compared to Neeru’s dominant first-place qualification earlier today, it is a clean slate now.

A monumental challenge lies ahead for the young Indian shooter, but this is a golden opportunity to add another medal to India's growing tally. Let's see if he can pull off a spectacular climb up the leaderboard!

Narender empties the tank in the final three minutes! With nothing to lose, the Indian powerhouse throws caution to the wind, unloading a fierce barrage of punches. Sensing the lead, Oralbay shifts his focus entirely to defensive footwork and dodging the oncoming storm.

The Kazakh faithful are deafening now, cheering every single exchange, BUT HOLD ON! Narender connects with a flurry of heavy blows and forces a standing eight-count against the world champion! The referee completes the count and allows the fight to go on, but time runs out for the Indian.

It's all over! Oralbay takes the unanimous decision to head into the finals, while Narender bows out with a phenomenal, hard-fought bronze medal! 

The arena is absolutely rocking for Oralbay! 🥊 Fueled by a roaring home-crowd support, the Kazakh world champion unleashes a relentless barrage of attacks. Narender fights with much better intent in this second frame, stepping up his work rate and finding the target a few times.

However, Oralbay remains the master of ceremonies in there. Narender flashes a big right hook late, but it is a solitary highlight against a clinical opponent. Another 5-0 shutout for Oralbay in the second round, he is now firmly on track to punch his ticket to the final!

Narender struggles with a slow start in the opening round, giving Oralbay the space to work variations of body shots and head strikes. Although the Indian boxer shows notable improvement as the round progresses, landing a few well-timed counters, his late surge isn't enough to sway the officials.

The world champion takes the frame comfortably, earning a unanimous 5-0 decision from the judges to open up a commanding early lead.

The grand finale of India’s semifinal charge! 🥊 With Parveen Hooda and Ankush Panghal already punch-perfect and through to the gold medal bouts, all eyes now turn to super heavyweight Narender Berwal. He will look to complete the trifecta and join his compatriots in the finals.

The hurdle ahead couldn't be higher. The Indian powerhouse stands across the ring from Kazakhstan's formidable reigning world champion, Aibek Oralbay.

GIANT KILLER! ANKUSH PANGHAL TAKES THE WIN! 🥊🔥 Absolute scenes in the ring as India’s Ankush pulls off one of the greatest upsets of the tournament!

After an absolute war, he completely dominates the final frame to take the third round 5-0, sealing a magnificent 4-1 split-decision victory over the reigning world champion Fazliddin Erkinboev. What a monumental, career-defining performance against the absolute gold standard of the 80kg division! Next stop: the gold medal match! 🥇

What a twist in the tale! 🥊 Fazliddin opens up with sharp, punishing counters, moving with the supreme confidence of a champion who knows he is in charge. Ankush brings the heat and the hand speed, but the Uzbek’s lightning reflexes seem just a split-second faster.

BUT HOLD ON! The judges see it differently, Ankush steals the second round 3-2! Just when you think you have a fight figured out... that is the beautiful, unpredictable drama of boxing judging!

Next up, a massive showdown in the square circle! 🥊 India's Ankush Panghal steps into the ring for a blockbuster men's 80kg semifinal against the reigning world champion, Uzbekistan's Fazliddin Erkinboev.

NEERU CLINCHES GOLD IN A MASTERCLASS FINISH! 🥇 What an absolute powerhouse performance! Topping individual qualification and completely dominating the final, Neeru secures India’s fifth gold medal of these Asian Games!

In punishing, rainy conditions, she delivered a legendary performance under pressure. Dropping just one target in the second series and only one more the rest of the way, Neeru had the championship wrapped up long before the final shot. An absolutely breathtaking display of precision shooting!

Five shots remain for the gold. Neeru holds a crucial two-point cushion over Sun Yunong. The math is simple now: if the Indian hits three of her final five targets, she clinches the championship regardless of what Sun does!

Absolute brilliance from Neeru! She fires another flawless series to break the final wide open. Operating at an elite level, the Indian shooter is now in total command of the range with a spectacular 19 out of 20 overall!

Standings after 20 shots!

Neeru - 19
Sun Yunong - 17
Hajar Abdulmalik - 17 (Eliminated after 20 shots)
Ray Bassil - 16 (Eliminated after 20 shots)
Zhu Jingyu - 13 (Eliminated after 15 shots)
Lin Yi-Chun - 12 (Eliminated after 15 shots)
Liu Wan-Yu - 6 (Eliminated after 10 shots)
Eleonora Ibragimova - 6 (Eliminated after 10 shots)

Neeru strikes back! A clinical five-for-five from the Indian shooter propels her right back to the top of the leaderboard.

Under intense pressure, both China’s Sun Yunong and Kuwait’s Hajar Abdulmalik falter, recording their first misses of the final.

Standings after 15 shots

Neeru - 14
Sun Yunong - 14
Hajar Abdulmalik - 14
Ray Bassil - 13
Zhu Jingyu - 13 (Eliminated after 15 shots)
Lin Yi-Chun - 12 (Eliminated after 15 shots)
Liu Wan-Yu - 6 (Eliminated after 10 shots)
Eleonora Ibragimova - 6 (Eliminated after 10 shots)

Silver for India in the trap team event! The trio of Neeru Dhanda, Aashima Ahlawat, and Manisha Keer locked in second place with 328 points. While Aashima (106) and Manisha (104) had tough outings, Neeru saved the day.,

SILVER FOR BHARAT! 🇮🇳🥈

Heartiest congratulations to Manisha Keer (NCOE Athlete), Asian Games debutants Neeru and Aashima Ahlawat (both TOPS Development Athlete) on winning the Silver Medal in the Women’s Trap Team event at the Asian Games 2026.

The Indian trio finished 2nd… pic.twitter.com/qF2tlzTMWj, — SAI Media (@Media_SAI) September 29, 2026

Her blistering, Games-record score of 118 out of 125 single-handedly warded off Kuwait (325) for the silver, finishing comfortably behind gold-medallists China (346).

The hunt isn't over yet! Neeru also finished joint-top in individual qualifying next to Qatar's Ray Bassil and shoots for individual gold in just a couple of hours!

Dhakshineswar Suresh draws first blood!!!

The Indian secures a late break to take the opening set 7-5 against Indonesia's Gunawan Trismuwantara in this men's singles second-round opener.

Neeru starts strong! She goes a perfect 5-for-5 right out of the gate.

While there is still a long way to go, maintaining this flawless shooting streak guarantees her the top spot on the leaderboard.

Parveen commands the ring! Li Shu gives it her all, but she is simply outmatched as Parveen’s masterclass game plan unfolds perfectly. By patiently timing her counter-punches, the Indian fighter cleanly dominated every single round.

It’s a shutout! Parveen advances to the gold medal match with a flawless 5-0 unanimous decision. Next up, she takes on Chinese Taipei’s Chen Nien-chin for the championship!