Mirabai Chanu has finally shattered the glass ceiling that had kept her from the Asian Games podium for over a decade. In a performance defined by technical precision and emotional catharsis, the 32-year-old weightlifting icon secured a silver medal in the women’s 49kg category on Wednesday, ending a national drought that stretched back to 1998.
Lifting a total of 198kg—comprised of 88kg in the snatch and 111kg in the clean and jerk—Chanu looked every bit the Tokyo Olympic silver medallist as she navigated the high-pressure environment of the continental stage. Having chased this elusive medal since her debut in 2014, the veteran athlete was visibly moved following her final attempt. With that familiar, trademark grin spread across her face, she declared to the media that her “life is now complete,” marking a career-defining moment that cements her legacy as one of India’s greatest strength athletes.
Skeet shooters save the day for India
The atmosphere at the shooting range was a rollercoaster of emotions for the Indian contingent. The much-touted women’s 10m air pistol team, featuring double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker alongside Suruchi Singh and Esha Singh, faced a frustrating outing as they failed to reach the podium in both individual and team disciplines. Bhaker, who did manage to qualify for the individual final, eventually finished fifth. The day took a poignant turn when the 24-year-old Paris Olympics bronze medallist grew visibly distraught while reflecting on the recent passing of her childhood coach, Jaspal Rana—a loss that clearly weighed heavily on her performance.
However, the day was rescued by the resilience of the skeet shooters, who clinched dual bronze medals. The women’s trio of Raiza Dhillon, Maheshwari Chauhan, and Parinaaz Dhaliwal combined for a score of 331 to take third place behind gold-medallists China and silver-medallists Kazakhstan. In the men’s event, the veteran Mairaj Ahmad Khan, alongside Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Bhavtegh Singh Gill, ensured a clean sweep of hardware for the day by securing bronze with a total of 346. Anantjeet provided a late thrill by advancing to the individual final, where he ultimately finished fourth.
Wushu: Roshibina enters gold medal clash
History is beckoning for Roshibina Devi Naorem. The 25-year-old wushu specialist powered her way into the gold medal match of the women’s 60kg category at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall. Dominating her semifinal bout against Indonesia’s Thania Kusumaningtyas with a decisive 2-0 victory, Roshibina has now set her sights on the top step of the podium. Having already tasted success with a silver and bronze in previous Asian Games appearances, she now faces the ultimate test: a final showdown against China’s Xiaoyu Zhang.
Badminton stars humbled by China
India’s men’s badminton campaign concluded with a hard-fought bronze as they fell 1-3 to the clinical Chinese side in the semifinals. The tie served as a sobering reminder of the gap between the two nations, despite the brilliance of India’s top-ranked pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty.
After Lakshya Sen struggled to find his rhythm against world No. 6 Shi Yu Qi in the opening rubber, losing 16-21, 18-21, the Indian duo provided a masterclass to bring their country back into the fray. They dismantled the reigning world champions and Paris Olympic silver medallists, Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, in a thrilling 21-11, 22-20 encounter. Unfortunately, the momentum stalled there, as Ayush Shetty and the second doubles pair of Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun were unable to overcome the Chinese wall, sealing India’s fate for the bronze.
Dominance on the turf and court
Elsewhere, India’s women’s hockey team turned in a clinical display, dismantling Thailand with a staggering 20-1 scoreline in their Pool B clash. The highlight of the evening was drag-flick specialist Deepika Sehrawat, who produced a historic nine-goal performance. Converting every single one of her nine penalty-corner attempts, she showcased a level of efficiency rarely seen on the international stage. With Navneet Kaur adding four goals of her own, the Indian side looks primed for a deep run in the tournament.
The momentum continued for India in other disciplines as well. In the squash courts, Abhay Singh, Veer Chotrani, and Tanvi Khanna coasted into the round of 16 with effortless precision. Abhay Singh was particularly clinical, conceding a mere three points in his demolition of Thailand’s Arkaradet Arkarahirunya.
In table tennis, the mixed doubles pair of Diya Chitale and Manush Shah continued their impressive trajectory, breezing past their Sri Lankan-Maldivian opponents 3-0. With a quarterfinal berth secured and a medal match on the horizon, the Indian team is rapidly gaining momentum as the Asian Games enter their critical middle phase. Between the kabaddi teams maintaining their undefeated group-stage run and the breakthrough performances in weightlifting and wushu, the Indian contingent has firmly stamped its authority on the Games, with eyes now fixed firmly on the gold-medal bouts to come.
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