Veteran Indian squash player Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar secured a mixed doubles bronze at the Asian Games. The medal marks Chinappa’s sixth at the Games. At 40, she continues to defy age and cement her legacy in Indian sports.
The veteran Indian squash player Joshna Chinappa might not be ready to slow down anytime soon, as she has carved out yet another chapter in Indian sporting history. Joshna and her mixed doubles partner Velavan Senthilkumar have secured a bronze medal after reaching the semifinals.
The pair defeated David Pelino and Jemyca Aribado of the Philippines in a dominant straight-games victory (11-3, 11-5) in the quarterfinal, lasting under 30 minutes at the Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena. Earlier, Joshna Chinnappa and Velavan Senthilkumar defeated another Indian pair, Suraj Chand and Shameena Riaz, in a tight two-game battle in the round of 16.
With this, Joshna and Senthilkumar have assured India a second medal in squash after teen prodigy Anahat Singh, who defeated compatriot Tanvi Khanna in the quarterfinals, also advanced to the semifinals.
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Joshna Chinappa’s Asian Games Medal Streak
As the Indian mixed team campaign continues to gather steam in Aichi-Nagoya, Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar stand just one win away from turning their historic milestone into a shot at the ultimate prize.
However, the prospect of a medal was particularly poignant for Chinappa, as she has added another Asian Games medal to her illustrious career total. Having made her quadrennial multi-sport continental event way back in 2010, winning a bronze medal in the team event, the 40-year-old champion continues to redefine elite longevity.
The 2018 Jakarta Asian Games was particularly special for Joshna Chinappa, as she won her first individual medal, clinching a bronze medal in the women’s singles event after a hard-fought battle in the semifinals, alongside a silver in the team event. At the 2014 Incheon and 2018 Hangzhou Games, the veteran squash player won silver and bronze in the team events, respectively.
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With a guaranteed medal at the Asian Games 2026, Joshna Chinappa has firmly etched her name alongside the all-time greats of Indian sport. With six medals under her belt now, the veteran squash player has surpassed Saurav Ghosal’s record for most appearances and continues to prove that class is permanent on the continental stage.
Chinappa’s maiden Asian Games medal in 2010, a bronze in the women’s team event alongside Dipika Pallikal, Anaka Alankamony, and Anwesha Reddy, set the foundation for a legendary continental career that continues to defy time.
The Legendary Career of Joshna Chinappa
Coming from a family where squash runs deep, with her father, Anjan Chinappa, having represented Tamil Nadu and her grandfather and great-uncle, Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa, sharing a deep affinity for the sport, pioneering greatness has always been part of her blueprint.
The legacy that was built by her grandfather, great-uncle, and father instilled a fierce competitive spirit early on, helping shape a career defined by absolute resilience and unmatched longevity. The foundation of her illustrious career was laid when she won the junior and senior singles titles at the age of 14 at the National Championships in 2000.
Over the years, Joshna Chinappa has built an extraordinary resume, winning six gold medals at the South Asian Games, four gold and two bronze medals at the Asian Championships, two gold and three bronze medals at the World Championships, a gold and bronze at the World Cup, a gold and silver at the Commonwealth Games, and now six medals at the Asian Games.
Chinappa also won international tournaments, including the Japan Open, where she captured her 11th career PSA title, cementing her status as a global competitor who continues to peak well into her fourth decade. At the national level, the 40-year-old is a record 18-time champion, standing peerless as she continues to lead Indian squash from the front.
Now, Joshna Chinappa has added another chapter to her illustrious career across national and international levels, carrying the tricolor forward and proving that determination knows no age on the grandest stages of international sport.
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