INDIA enjoyed a prolific Sunday at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, adding a crucial seven medals to its tally as a dominant track-and-field squad spearheaded the nation’s charge. While the day was marked by record-breaking performances and milestone achievements in athletics and squash, it also served as a stark reality check on the badminton court, where the nation’s top stars faced unexpected quarterfinal exits.
Athletics leads the charge with five-medal haul
Athletics proved to be the heartbeat of India’s campaign on Day 8, providing five of the seven medals secured. Parul Chaudhary was the standout of the track, delivering a performance for the history books in the women’s 3000m steeplechase. Clocking a blistering 9:08.67, Chaudhary shattered her own personal best and established a new national record, clinching a hard-fought bronze. The medal adds to her growing collection, building on her silver-medal effort in Hangzhou 2022.
The long jump pit saw drama of the highest order. Ancy Sojan came agonizingly close to securing gold, leading with a 6.53m jump in the fifth round before China’s Huang Yingying snatched the title by a mere two centimetres on her final attempt. Shaili Singh, similarly positioned for a podium finish with a 6.42m mark, was displaced into fourth place by a late 6.46m effort from China’s Mengyi Tan.
In the men’s high jump, Sarvesh Kushare delivered a resilient performance, clearing 2.25m on his second attempt. While the height was impressive, he was forced to settle for silver due to countback rules, as Chinese Taipei’s Chao Hsuan-Fu had cleared the same height on his first attempt. Tejaswin Shankar capped off the athletics success with a gritty bronze in the decathlon. After two days of exhausting competition, Shankar surged in the final event—the 1500m—to finish with 7,934 points. Harita Bhadra also made her mark, taking bronze in the women’s 200m with a time of 23.20 seconds, edging out her Japanese rival by a razor-thin 0.01-second margin.
Squash: Historic silvers for Anahat and Abhay
India’s quest for a elusive squash singles gold continued as the nation fell just short in the finals. However, the performance of Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh remains a massive positive for the sport.
Eighteen-year-old Anahat Singh became the first Indian woman in history to reach an Asian Games squash singles final. Despite a valiant effort, she was defeated 11-4, 11-4, 11-7 by world No. 5 Sivasangari Subramaniam of Malaysia. Similarly, Abhay Singh fought hard in the men’s final but could not overcome world No. 17 Ng Eain Yow, who secured the gold for Malaysia with an 11-9, 11-5, 11-5 victory. While the results ended India’s hopes of direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics via the individual event, the two silver medals represent a landmark chapter for Indian squash.
Boxing delivers a triple-medal guarantee
The Indian boxing ring offered a much-needed boost to the overall medal count, as three pugilists punched their tickets to the semifinals, thereby guaranteeing at least a bronze medal for each.
Parveen Hooda made a resounding statement in the women’s 65kg division, dominating Uzbekistan’s Navbakhor Khamidova 5-0. Returning from suspension and competing in a higher weight class, Hooda’s clinical performance suggests she is finding her rhythm at exactly the right time. Ankush Panghal followed suit in the men’s 80kg category, securing a 5-0 victory over Tajikistan’s Nekruz Salimov with a controlled display of tactical boxing.
The highlight of the boxing session, however, was Narender Berwal. He dismantled Thailand’s Adthapong Saengtep in less than two minutes, unleashing a flurry of heavy blows that forced the referee to stop the bout. While Sachin Siwach faced a disappointing 0-5 loss to Japan’s Shunsuke Kitamoto, the trio of Hooda, Panghal, and Berwal ensures that India will have a significant presence in the final rounds of the tournament.
Badminton faces a sobering setback
In a day defined by highs, the badminton court provided a sobering low. India’s individual campaign ended without a medal, as top names stumbled in the quarterfinals. PV Sindhu, who endured a grueling schedule, succumbed to Tokyo Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei 21-11, 18-21, 10-21. Speaking after the loss, a dejected Sindhu remarked, “It’s a bit hurtful, but I need to recover from this. These things keep happening.”
Young talent Unnati Hooda also fell in a tight three-game battle against three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi. The struggles continued in the doubles events, as Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, along with the mixed doubles duo of Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila, were unable to overcome stiff competition from Malaysia and China, respectively. After the success of the previous Asian Games, the early exits serve as a stark reminder of the intensity of the competition in Aichi-Nagoya.
Expanding horizons in other disciplines
Beyond the medal podiums, India enjoyed success in team sports and preliminary qualifying rounds. The women’s hockey team registered a commanding 7-0 win over Singapore, while the men’s volleyball team swept Vietnam 3-0.
Archery remains a bright spot, with Indian teams progressing in all six categories, including compound and recurve team events. As the Games continue, the consistency shown by the archers and the remaining field athletes provides a solid foundation for the remainder of the event. With three boxing medals already in the bag and several team events approaching their conclusion, the Indian contingent remains determined to climb the medal tally as the competition reaches its business end.
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