Who is Roshibina Devi? Wushu star faces selection drama before securing third consecutive Asian Games medal

Naorem Roshibina Devi (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: Naorem Roshibina Devi has already established herself as one of India’s most consistent wushu performers at the Asian Games. On Tuesday, the Manipuri athlete added another chapter to that record by securing a third consecutive continental medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.Roshibina defeated Macao, China’s Chu Man Sin 5-0 in the women’s 60kg Sanda quarterfinals at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall to storm into the semifinals. Victory guarantees her at least a bronze medal, extending a remarkable run that began with bronze at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games and continued with silver at Hangzhou 2023.Her latest medal comes after a selection controversy threatened to overshadow her return to the Asian Games squad.

Who is Roshibina Devi?

Born on December 30, 2000 in Kwasiphai Mayai Leikai in Bishnupur district of Manipur, Roshibina competes in Sanda wushu, a combat sport that combines striking and throwing techniques.She made her first appearance on the podium at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, where she competed in the women’s 60kg Sanda category. Roshibina defeated Pakistan’s Mubashra Akhtar in the quarter-finals to secure a medal before losing to China’s Cai Yingying in the semi-finals.Five years later, at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, Roshina was even better. She reached the women’s 60kg final and won silver after losing to China’s Wu Xiaowei.Her performance in Hangzhou made her one of India’s established names in wushu and she was subsequently awarded the 2023 Arjuna Award.In Aichi-Nagoya, Roshibina has now secured another podium finish. First, on Monday, she beat Bangladesh’s Shika Khatun in the pre-quarterfinals and won 5-0 over Chu Man Sin in the quarterfinals.On Wednesday, he will fight in the semi-finals with the possibility of getting into the fight for gold.

Selection controversy before Aichi-Nagoya

However, Roshibina’s inclusion in India’s Asian Games squad was not without controversy.Divyanshi Choudhary was initially named in the Indian seven-member wushu team released by the Sports Ministry on August 22 with a slot in the women’s 60kg Sanda category. She was subsequently replaced by Roshibina after the Wushu Association of India (WAI) announced the injury.WAI said that an MRI scan showed that Divyanshi had suffered a high-grade partial ACL tear with a large effusion, and that the medical board required her to refrain from competitive activities and full training pending her recovery.Divyanshi initially strongly protested the decision. In a video that surfaced on social media, the athlete, who hails from Kota and trains at NIS Patiala, alleged that she was mentally and physically harassed and alleged that Roshibina was involved in harassing her and her family.“I am really annoyed. I have been harassed so much mentally from June, July till now, it is September, I am harassed because she (Roshibina) wanted to go (to the Asian Games),” Divyanshi said in the video.She also claimed she beat Roshibina in the selection process and questioned why she was removed from the team despite saying she was cleared by doctors to compete with an injury.Divyanshi claimed that doctors told her she could participate with her knee taped and questioned why her medical reports were used to make the decision without informing her adequately.

What did the Wushu Association say?

The WAI rejected allegations that Divyanshi’s removal was intended to suit Roshibina, insisting that the change was made purely for medical reasons.According to the federation, Divyanshi sustained the injury during the June 2026 SCO Wushu Sanda Championship in China’s Hubei. She returned to the national camp at NIS Patiala on August 10 after spending about a month at home.The federation said she complained of pain during training in August and underwent an MRI at Manipal Hospital in Patiala on August 23 after her condition worsened.MRI according to WAI showed a partial high-grade ACL tear with a large effusion. The report was subsequently reviewed by the Sports Authority of India medical staff and an orthopedic doctor, who advised Divyanshi to refrain from competitive activities and full training until her recovery. Surgery was also recommended, according to the federation’s account.Divyanshi later said that she understood the federation’s decision, acknowledged that her health must take priority, and expressed her desire to come back stronger for the 2030 Asian Games. However, she continued to claim that Roshibin harassed her and her family. These allegations have not been independently proven.The Ministry of Sports subsequently approved Roshibina’s inclusion as Divyanshi’s replacement through the injury compensation process.

Roshibina’s medal journey at the Asian Games

Regardless of the controversy surrounding her selection, Roshibina let her performance in the arena do the talking in Aichi-Nagoya.Her 5-0 quarter-final win over Chu Man Sin secured India’s first wushu medal of the ongoing Games and secured Roshiba’s place on the Asian Games podium for the third consecutive year.Roshibina has also built an impressive record outside the Asian Games. She won gold at the 2017 Asian Junior Championships and the 2019 South Asian Games, and also won gold at the 2023 Moscow Wushu Stars. Her performances in 2023 earned her the International Wushu Federation Female Athlete of the Year award.