India Records Its Highest-Ever Medal Tally At The 19th Asian Games, Hangzhou 2022
History was created and records were shattered by Team India at the recent 19th Asian Games, which was held in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8. The Indian contingent returned with their highest-ever medal tally, a remarkable 107 medals, which included 28 gold, 38 silver and 41 bronze. India’s previous best of 70 medals came in the last edition that took place in Jakarta.
India finished fourth in the overall medal table, behind China, Japan and South Korea, a jump of four places from Jakarta 2018. A 655-strong contingent won medals in as many as 21 different sports, ranging from old jewels like kabaddi, hockey and wrestling, to newer additions like rowing, equestrian and roller-skating. Athletics and shooting were India’s most lucrative sports, with a whopping 29 medals in track and field, and an impressive 22 medals at the shooting range.
History rewritten in Badminton and Table Tennis
Additionally, Asian Games Hangzhou 2023 was a ground-breaking event for the Indian players. The players won medals in sports which did not produce much glory historically. The new world number 1 duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty surpassed all expectations to clinch India’s first-ever gold in badminton, with a stellar showing in the men’s doubles category. On the other hand, Sutirtha and Ayhika Mukherjee shocked the world after defeating the world champion duo of Meng Chen and Yidi Wang, on their way to securing bronze in women’s doubles table tennis.
Shuttler H.S. Prannoy ended India’s 41-year wait for a men’s single medalist in badminton, with a heroic effort to win bronze, despite injuring his back. India also ventured into unfamiliar territory, winning their first-ever medal in Equestrian dressage team, as well as a maiden medal in windsurfing, courtesy of Eabad Ali.
Shooting for the stars
Multiple world, national and Asian Games records were shattered by Team India at the continental event.
The shooting contingent broke four world records which came in the men’s 10m air rifle team, men’s 50m rifle 3 positions team, women’s 25m pistol team, and women’s 50m rifle 3 positions events. 17-year-old Palak Gulia topped the podium in the women’s 10m air pistol with an Asian Games record of 242.1.
In the athletics arena, Vithya Ramraj matched the iconic P.T. Usha’s national record in women’s 400m hurdles. Elsewhere, in the men's decathlon, Tejaswin Shankar won silver with 7666 points to rewrite a 12-year-old national record. Avinash Sable gave it his all to break the Asian Games record in men’s 3000m steeplechase, where he also won gold.
Parul Chaudhary and Annu Rani claimed top honours in the women’s 5000m and women’s javelin events respectively, marking India’s first golds in both events.
Shining bright in Archery
India’s archers had a fruitful Asian Games 2023, securing 9 medals which included 5 golds. Aditi Gopichand Swami broke the Asian Games record twice in the women’s compound archery category which was later equalled by Jyothi Surekha Vennam. In the overall standings for archery, India’s 5-gold medal put them in the top spot, ahead of South Korea who had won more medals, but lesser gold medals.
At 15 years, three months and 11 days old, Sanjana Bathula became the youngest Indian to win a medal at the Asian Games after winning bronze in the women's speed skating 3000m relay. On the other hand, Jaggy Shivdasani became the oldest Indian to win an Asian Games medal at 65 years, seven months and 20 days. He was part of the men’s bridge team that won the silver medal in Hangzhou.
Making the debut appearance count in cricket
In another historic first, the Indian men’s and women’s cricket teams made their debuts at the Asiad. Unsurprisingly, the women’s contingent led by Harmanpreet Kaur and the men’s contingent captained by Ruturaj Gaikwad, both secured gold in their inaugural campaigns.
Re-establishing the past supremacy in Kabaddi & Hockey
Among the other favourites, India’s Kabaddi contingents got back to winning ways after coming out victorious in both, men’s and women’s categories. The men’s kabaddi team won gold in a thrilling final against 2018 champions Iran, in a match that lived up to its billing. The women’s team, on the other hand, defeated Chinese Taipei in a closely-fought contest, to bring home India’s 100th medal at the event.
India’s beloved hockey teams had impressive showings in Hangzhou, with the men’s team breezing past their opponents with relative ease and winning their first gold since 2014, and their fourth gold overall. The women’s team, meanwhile, had to settle for bronze.
(image courtesy- olympics)
New heights reached in Athletics
India’s athletics contingent went into Asian Games 2023 with sky-high expectations and they did not disappoint.
Vithya Ramraj matched the iconic P.T. Usha’s national record in women’s 400m hurdles. Elsewhere, in the men's decathlon, Tejaswin Shankar won silver with 7666 points to rewrite a 12-year-old national record. Avinash Sable gave it his all to break the Asian Games record in men’s 3000m steeplechase, where he also won gold.
Parul Chaudhary and Annu Rani claimed top honours in the women’s 5000m and women’s javelin events respectively, marking India’s first golds in both events.
The poster boy of Indian sports, Neeraj Chopra made the entire country swell with pride after claiming his second gold in the men’s javelin event. Kishore Kumar Jena, who was momentarily first in the men’s javelin event, eventually won the silver medal. The Reliance Foundation (RF) athlete, thus, sealed qualification for the Paris Olympics in 2024.
On the same day, India’s star quartet of Rajesh Ramesh, Muhammed Ajmal Variyathodi, Amoj Jacob and Muhammed Anas Yahiya won gold in the men’s 4x400m relay in convincing fashion.
Neeraj and Kishore joined the celebrations and shared a warm embrace with the relay champions, which led to a heart-warming moment for the Indian athletes.
Moreover, Tajinderpal Singh Toor retained his men’s shot put crown, while Kartik Kumar and Gulveer Singh ended India’s 25-year medal drought in the men’s 10,000m event with a stellar 2-3 finish for India. Rising athletics star, Jyothi Yarraji sealed her berth as one of India’s top athletes, becoming the first-ever Indian to win a medal in women’s 100m hurdles.
Some of the other sports where India reigned supreme were squash, where the men’s and the mixed doubles teams topped the podium, and tennis, where veteran Rohan Bopanna signed off on his final Asian Games campaign in style, winning the mixed doubles event partnering Rutuja Bhosale.
World champion boxers Lovlina Borgohain and Nikhat Zareen returned with a medal each, with RF’s Lovlina claiming silver in the women’s 75kg category, and Nikhat securing bronze in the 50kg event.
After India’s most successful Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, the nation will hope that these athletes carry over the momentum to the Paris Olympics and deliver India’s best ever Olympic performance.
But for now, it’s time to celebrate the astonishing achievements of India’s best athletes.
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