Asian Games 2026 Sep 29: India wins double gold, crosses 50-medal mark
India finally found its golden touch on Day 11 of the 2026 Asian Games by winning two gold medals in shooting and athletics. Neeru Dhanda created history in the women’s trap before Vithya Ramraj and India’s 4x400m relay quartet brought home India’s first athletics gold of the Games.
The two gold medals were part of a remarkable medal rush for India, which crossed the 50-medal mark in Nagoya on Tuesday. India added eight medals during the day, taking the total to 54, with six gold, 22 silver and 26 bronze medals.
Neeru became the first Indian woman to win an individual gold at the Asian Games in trapwhile Kiran Pahal, Machettira Poovamma, Prachi and Vithya teamed up to win the women’s 4x400m relay in 3:29.69. Gulveer Singh also completed his hat-trick of medals with a bronze in the men’s 5000m while Vithya won her third medal of the Games.
Breakthrough performances were also held elsewhere. Pooja Singh won bronze in the women’s high jump, ending India’s 24-year wait for a medal in the event, while Dev Kumar Meena set a national record of 5.50m in the men’s pole vault. India also secured two more medals in boxing after Parveen Hooda and Ankush Panghal reached their respective finals.
NEERU, VITHYA LEAD A GOLDEN DAY
Neeru Dhanda opened India’s gold account on the 11th with a historic victory in the women’s individual trap. She became the first Indian to win an individual gold at the Asian Games, adding another major achievement to a breakthrough year.
Neeru had earlier combined with Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer to win silver in the women’s trap team competition. The trio finished with 328 points, with China taking the gold and Kuwait the bronze.
India’s second gold came in athletics when Kiran Pahal, Machettira Poovamma, Prachi and Vithya Ramraj won the women’s 4x400m relay. India clocked 3:29.69, with Bahrain taking silver and China bronze.
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Vithya Ramraj, Kiran Pahal, Machettira Poovamma and Prachi put on a master class performance to claim GOLD in the Women’s 4x400m Relay Final!
Watch 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 LIVE on Sony Sports Network pic.twitter.com/ijQo5Hw1Nd— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) September 29, 2026
The triumph capped off a memorable run of games for Vithya. She already had silver in the 4×400 medley relay and bronze in the 400m hurdles, where she broke PT Usha’s 42-year-old national record with a time of 54.75 seconds.
GULVEER COMPLETES MEDAL HAT-TRICK
Gulveer Singh added another bronze to Indian athletics by clocking 13:32.75 in the men’s 5000m. He previously won silver in the 10,000 and 1,500 and completed three individual medals at the Games.
Naib Subedar Gulveer Singh added another proud chapter to India’s athletics campaign at the 2026 Asian Games by winning the silver medal in the men’s 1500m. It is his second silver medal of the Games after a podium finish in the men’s 10,000 meters.
Congratulations Gulveer pic.twitter.com/Bwc6dauobV— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 28, 2026
Gulveer’s achievement ranks him among India’s most prolific performers in a single Asian Games athletics campaign. His bronze in the 5000m capped another outstanding year after medals at the Commonwealth Games and golds at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships.
India also collected bronze in the 4x100m medley relay through Gurindervir Singh, Animesh Kujur, Sneh Sathyanarayan and Harita Bhadra clocking 41.06 seconds. The men’s 4x400m quartet of Dharamveer Choudhary, Manu Thekkinalil, Jay Kumar and Vishal Thennarasu also finished third in 3:01.61.
POOJA ENDS 24 YEARS OF WAITING
Pooja Singh won bronze in the women’s high jump after clearing 1.84m. The 19-year-old’s effort ended India’s 24-year wait for a medal at the Asian Games.
Meanwhile, Dev Kumar Meena set a new Indian national record of 5.50m in the men’s pole vault, although the mark was only good enough for seventh place. Tanya Chaudhary finished fourth in the women’s hammer throw with 65.35m while Anushka Yadav was fifth with 64.56m.
BOXERS SECURE MORE MEDALS
Parveen Hooda and Ankush Panghal ensured India added at least two more medals after reaching the boxing final. Parveen defeated China’s Li Shu in the women’s 65kg semi-final, while Ankush defeated Uzbekistan’s Fazliddin Erkinboev in the men’s 80kg semi-final.
Narender Berwal clinched bronze in the men’s over 90kg category after losing to Kazakhstan’s Aibek Oralbay in the semi-finals.
VOLLEYBALL TO THE QUARTERFINALS
The Indian men’s volleyball team completed a perfect campaign in the group stage defeated Qatar 3-2 in a two-set fight. India won 26-28, 25-27, 25-23, 25-20, 24-22 in a marathon contest lasting two hours and 47 minutes.
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Team India turned the tables on Qatar to top Group C and secure a spot in the men’s volleyball quarterfinals at the Asian Games!
Watch the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya LIVE on Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV TV channels. pic.twitter.com/zJKFToiwy4— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) September 29, 2026
Jerome Vinith led India with 27 points while Amit Singh Balwan contributed 24 and Joel Benjamin Jebaraj added 17. India had earlier defeated Vietnam and Hong Kong China and will now play in the quarter-finals.
INDIA AT ASIAN GAMES 2026 SEPTEMBER 29: MEDALS WON
GOLD
- Athletics — India, women’s 4x400m relay
- Shooting — Neeru Dhanda, an individual in a woman’s trap
SILVER
- Shooting — Neeru Dhanda, Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer, women’s trap team
BRONZE
- Athletics — Pooja Singh, women’s high jump
- Athletics — India, 4x100m mixed relay
- Athletics — Gulveer Singh, Men’s 5000m
- Athletics — India, Men’s 4x400m Relay
- Boxing — Narendra Berwal, men +90 kg
MEDALS SECURED
- Boxing — Parveen Hooda, Women’s 65kg
- Boxing — Ankush Panghal, Men’s 80kg
India finished with a total of 52 medals on September 29, including six gold, 21 silver and 25 bronze, after the gold double helped the country cross the 50-medal mark in Nagoya.
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