HANGZHOU: The Indian delegation wrapped their 19th Asian Games journey with an arbitrary number that will go down in Indian sporting history, finishing the continental meet with the largest-ever medal haul after 20 days of intense, glory-filled competition.
Indian contingent truly lived up to “Iss baar 100 paar” goal in style as on Saturday they officially passed the 100 medal mark.
Celebrating the incredible milestone of 1⃣0⃣7⃣ medals from Team ???????? at #AsianGames2022
Our hearts swell with pride as our talented athletes turn the dream of #IssBaar100Paar into reality????
Many congratulations to everyone????????#Cheer4India#HallaBol#JeetegaBharat#BharatAtAG22 pic.twitter.com/dahu0zItF4
— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) October 7, 2023
With 95 medals won on Friday, India was already guaranteed to reach the century mark in the medal count. On Saturday, India won four more medals in archery while the women’s kabaddi team’s victory over Chinese Taipei in the summit clash gave India its 100th medal in total.
The Indian contingent bagged a record 107 medals – 28 gold, 38 silver and 41 bronze – in Hangzhou, surpassing their previous best, set at 2018 Jakarta.
The 650+ athletes that India dispatched to Hangzhou for the continental meet have finished with the 100-mark was something that felt like a pipe dream for many.
There are many figures from this voyage that might be addressed, but the one that will stick in our thoughts for the rest of time (at least the next four years) is 107. This is the number of medals that these magnificent athletes have brought home. India eventually finished with 28 gold medals, eight more than Uzbekistan in fifth position in the overall medal count.
However, what matters most today is the memories that the Indian sporting community brings back, not the actual number of medals.
The first medal for Team India in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Team Event, the first Gold in the Men’s Air Rifle Team Event, India’s victory in the Squash Final, the double medal for the Javelin Throw, and Parul Choudhary’s incredible come-from-behind victory in the Women’s 5000m are just a few of the highlights that will live in the memory of Indian fans for years to come.
For India, these past few weeks have been simply wonderful with their gold rush. Athletic brought India the most 29 medals. India’s ‘Golden Boy’ Neeraj Chopra and Kishore Kumar Jena’s claiming historic javelin 1-2 podium position. Indian athletes Parul Chaudhary and Avinash Sable’s double podium, while Tajinderpal Singh Toor defended his shot put title, 4x400m relay teams’ success and Tejaswin Shankar’s national record-breaking decathlon silver, were the spotlight moments in track and field.
At Hangzhou, Indian shooters also steal the show as they set a record by winning 22 medals, including seven golds. In order to achieve victory at the Asian Games 2023, Sift Kaur Samra and the men’s 10m air rifle time, featuring Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, smashed world records.
Dipika Pallikal and Harinder Pal Sandhu took home the first mixed doubles squash gold medal in Asian Games history at the squash courts. The men’s team also took first place, but the women’s team was content with third place. Silver was Saurav Ghosal’s sixth successive individual medal at the Asian Games. A bronze medal in mixed doubles was also won by Anahat and Abhay Singh.
At the Asian Games, the Indian kabaddi and cricket teams both took home gold. While both cricket teams had successful debuts, the kabaddi teams returned their crown following the setback of the 2018 Jakarta tournament.
India won the men’s hockey gold medal and qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, the women’s hockey team won bronze.
India’s destructive duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won the country’s maiden badminton gold at the continental meet. The men’s badminton team took silver while with a spirited display despite an injury, HS Prannoy bagged the bronze medal.
While recurve teams also brought home two medals, India’s compound archers also completely swept the titles. The nation also captured its first gold in equestrian competition in 41 years. Tennis players Rohan Bopanna and Rutuja Bhosale took home the mixed doubles crown
Making her Asian Games debut, Lovlina Borgohain took home the silver medal and also qualified for the Paris Olympics quota. Through Nikhat Zareen (50 kg), Preeti Pawar (54 kg), and Parveen Hooda (57 kg), India has managed to gain three additional boxing quotas for Paris.
Aditi Ashok scripted history in golf as she became India’s first women’s golfer to win an Asian Games medal, clinching silver.
It is noteworthy that on the last day of the Asian Games, Indian players won a total of 12 medals including 6 gold. India’s overall performance culminated in a record-breaking tally of 107 medals, which included 28 gold, 38 silver, and 41 bronze medals. This outstanding feat surpassed India’s previous best of 70 medals in the Jakarta Asian Games. (ANI)