From Sportstar · Jonathan Selvaraj · · 2m
Nagoya Asian Games: India's emotional moments
India's Asian Games campaign in Nagoya reveals both triumph and heartbreak through iconic images.
In brief
India's Asian Games campaign in Nagoya reveals both triumph and heartbreak through iconic images. India won 21 gold medals at Nagoya Asian Games but fell short of Hangzhou performance with 15 fewer golds and seven fewer total medals. Originally reported by Sportstar.
Iconic podium moment
Kumkum Mohod, a shy smile on her face, is flanked by a shell-shocked Chinese and a Korean.
“Kumkum Mohod, a shy smile on her face, is flanked by a shell-shocked Chinese and a Korean”
Marathon record breaker
Sawan Barwal broke the national record five months after recovering from a blackout to win India's first marathon medal in 60 years.
“Five months after dramatically breaking the national record, recovering from a blackout to scramble across the line, Sawan Barwal cruised through the last few hundred meters to rewrite the mark and, in the process, marathon history”
Women's relay gold
Vithya Ramraj, Kiran Pahal, M.R. Poovamma and Prachi Choudhary won India's only track and field gold in rain-soaked Paloma Mizuho Stadium.
“There’s the one of the four Indian women’s relay runners, Vithya Ramraj, Kiran Pahal, M.R. Poovamma and Prachi Choudhary, soaked to the bone, flashing million-dollar grins and hastily made-up faces, jumping with abandon into a downpour at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium after holding off the charge of Asia’s finest quarter-milers to win India’s only gold medal in track and field at Nagoya”
Hockey redemption
India's women's hockey team won gold after 42 years, securing direct qualification for 2028 LA Olympics.
“India’s gold in women’s hockey was its first in 42 years and secured a direct qualification for the LA Olympics in 2028”
Wrestling breakthrough
Aman Sehrawat won gold after wrestling federation officials snapped a picture with him and Antim Panghal minutes before her final.
“Wrestling Federation of India officials were seen clicking a picture with gold medal winner Aman Sehrawat and Antim Panghal barely minutes before Antim was to play her own final. She eventually lost, settling for silver”
Neeru Dhanda's triumph
Neeru Dhanda became India's first woman to win trap gold after Olympic champion Peter Wilson wrapped her in a bear hug.
“Speaking of coaches, what about the one in which Olympic champion Peter Wilson, six-and-a-half feet tall, wraps five-foot-two Neeru Dhanda in a bear hug after she becomes the first Indian woman to win trap gold?”
Rowers' despair
Salman Khan and Satnam Singh wept after securing a podium finish but missing gold due to forced change in rowing craft.
“Think of that shot of the two Indian rowers, Salman Khan and Satnam Singh, lying exhausted on the pier of the rowing arena after ensuring India didn’t return without a medal in rowing, but weeping because they couldn’t win gold after being forced into a new craft two days before their competition”
Sawan's flag search
Sawan Barwal wandered Paloma Stadium looking helplessly for a flag after breaking the national record.
“There’s another one where Sawan Barwal wanders around the Paloma Stadium looking helplessly for a flag after having just broken the Indian national record to win the country’s first marathon medal in more than 60 years”
Antim Panghal's final
Antim Panghal forced a smile for cameras ten minutes before her final despite knowing she would settle for silver.
“What about the one posted proudly by a federation official himself, a picture taken with Antim Panghal ten minutes before her final? She is putting on a forced smile for the cameras even as she tries to focus on the biggest fight of her career”
Medal count reality
India finished Nagoya Asian Games with 21 gold, 27 silver and 35 bronze medals.
“India finished with 21 gold medals, 27 silver and 35 bronze”
Hangzhou comparison
India won 15 fewer golds and seven fewer total medals than at Hangzhou Asian Games.
“India won 15 fewer medals and seven fewer golds than it did at Hangzhou”
Shooting performance
Shooting won three golds after dropping from seven at Hangzhou, rescued by Neeru Dhanda's heroics.
“Shooting, down to three golds from seven last time, was rescued in the final three days almost single-handedly by Neeru’s heroics”
Athletics redemption
Women's athletics quarter-mile quartet won gold after six golds at Paris Olympics.
“Athletics, which won six golds in 2023, was hauled away from humiliation by the willpower of its women’s quarter-mile quartet”
Boxing breakthrough
Boxing went from zero to three medals, six in total, with Ankush Panghal winning gold in men's 80kg division.
“Boxing stood out. It went from nothing to three medals, six in all. Twenty-year-old Ankush Panghal’s gold in the men’s 80kg division, won after beating world champion Fazliddin Erkinboev, marks him out as one of the most exciting Indian men’s prospects in a long time”
Wrestling progress
Wrestling went from zero to two golds with Sujeet stepping into Bajrang Punia's shoes.
“Wrestling went from zero to two golds. Who knows, it might have been three had it not been for the nature of its officials. Wrestling’s Sujeet has solidly stepped into the shoes of Bajrang Punia in the 65kg category”
What's next for India
India must learn from Nagoya to prepare for LA Olympics in 2028.
“That is sport. Every Games will produce them. What matters now is how honestly India learns from this one. Because Los Angeles is less than two years away”
What it means
India won 21 gold medals at Nagoya Asian Games but fell short of Hangzhou performance with 15 fewer golds and seven fewer total medals.
