The Indian contingent experienced a eventful Sunday at the Asian Games, marked by impressive achievements across various sports disciplines that added seven medals to the national tally. The day's highlights unfolded primarily on the athletics track and the squash courts, where athletes demonstrated exceptional grit and determination.
Strong Showing on the Athletics Track and Field
Indian track and field athletes delivered multiple standout performances. Parul चौधरी created a new national record in the women's 3000m steeplechase by clocking 9:08.67 seconds to claim the bronze medal while improving her personal best. The gold in this event went to Winfred Yavi of Bahrain, and the silver was secured by Norah Jeruto Tanui of Kazakhstan. In the same race, Ankita finished fourth with a personal best of 9:19.24 seconds. In the women's long jump, NC Sozan came agonizingly close to the gold before China's Huang Yingying edged past her by a mere two centimeters in the final attempt, leaving the Indian athlete with silver. Shaili Singh also narrowly missed a podium finish following late drama in the same event. Meanwhile, Sarvesh Kushare secured a silver medal in the men's high jump by clearing 2.25 meters. Tejaswin Shanker added a bronze in the men's decathlon after accumulating 7,934 points, and Harita Bhadrra clinched a bronze in the women's 200m sprint.
Historic Silver Medals on the Squash Court
The squash courts witnessed historic milestones for India as Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh secured remarkable silver medals. Eighteen-year-old Anahat Singh became the first Indian female player to reach the squash singles final at the Asian Games, where she settled for silver after a hard-fought match against Malaysia's Sivasangari Subramaniam. In the men's singles, Abhay Singh also claimed a silver medal after bowing out in the final against Malaysia's Ng Eain Yow, capping off a stellar campaign in the sport.
Boxing Success and Badminton Disappointment
The boxing ring brought encouraging results as three Indian pugilists advanced to the semifinals to guarantee medals. Praveen Hooda triumphed in the women's 65kg category, while Ankush Panghal secured his first Asian Games medal by winning his bout in the 80kg division. Narendra Berwal also progressed to the semifinals in the 90+kg category with a dominant victory, though Sachin Siwaz faced a defeat. In contrast, the badminton contingent faced complete disappointment as double Olympic medalist PV Sindhu and other compatriots exited the tournament following quarterfinal losses.
