India registered its highest-ever medal haul at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, winning 70 medals across disciplines – 16 gold, 23 silver and 31 bronze. This was also India’s highest gold-medal tally at the Games.
The Asiad held in Indonesia from 18 August to 2 September saw Neeraj Chopra as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony while Rani Rampal was named as the flag bearer for the closing ceremony.
India bettered its previous best medal tally achieved eight years earlier at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China where it won 65 medals including 14 gold, 17 silver and 34 bronze.
Here is how India performed in some of the sporting events and disciplines at the Asian Games 2018:
Athletics
Gold medallist India’s Neeraj Chopra at the medal ceremony of the men’s javelin throw event during the 18th Asian Games. | Photo Credit: PTI
Athletics has always provided a big share of India’s medal tally at the Asian Games and the 2018 edition was no different. The track and field events contributed 19 medals in comparison to 2014 Incheon Games’ 13. Neeraj Chopra and Tajinderpal Singh Toor dominated javelin throw and shot put, respectively, and the Indian women’s 4x400m relay team won its fifth consecutive gold.
The 4x400m mixed team, who had initially won silver, got a medal upgrade to gold after Bahrain was disqualified with Kemi Adekoya being handed a four-year ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit for failing a dope test. While Jinson Johnson won the country’s first 1500m medal in 20 years, Manjit Singh’s 800m gold came after 32 years and Arpinder Singh’s triple jump gold was after 48 years.
Kabaddi
Indian men’s kabaddi team at the medal ceremony after winning bronze at the Asian Games 2018. | Photo Credit: PTI
India’s biggest setback at the 2018 Asian Games was when the men’s team were defeated by Iran 18-27 in the semifinal. This was the first time the team had not won gold in Kabaddi at the tournament.
The women’s team were also defeated 24-27 by Iran in the finals and had to settle with silver.
Shooting
Saurabh Chaudhary and Abhishek Verma of India win gold and bronze medals in the men’s 10m air pistol event at Asian Games 2018. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
India’s shooting campaign at the 2018 Asian Games ended with 10 medals. Saurabh Chaudhary, then just 16 years old, created waves after winning the gold medal in men’s 10m air pistol, while Rahi Sarnobat secured the second gold medal for India in women’s 25m pistol event.
However, out of the 10 medals, only two were gold with the biggest disappointment coming in the form of Manu Bhaker. She managed to set an Asian Games record in the 25m pistol qualifying round, however, failed to get a medal in the finals.
Wrestling
India’s Vinesh Phogat celebrates after winning the gold medal in women’s freestyle 50 kg wrestling at the Asian Games 2018. | Photo Credit: AP
With India’s wrestling squad containing several big names, there were huge expectations from the wrestlers. However, only three medals came from freestyle wrestling and no medal from the Greco-Roman. Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat were the only two gold medallists for India in wrestling.
While Punia defeated Japan’s Daichi Takatani 11-8 the men’s 65kg final, Phogat triumphed over Japan’s Yuki Irie 6-2 in the women’s 50kg event to become the first Indian female wrestler to win an Asiad gold. Divya Kakran’s bronze in the 68kg event completed India’s wrestling medals tally. Olympic medallists Sushil Kumar and Sakshi Malik lost in the first round and bronze medal match, respectively.
Boxing
Uzbekistan’s Dusmatov Hasanboy, red, and India’s Amit Panghal fight in the men’s light flyweight boxing final at the 18th Asian Games. | Photo Credit: AP
India’s boxing campaign was disappointing with the boxers failed to win a single medal in women’s event. In men’s category, Amit Panghal defeated reigning Olympic champion & World Championship silver medalist Hasanboy Dusmatov to clinch the gold medal in men’s 49kg category.
On the other hand, Vikas Krishan Yadav became the first Indian boxer to clinch a medal in three successive Asian Games.
Hockey
Silver medal winning Indian women’s hockey team celebrates after the medal ceremony at the 18th Asian Games 2018. | Photo Credit: PTI
The Indian women’s team had much to celebrate after reaching its first Asian Gams final in 20 years. The team lost 1-2 to Japan in the gold medal match.
Indian men’s hockey team captain Sreejesh takes selfie with their bronze medals during the medal ceremony at the 18th Asian Games 2018. | Photo Credit: PTI
The Indian men’s team lost to Malaysia 6-7 in a penalty shootout in the semifinal. Recovering from their shock reverse, the Men in Blue then defeated arch-rival Pakistan 2-1 to win bronze.
