Suruchi Singh and Kamaljeet ended India’s long wait for a shooting gold at the Asian Games, while Gulveer Singh added a silver in the men’s 10,000m.
But the shock first-round exit of badminton stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty overshadowed India’s day in Nagoya on Friday.
Suruchi and Kamaljeet dominated the women’s 10m air pistol team event, combining for a Games and Asian record 484.6. Suruchi contributed 245.7 and Kamaljeet 238.9 as India finally broke its gold drought in shooting.
India also won silver in the men’s 50m rifle 3-position team event. Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Rudrankksh Patil and Niraj Kumar finished with 1,762 points, four behind China.
Gulveer improved on his bronze from Hangzhou 2023, clocking 28:29.38 to win silver in the 10,000m. Baranica Elangovan scripted history by becoming India’s first Asian Games medallist in pole vault, taking a joint bronze with Kazakhstan’s Polina Ivanova after both cleared 4.15m.
India’s medal tally rose to 23, leaving it 12th in the standings.
The biggest setback came in badminton, where Satwik and Chirag, former world No.1s, lost 21-12, 19-21, 14-21 to Thailand’s Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and Peeratchai Sukphun in 68 minutes. However, Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand and Tanisha Crasto-Dhruv Kapila advanced in their respective badminton events. PTI
Dhiraj-led India eye archery medal surge
#Okazaki City (Japan)
India’s archers will begin their Asian Games campaign with a blend of proven form, youthful promise and a clear target to better their nine-medal haul from Hangzhou, when competition gets underway at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Multipurpose Square, here on Saturday. Leading the charge will be Dhiraj Bommadevara, who arrives in Japan fresh from a landmark World Cup Final triumph in Saltillo last week, becoming the first Indian male recurve archer to win the season-ending title.