September 30 Asian Games wrap: Archers, shooters fuel gold rush, India back in top 10

ByTech Word News

India finally got the day it was waiting for at the Asian Games. On Wednesday, September 30, four gold medals, three from archery and the fourth from shooting, came as India climbed back into the top ten of the medal standings. It was a much-needed boost, a day after India’s athletics campaign ended.

The haul took India to 60 medals, including 10 gold, 21 silver and 29 bronze, with three more bronze medals to come on Wednesday. The day’s gold rush was led by Indian archers who swept all three team titles at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Multi-Purpose Square.

India at the Asian Games on September 30

The clean sweep was an indication of India’s strength in the event, which will make its Olympic debut in Los Angeles 2028. The women’s team of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha Taniparthi and Prithika Pradeep successfully defended their title, defeating China 238-234. The score was also a world record which only underlined how emphatic India’s performance was.

FROM KARATE TO ARCHERY

Combined archers Sahil Jahdav and Chikita Taniparthi (PTI Photo)

Chikitha, 21, then returned to the firing range with Sahil Jadhav for the mixed team final. The Indian pair were in control for much of the match against South Korea but were drawn into a shootout after the two teams finished 157-157. Chikitha and Sahil responded with a perfect 10-10 combination to win the shootout and secure the gold. More importantly, their victory earned India its first Olympic quota berth in compound archery for LA 2028, where the discipline will make its debut at the Games.

It was a remarkable debut for Chikitha, who had never competed at the Asian Games before Wednesday, taking home two gold medals. The teenager from Telangana initially took up karate at school, even earning a black belt, before a bow gifted by her uncle during Dussehra caught her attention. Her father, who wanted his children to play sports, encouraged her to continue. On Wednesday, that decision paid off spectacularly. Chikitha also became one of the faces of a historic day for Indian archery.

A team of men finished cleaning up later in the morning. Kushal Dalal, Sahil Jadhav and Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru had to withstand a late challenge from China to edge out their opponents 238-237. The narrow win gave India all three team golds in a single day and reinforced the country’s dominance in the event.

NEERU SHOTS SECOND GOLD

Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai win gold in mixed trap (PTI Photo)

If the archers provided the bulk, Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai provided the drama. The Indian pair won gold in the mixed team trap with an Asian and Games record 34 out of 40 to beat Qatar by two shots. For Neera, it was her second gold in as many days after becoming the first Indian woman to win an individual trap title at the Asian Games on Tuesday. She was also part of the women’s team that won silver.

The win came despite Neeru bearing the brunt of a grueling day in the rain. She spent nearly three hours shooting in the cold, steady rain during the individual competition and was still feeling stiff when she returned to the range for the mixed team qualification. She managed 63 hits off 75 as Chenai produced an impressive 73 to take their total to 136 and make it to the final in fourth place.

There was little time to recover. Neeru used the two-hour break for a power nap, physical therapist Ashwani helped her recover, and the trainers focused on her diet and preparation. In the final, she recovered from three errors in the opening five shots to hit 13 consecutive targets. Chenai missed just once and hit their next 19 targets as the Indian pair pulled away from Qatar. Their 34 hits broke the previous game record.

“I was tired but I had to push myself and I kept pushing,” Neeru was quoted as saying by PTI. The weather made things difficult after her recent health scare, but she refused to let the conditions disrupt her rhythm. “I had to stay strong and focus on the process,” she added. Screenshot

LOVLINA SCRIPTS HISTORY OF BOXING

Another piece of history was in boxing where Lovlina Borgohain reached the women’s 75kg final with a narrow 3-2 win over Kazakhstan’s Natalya Bogdanova, the reigning 70kg world champion. There was a victory Lovlina is the first Indian female boxer to reach two Asian Games finals. The Olympic bronze medalist from Tokyo, who won silver at the 2023 Games in Hangzhou, will now challenge for gold.

The day ended with bronze for two Indian boxing debutants. Priya Ghanghas lost 1-4 to China’s former world champion Yang Chengyu in the women’s 60kg semi-final, while Kapil Pokhariya went down to Uzbekistan’s Turabek Khabibullaev in the men’s 90kg semi-final. Both secured podium finishes by reaching the last four.

SUNIL KUMAR DELIVERS WRESING BRONZE

Wrestling also produced a medal through Sunil Kumar, who bounced back from a semi-final defeat to win bronze in the men’s 87kg Greco-Roman category. The result added another medal to India’s tally on the opening day of its wrestling campaign. Meanwhile, Nisha Dahiya was knocked out by North Korea’s Pak Sol Gum in the women’s 68kg freestyle round of 16.

HOCKEY TEAM TO THE FINALS

The women’s hockey team put another gold within reach. India defeated South Korea 2-0 in the semi-finals to reach the final where they will face China. The defending champions remain in the hunt for another title at the Asian Games after a disciplined performance against the Koreans.

India also secured two more medals in squash without knowing their color yet. The women’s team of Tanvi Khanna, Anahat Singh and Joshna Chinappa defeated Singapore 2-0 to reach the semi-finals, while the men’s trio of Veer Chotrani, Abhay Singh and Velavan Senthilkumar beat Kuwait 2-0. Both teams are now assured of at least bronze.

In tennis, Sumit Nagal was the only Indian to reach the singles quarter-finals, defeating Uzbekistan’s Sergey Fomin 6-3, 6-2. The day was otherwise disappointing for the Indian contingent, with Dhakshineshwar Suresh losing his singles match and both the men’s doubles ending in the quarter-finals.

VICTORY MEDALS SEPTEMBER 30

Gold

  • Chikitha Taniparthi, Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Prithika Pradeep — Combined Archery Women’s Team
  • Kushal Dalal, Sahil Jadhav, Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru — Combined Archery Men’s Team
  • Chikitha Taniparthi, Sahil Jadhav — Combined Archery Mixed Team
  • Neeru Dhanda, Kynan Chenai — Shooting, mixed team trap

Bronze

  • Priya Ghanghas — Boxing, Women’s 60kg
  • Kapil Pokhariya — Boxing Men’s 90kg
  • Sunil Kumar — Wrestling, Men’s Greco-Roman 87kg

Advancement to the next round / medal stage

  • Lovlina Borgohain — Women’s 75kg Boxing: into the final after beating Natalya Bogdanova 3-2.
  • Indian women’s hockey team — into the final after beating South Korea 2-0.
  • Indian women’s squash team — into the semi-finals, assured of at least bronze.
  • Indian men’s squash team — into the semi-finals, assured of at least bronze.
  • Sumit Nagal — Men’s tennis singles: into the quarterfinals after beating Sergey Fomin 6-3, 6-2.

– The end