India ending medal droughts one event at a time at Asiad 2018

It has been a memorable day for India at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games with a lot of landmarks achieved by the athletes, especially in areas where we least expected. As far as the medals are concerned, youngsters like Shardul Vihan and Tejinder Pal Singh made us proud with their impressive displays in Jakarta. The contingent continued to make our nation proud on Day 8 of the mega event. Hopefully, the tally will get more massive in the remaining days of the multi-sport meet. One recurring theme yesterday in India's outing at the Asian Games was the sheer joy that followed every time a medal was won or confirmed for India. Team India has been no stranger to history this Asian Games- in good ways and bad. Be it a historic SepakTakraw medal or a Rowing Gold,

Vinesh Phogat's first women's wrestling medal or Rahi Sarnobat's Pistol Gold. Landmarks have been achieved and surpassed and we are only 8 days into the tournament. The theme of Day 8, however, was different. It started with Fouaad Mirza, the Eventing superstar who is a member of the Indian Navy. A quick recollection would tell us that the equestrian team had to go through a whole lot to get their contingent approved. Or the fact that the women's Badminton team selected for the Asian Games had to go through a slew of controversies after the contingent was announced. But it was probably clear from the very beginning that the team would be concentrating more on And athletics- Dutee Chand has an incredibly tough couple of years. It is never easy battling discrimination within a circle you thought was your win. Nevertheless, Dutee has managed to make her comeback worthwhile. A coveted medal in the women's 100mt dash has been won by only two other female sprinters before her- PT Usha and Rachita Mistry in 1998.

Equestrian

Fouaad Mirza won a historic Silver medal in equestrian for India early on Day 8, thus becoming only the first Indian to win an individual medal in the discipline since the 1982 Asian Games. He scored 26.40 but finished at the second spot just behind Japan’s Oiwa Yoshiaki. The victory was significant due to the events which cropped up in the build-up to the mega event. After a provisional selected list of players for the Asiad, the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) cancelled the bunch because the process of selection was not proper. A 7-member squad was finally approved by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) just before the Games. ( Fouaad Mirza, along with teammates Rakesh Kumar, Jitender Singh and Ashish Malik won the second Equestrian medal for India at the Asian Games 2018. A SILVER in Eventing Team Event ).

Badminton

Olympic medalists Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu scripted victories in their respective matches to storm into the semi-finals of the individual event to secure a medal each. This will India’s first ever women’s Singles medal and the first individual medal at the Asiad after 36 years. Saina had the better of Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon in the 42-minute quarterfinal. The Indian defeated the world number 5 in straight sets of 21-18, 21-16 to clinch the tie. Meanwhile, PV Sindhu Edged past world number 12 Nitchaon Jindapol 21-11, 16-21, 21-14 to march into the last four.

Athletics

Indian sprinter Dutee Chand won a Silver medal in the Women’s 100m event which was the nation’s podium finish since 1998, thus ending a 20-year medal drought at the Asian Games. This was a considerable achievement for India due to the fact it has come from a track event which is not one of India’s forte. Sprinters Hima Das and Mohammad Anas continued India’s triumph in athletics as both of them won Silver medals in their respective 400m events in Jakarta. Hima Das created a new national record during the sprint with a timing of 50.59, only behind Bahrain’s Salwa Naser. This Asian Games have been memorable in more ways than one. Records have been set and broken and landmarks achieved. All in all, the time for India at the Asian Games has certainly been one for the ages. (Fast&Up congratulates all the medal winners of the Asian Games 2018 and wish them all the best for future.)