Tennis
Gold medallists Rohan Manchanda Bopanna and Divij Sharan of India celebrate with their medals and plush mascots. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
India continued to assert superiority in the men’s doubles as Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan defeated Kazhakstan’s Alexander Bublik and Denis Yevseyev 6-3, 6-4 in 52 minutes to win gold. In singles, Prajnesh Gunneswaran won bronze medal while Ramkumar Ramanathan failed to make it through. The women’s singles event saw Ankita Raina win bronze.
Bridge
Gold medallist India’s Pranab Bardhan and Shibhnath Sarkar pose with the Indian tricolour after winning in bridge competition at the 18th Asian Games. | Photo Credit: PTI
Indian pair of Pranab Bardhan & Shibnath Sarkar won the gold medal in the inaugural edition of the bridge event at the 2018 Asian Games in the men’s pair category. The 60-year-old Pranab and 56-year-old Shibhnath finished at the top after scoring 384 points in the finals. The pair’s medal took India’s gold medal count to 15 to match that of 1951 Asian Games.
The event also saw India winning bronze medals in the men’s team and mixed team events.
Rowing
Gold medallists Sawarn Singh, Bhokanal Dattu, Om Prakash and S Singh after the presentation ceremony for the Men’s Quadruple Sculls event at the 18th Asian Games. | Photo Credit: PTI
Indian rowers won a gold and two bronze medals at the 18th Asian Games.
The team comprising Sawarn Singh, Dattu Bhokanal, Om Prakash and Sukhmeet Singh clocked 6:17.13 to win the gold medal in men’s quadruple sculls. It was redemption of sorts for Bhokanal after his forgettable show, when he failed to complete his event leaving the coach fuming.
Before landing the top prize, India bagged two bronze medals in the sport through Rohit Kumar and Bhagwan Singh in lightweight double sculls after Dushyant started the day with a third-place finish in lightweight single sculls.
Table Tennis
Bronze medallists Manika Batra and Sharath Kamal Achanta of India during the Table Tennis mixed doubles medal ceremony at the Asian Games. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
India secured its first ever medal in table tennis in the Asian Games as the men’s team won a bronze medal by defeating Japan in the quarterfinals. The squad comprising Sharath Kamal, G Sathiyan and Manika Batra did not disappoint as Kamal and Batra combined to win yet another bronze in the mixed doubles.
The double podium finishes in sport is regarded as one of the biggest highlights of India in the Asiad. However, the singles proved to be too tricky for India as none of the Indians made it through to the quarterfinals.
Archery
Silver medallists Team India pose with their medals. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
The South Koreans proved to be too dominant for the Indian archers as both the men’s and women’s compound teams won silver. Both teams were gold medal prospects and reached the finals with ease, but it was the mighty Koreans they had to face. While the men’s event went down to the wire with the game being tied at 229-229, and the shootoff also ending in a draw 29-29. The winner was decided by more 10-point shots scored which meant India had to settle for silver.
Silver medallists Team India pose with their medals. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
The women’s team compound event saw Korea defeat the Indian team 231-228 and ending India’s hopes of an archery gold. India did not win any medals in recurve or any individual events.
Badminton
India’s badminton players P.V. Sindhu and Saina Nehwal show their medals won at the Asian Games 2018. | Photo Credit: GIRI KVS
Indian badminton witnessed a historic campaign at the 2018 Asian Games with two female shuttlers – PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal – securing a medal each in the individual event. It marked the first time in Asian Games history that Indian female shuttlers won medals in individual events.
India’s last medal at the Asiad in singles event was Syed Modi’s bronze in 1982. Both Nehwal and Sindhu lost to Tai Tzu Ying in the semifinal and final to win bronze and silver, respectively. The remaining badminton contingent failed to make it to the podium.
Equestrian
Fouaad Mirza won the silver medal in Equestrian at Asian Games 2018. | Photo Credit: SREENIVASA MURTHY V/The Hindu
Fouaad Mirza ended India’s 36-year wait for an individual medal in equestrian. He won the silver medal in individual jumping with a score of 26.40, just four seconds behind Japan’s Oiwa Yoshiaki. Apart from Mirza, the Indian team comprising of Rakesh Kumar, Ashish Malik, and Jitender Singh, also claimed silver with a score of 121.30 in the team event.
Sepak Takraw
India’s Thokchom Seitaram Singh (L) jumps for the ball against Iran’s Jafari Mehrdad (R) during the sepak takraw men’s team regu match during the 2018 Asian Games. | Photo Credit: AFP
India secured a bronze medal in the men’s team regu event which was the country’s first medal in Sepak Takraw since the sport’s debut in the 1990 Asian Games.
The Indian team lost 0-2 to Thailand in the semifinal, which assured it a bronze medal.
Prior to the 2018 Asiad, India had participated in the sport over the previous three editions of the Games but had won no medals.
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