Asian Games 2026: India add medals across athletics and more

India added medals across athletics, shooting, boxing and kurash on Monday at the 2026 Asian Games, with Murali Sreeshankar, Gulveer Singh, Yashvir Singh, Rohit Yadav, Parul Chaudhary and Vithya Ramraj contributing to a six-medal athletics return. The day also brought knockout-stage progress for India in hockey, squash, volleyball, archery and surfing.

Vithya Ramraj delivered one of the standout performances, taking bronze in the women’s 400m hurdles in 54.75 seconds. Her time broke P T Usha’s 42-year-old national record, adding major significance to India’s athletics haul. India’s results across several disciplines kept the contingent active in both medal events and team competitions.

Six athletics medals headline India’s day

Murali Sreeshankar won silver in the men’s long jump, while Gulveer Singh also claimed silver in the men’s 1500m. India added two medals in the men’s javelin throw as Yashvir Singh secured silver and Rohit Yadav took bronze.

Parul Chaudhary earned bronze in the women’s 5000m, with Ramraj completing the athletics medal collection through her record-breaking hurdles run. Avinash Sable finished fourth in the men’s 3000m steeplechase.

The women’s 4x100m relay team was narrowly outside the medals, placing fourth in a season-best 43.57 seconds. India missed bronze by 0.05 seconds. The mixed 4x100m relay team, made up of Gurindervir Singh, Abinaya Rajarajan, Animesh Kujur and Harita Bhadra, advanced to the final after finishing second in its heat in 41.54 seconds. The quartet was third overall in the heats behind Thailand and China. Animesh fell during the final interchange but had already passed the baton to Harita.

In shooting, Esha Singh won silver in the women’s 25m pistol. She came through multiple shoot-offs before finishing runner-up to China’s Xiao Jiaruixuan. India missed a team medal after Rahi Sarnobat made an error in the final stage.

Pincky Balhara earned India’s first kurash medal of the Games by taking bronze in the women’s 78kg category. She reached the semifinals before losing to South Korea’s Sumin Mo.

Boxing added three confirmed medals after Priya Ghanghas, Lovlina Borgohain and Kapil Pokhariya reached the semifinals. Each won 5-0, with Ghanghas beating Miigona Samadova, Borgohain defeating Suyeon Song and Pokhariya overcoming Kim Gichae.

Teams and individual events move forward

India’s men’s hockey team completed a 10-0 victory over Bangladesh, while the volleyball side beat Hong Kong 3-0 for a second consecutive win. Both Indian squash teams also reached the quarterfinals. The men topped Pool A after 3-0 wins against China and South Korea, while the women beat China and Japan to make the last eight.

In archery, Ganesh Thirumuru reached the men’s compound quarterfinals after defeating fellow Indian Sahil Jadhav. Chikitha Taniparthi progressed in the women’s event following a shoot-off, although defending champion Jyothi Surekha Vennam was eliminated.

Kishore Kumar Anbarasu advanced to the surfing quarterfinals. Elsewhere, India’s women’s sepak takraw doubles team lost 1-2 to Japan. In sailing, Ravindra Sharma and Shraddha Verma stood seventh in the mixed dinghy after five races. Tennis saw Rutuja Sampatrao and Ankita Raina exit the women’s doubles, while Sumit Nagal’s singles match was delayed.