Asian Games
Asian Games 2023: India's unforseen medals
With a new record set and a more formidable challenge awaiting at the next Asiads, here are the top 5 unexpected medals earned by Indian athletes.
Indian roller skaters secured two bronze medals in the men's and women's 3000m team relay events.
With medals pouring in at the Asian Games, India has surpassed its best-ever medals haul and gracefully secured a tally exceeding 100 medals.
With a new record set and a more formidable challenge awaiting at the next Asiads, here are the top 5 unanticipated and unexpected medals earned by Indian athletes.
These achievements exemplify the massive development of sports and highlight the potential of the country's players on the international stage, showcasing a remarkable transformation from underdogs to well-deserving champions.
Historic Roller Skating Medals
Indian roller skaters secured two bronze medals in the men's and women's 3000m team relay events. This marked a historic moment as India won its first-ever roller skating medals, ending a 13-year medal drought.
The women's team consisting of Sanjana Bathula,, Karthika Jagadeeswaran, Heeral Sadhu, and Aarathy Kasturi Raj secured India's first medal with a time of 4:34.861s, finishing third behind South Korea and Chinese Taipei.
In the men's team relay Aryanpal Singh Ghuman, Anandkumar Velkumar, Siddhant Kamble, and Vikram Ingale added another bronze medal with a time of 4:10.128, following South Korea and Chinese Taipei.
Roshibina Devi's silver overcoming the fear of riots
Roshibina Devi earned a silver medal in the 60kg category Wushu event, displaying immense courage and determination. She faced local favorite Wu Xiaowei of China in the final, narrowly losing 0-2. Roshibina's silver upgraded her previous Asian Games bronze but left her emotional about returning to her family in Manipur.
Table Tennis duo's sensational bronze
Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee made history by securing India's first-ever table tennis doubles women's medal. They faced intense pressure, defeating reigning champions in the quarters. Although they narrowly missed the finals, they fought hard in the semi-finals and brought home an unexpected bronze medal.
Equestrian gold after 1982
Anush Agarwalla, Hriday Chheda, Divyakriti Singh, and Sudipti Hajela made history by winning India's first-ever gold in the dressage event, ending a drought in equestrian medals since 1982. They performed exceptionally well and earned a well-deserved gold.
Canoeing bronze after three decades
Arjun Singh and Sunil Singh Salam clinched a bronze medal in the men's canoe double 1000m event. This marked India's second medal in canoeing at the Asian Games, following a 1994 bronze, and brought hope for the sport's future.
Women's Sepak Takraw bronze
India's women's Sepak Takraw team secured a bronze medal, inspiring future prospects in the sport. Despite losing to the Thai team in straight sets, the Indian team displayed remarkable spirit. This was India's first-ever medal in the women's regu event and only the second in Sepak Takraw history.
